What is the scheduled date for issuing the list of leftover licenses, in Colorado?

KC

It is not on the back page of the BG brochure. Letfgover Draw results are to be posted July 17. So I would imaging right after that.Leftovers go on sale Aug.1, in person or by phone. Online, Aug 2, Midnight

Can anyone get into the leftover draw? Or did we have to indicate that we wanted that as our unsuccessful option?

KC

Only way is if you checked it on the app.They send you a letter with the leftover list and another application

I don't understand all of the fuss over these draws in Colorado. You have over the counter licenses don't you?

Yes for elk during the highest pressure seasons(archery, 2nd or 3rd rifle) and the 2nd licenses (cow elk typically) are mostly all limited licenses. Deer is totally limited.

Yes and those OTC units are the ones with then most hunters.

if there are a lot of hunters there must be a lot of elk.

Colorado does boast the biggest elk herd in the Continental US, however,a lot of those elk are on private land ( think big bucks to hunt them). Then a lot of the elk are in country not accessible to day hunters.

Typical yearly success rate of kills for all elk combined, cows, bulls,calves in all seasons, archery,Ml,rifle runs 16-20% with that percentage being pushed up to those numbers by a lot of cows being shot,but also reduced because archery hunter success is usually below 14%.

CPW would like you to believe there is an elk behind every tree,but as the saying goes, there are no trees.

Well, there are tress but they're inside the fences on the private land/ranches....

If you're willing to do a hike/pack in/out type hunt, you can push your success rate to nearly 100%.

"If you're willing to do a hike/pack in/out type hunt, you can push your success rate to nearly 100%."

I would be interested in briefly hearing more about that in terms of your own experiences and success.

Not Llama Bob here,but I have had pretty much100% success rate fro the last 20+years and probably more.I have gone from a back country wall tent type hunt,to a camp at the trail head in my stock trailer and now with a small slide in pop up camper( age has caught up with me). I do hunt with two mules and ride in every day in the dark about 3 miles and don't hunt late afternoons. I usually hunt two elk seasons here in CO using a "A" and "B" tag.One of those being for a muzzle loader hunt, the other a center fire rifle hunt. Maybe since I hunt two seasons, it might not be qualified as 100% success ,but I do kill and elk every year and quite a few of those years ,I have killed two.One year CO permitted three tags and I filled all of them.
It is all about how hard you want to hunt. You do have to take a few years to figure out how to do it and how the elk react to other hunters.

I shoot both bulls and cows, lately more cows as they are better eating

The bad news is: the guy that hopes to be one of the 16%, doesn't realize that out of that 16% success ratio, probably 85% of those are the same hunters year after year. So 15% of 16% is about what the guy that hopes to walk into an elk and be lucky can expect to be successful. 15% of 16% is only 2.4% and that is what a guy can expect that just decides to go elk hunting, and that doesn't matter if he is in Colorado, Montana or Idaho.

I can certainly attest to that. I went elk hunting for 6 strait years in Montana. Each time in the same place because I thought I had learned the lay of the land. Each year I walked a few miles away from the road. This was supposed to be good elk country. And in 6 years I never saw an elk!

Pretty accurate saying 80/20 rule : "20% of the experienced, and hardest working elk hunters kill 80% of the elk."

Always leaves me scratching my head when friends invite family or friends from out of state and they have lofty expectations of killing a "big 'ol bull"

Most hunters are lucky to even see a bull (on public land) much less have a legitimate chance to harvest one.

When first time hunters join our group I always focus on the little victories. Seeing an elk. Hearing an elk. Enjoying the adventure, the camaraderie, enjoying camp life, the fire, the jokes, the BS stories.

Never is "the harvest" part of the expectation. Of course we will work hard, and do everything we can to be in a spot for a harvest to occur--- but that is the icing on the cake---not the cake itself.

In the last 10 years I've done 7 CO elk hunts, 6 were successful. GMU 24 for 5 of them, GMU 29 for 2. GMU 29 is only useful in warm weather (i.e. first season)- the cold weather habitat is private. GMU 24 is a zoo - for about the first mile from civilization. Past that it's miles of public land with limited access and the biggest elk herd in the world - 40,000 elk in the herd, probably 5,000-7,000 in that GMU. I've pulled cow tags as 2nd choice, and one year did an OTC bull. 2nd rifle. I prefer cow tags as packing out bulls sucks.

I usually have a bull and cow tag in my pocket 3rd season and manage to get one on the ground most years. Some years I'm the only one successful - I train and work harder at it then my regular hunting group. We all practice shooting and my buddies are excellent rifle shots, but the last couple of years they didnt cover ground fast enough or they would have filled tags as well. But if you can't hike at a good pace without stopping at altitude you may not get to where the elk are before they are gone. Sneaking is probably more useful but reaching the best spot for a shot fast enough is a huge part of being successful.

Writing a big check is the surest way to be successful but working hard at it and being persistent is a close 2nd.

I don't know about that.I am an old fart and I sure don't move fast,but end up killing an elk very year. Hardest thing I find when teaching new elk hunters is to get them to slow down.

When you walk in vs. riding a horse it makes a big difference. I need to leave an hour earlier or more in the morning to get to where you start a day hunt from horseback by shooting light. Many days I won't go in as far as you start because about 4 miles from the road is as far as I want to haul meat on my back.... particularly if it is uphill.

I rent horses to haul out meat some years but haven't done a week on horses hunting- might be something worth doing one of these years.

Sneaking better certainly helps I've managed to scare elk with a clumsy step more than once - a couple of times decent bulls were scared off by my noise if big fresh running tracks are a good indication.

I think the turned back and leftovers are first week in August there were some great hunts included last year.

You can not just walk in 3 to 6 miles and find elk. You must know where the are. You find them by scouting and looking for sign.

KC,

Thought we'ed get a 2nd choice tag with our apps but no joy (even after talking with the division wildlife manager). So we also went with the leftover draw letter option. Should be inbound pretty soon, I'll give you a heads up the it shows up.

John(dog)

Saddlesore said "I don't know about that.I am an old fart and I sure don't move fast,but end up killing an elk very year. Hardest thing I find when teaching new elk hunters is to get them to slow down."

I like slow need any help just holler, to fast and this flatlander is sucking wind! LOL

I'm in the middle. I have to hike in to hunt but have llamas to pack the meat. I'm getting on but can still hike in several miles if I don't run. I've never been able to outrun an elk anyway. Besides, when moseying along, it's easier to see elk without falling on my face. That bush right over there is as likely to be hiding one as a bush way up ahead so I need time to look at it closer.

I did not draw again and I depend on the leftovers to get a atag.

The list will be available for preview Wednesday, July 26th. Left Over Licenses then go on sale in person Tuesday, August 1st at 9am. Wednesday, August 3rd at midnight, they are available online.