CO leftover day

Nothing crashed this year, so it was better than last year...I got my 13th choice tag, gotta do your homework and have a long list!
 
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I figured CO sells a lot of OTC tags to folks they know will not fill the tag and they may lose that $$ without affecting herd numbers much if they switch to all limited. Just thinking of folks who may not be dedicated western point carpet bombers (like the folks around HT) who buy a tag last minute. The people who plan months ahead and go through the draw process are probably more likely to fill the tag (as a noob I am NOT including myself in that group) than the folks who grab an OTC last minute.

I'm also willing to be educated on the areas in CO that are so thick with deer that somebody thinks they should be OTC 😁.

Another question for you willm. When I bought my points I checked that I would like to be in the leftover draw (the one in July) but never got an email. How can I ensure I'm in the leftover draw without going through the draw process? Can anyone do the leftover draw?

Interesting they should have sent you an email, with the .pdf for the list. Then you have been able to go on to your account and filled out an app...not sure why you didn't get the email.

As far as the full limited, this is what I feel like people aren't wrapping there heads around, going full limited won't change buying a tag last minute at Walmart a couple days before the season, or at a CPAW location during the season.

Right now units 11, 12, 13, 23, 24,25,26,33,34,131,211,231 are defacto OTC for 1 rifle. There are so many tags for this unit that you will likely be able to buy this tag right up until the season starts. Similarly there are 7 bear units with over 300 tags, these likely won't sell out.

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Post draw the leftover list will just have an additional 80,000 tags on the list, and your tag would likely be good for units in a specific DAU not units all over the state, and it's possible that some units would sell out. Point being if you want to last minute hunt CO you still will be able to do so and you likely will be able to hunt the same seasons and units. The biggest change will be your tag won't say OTC at the top and district mangers will be able to cap units that get hit hard by winter kill.
 
Got lucky and drew my second choice online... huge improvement over last years system!
 
Swing and a miss for me. There were 17 cow B tags for first season and I hit submit payment at 9:11. I was really hoping to have that extra cow tag in my pocket. Maybe next year.
 
Interesting they should have sent you an email, with the .pdf for the list. Then you have been able to go on to your account and filled out an app...not sure why you didn't get the email.

As far as the full limited, this is what I feel like people aren't wrapping there heads around, going full limited won't change buying a tag last minute at Walmart a couple days before the season, or at a CPAW location during the season.

Right now units 11, 12, 13, 23, 24,25,26,33,34,131,211,231 are defacto OTC for 1 rifle. There are so many tags for this unit that you will likely be able to buy this tag right up until the season starts. Similarly there are 7 bear units with over 300 tags, these likely won't sell out.

View attachment 111755

Post draw the leftover list will just have an additional 80,000 tags on the list, and your tag would likely be good for units in a specific DAU not units all over the state, and it's possible that some units would sell out. Point being if you want to last minute hunt CO you still will be able to do so and you likely will be able to hunt the same seasons and units. The biggest change will be your tag won't say OTC at the top and district mangers will be able to cap units that get hit hard by winter kill.

Oh okay I thought there was a point they stopped selling them. Your explanation makes sense.

Not sure why I didn't get notified but hopefully won't miss it next year. I'd rather avoid the leftover day hijinks next year. But I plan to try for NM every year so going to miss the first draw.
 
I was 1st in the door @ a CPW office this morning. Their computers were down, staff was entering my info on a cell phone, punched enter @ 9:01. Out of 4 cow tag choices entered all @ once I drew #3, the first 2 had 1 tag available each. The 61 3rd season cow tag I drew had 2 available, Surprised to say I got one of those.

@ the main CPW office in CO Springs the line started forming last Friday afternoon, those dimbulbs waited 3.5 days!
 
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It's amazing how skinny that list gets so fast! Managed to pick up a not-so-great mule deer tag in the unit in my backyard. More days in the field can't be a bad thing right?!
 
Me and my brother picked up our 2cd rifle deer tags this morning. It was the first time I have used the CO system. What a POS! Crashed twice had to restart from the beginning. If we were going for a tag with a lot of leftovers we would not have gotten one for sure.
 
I have been told that Colorado is the best state for resident hunters. Seems hard to believe looking at how hard tags are to get a hold of and how short the seasons are.
 
I have been told that Colorado is the best state for resident hunters. Seems hard to believe looking at how hard tags are to get a hold of and how short the seasons are.
I’m not sure who would rank CO that high. That being said, this is my 34th consecutive year of having at least one deer and elk tag in my pocket. Tags are not hard to come by. There were 8 opportunities for people to secure a tag before today, yet there were over 50,000 tags still available on the list this morning.
 
I’m not sure who would rank CO that high. That being said, this is my 34th consecutive year of having at least one deer and elk tag in my pocket. Tags are not hard to come by. There were 8 opportunities for people to secure a tag before today, yet there were over 50,000 tags still available on the list this morning.

Meh, it’s probably 3rd... AK, WY then CO. I hunted MT as a resident for 4 seasons... I like CO better I’m sure some prefer MT. I think people get caught up on the “short season” thing but honestly if you stagger your tags you can hunt a bull elk for a month during archery, a cow for 2 months in the late season with a rifle, deer for a week in November, two weeks if you get a doe tag and then you can hunt bears for 8 weeks. That’s a lot of time in the field, sure it’s not just a single OTC tag that you buy at once, you have to buy multiple and be strategic, but it means our biologists can and do have the ability to manage our herds by area.

Montana is easier for the license holder, but it’s herds are paying the price and it shows... the only thing they really have going for them is lack of people, same for WY, if that part of the equation changes they will have to take dramatic steps. At least COs seasons are sustainable.


- I think the lack of a spring bear season and poor pronghorn hunting are the only things I really miss about MT. I’ve only hunted ID once so I’m not sure where I would rank it...
 
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I would agree, seems like it was much more efficient this year. I was able to add a cow tag to my pocket, can't wait!
 
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