CPW 2026 Draw Stats are out

[TheLastFrontier]

Thankfully my hunting partner and I both drew our bull tags for this year but we definitely got lucky to both draw. Based on 2024 stats we should have drawn last year with 2 pts but it became a 3 pt tag and then this year it went from basically 100% with 3 pts to 40%.. One thing that I get reminded of every year I look at the stats is that landowners get 20% of the tags and this year 15% of those came out of the resident allocation while only 5% came out of the NR allocation so instead of a 75/25 split its basically a 60/20 split. I know the landowner preference program has its purpose but dang its frustrating to see those numbers every year..

 

[wildwilderness]

I don't know what the "fair" number is but IMHO there should be a backstop even for 1st choice non-resident tags, which is how most other states do it. Maybe 25% is the soft cap for 1st choice and 35-40% is a hard cap just as a middle ground? To my knowledge that would still be far more generous than any other western state. For the unit I posted a little over 50% went to NR in the 1st choice round.

I guess you haven't looked at Alaska's number of Res vs NR tag allocation! Some hard draws limit NR to an extent but many areas like Kodiak give half the bear tags to NR in the draw! If you look at harvest statistics almost half the Sheep killed are by NR as well off of OTC tags

 

[cnelk]

It still chaffs me that the CPW won’t release the Draft Tag Allocations before the application deadline
Especially when the document is dated prior to that.

If you want to be pissed about something, that should be one

 

[Serrano]

The below is not gospel, just what I was told today by a CPW rep. In reading what I could find online it was vague exactly how "resident demand" was defined.
"Allocation rules apply to the first and second choices in the PrimaryDraw. If there is insufficient resident demand after going through thefirst and second choices, any excess quota may go to nonresidents(soft cap)."

In speaking with a CPW guy earlier today according to him there will be no NR hard cap on any choice. The only change is if any tags make it to 2nd choice 75% of that number will be allocated to Residents for random draw and 25% to NR for random draw.

But up to 100% of tags could go to NR (theoretically) as first choice before any become available to anyone in 2nd choice.

NR will only get over 25% of the tags if the number of resident applications are less than 75% of the total tags in their total 1st and 2nd choices combined. (minus landowner)

It's not 75% of first choice and then 75% of second choice.

 

[Serrano]

I guess you haven't looked at Alaska's number of Res vs NR tag allocation! Some hard draws limit NR to an extent but many areas like Kodiak give half the bear tags to NR in the draw! If you look at harvest statistics almost half the Sheep killed are by NR as well off of OTC tags

Don't compare OTC to limited.

Harvest rates are likely skewed by NR going guided.

 

[Serrano]

Going to have to ask for 85/15 across the board here before too long

It won't be necessary. But maybe someday.

 

[Esetter77]

NR will only get over 25% of the tags if the number of resident applications are less than 75% of the total tags in their total 1st and 2nd choices combined. (minus landowner)

It's not 75% of first choice and then 75% of second choice.

That's great and much more "fair" relative to other Western states, or it's at least much more in line with how most residents think the allocation works.

Do you know if that is in writing somewhere? It's not that I don't believe you but it's pretty much the opposite of what the CPW guy told me today, but I was certainly never convinced he knew the new rules with 100% certainty.

 

[cnelk]

^^^^
I wouldn’t take much stock in ‘talking with a CPW guy’ about stuff.

I know when I walk in their office I know more than the lackeys sitting at the front desk answering the phones

 

[satchamo]

Sorry, I'm obviously somewhat new here.
I did try to search this topic briefly but search terms for it aren't obvious.

I'm not surprised non-residents have no sympathy for my argument but I guess I'm glad to know others, residents presumably, have seen the same, had the same frustration, and made the same argument in the past. I spend a lot of time hunting as a non-resident so I understand the frustration on both sides, but CO has become virtually unbearable.

How? You literally got rid of 90% of non resident OTC options and you’re getting this issue you’re complaining about fixed in 2028. I feel as though CO has done a pretty good job of taking care of residents.

