I'm hunting unit 37 for mule deer this year and thought about grabbing an OTC for elk just in case I run across one. Does anyone have the leftover licence list or know if there's any tags left for 37? I understand bulls are my only option for OTC-- would I be able to get a leftover cow tag or are they only available by application to those who went through the original elk draw? Thanks! On that note, anyone have any elk luck in 37 around breck?
Colorado leftover/OTC tags
- Thread starter Brachii
- Start date
I believe CPW releases a leftover list in late July/early August. I think you can look at previous years leftover license list on the CPW site. I have an uncle who bowhunts elk outside of Breck and says he hasn't seen a ton of elk, but sees a ton of mule deer. Granted, that is middle of September so they may be on the move by the time 2nd and 3rd rifle season comes around.
H
hobbes
Guest
Which season are you hunting deer?
I believe that you are confused. OTC tags won't be on the leftover list. There is no drawing for them to start with. OTC elk tags are unlimited. Unit 37 can be hunted with an over the counter archery cow license, OTC either sex archery license, OTC 2nd and 3rd rifle season antlered elk license.
Limited license that may be on the leftover list are both antlered and cow licenses for muzzleloader, 1st rifle, and 4th rifle. Cow tags for 2nd and 3rd rifle are limited also and may be on the leftover list. I believe that asterisk by the hunt code indicates that many of these had leftovers last season.
I believe that you are confused. OTC tags won't be on the leftover list. There is no drawing for them to start with. OTC elk tags are unlimited. Unit 37 can be hunted with an over the counter archery cow license, OTC either sex archery license, OTC 2nd and 3rd rifle season antlered elk license.
Limited license that may be on the leftover list are both antlered and cow licenses for muzzleloader, 1st rifle, and 4th rifle. Cow tags for 2nd and 3rd rifle are limited also and may be on the leftover list. I believe that asterisk by the hunt code indicates that many of these had leftovers last season.
Last edited:
ColoradoHunter719
Member
RE: Colorado Leftover/OTC tags
Brachii,
In order for other to assist you better, please provide which season you will be hunting Mule deer in GMU 37. Just in case you were not aware here you have this information:
1. April 4, 2017 was the deadline for the Draw Application.
NOTE: After the main draw, there is a leftover draw opportunity for anyone who submitted a draw application in April 4th. Deadline for these leftover tags is 04 July 2017. We get a pick on leftovers before anyone else who did not submitted a draw application and before the public leftover list gets created.
2. Over-The-Counter (OTC) Licenses: These are Unlimited Licenses and will come available for anyone to buy at 0900 Hours, July 25, 2017. THIS IS WHEN YOU CAN BUY YOUR ELK BULL OTC TAG.
3. Public Leftover Limited Licenses: these licenses are available to purchase in person at 0900 Hours on August 01, 2017. THIS IS WHEN YOU CAN POSSIBLY GET ANY LEFTOVER ELK COW TAGS FOR GMU 37. The Public Leftover Tags list will come available sometime in mid to late July 2017. Be ready to stand in line for hours. Some people campout 24-48 hours prior in order to try to get some of those tags.
Also just like HOBBES Stated, the * next to the tag it means that during 2016, that tag went to leftovers. You can check the Elk Hunting statistics for 2016 to see how many of those tags actually went to leftovers.
If you have any questions, please ask.
V/R,
ColoradoHunter719
Brachii,
In order for other to assist you better, please provide which season you will be hunting Mule deer in GMU 37. Just in case you were not aware here you have this information:
1. April 4, 2017 was the deadline for the Draw Application.
NOTE: After the main draw, there is a leftover draw opportunity for anyone who submitted a draw application in April 4th. Deadline for these leftover tags is 04 July 2017. We get a pick on leftovers before anyone else who did not submitted a draw application and before the public leftover list gets created.
2. Over-The-Counter (OTC) Licenses: These are Unlimited Licenses and will come available for anyone to buy at 0900 Hours, July 25, 2017. THIS IS WHEN YOU CAN BUY YOUR ELK BULL OTC TAG.
3. Public Leftover Limited Licenses: these licenses are available to purchase in person at 0900 Hours on August 01, 2017. THIS IS WHEN YOU CAN POSSIBLY GET ANY LEFTOVER ELK COW TAGS FOR GMU 37. The Public Leftover Tags list will come available sometime in mid to late July 2017. Be ready to stand in line for hours. Some people campout 24-48 hours prior in order to try to get some of those tags.
Also just like HOBBES Stated, the * next to the tag it means that during 2016, that tag went to leftovers. You can check the Elk Hunting statistics for 2016 to see how many of those tags actually went to leftovers.
If you have any questions, please ask.
V/R,
ColoradoHunter719
Thanks for the reply, that makes much more sense. This is my first year hunting in Colorado-- it's done way differently in Texas! I plan on hunting deer 2nd season, so my only option for a cow tag would be the leftover limited license which I can't apply for because I did not apply for the original elk draft even if I was in the original draft for deer, correct? Either that or the OTC bull tag. I guess I'm confused as to why there are people fighting for the limited leftovers if OTC are unlimited. What's the difference besides being bull only which is what most people would want anyways?
Thanks guys-- that was all very helpful
Thanks guys-- that was all very helpful
H
hobbes
Guest
Some units do not have OTC bull tags for any season, 1st season rifle and muzzleloader are all limited, 4th season is the same ( I think). The "fight" for tags are in these limited units that often indicate a greater potential for trophy bulls. Limited rifle cow tags are for the simple fact of having greater control over the number of cows killed to control herd numbers.
