Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Colorado's New Application System

Every year the CO P&W issues the sheep and goat hunting brochure first. I just got mine in the mail today. It includes an insert explaining the new online only system for applying for the draw. Seems to be pretty much like it was in the past except they will no longer accept paper applications. We must first set up an account and include credit card info. If you have applied in the past you are already in the system and setting up the new account is pretty easy. They don't fully explain the process but I managed to figure it out. The following link will make it easier for everyone to sign up.

https://www.cpwshop.com/licensing.page

KC

I have used the old Colorado online system for years but now it looks more like the Kansas online system.

Used it to apply for turkey. Worked ok. Tried to use for my kids to apply for turkey. Was not able to because it requires a separate id to create an account. They are young enough that they don't have a driver's license. Ends up calling and applying over the phone. Visiting getting them a Colorado id card to be able to use the system.

I posted this in a similar thread in the Big Game forum.

I still can’t get it to work...

Edit: was finally able to get set up. Though somehow they have my SSN as my DL number. Have to call to change.

Every person in a family ( father, mother, children ) that wants to apply for drawings must have their own individual E-mail address & their own individual account with Colorado Parks & Wildlife. ( CPW ). Every applicant must have a Social Security # even if they are only 12 years old. . If you want to apply & your having a problem setting up an account with CPW contact them "NOW" & they will help you. CPW Denver ( 303 )-297-1192 or < cpw.state.co.us > . Drawing application, March 1st to April 1st only. . Don't wait. Also I was in a local CPW office Monday & was told some elk unit quotas would be reduced this year below reduced quotas of last year. Get after it.

Great to hear that! Seriously, the limited units I've hunted in the last five years looked more like 2nd season than 1st season. See fewer and fewer bulls every year too.

No one should be discouraged. I have seen Colorado's elk herd #"s go up & down for ever. They have always rebounded & they will again. In two or three seasons it will be evident. I met a new young elk hunter about three or fours years back who told me he was beginning to think elk were a mythical creature like a Unicorn because he never saw one. Last season he finally connected. Patience & persistence usually are rewarded. Any one interested should go thru the one time process of signing up with CPW & apply. Even if you do not draw an elk tag you will at least get a preference point. That will put you one step closer to drawing next year. If you don't apply you loose that opportunity for the preference point. According to the official CPW count the state wide elk herd stood at 277,750 elk last year. The deer herd stood at 418,560. When you consider many deer hunters do not get a deer it makes you aware of how more determined you have to be for an elk.
This year has indeed been strange. I live at an elevation of 7630' & by no later than mid Dec. there is enough snow that the herds will leave the La Plata mountains north of me & come thru my place heading south. Herds in the 100's are not unusual. This season I have had a total of about 4" of snow. Three of which I got yesterday & it's melting fast ( 40dg temps ) .. To date I have seen one cow. Since we had tremendous amounts of rain last summer there is grass every where & the elk don't have to dig threw the snow for it. It appears they will not need to migrate lower this year in my area. Hmmm.

I just set up my account, and got a confirmation email. They never asked for credit card information. Maybe it's because I didn't apply for any tags yet.

Notice sheep, goat ,deer.elk application deadline is now all the same.Plus you don't get your credit card charged unless you actually draw a tag except for the $3 app fee.

I guess I will apply for preference points this year.

Then we are going to hunt in a state that actually has some elk. So disgusting with the way DOW and CPW have screwed up the wildlife in my home state. Anyone that wants to argue the point should first recall that CO used to be THE place to kill a trophy mule deer. Nowadays you can't even purchase an OTC tag for deer. Now that they have ruined the deer herds, might as well get busy screwing up the elk herds.

Between all that and the drawing system being continually bid out to some dumbass outfit in TX even though they had YEARS of problems with them, it is quite evident that the Colorado Wildlife Commission is full of accountants and lawyers, not sportsmen.

I recall a time not so long ago where you could choose where and when to fill your cow elk tag. Now, you are lucky to SEE a cow elk, never mind a bull.

This nimrod is done hunting in CO until there is a vast improvement.

Thank you for that Public Service Announcement.

Sorry if the truth hurts.

LOL, doesn't hurt me one bit, I hope people heed your advice.

Thanks again, and have a great day.

Please understand Colorado still has the largest elk herd of any state or Canadian province. Colorado still offers over the counter bull elk tags for any one who wishes to hunt. One of the reasons deer tags are drawing only is that Colorado's population has grown so the demand for resident deer tags has grown. Residents as with any other state are given preference. If all would have patience the elk herds will rebound as they always have.. As a resident there have been seasons where I have not drawn a deer tag but yet non residents have. Also over the years there has been a considerable increase in the numbers of non residents applying for tags. Only so many available. Back up 20 years or more & significantly less people. We are now a nation of over 320,000,000. There are only so many deer & elk. Colorado offers a preference point system that allows one to at some point to acquire a tag.

Haven't seen a deer in this state for years.

On another note, I would expect a huge increase in non-residents applying for points now that no funds need to be fronted.

I have to question this. Deer tags are draw only because the mule deer population has taken a big hit compared to the "golden years" when OTC tags were available. And although we do have more elk than any other state, the numbers and the numbers of tags available aren't what they were 10 years ago when many herds were over the objective. Far fewer cow tags and some late season hunts dropped altogether. 358 has a point.

