Colorado Left-over Tags

[smith777]

I forget where I read it, but is it true that Colorado will sell left-over tags for draw only units? I am planning on buying an OTC tag, but I read somewhere that it's best to wait to make sure you can't snag a left-over undrawn tag for a better unit first, since OTC tags are always available for purchase. Anyone have any thoughts on this?
Thanks guys.

 

[cnelk]

You are correct - but its not the 'undrawn' tags, they are the 'returned' tags

 

[Dave_]

After the first draw. There is then the left-over draw for those that were unsuccessful in the 1st round, and elected to be notified of the left-over draw. Then in August all tags that have not been paid for or returned will go on sale. It's a mad house

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

 

[Broadhead]

All tags that were returned AND all tags that were not drawn (more tags than there were applicants in the regular draw) will be issued in the left-over draw. The tags that are in high demand are those that were returned and took points to draw in the regular draw. These tags sell out within seconds. I would not count on being success in grabbing one of these, but they are always worth a shot. I would definitely try the leftover route before buying your OTC tag. After all, someone is gonna get the tag! Might as well have your name in the hat.

 

[Newtosavage]

Units we hunted last year had 1st rifle leftover tags for weeks (bull) and until the season started (cow). I think when season began, there were still several hundred 1st rifle cow tags available. There are a lot of elk in those units. Lots of people too, but lots of elk.

I'm planning to do the same thing again this year. If I can't find a cow elk in an area the size of the state of New Jersey, then I don't think I'd do any better anywhere else.

 

[cnelk]

Actually, based on the Regs, a person can return a tag up to 30 days before the start of that season.
So there can be returned tags available right up the start of the season.

In fact, last year there were double digit returned tags available for units 76 and 61 the day before season started.
But like mentioned above, you better be quick.

I see someone has an APP [for a fee] that will alert you when certain tags come available, which is better than perusing the CPW site

 

[wannakillabigbull]

In fact, last year there were double digit returned tags available for units 76 and 61 the day before season started.

Yep. Last year the day before first rifle there were 31 unit 61 first rifle bull tags that dropped all at once. There were still some left for about 15 minutes. Crazy. I wouldn't expect that this year (reason last year was due to the fire) but point is it's can be worth watching if you have time during the day.

 

[ericF]

All of those 61 tags were an anomaly last year because of the fire that was happening in the unit. CPW allowed anybody with a 61 tag to turn the tag back in and get their points back up until the beginning of the season instead of 30 days before. There were no 61 first rifle tags the year before and 31 last year because of the fire. That being said, yes you can wait and there are decent tags that will show up.

Leftover day last year was a cluster and that is why they are changing the the leftover draw to a secondary draw next year that will reduce the number of tags that make it to leftover day.

 

[cnelk]

Leftover day last year was a cluster and that is why they are changing the the leftover draw to a secondary draw next year that will reduce the number of tags that make it to leftover day.

Leftover Day has always been a shit show. I remember back in the 90s sleeping on the asphalt to be first in line just to get a cow tag.

I dont and wont participate in that circus. Im much better at planning my hunts now.

 

[Newtosavage]

Leftover Day has always been a shit show. I remember back in the 90s sleeping on the asphalt to be first in line just to get a cow tag.

I dont and wont participate in that circus. Im much better at planning my hunts now.

I just send my son in to a vendor at 8:00 a.m. with my info.

 

[smith777]

Leftover Day has always been a shit show. I remember back in the 90s sleeping on the asphalt to be first in line just to get a cow tag.

I dont and wont participate in that circus. Im much better at planning my hunts now.

Oh so you cannot purchase left over tags online?

 

[cnelk]

Leftover licenses go on sale Aug 6 - 9am.
Can be purchased in person, phone or online

Re-issued / returned tags go on sale Aug 13

See page 5 of the Regs for all info

 

[smith777]

Great info guys, thanks. I briefly talked to the CPW yesterday and they confirmed that August 6th they do go on sale, but she also said that they are listed on their site a week before going on sale so you can do your research on what's available for purchase. Do you guys know that to be true? Also, as a non-resident the OTC tag is already pushing $700, are these left-over tags usually quite a bit more expensive?

 

[wannakillabigbull]

Great info guys, thanks. I briefly talked to the CPW yesterday and they confirmed that August 6th they do go on sale, but she also said that they are listed on their site a week before going on sale so you can do your research on what's available for purchase. Do you guys know that to be true? Also, as a non-resident the OTC tag is already pushing $700, are these left-over tags usually quite a bit more expensive?

