CO Draw Changes 2028

[yoopshoot]

Very interesting changes coming down the road for CO.

Colorado Is Switching Its Big-Game Draw. Here's Why Hunters with Preference Points Are Short-Changed

Colorado has adopted several new policies for its big-game tag draw, which will go into effect in 2028. Here's why preference points don't matter as much.

www.outdoorlife.com

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[Tim Steinmetz]

I hope more people will reply to this post with opinions. As a non-resident, I am disappointed with these 2028 changes.

I just went on my first elk hunt last year (2024), and I selected Colorado because it is the easiest state to plan a hunt for. The current preference point system allows you to know clearly which tags you qualify to draw, and which you don't, and that allows you to start planning a hunt 1-2 years in advance. Like many people, I work a full-time job with limited vacation time and a limited budget for hunting. I need to be able to plan for hunts and start saving money and vacation 1-2 years in advance. Random draw systems do not work for this. You might draw a tag, you might not, and you won't know until a few months before the hunt. Wyoming has a similar hybrid draw. In Wyoming, I will only buy points until I have enough that I know I can draw the tag with near 100% certainty in the points draw without participating in the random draw, again, so I can plan 1-2 years in advance. I don't want to draw a random tag on 10% odds in a year where I don't have vacation or budget to go on the hunt.

This new Colorado system will basically make the mid-range tags unreachable for me. These are the tags that take 5-10 points in the current system. I'm assuming these tags will require way more points (maybe 10-20?) to draw with certainty in the 2028 system, and again, the random thing doesn't really work for me.

I also expect that eliminating the preference point hunt code will only serve to explode the draw odds for GMUs 1, 2, 201, 10, 61, etc. Now all the people who only want a point will just apply for those hunts intsead, which is not very fair to the people who legitimately want to draw those tags and are close to qualifying in the current system.

If the goal is to incentivize people to burn points instead of banking points, why not simply make it so any List A tag you purchase purges your points? That could include 2nd-4th choice, leftover, and OTC tags. That would eliminate the scenario where people hunt OTC or leftover tags every year while simultaneously banking points. To me it would seem fair enough that if you hunt elk on a List A tag on a given year, you start over at zero points. People would still have the OTC, leftover, and zero-point options to hunt every year, or they could choose to wait and build points for a better tag.

 

[Maverick1]

I hope more people will reply to this post with opinions. As a non-resident, I am disappointed with these 2028 changes.

I just went on my first elk hunt last year (2024), and I selected Colorado because it is the easiest state to plan a hunt for. The current preference point system allows you to know clearly which tags you qualify to draw, and which you don't, and that allows you to start planning a hunt 1-2 years in advance. Like many people, I work a full-time job with limited vacation time and a limited budget for hunting. I need to be able to plan for hunts and start saving money and vacation 1-2 years in advance. Random draw systems do not work for this. You might draw a tag, you might not, and you won't know until a few months before the hunt. Wyoming has a similar hybrid draw. In Wyoming, I will only buy points until I have enough that I know I can draw the tag with near 100% certainty in the points draw without participating in the random draw, again, so I can plan 1-2 years in advance. I don't want to draw a random tag on 10% odds in a year where I don't have vacation or budget to go on the hunt.

This new Colorado system will basically make the mid-range tags unreachable for me. These are the tags that take 5-10 points in the current system. I'm assuming these tags will require way more points (maybe 10-20?) to draw with certainty in the 2028 system, and again, the random thing doesn't really work for me.

I also expect that eliminating the preference point hunt code will only serve to explode the draw odds for GMUs 1, 2, 201, 10, 61, etc. Now all the people who only want a point will just apply for those hunts intsead, which is not very fair to the people who legitimately want to draw those tags and are close to qualifying in the current system.

If the goal is to incentivize people to burn points instead of banking points, why not simply make it so any List A tag you purchase purges your points? That could include 2nd-4th choice, leftover, and OTC tags. That would eliminate the scenario where people hunt OTC or leftover tags every year while simultaneously banking points. To me it would seem fair enough that if you hunt elk on a List A tag on a given year, you start over at zero points. People would still have the OTC, leftover, and zero-point options to hunt every year, or they could choose to wait and build points for a better tag.

Cute story. TLDNR. Their state their rules. Your opinion is irrelevant. Go suck an egg. That’s what they are saying.

 

[bozeman]

So like NM.....random. Either way, just makes more sense to buy land in CO, WY, ID or MT if you can afford it if you want to hunt. Maybe I am incorrect here, but.......

 

[justinspicher]

The system is never going to be good for everyone.

 

[loganwayne]

I get what ol' tim is saying... but also if you don't think you'll have the time or money that year dont apply. I'm waiting to see if I drew a Maine moose tag, I may have less than 3 months to plan, and pay for the trip. I also knew that going in.. it's also why I didn't apply to go out west and just buy points this year.

 

[bpa556]

I get what ol' tim is saying... but also if you don't think you'll have the time or money that year dont apply. I'm waiting to see if I drew a Maine moose tag, I may have less than 3 months to plan, and pay for the trip. I also knew that going in.. it's also why I didn't apply to go out west and just buy points this year.

Hope you’re not wasting your money on points in CO.


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[NCtrapper]

Maybe somebody can give me a better answer or insight on this but lets say a NR has 5 deer points.. would you A) Burn them in 2026 or 2027 not knowing how this hybrid would affect the draw for a unit that should be a near guarentee to draw? or B) wait until the hybrid takes place when applicant has 7-8 Preference Points and apply for a unit that requires 10 PP to guarantee a tag and hope you have a 25-50% chance at it?

 

[Tim Steinmetz]

The system is never going to be good for everyone.