You do have valid points but the number of those applying has gone up considerably therefore more complaints about lack of opportunity. Having worked the local sight in days going way back I have met hunters from all over Europe & South America. Truly amazing. I have observed disapproval of CPW's management techniques from some. . I also have my own opinions for this area. With the cut back in elk hunt opportunities the herd will increase. It always has. Talk to the bean farmers west of me & they will tell you they see no drop in elk numbers out in their fields. I am amazed at the numbers of new house construction in my area. Many of the big old timer ranches have been sold off & subdivided into 35 acre parcels. This affects elk in particular. There are some areas where there are abundant #'s of elk like the Ute Indian reservation south of me. Others areas of public land have very little elk because of easy access during the hunting season. Get back in well off the roads & I see elk. I know of a deep canyon you can look into during the season & you will observe elk. Problem is King Kong himself could not pack an elk out of there. Things change. I see looking thru my 2018 Big Game handbook several GMU's where in the past the early elk hunts there were either sex. No more . Now you apply for either a bull or a cow. Still the same hunt time wise but opportunity is decreased. I will apply as I always have. Some years I draw like the last two & some I don't but will gain a preference point If all else fails I will buy a general OTC tag. I do understand that living here I have come to know & understand elk movements & locations at various times of the year. This gives me as a resident with some experience an advantage. We all have a difficult time with change. Those who can adapt will be the more successful. I recommend that all that are interested apply & at least gain a preference point.

Hesp, I am curios...do you work for Colorado CPW (Bureau of Tourism)?

Did you move in from Kalifornia or New York?

Geez, put down the pom- poms already!

Sorry to have up set you. I'm just an old hunter (73) that's been hunting all my life. I love Colorado . Living here I see many of the difficulties managing game animals. Each year there is an ever increasing demand put on wild life. The best to you & have a great day.

Thank goodness someone finally spoke about the decimated deer herds. Haven't been able to find any in the last 4 years....

I had a similar conundrum. My drivers license number is in place of my social. It still works. I can log on as long as I change the social. My points are there along with my draw history. Maybe I should call and touch base with them. Planning to burn a bunch of deer points this year. Don't need any snags. My daughter's is just fine,and I did them at the same time. Go figure. I likely pissed it up.

I set up my account yesterday. After 3 phone calls, 1 to the 800 # and 2 to the 303 number I found out that I'm a non-resident. Changed my drivers license to CO in March of 1997 and bought the land I live on about 15 years ago. I e-mailed copies of 2 car registrations and my DL to them yesterday and the lady said it was all fixed. Tried signing in today and guess what--- I'm still a non-resident. Will have to e-mail again on Tuesday since they're closed on Monday, to argue some more. I guess what I'm saying is don't wait until the last day to make sure everything works for you because everything wasn't "seamless" in this move over to a paperless system.

I got on yesterday and it might have taken all of 2 minutes to update my account. Waiting on my elk hunting crew to confirm our hunt plans for 2018, but it doesn't seem that it will be any bigger deal to apply this year as opposed to the last few years...

I got everything set up yesterday and I did apply online before so new infor has my CC #. I think it may be easier. I'll need to get small game and fishing license 1st of April.

roper:

I've got the same plan. I'll use the annual process of applying for my small game license as a dry run for applying for the draw.

KC

I have applied for deer and elk tags online for CO the past 13 consecutive seasons and bought OTC tags online except once when I bought a leftover cow tag at the now defunct Cashway Distributing store in Craig. The system has worked for me without a hiccup all those years. I lost a refund check one year so I am glad CPW has gone to pay-after-draw and saved tons of money by not having to enrich credit card companies then refunding that fee back to consumers out of CPW funds.

I agree WAM. If it had been this way all along I would have been in the moose point system years ago. Couldn't see doubling my money tied up for six months. Between myself and my daughter,it's been a pretty penny.

Haven't looked at the new system yet. I'll apply early for myself and two kids still at home to avoid any last minute poop-fests.

I've only lived here 8 years, but in that time I've seen more elk in CO than my previous 27 years in Idaho.

T bone, that's a super interesting perspective. We all complain about the hunters and lack of elk in CO, but maybe it really isn't that bad. Ironically, I was looking at an over the counter bow hunt on the far east side of Idaho. Have a friend up there who says the area has some 400+ bulls. Not a lot of them, but that they do exist. What part of the state did you hunt?

Beau coup deer along Hwy 550 south of Durango, Animas River valley. And along Hwy 160 west of Durango. Elsewheres not so much. Did see a number of them in the area of Ridgeway, too. No one can deny that the state wide numbers are way down by a bunch.

Dang it, 'toot... Now EVERYBODY is gonna put in for Hwy 550....

I'm very familiar with Eastern Idaho. Shoot me a PM with questions.

Hey! I thought the 800 number was manned 24/7. All I got were a bunch of recordings. Whazup?

Hunting conditions are certainly local the area adjacent to us had more deer than I have seen in several years. While scouting day before season saw 2 big bucks on public land from an easy access main road- can’t remember the last time I saw bucks of that size in the open. I’ll plan to apply with my grandson at the same time. He got an email address this year hopefully it can still go on my credit card.