 

[Esetter77]

How? You literally got rid of 90% of non resident OTC options and you’re getting this issue you’re complaining about fixed in 2028. I feel as though CO has done a pretty good job of taking care of residents.

Where are you getting the 90% number from? I don't claim to be an expert on the latest CO rules coming in 2028 but my understanding was no restrictions are going in place for OTC rifle tags for NRs? I am aware that OTC archery tags for NR have gone away, but pretty sure there are far more rifle OTC tags sold every year than archery so really curious how it's anything close to 90%. I know some OTC rifle tags have gone to limited draw but I believe that was true for everyone not just NR

But regardless of the exact number you are right CO is restricting things for non-residents and in my opionin it's long overdue. As far as I can tell even with the new restrictions CO is still more generous with NR tags than any other western state so I guess it is all just relative.

As for the issue I'm complaining about I'm not yet convinced it's getting fixed in '28, I hope it is but until I see it in writing in more clear language than what I can currently find, I'm not certain that it is.

Everyone will have their own opinion. My opinion will stand that as a resident who applied for a tag and was unsuccessful along with 600+ other residents while 65% of the available tags went to non residents the state is not doing a particularily good job of taking care of residents.

 

[Jethro]

Rest easy

 

[NICKJ]

Talk to me about AZ and NM.
It doesn't work that way there.

Correct me if I’m wrong but you don’t get a preference point in Arizona if you draw your second choice…
No preference points in NM so not exactly apples to apples.

 

[Maverick1]

For the record, I’m a NR and I agree with you. 75/25 thru 2 rounds long over due. But if a state has a rule that benefits me, I’m using it. Ex) CO surrender period to get money and points back. I think that’s dumb, but have taken advantage of it 2x.

What record?

 

[Esetter77]

Rest easy

View attachment 1075305

I appreciate you taking the time to find and post that. Unfortunately I found the same and have to say that wording is pretty nebelous and while I HOPE it gets implemented in the manner Serrano stated above, I'm just not 100% convinced that it will. Someone could pretty easily argue it in either direction based on the above verbiage, especially considering how it is implemented today relative to the "Until January 1, 2028...." section.

 

[ReaptheHeat]

Going to have to ask for 85/15 across the board here before too long

Still better than every other state lol.

In on the Rokslide special annual R vs NR CO Draw Aftermath thread. Where residents have gripes about the system and NR tell them off.

Funny how MT, NM, AZ, ID, WY never seem to have these discussions.

 

[ReaptheHeat]

It still chaffs me that the CPW won’t release the Draft Tag Allocations before the application deadline
Especially when the document is dated prior to that.

If you want to be pissed about something, that should be one

So nice to apply for a unit for 10+ years of steady tag allocations just to have it cut to 1/10 the tags. Thanks CPW.

 

[cnelk]

So nice to apply for a unit for 10+ years of steady tag allocations just to have it cut to 1/10 the tags. Thanks CPW.

I think we applied for the same

 

[Hnthrdr]

Still better than every other state lol.

In on the Rokslide special annual R vs NR CO Draw Aftermath thread. Where residents have gripes about the system and NR tell them off.

Funny how MT, NM, AZ, ID, WY never seem to have these discussions.

Co gives out more tags than all other western states combined (elk) and it’s becoming evident that it seems unsustainable and yet Co R’s are always the bad guys when ever suggesting that maybe we scale back a touch…

 

[Maverick1]

In on the Rokslide special annual R vs NR CO Draw Aftermath thread. Where residents have gripes about the system and NR tell them off.

These threads are very predictable.
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[Serrano]

I appreciate you taking the time to find and post that. Unfortunately I found the same and have to say that wording is pretty nebelous and while I HOPE it gets implemented in the manner Serrano stated above, I'm just not 100% convinced that it will. Someone could pretty easily argue it in either direction based on the above verbiage, especially considering how it is implemented today relative to the "Until January 1, 2028...." section.

Here is the wording on the approved Final Changes document:

Second Change: Allocation rules apply to the first and second choices in the Primary Draw. If there is insufficient resident demand after going through the first and second choices, any excess quota may go to nonresidents (soft cap).

Notice the wording: "after going through the first and second choices"