Colorado Elk hunting question

[Randal Zartman]

I previously hunted Elk in northern Colorado. I bought an over the counter bull tag. I am planning on going back next year and want to take my daughters. I am thinking about cow tags or either sex tags. Can these be bought over the counter? I tried looking at the CODW website but could not determine the answer. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
Z

 

[Flint50]

Cow elk are draw only, but sometimes there are "leftover license" available for certain game management units. Check CDOW site and look under leftover license. Good luck

 

[SCATTERSHOT]

OTC licenses are becoming pretty sparse here, and are available on a unit by unit basis. Best thing to do is contact the DOW and request a big game proclamation, available in spring, and go from there. You'll be able to tell what units are open, or enter the drawing for limited licenses.

Good luck!
Gene

 

[BrownBear]

You might also check in with ranchers or farmers in the area. If elk are too numerous or causing problems they can get landowner permits, the number determined by CDW, to trim the herds back a bit. To my knowledge most of these are cow permits. You will probably have to pay an access fee to hunt the land, but for the price you get better hunting with a lot fewer yokels.

 

[Randal Zartman]

I don't mind paying the access fee if it is reasonable, but does the DOW give a list of ranchers to contact? Thanks
Z

 

[BrownBear]

I assume they do, but have never seen it. Local game wardens and biologists have a hand in deciding on distribution, so a contact to a local or regional office may get you the info you need in the specific area that interests you. I've seen the process at work, but I don't know much more about it.

 

[elk_chaser1]

The CDOW does not maintain a list of ranchers that would allow access to private land. Typcially, the local game warden or the regional cervid biologist is the best source of information - if you can ge them to call you back! Even then, it is up to you to gain access.

ALL muzzleloading big game tags in Colorado are limited and are allocated through the drawing process. While there are some leftover elk ML tags after the draw, many of these tags are for units with either marginal elk hunting or are mostly private land making access difficult. If you want to ensure getting drawn, put in for a cow elk. In many units you can get drawn with 0 points. But, since only a small number of tags are made available to non-residents, even that can be difficult in some units. For the really quality bull hunts, plan on 10-13 preference points before getting a tag!

 

[laufer]

check
http://wildlife.state.co.us/leftoverlicenses/
and go from there.
good luck! :front: