Are we approaching the time to check the back door for tags. DOW says June 4 to 8th

There is no back door anymore with the new system from what guys have been saying

Thanks

There’s nothing I can see internally yet

I heard that from a CPW source as well. Some new process with new system precludes posting of points, etc. before the draw is officially realeased. Happy Trails

Tick, tock, ... The wait is killing me this year. I rolled the dice on how I made selections and I'm hoping the change to no upfront money, and the potential increase in applicants, doesn't bite me. They were reliable choices in the old system, but maybe not now.

I’m just praying that my homework researching unit draw statistics pays off. Praying for a muzzleloader tag for Sept.

You will know if you draw or not after they start hitting cards

Read on Eastmans that they’ve heard nonresident deer, elk, antelope and moose applications went up more than 100%. Resident up 25-50%. I may be looking for OTC this year for elk.

Can you just imagine what this will do to the points structure.

Yep.....most everyone predicted this mess

At the end of the day the cost is the same though. It's a little odd to me that the numbers would go up that much with no actual cost difference. Some increase, sure. For Bighorns I understand, but the others weren't that big of a deal.

Its a $3 app fee and your in, $31 and any swingin dick is in for all 7 species! That's the cost difference!

Other than the hard to draw species and licences, why would anyone put in for licenses that they couldn’t afford to front the money on with full refund? Do you have more money in June than in April? Do you think folks are running that tight on their credit line on cards?Makes no sense unless the anti’s are organized to clog up the system. Happy Trails

Prior to this year for non-resident to apply for all seven species they would have had to front $8,400, a resident $933! Now all they have to come up with is $31. Maybe they draw one tag or two or even three now they have to pay for those licenses but it's still not $8,400 or $933!

Good point! I did not think about those that might apply for everything offered. I also looked at sheep and goat app numbers. It appears that the huge surge in numbers are preference point only apps although there were also more hunt choice apps as well. With the way it’s set up, what good is 3rd or 4th choices on an app? Happy Trails

Be interesting to see that leftover list come august.

A lot of them probably didn't apply for everything before, but now that it's 3 bucks apiece........

Exactly,but surprise, next year the application fee goes up along with the tag fees I'm not sure if it will be$10 or $15,but a BIG slug of money for CPW

Yep, I hear $10 for residents and $20 for non res. Nice little new revenue stream they created!

Hell, raise it to $100 and apply it to the license if drawn! Otherwise, non refundable. That will scare off the casual lookie-loo’s! LOL! Happy Trails

Pretty sure the Parks and Rec guys are going to be riding around in some sweet new trucks this year. They're the best though and I hope they all get new ones.

Parks and Rec Guys?

Yeah, we hunters now fund parks and rec. Rec, is sarcasm.

Prolly not far off hasbean! 😁

I'm just speaking to the ones I've personally met in the field.

I've been contacted by both DWMs and Parks employees in the field. No comparison in my opinion.

Yo Meat! You applied for a tag that always has leftovers.........you drew a tag.

No hits on my credit card yet.

KC

What was the ol trick the used to merge fish and wildlife with parks and recreation? I know it was about money that they would both be solvent and not need more money blah blah. Before I left colorado the parks and rec side was hurting for money if I remember correctly. Now you got this.. they can't spend the money fast enough..

That is Mr. Meat to you. Damn Indian!

Today starts the Colorado Draw results, anyone have results yet? Nothing showing up for me so far when I check my preference points. Tom.

Nothing for me either. I don't understand why it would take four days for the notifications.

I believe they are announcing a few species this week. Elk, Deer, Antelope, Moose. More? No news for me yet.

I guess that makes some sense if each big game animal has its own draw day.

I'm like a kid on Christmas Eve.

Maybe my season dates could be as well defined as the draw results. WA is even worse. They state mid-June. That’s what I call precise! LOL! Happy Trails

Just checked and I have no new preference points or awards, yet. Also, my credit card has not been hit yet. Must be taking longer due to the high number of requests this year.

No news for me, yet.

same here. no news

This shouldn't take four days. In fact results should be posted on the 5th of April. Sports stadiums and concerts with tens of thousands of seats across the nation are sold on a weekly basis. The software has to be out there. I'm really at a loss on why this should take two months to figure out, and then four days for notifications.

I wonder what the the collective loss of productivity across America will be due to thousands of her best workers constantly refreshing their website for the next four days.

Nothing for me yet, but sister or brother in law had their CC hit for a tag.

I just got a $46 and a $10.75 pre-auth on my CC. I believe this means both my son and I drew elk (prices match).

I just lost 600 bucks from my debit card.

Got the 1st rifle tag I was hoping for

Just got notification that I drew my tag. Guess the draw has been completed.

Sweet, I got my tag! Our group will be back this fall!

I put in for 3 separate 1st rifle options and was unsuccessful for all 3! I just wanted a cow tag, and have always drawn in the past. Not sure what I will do now.

1st season bull tag here

ML bull here.

Looks like my group will be hunting Colorado's Snake River Ranch again. EF004W2R

Should be able to fill a freezer or two.

yee-haw!

