Colorado Draw Report - Elk 2025

[Maverick1]

Sweet. 4 point jump in one year.

I am not sure which emoji to use here…all of them seem to apply….

 

[bz_711]

crazy that some perennial leftover tags didn't even get to 2nd choice this year...all taken in 1st choice.

If that holds in future years that means prior leftover tags will now require you to dump your points to claim that tag.

 

[MallardSX2]

crazy that some perennial leftover tags didn't even get to 2nd choice this year...all taken in 1st choice.

If that holds in future years that means prior leftover tags will now require you to dump your points to claim that tag.

Perfect. Nobody should be getting any A-list tag without using their preference points anyhow.

 

[TheCougar]

I am not sure which emoji to use here…all of them seem to apply….

View attachment 889145

I’ve been chasing this same unit for a long time. I’ve got 10pp now and I think this is year 6 or 7 of being one point behind. There was one year where my point pool had a 20% draw. I’m hoping this will change in a few years when the new rules go into effect. If not, I have all these points for no reason. I can’t even share them.

 

[southLA]

Some major point creep in the units I keep an eye on

 

[Maverick1]

I’ve been chasing this same unit for a long time. I’ve got 10pp now and I think this is year 6 or 7 of being one point behind. There was one year where my point pool had a 20% draw. I’m hoping this will change in a few years when the new rules go into effect. If not, I have all these points for no reason. I can’t even share them.

Been there, done that. I was on the teetering edge of drawing a unit like that for several years in a row.

Figured things were going to change drastically over the next several years with NR OTC going away, draw changes, and wolf reintroduction.

Said screw it last year and drew a tag that took far fewer points than what I had. I’m glad I did.

Drew a tag this year with 0 points. Will be happy to be elk hunting and not have the albatross of points hanging over my head every year. It’s quite a relief to not have them anymore, actually. A lot less planning. Hard to adequately describe it until you experience it.

 

[well_known_rokslider]

I’ve been chasing this same unit for a long time. I’ve got 10pp now and I think this is year 6 or 7 of being one point behind. There was one year where my point pool had a 20% draw. I’m hoping this will change in a few years when the new rules go into effect. If not, I have all these points for no reason. I can’t even share them.

Just curious why you wouldn't put in and try for the actual tag vs just getting the PP? You might get lucky and catch it on a down year after people burn their points. Can't hurt to at least try?

 

[TheCougar]

Just curious why you wouldn't put in and try for the actual tag vs just getting the PP? You might get lucky and catch it on a down year after people burn their points. Can't hurt to at least try?

I have been applying unsuccessfully for 7 years running.

 

[sodaksooner]

Unit we drew with 5pp about 6 years ago now takes 12. Our normal unit jumped a point this year and a unit we could have drawn with a 2nd choice was now all drawn with 1st choice and not everyone with zero points got a tag. Also a 12 point person and several 9 pointers put in for that unit. Crazy year. Looks like we are hunting somewhere else or sucking it up and picking up an OTC rifle tag (like everyone else.....)

 

[cnelk]

There are hundreds of NonRes archery elk tags (that were previously OTC) that will be hitting the leftover list

 

[NICKJ]

It might just be me but I don’t see tags getting easier draw when the changes happen in 28. Only half going to preference point guys and the other half random will make it extremely hard to predict when you will draw, until you reach the new point totals required (which will significantly higher).

I loved being able to plan out when I was hunting colorado

 

[MallardSX2]

It might just be me but I don’t see tags getting easier draw when the changes happen in 28. Only half going to preference point guys and the other half random will make it extremely hard to predict when you will draw, until you reach the new point totals required (which will significantly higher).

I loved being able to plan out when I was hunting colorado

This is why I was 100% against the random component and was all in for taking peoples points for any A-list tag drawn. It would stabilize things and make them predictable for NR's.

 

[alexnelon]

There are hundreds of NonRes archery elk tags (that were previously OTC) that will be hitting the leftover list

Thousands, if you count the cow tags.

 

[Jbehredt]

I almost screwed up by telling my non res buddy not to bother with a 2nd choice because his 1st was a slam dunk. He got lucky but it was far from guaranteed this year.

 

[GunsAreFun]

So how would my friend draw a tag with two points in a unit where the report shows nobody drew with two points?

 

[bz_711]

Perfect. Nobody should be getting any A-list tag without using their preference points anyhow.

Agreed!
It's what I liked most about the new changes...was just pointing out how big of a change it actually is.
It's also why I burnt my points in '24 and I'm ready to play the 0-1 point game for a while with others trying to figure out what to do with their stacked up PP.

Also crazy to see creep in "mid-tier" units...a unit I hunted at 4PP, was at 8 and took a jump to 12. Even though I got a big bull it was only 1 of 2 branch antlered bulls I saw in a week of hunting...not a 12 point unit.

There's still plenty of ways to get an elk tag each year out west...playing the game is part of the fun!

 

[TheCougar]

It might just be me but I don’t see tags getting easier draw when the changes happen in 28. Only half going to preference point guys and the other half random will make it extremely hard to predict when you will draw, until you reach the new point totals required (which will significantly higher).

I loved being able to plan out when I was hunting colorado

I can’t predict if it will be easier to draw or not. At the moment, I went from chasing it to a 0.0% chance, so even a random chance is better than that. I’m hoping that guys will either burn points to bail out of the game, and other swing for the fences on units they could never draw and that might open the mid tier units up. I think guys are offloading points on this unit. A decade ago this used to be a 3 point unit. It’s gone up a point a year since I have been applying, except for the huge jump this year. I’m just really pissed that I STILL can’t share points with my kids. I agree with other posters that getting an A list tag should burn your points. There has to be some skin in the game for everyone.

 

[tboltz34]

I think guys are realizing that premier units are statistically perpetually out of reach and have given up chasing the white rabbit. They're settling for mid tier tags and taking the hit by over paying a little.

I agree. I also think people have been building points while hunting OTC. Instead of burning a lot of points on their normal OTC unit that went to a draw, they used them on a points units. I'm curious to see if that group of people will be one and done and head back to using 0-1 points on the old OTC unit.

 

[Trogon]

Record number of tag applicants this year according to local CPW office. I think it has a lot to do with other states increasing prices / limiting out of state tags and also people that are holding tags starting to dump them in anticipation of 2028 changes.

 

[IrkedCitizen]

It might just be me but I don’t see tags getting easier draw when the changes happen in 28. Only half going to preference point guys and the other half random will make it extremely hard to predict when you will draw, until you reach the new point totals required (which will significantly higher).

I loved being able to plan out when I was hunting colorado

Don't forget that they bring back preference point fees in 2028. That everyone will have to pay $40 each species to accrue points after an unsuccessful first choice. If you opt out you keep your current preference point level.

Who knows how many will opt out?