CO Leftover/Secondary

[nighthawkf-117]

Hello everyone,

Is there usually some opportunities available for leftover tags for CO? I'm not too picky on units or even quality, just want to get out again and learn. I would prefer archery but rifle is ok too. I know the secondary draw gives preference to youth. Really just asking what's usually leftover?

 

[fngTony]

I’m going to say that this is the same as spot burning and not something that should be on the internet for everyone to see.

 

[robby denning]

Tony’s right but I want to answer the question without units:

sorry we had to lock your thread down, people just get out of hand on here posting up units (which would only hurt your chance of trying to get a tag too ) but I wanted to answer your question.

You will see almost every deer unit on the turn back list at some point throughout the late summer into early fall. Even some of the very high demand Units end up on there cause guys are paranoid about spending their points so they turn it back.

The problem is the harder it is to draw them, The harder is to get them off the list because everybody’s chasing that Hunt code. I’ve tried for multiple years to get tags off the list and so far I’ve not been successful and I’ve even tried to get one point units.

But the less demand on the Hunt code, the better chance you have to get it so if you’re just trying to get out for any hunt you do have a better chance and it’s worth trying.

They’re making some changes to it to make it more fair, but I don’t know what that’s gonna look like. I think there’s something in the front page of the regulations.

 

[fngTony]

I’m gonna unlock this as long as everyone leaves out unit numbers or specific locations. Also want to give you a different perspective since you said “want to get out again and learn”. Consider what you can hunt by time you have and abilities. If you can’t hike above 12k then don’t grab a high country deer tag. If you’re driving from Iowa I’d rather get a tag in north central Colorado rather than the SW as that is another six hours of driving.

 

[Tahoe1305]

Also make sure to read the regs carefully. Unless it’s changed, youth gets priority for secondary draw.

That means 100% of the youth applicants will draw before any adult gets a stab at that unit (way I understand it anyway). Folks seem to get frustrated by that every year.

 

[dirtytough]

There are always some good tags. But like you said youth get preference and anything halfway decent gets snagged by a youth usually.

Go here and you can see what tags where available and who drew them.

2024-Deer-Secondary-Post-Draw-Report.pdf

cpw.widen.net

 

[Slickhill]

I used to regularly get leftovers from the list when you had to call or be there in person on leftover day. But after they went online I don’t even try anymore. I’m convinced, and a CPW employee has corroborated my suspicions, that people way smarter than me have software that automatically buys them the tags within seconds of their going on sale.

I happened to get into what I thought was the perfect storm and get logged in and have my info entered 45 seconds after a tag was available one morning and still got beat to the punch. After that I quit even looking and resigned to just hunt OTC bull tags on years I don’t draw a buck tag in the first draw.

You could always pick a spot with bull tags available for 2nd or 3rd rifle and go look around and decide if it’s a place you might want to try and draw a deer tag.

 

[robby denning]

Oh, I just realized he was asking about the leftover DRAW list, I was talking about the turn back list where they add tags weekly.

YouTH don’t get first shot at that, it’s first come first serve or as someone else put it, “whoever has the best software engineer” lol

 

[Balderdash]

I've had good deer hunts in CO on left over tags, both ML and archery. Trophy quality might not be there but, like many, I've seen massive bucks and bulls in areas not known for it. Anything can happen as long as you're out there. Even if a doe tag is all that's available, at least you'll be out there learning areas and game habits.

 

[Balderdash]

I used to regularly get leftovers from the list when you had to call or be there in person on leftover day. But after they went online I don’t even try anymore. I’m convinced, and a CPW employee has corroborated my suspicions, that people way smarter than me have software that automatically buys them the tags within seconds of their going on sale.

I happened to get into what I thought was the perfect storm and get logged in and have my info entered 45 seconds after a tag was available one morning and still got beat to the punch. After that I quit even looking and resigned to just hunt OTC bull tags on years I don’t draw a buck tag in the first draw.

You could always pick a spot with bull tags available for 2nd or 3rd rifle and go look around and decide if it’s a place you might want to try and draw a deer tag.

Similar experiences here. Elk tag for 2nd, 3rd seasons a great idea. Elk can turn up about anywhere during the late seasons, so anything can happen. But at the very least you'll be out learning the country.

 

[Maverick1]

Hello everyone,

Is there usually some opportunities available for leftover tags for CO? I'm not too picky on units or even quality, just want to get out again and learn. I would prefer archery but rifle is ok too. I know the secondary draw gives preference to youth. Really just asking what's usually leftover?

I'll put it more succinctly than others have: the odds suck.
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[OneShot]

I don’t play the secondary draw game. Any tag that I’d want, won’t make it past the youth applications. My nephews have picked up a handful of good tags though.

 

[IrkedCitizen]

Some lucky Dad's get very good tags every year because of their kids in the secondary draw.