New for 2016.....

Prior to 2016 we could turn in a big game license any time before the season started for a full refund. I used it for elk a few years ago when my son was born in October.

This year, you must turn in your license at least 30 days before the start of the season and there is a $15.00 charge.

It's all about money.If you do turn it in,they get $15, if you can't turn it in before the 30 days,they get to keep the money for the tag.

And they will resell the license, which they did not do previously. Means there could be some interesting leftovers, but you'll never know when they will pop up. I think they said the old refund policy was costing about $1.8M a year.

This came up at one of the sportsman's round tables I attended. This change was implemented because hunters were scouting their unit and if they didn't like what they saw they would turn the tag in the day before the season opened. I'm glad they made the change.

Not that I will ever hunt CO, but it seems reasonable to refund for legit medical or emergency reasons... beyond that it is a gift.

There are a lot more reasons to have to turn a tag in than the scouting not looking good.That is only one reason. Death in family, illness, company unscheduled traveled, weather. I can't see what the problem would be if you draw an area and then later in the year,it doesn't pan out.

Example. Two years ago,I used 8 pref points for deer in eastern CO The CPW biologist told me that the whitetail population was down maybe 25% and it was just in small locales. Checking it out with locals,the population was down 75% or so. Why would I want to use those points in that area then?

Several years ago, hunters tried to tell CPW that there was significant elk winter kill in the Flat Tops in Colorado.The CPW denied it. A lot of hunters got stuck with tags where there were no elk. Hunters that fund out about it early turned in their tags. Two years later the CPW admitted they knew the elk numbers were down.

I'm neither for it or against it. I just wanted other hunters to know that the rules had changed.

For me, it could be only a $50 loss. Those from out of state could be out $500 if they have an emergency 29 days before their season starts.

Just like they denied the winter kill of deer in the NW for 3 years running before they admitted that the herds were down but never quit issuing doe tags.

Got my brochure yesterday.Certain emergencies still qualify for less than 30 days