Got my first choice. 1st season cow! Was notified via email at 1:25am. This means I can also do an OTC either sex archery. Yeah.

Swing and a miss (crap) ..... good luck to those who have tags comings.

ML bull for me! Unit 86 some really rough country!

CPW decided I drew at 9pm last night, hit the debit card at midnight, and sent an email at 3am this morning. Hell of a way to run a railroad.

Got notified at 0236 this morning that I drew 1st season bull tag, sweet! Beat the odds, with 0 points....

Can anyone explain how the draw is done? Does the individual get drawn then they get their choice or is the drawing primarily by the unit/tag selected? Just curious for the future.

3rd choice B list cow tag. I’ll be hunting elk twice this year again.

The latter by GMU, sex, and season.

Got email at 3:24 AM Unsuccessful for first choice archery Elk and another email at 4:50 stating I was successful for my option of Over The Counter either sex Elk. Still waiting on my Deer info. Tom

Hopefully I can help with at least some of the questions going on here
First, license setting:
Out here, deer classification flights are flown in late December, while elk in mid February. Harvest survey data comes back by early March, bears usually mid to late March. Biologists then work the models based on those inputs and lay out suggestions for the Area meetings with game wardens and supervisors in mid to late March (I go to 3 of these because of how my district lays out, so Gunnison, Grand Junction and Montrose). After the license setting meetings are done at the Area level (state administratively divided into 18 areas, those 18 areas into 4 regions), then the upper level regional staff meet to approve in April before sending on to the Commission meeting in early May. This year that was May 3-4 in Grand Junction. This is a public meeting. After May 4, I'm not entirely certain what happens, but someone has to input 3- 5,000 hunt code changes. I do know that the actual computerized drawing doesn't take very long. But, there's also proofing that occurs so that people with 2 points don't draw a 201 elk tag and things like that. I don't know how much of that occurs in a random sample or if literally every single hunt code is proofed entirely.
The draw itself:
When you apply your application receives a random number ( I believe it is 6 digits). The draw occurs hunt code by hunt code, not by applicant like some states do. So the people with the highest number of points get the license first, then down the line until there are more applicants then licenses available, at which point those are allocated randomly based on your application number or something like that. I assume the random application numbers are the ones still in play for the hybrid draw, but I honestly don't know the details on that part of the draw.

Hope that helps. So, I don't know what all occurs between May 4 and June 4, but as you can imagine with thousands of hunt codes hundreds of thousands of applicants, everything takes a while. But at least under our current system, there's no way the draw could be done and announced by April 5.

Elk preference point for me. Anxious to see if my son drew a deer tag !

Thank you Biologist. Informative post.

Congrats to all successful applicants, including me-

Now for the bad news:
If things don't change drastically between now and elk/deer seasons, CO is going to be a season of closures, fire bans, and tough hunting. Really wish I hadn't burned points on tags this season.

No luck on my impossibly long-shot elk tag. Pref Pt. only for the year. But according to my credit card that just got hit for $396, I expect that my elk VIEWING permit (otherwise known as a Unit 201 2nd Rifle deer tag) will shortly be confirmed!

Ist season bull tag for me with 0 preference points, drew as my second choice so I now have 1 preference point.

Any other draws beside Elk yet ?

Lots of guys on other forums have said their cards have been hit for deer , I haven’t seen anything.

ML bull for me.

And Preference Points.

My card was hit for the $40 for my elk PP last night and then hit this morning for $396 so I assume that's my deer tag.

Sounds like the order is going to be elk,deer, moose, bear, antelope

Preference Point

Well either My wife drew for the third year in a row or i did for deer card hit for $31.00.I Do not think it was me because of unit choice and on hand pp. It was my wife that drew wow 3 years in a row.

I got drawn for a 4th season deer as well.

1st season bull elk and I got a PP, and a 4th season deer. Couldn’t ask for more!

Pref point and didn't draw 2nd thru 4th choice.....my non-resident hunting partner did draw our second choice (cow).....should be leftover opportunities in the unit, as there have been many in the past and I expect some this year. Just means waiting for the leftover draw to finalize our plans. As to the drought.....this coming week doesn't look to help as the forecast is hot and dry.

1st season bull here. Maybe my luck is changing from bad to better.

The whole famdamily drew MZ tags.... bulls for the wife and I, cows for the kids. I guess I better start shopping for a couple more smokepoles.

Nice bud - BH 209 and Barnes!

Cow tag for a partner and myself!

my partner didn't draw but I did. Is the draw over for elk or does he still have a chance?

Three of us drew unit 76 archery. Can't wait.

Did not draw my GMU 063 deer archery with 2 preference points. I thought it would be a gimme. As I recall, last year everyone with 2 preference points and some with 1 got picked. Quota must have went down or a lot more people applied. Have to wait and see statistics.Tom

When you see the stats of the number of applicants this year because of not having to pay for the entire license fee,you are going to choke. I think the days of drawing with 0 or 1 point are gone

No Barnes in CO.... full bore only. She’s killed does the past two seasons with PowerBelts, they seem to run well in front of BH209 in the TC Triumph.