I get that, but who are these changes going to be good for? I guess if you want to buy a lotto ticket for a random draw tag that was previously only available to high point holders.

 

[Hnthrdr]

I get that, but who are these changes going to be good for? I guess if you want to buy a lotto ticket for a random draw tag that was previously only available to high point holders.

They will be great for “huntin’ fool” to sell more subscriptions… at least the dude that worked for them that helped push them through believes so

 

[Tim Steinmetz]

Maybe somebody can give me a better answer or insight on this but lets say a NR has 5 deer points.. would you A) Burn them in 2026 or 2027 not knowing how this hybrid would affect the draw for a unit that should be a near guarentee to draw? or B) wait until the hybrid takes place when applicant has 7-8 Preference Points and apply for a unit that requires 10 PP to guarantee a tag and hope you have a 25-50% chance at it?

I think this question gets back to my original post. If you want to be able to plan for a hunt in the next couple years, I would be looking to burn those points before 2028. If you are okay with waiting and hoping to draw a better tag some day in the random structure, that would be a valid approach too. They did say the plan is to implement the random draw on a "bonus" structure which gives high point holders better odds of drawing.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

I don't have an issue with a split system (like WY) which allows for some planning around using points and also some potential to draw randomly while waiting. Their 75/25 split might be a little more appealing than 50/50. As long as it wipes out folks points as a first choice when random it'll pull some point holders out of the pool. There will be creep still but it also doesn't make applying for some tags pointless.

 

[Poser]

I get that, but who are these changes going to be good for?

I don't have a strong opinion on this, really, but, as a low point resident holder who expects to hunt bear and elk every year, wants to hunt mule deer every year, but is usually more like every other year, has 3 points each for goat and sheep and not interested in building mega points, only really cares about hunting my low to lower point units within a 2 hour radius, it sounds as if I could potentially benefit. I may draw my 0-1 point mule deer tag more consistently and I have slightly improved odds of drawing goat, maybe even sheep, while continuing to apply on the minimum, 3 points. For a guy in my position, having 10 points doesn't really change the math dramatically over having 3 points, so I just go with that. I don't give a shit about all of the highly desired units, big points etc. I just want to hunt bear, elk and deer and in my home units on an annual basis and maybe have some kind of reasonable chance to draw a goat tag.

 

[OKHunter84]

I might be the dissenting opinion here but I almost think things might be better this way. I like the fact that you have to actually apply for a tag. I also like the fact that people that don't have 30 points will have a shot at drawing certain tags that are hard to get. I'll probably take the approach that if I'm kinda planning a hunt in a different state that year then I'll put in for really high end tags in Colorado. If I draw then I'll have a highly sought after tag and I'll figure it out. If I don't then hopefully I'll be hunting with the other tags I was going after. OTC for NR has needed to be scaled back or more controlled anyways.

 

[MallardSX2]

I'll probably take the approach that if I'm kinda planning a hunt in a different state that year then I'll put in for really high end tags in Colorado. If I draw then I'll have a highly sought after tag and I'll figure it out.

You and every other Tom, Dick and Harry.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

I have slightly improved odds of drawing goat, maybe even sheep, while continuing to apply on the minimum, 3 points. For a guy in my position, having 10 points doesn't really change the math dramatically over having 3 points, so I just go with that.

Yeah I'll quit paying for a preference point if they do away with the weighted point. The weighted point gave you some mathematical boost potential but a bonus ticket in the hat doesn't really move the needle. That'll save me $150/yr.

Bummer, imho, that sheep/goat are going once in a lifetime, though they probably were now anyways due to demand. An older coworker who retired a couple years ago got to hunt sheep and goats about 3 times each over 50yrs.

 

[OKHunter84]

You and every other Tom, Dick and Harry.

There's a lot of units, people will still be able to plan hunts.

 

[realunlucky]

@Tim Steinmetz I'm betting the new system will have very little impact on the current units that are drawing with a couple points.

I'm in favor of the hybrid system. You can still be in guaranteed percentage of tags with enough points or maybe get lucky in the random draw portion for a tag that was otherwise FOREVER beyond your reach.

It did screw over those in the top tier point holder group in favor of those with less points to give everyone some buy-in into a system that was otherwise clearly failing the majority of Colorado sportsmen.

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[OKHunter84]

I mean let's be honest, if you have 30 points in any species right now, how many good hunts could you have went on? That means you've been buying points since '95. I can't imagine that draw odds where very tough in a lot of units that are out of reach now. I don't really have a lot of sympathy for that group. Those folks are most likely going to be not be hunting a lot sooner then a young guy just getting into it with a few points. That's who they're going to target to get more engaged and keep them coming back.

 

[taskswap]

So like NM.....random. Either way, just makes more sense to buy land in CO, WY, ID or MT if you can afford it if you want to hunt. Maybe I am incorrect here, but.......

You can't just buy land to hunt CO as a resident. Landowner Preference Program does exist, but you'd have to buy 160+ acres, and while we hear plenty of stories of "texas oil money hunters" I think the majority of NR hunters aren't in that group. Unless you qualify for an exemption (military) the residency requirement is:

STANDARD COLORADO RESIDENT​

a. Requirements: You must live in Colorado for at least six consecutive months immediately prior to buying or applying for any resident CPW product, have your primary residence in Colorado and have not applied for or purchased a resident license or pass outside of Colorado in the last six months.​

b. Proof: Current and valid Colorado driver’s license/ID with a Colorado address issued 6 or more months prior. If the Colorado driver’s license/ID is not six months old, you must provide at least two forms of additional residency proof, as outlined in “Additional Residency Proofs” below.​

Most other states have similar rules. So, basically, you can really only be a "resident" in one state at a time, at least for these purposes.