Yes, they post the leftover list a few days early so that everyone can game plan what they want. I wouldn’t get attached to any of the tags on that list because there’s so many people trying to get them at the same time you have to have some luck. It’s a total fire drill.

And no, Colorado doesn’t have any sort of tiered pricing like NM and WY do. Bull elk tags are the same price for OTC or draw or leftover. Prices are in the brochure, page 3.

 

[smith777]

Yes, they post the leftover list a few days early so that everyone can game plan what they want. I wouldn’t get attached to any of the tags on that list because there’s so many people trying to get them at the same time you have to have some luck. It’s a total fire drill.

And no, Colorado doesn’t have any sort of tiered pricing like NM and WY do. Bull elk tags are the same price for OTC or draw or leftover. Prices are in the brochure, page 3.

Thanks!

 

[Newtosavage]

I know a couple years ago, leftover tags were available in person a day before they were online. I used my CO resident son to my advantage and he snagged a tag for me the morning they went on sale in person. By the time the online sale started, the tags for that hunt in that unit were long gone.

 

[loggerchas]

Biggest issue in recent years has been overloading of the online system resulting in a crapshow of multiple of issues for people seeking leftovers. Like @cnelk , I plan my hunting draw strategies much better now.

My odds of having to fight for tags is much less because I have put the time in planning to give myself the best chance at securing my "A" or "B" tag, and any additional corresponding "B" or "A" tag to go with it is well planned in advance.

 

[ericF]

I know a couple years ago, leftover tags were available in person a day before they were online. I used my CO resident son to my advantage and he snagged a tag for me the morning they went on sale in person. By the time the online sale started, the tags for that hunt in that unit were long gone.

This was the big change last year. It was the first time that leftover tags went on sale in person and online at the same time. Up until then the first day was reserved for in person sales only. That meant you had to be the first one at the kiosk in order to get the premium tags which meant getting there hours earlier. Instead of waiting in line at a kiosk last year everyone figured they would have a better chance buying online and it brought down the system. This was also exacerbated by the number of good tags that weren't paid for and passed through to the leftover list. When someone sees ten 4 point tags sitting on the list, they figure they might have a chance online. The online vendor said they had a bug in the code that was responsible for dropping the system last year, but I wouldn't be surprised if the same thing happens again this year. Next year it won't be an issue with the new secondary draw.

 

[BrokenArrow]

On Aug 6th, all tags go on sale at the same time through all forms of procurement, AKA...phone, vendor, online.
Online is an absolute disaster = of all the pages of info you have go through in their system, each "info block" contains many fields that need to be filled out. After each "info block" is filled out, the page information is then uploaded to their server. Then on to the next screen and repeat - the next page of info is exposed for you to either fill out or confirm and then upload again. When 7000 folks are uploading each page of the 10 confirmation pages before checkout, its like 70000 pages trying to be uploaded at once. This will crash the system, just like it did last year and the year before.
I hope the individual information page upload scenario gets changed. It's really hard to be holding the "golden tag ticket" in your shopping cart and when you finally get to the confirmation screen to pay, someone else has already beat you to it. And it took 15 minutes for you to find out because the site is so overwhelmed. While you waited all the other less desirable tags will be gone. You just wasted the bulk of a good morning.

My Strategy has been to just go for a decent tag that there are many of, and most people don't have on there radar. I just want a tag that is slightly hard to draw, but not a 2, 201, or unit 10 elk tag. Those dreams won't come true until i finally catch the creep at 50pp!!! Casue thats what its going to take in that many years.

 

[Thomas11]

This was the big change last year. It was the first time that leftover tags went on sale in person and online at the same time. Up until then the first day was reserved for in person sales only. That meant you had to be the first one at the kiosk in order to get the premium tags which meant getting there hours earlier. Instead of waiting in line at a kiosk last year everyone figured they would have a better chance buying online and it brought down the system. This was also exacerbated by the number of good tags that weren't paid for and passed through to the leftover list. When someone sees ten 4 point tags sitting on the list, they figure they might have a chance online. The online vendor said they had a bug in the code that was responsible for dropping the system last year, but I wouldn't be surprised if the same thing happens again this year. Next year it won't be an issue with the new secondary draw.

What is changing the yr after next with secondary draw?? First I Heard