Daughter and I will have MZ buck tags during that season/unit too.... something is getting a .50 cal hole in it.

seems like a lot more out of state guys Drew with 0 pts this year than in state guys....

At 10x the money per tag.... that smells a little fishy...

I drew a third combined Unit 12 buck tag.

Copy...

No deer tags for me and the boy, maybe we’ll get another shot on the leftover draw.

That’s very cool and a lot of work for the Doggy! CO, is like OR..No Sabots..No breach load; all muzzle stuff’n. No scopes, Aimpoint, Red dots...Just open sights...Once you acquire 7 smokepoles, you gotta hang some pictures of your fun, playing with your dragon poles...You dropping the Ninja gear for skins and a possum hat? Chop, chop, Dog, you got a lot to do...including buying another freezer...Good problem to have...😎

That’s what I was worried about. I was trying for a 1st season bull tag as a second choice as a non-resident. Once I saw the application numbers I was worried! But I got it. Four in-state family members got the same tag with 0 points. I was surprised. Really going to have to pay close attention to my draw strategy next year though. I can’t imagine historical draw odds will mean much. Probably add some states just to ensure one good elk hunt.

1st rifle EE for me.....lets hope it gets wet in Colorado soon.

Their email notification system sent me nine identical emails telling me I am eligible for the leftover deer and elk drawings even though I drew my first choice elk tag.

I'm honored to be part of the live beta test.

It sounds like you are being highly recruited. Maybe they will give you a full ride scholarship

I got another email yesterday apologizing for the multiple emails and confusion.

Just the oldest two can hunt.... so I only really need two more. I handed a TC Impact to my daughter a couple weeks ago when we were in Sportsman’s.... she looked at it and asked me “what’s this for?”. I said she was gozing to need her own Muzzleloader this season. Her reply: “I have a Muzzleloader.... you need a new one.” She’s killed a couple deer with my TC Triumph, and laid claim to it... can’t blame the girl, she knows the good schitt.

Girl and I also drew MZ buck tags to go along with the elks... and my wife drew a 4th Season buck tag to boot. My brother and a couple buddies are flying in to hunt 3rd season bucks, and another pard drew 2nd Season Bull and Buck tags. It’s shaping up to be a busy couple months in the fall... and the antelope draw results haven’t been released yet.

There’s already two freezers in the garage.... I may need to pony up for a third.

Boy, my luck this year was all bad...i stuck out on all tags. Looks like bow hunting for elk or see about leftover tags.

Just got the email. I drew the 105 antelope tag, too.

I got my pronghorn tag too, unit 3.

You are going to do great in Unit 3. I had the best hunt experience in that unit.

No tags drawn by me for Colorado. Preference points for deer, elk and antelope.

I will also grab a Plains Elk tag. I bought one each of the last 7 years since I been on the place, and never punched one. See a few elk blow thru in the spring and summer, but never can seem to find one during the long (sept 1st to Jan 31st) plains season. 2 cows came thru yesterday, but by the time I dug the camera outta my boot, one made cover.... If she's around in September, she's goin' down.....

Congrats on the antelope tags.... wife and I both drew Antelope buck tags too.

You've gotta put the camera on top of the pistol.

I had a banner year ...

BH Sheep, MZL Bull Elk, MZL Buck Deer (2nd choice), Rifle Bear (2nd choice), and Rifle Doe Antelope (2nd choice)

The two tags I thought I was in extremely good position for was my 1st choice buck with 4 points and my 1st choice antelope with 10 points.

Certainly didn't expect the Sheep or the Elk tag. Last year, 1 of 11 people drew the elk tag with 3 points. This year I was 1 of 2 people who drew it with 2 points.

Guess it just goes to show the years you're expecting a particular tag and not another is just that .... a guess!

Here's to one heck of a September and 1st week of October!!!!

Good luck everyone on filling your tags!!!

My hunting partner and I drew our deer licenses as did two others in our camp. Two struck out but everyone who applied for cow elk tags were drawn. I may pick up a leftover late cow tag or an OTC bull tag when they go on sale in August since I applied for preference point only for elk. Just hedging my bets in the event that the late season bull quota is cut in future years or there is big time point creep. I don’t have enough hunting years left to build 20+ points for a premium tag! Happy hunting to all! Happy Trails

Has anyone received CO deer or elk tags in the mail yet?

Deer tags have been mailed, not elk.Relax, they will get here

You'll have it be weeks end

My wife's cow tag & my early season bull tag arrived today.

And it still won't work until the date on the tag........

Lol! Nope.

Correct on both counts. Deer tags arrived today. Happy Trails

Got my elk tag on Monday

I got my pronghorn tag in the mail yesterday. The tag was separated from the rest of the license. The edges where it was separated are perforated so apparently someone separated it on purpose.

I'm not impressed with the new vendor they're using, to say the least.

Edited to add: I called CP&W and asked about the separated tag. They said I need to bring it in to get a new tag that's not separated. They also said they'd been having other problems with this new vendor. I hope they get it worked out.

I guess they ran out of blue/grey tags. LOL! The printing on the new green ones looks shabby. It’ll look fine taped to a big mule deer rack 😎
Happy Trails