Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Colorado leftover licenses

The draw stats are now out, so you can figure out what licenses will be available for the leftover draw and make some pretty educated guess as to which licenses will make it to leftover day. Not going to do a full list like I normally do, but just look for hunt codes that have a number other than 0 in the current balance column.

http://wildlife.state.co.us/HUNTING/BIGGAME/STATISTICS/Pages/Statistics.aspx

ExBio:

There's only 49 antlerless elk tags left in the unit where I want to hunt. So it looks like I'm going to be camped out on the doorstep of the local DOW office on the morning of 8/14. Too bad you can't get two either-sex tags because there are more leftover E/S tags in that unit than cow tags.

Looks like I'm SOL for deer hunting this year. There aren't even any leftover doe tags for the late plains deer season in the unit where I can hunt. I did a quick scan of the deer tables and most of the leftover tags seem to be for archery, PLO and a few muzzies.

There are some exceptions of course and unit 27 is one of them. That's the Gore Range north of Kremling and west of Hwy 40 to Muddy Pass. There are lots of leftover tags for that unit. What's up with that?

KC

DO NOT GO TO the DOW! Go to a small license agent if you don't want to deal with the lines and lotteries

There may not be that many by the time it's released to the public. Those who didn't draw get the list first if they clicked the leftover list.

I'm one of those who didn't draw a deer tag. That list will be mailed out to us in 4 days.

The Middle Park units are basically the only units in the state over the population objective and sex ratio objective. And with really crappy success rates they can issue a lot of licenses in order to achieve their harvest goals

Ex:

Do we still have to hunt deer and elk in the same season? Or could I hunt deer in the 1st or 2nd season in one unit and elk in the 3rd season in a different unit.

Why are success rates low in unit 27? A few years ago, I hit a deer with my truck on Hwy 40.

KC

You can hunt deer and elk in separate seasons.

So I'm slow and can't tell, but any doe tags leftover for 2nd rifle for 44 or 444?

Cumminshunter:

DF044o2R = 0
DF444o2R = 11
Only eleven licenses left for unit 444 during the second season, so you better get to the license agency early if you hope to get one of them.

KC

Vince:

I know you can hunt the late plains season for deer and 3rd season for elk because there's no elk hunting during the time of the late plains season. I remember a few years ago there was a rule that stated that if you hunted both deer and elk during the regular rifle seasons, you had to hunt them both at the same time. That must have changed, right?

KC

Yes that has changed, you can hunt whatever season you wish. Can do combos or single species in separate seasons

And yes there are 444 leftover for licenses in 2nd and 3rd

Thanks exbiologist and KC.

You said not to go to the DOW b/c of lines? Would I be better off going to Walmart? at 1 am on the day they come out?

Also, any archery deer tags left over for 44 or 444?

Thanks for your help...

CummnsHunter:

One advantage of Wal Mart is that they are open 24 hours but I'm not so sure that Wal Mart is your best place. Some of the clerks in the sporting goods departments don't seem to be very knowledgable so they may not be able to help.

I will take exbiologist's advice and try go to a small local gun/sporting goods store in my neighborhood. I will talk to them before the day of the draw to make sure that they are going to be open at 08:00 AM on 8/14. If they're not going to be open then I will go to the DOW office at 0-dark-thirty and sit on their door step until the doors open. I've done that many times. It's a PITA but it works.

KC

Great, now you two are giving 2 different ideas... COME ON! Can't you get on the same page for us rookies?

Is there something special to do for the leftovers as far as what the clerk has to do? Is it different then getting a regular duck/fishing/small games license?

Thanks.

Yes there is something special that the clerk has to do. He/she has to check the list on the DOW web site to see what's still available. Once they sell a license, they have to enter data that will result in an update of the list. Only an agent that's already in the system can do that. Some department store clerks don't have a clue.

I'm not going to try to buy a left over license at Wal Mart during the rush on August 14th. Wal Mart wasn't my idea. I was merely responding to a question.

I think exbiologist's idea of buying left over licenses at a small local gun/sporting goods store is the best way if that store is going to be open at 08:00 AM. Many small stores don't open until 10:00 AM and a lot of licenses can disappear from the list in a couple of hours. If I can make that strategy work I will. If not I can always camp out on the DOW porch.

KC

Ex, appreciate your insights on this stuff as usual.

Leftover Day:
For those who haven't experienced it or taken advantage of it, it can be pretty chaotic. Wal Mart, Dow, Sportsman's warehouse, Jax and most of the better known sporting goods stores can have lines out the door. Leftovers go on sale at 9 am in person or over the phone. Many of the busier places have a little lottery or take-a-number thing going on. The Dow may have a big board where they display leftovers and cross out codes as they disappear.

So, when I'm looking for a new place, I'll focus on fly shops and very small gun stores. I'll go in a day or two before and make sure the clerk plans to open early for leftover day and I'll give them some practice entering hunting license codes if I have any worries about their competency. Might buy an OTC tag or waterfowl stamp or something.
Other decent options for leftover day include places where outdoor gear isn't really their main business, like sports authority or dicks or big 5.
If you're going to be too busy to buy a license in person, and can't tolerate a 30 minute or more phone wait, just buy the license over the Internet that evening.
Oh and the clerk doesn't need to check the list first, those that do just slow things down. If the license is sold out, the machine won't sell it. Just make sure you have several options written down and are ready to go so no one behind you murders you for taking twenty minutes to get your licenses correct. One problem with not going to the Dow is that the clerks won't know why you keep getting rejected when you keep trying to buy a 2nd list a license or something like that.

And to add to the above, no need to show up at 1 am if you have a good place. Since I've started figuring this stuff out, I haven't waited more than about 20 minutes anywhere I've gone.

My best friend works in the local fly shop.

Guess who's always 1st in line?