H
hobbes
Guest
Also, the 'fight' for cow tags is typically guys hoping to pick up a second tag or 'B' tag from the leftover list since they likely used up their first lottery chance on a applying for a limited bull tag and most of those tags are gone after the lottery.
ColoradoHunter719
Member
Brachii,
I don’t think you fully understand the Limited Tags vs OTC Tags. Let me paint this picture for you. Coming 25 July 2017, anyone can buy any of the unlimited OTC tags for bull elk on any of these GMUs (Orange Color, NOT the WHITE GMUs). Keep in mind that those areas are NOT well known for huge bulls but if you get lucky, you can find a good size bull.
Now take a look at the draw results for GMU201O1M during first and ONLY muzzleloader season in 2016. Only 10 tags were given for the entire GMU. If you look at the Post-Draw Box you will see that one tag was given to someone with 13 points, that’s 13 years of applying for elk in Colorado. Other tags were given to hunters with 21 points, meaning it took those hunters 21 years to get this tag.
Now, why people fight for those limited leftover tags coming 1 AUG? Well let’s say that for some reason the state ended with 2 leftover tags for GMU201 which as you can see, takes over 13 years to get that tag via the draw, on 01 AUG anyone can but that tag without any points. So therefore, people wait in line to potentially get leftover tags for better areas that normally will take years and luck to be able to acquire that tag.
Hopefully you understand the Colorado system a little bit better now.
V/R,
ColoradoHunter719
I don’t think you fully understand the Limited Tags vs OTC Tags. Let me paint this picture for you. Coming 25 July 2017, anyone can buy any of the unlimited OTC tags for bull elk on any of these GMUs (Orange Color, NOT the WHITE GMUs). Keep in mind that those areas are NOT well known for huge bulls but if you get lucky, you can find a good size bull.
Now take a look at the draw results for GMU201O1M during first and ONLY muzzleloader season in 2016. Only 10 tags were given for the entire GMU. If you look at the Post-Draw Box you will see that one tag was given to someone with 13 points, that’s 13 years of applying for elk in Colorado. Other tags were given to hunters with 21 points, meaning it took those hunters 21 years to get this tag.
Now, why people fight for those limited leftover tags coming 1 AUG? Well let’s say that for some reason the state ended with 2 leftover tags for GMU201 which as you can see, takes over 13 years to get that tag via the draw, on 01 AUG anyone can but that tag without any points. So therefore, people wait in line to potentially get leftover tags for better areas that normally will take years and luck to be able to acquire that tag.
Hopefully you understand the Colorado system a little bit better now.
V/R,
ColoradoHunter719
ColoradoHunter719
Member
Brachii,
I don’t think you fully understand the Limited Tags vs OTC Tags. Let me paint this picture for you. Coming 25 July 2017, anyone can buy any of the unlimited OTC tags for bull elk on any of these GMUs (Orange Color, NOT the WHITE GMUs). Keep in mind that those areas are NOT well known for huge bulls but if you get lucky, you can find a good size bull.
View attachment 71957
Now take a look at the draw results for GMU201O1M during first and ONLY muzzleloader season in 2016. Only 10 tags were given for the entire GMU. If you look at the Post-Draw Box you will see that one tag was given to someone with 13 points, that’s 13 years of applying for elk in Colorado. Other tags were given to hunters with 21 points, meaning it took those hunters 21 years to get this tag.
View attachment 71958
Now, why people fight for those limited leftover tags coming 1 AUG? Well let’s say that for some reason the state ended with 2 leftover tags for GMU201 which as you can see, takes over 13 years to get that tag via the draw, on 01 AUG anyone can but that tag without any points. So therefore, people wait in line to potentially get leftover tags for better areas that normally will take years and luck to be able to acquire that tag.
Hopefully you understand the Colorado system a little bit better now.
V/R,
ColoradoHunter719
I don’t think you fully understand the Limited Tags vs OTC Tags. Let me paint this picture for you. Coming 25 July 2017, anyone can buy any of the unlimited OTC tags for bull elk on any of these GMUs (Orange Color, NOT the WHITE GMUs). Keep in mind that those areas are NOT well known for huge bulls but if you get lucky, you can find a good size bull.
View attachment 71957
Now take a look at the draw results for GMU201O1M during first and ONLY muzzleloader season in 2016. Only 10 tags were given for the entire GMU. If you look at the Post-Draw Box you will see that one tag was given to someone with 13 points, that’s 13 years of applying for elk in Colorado. Other tags were given to hunters with 21 points, meaning it took those hunters 21 years to get this tag.
View attachment 71958
Now, why people fight for those limited leftover tags coming 1 AUG? Well let’s say that for some reason the state ended with 2 leftover tags for GMU201 which as you can see, takes over 13 years to get that tag via the draw, on 01 AUG anyone can but that tag without any points. So therefore, people wait in line to potentially get leftover tags for better areas that normally will take years and luck to be able to acquire that tag.
Hopefully you understand the Colorado system a little bit better now.
V/R,
ColoradoHunter719
nettereo16
Well-known member
Nicely summarized ColoradoHunter,
New this year is any leftover/reissued tag that took 5 or more preference points to draw will be given to the next guy in the draw list. This means these high demand tags will not be placed on the leftover list this year.
It is my understanding that many of the "leftover tags" are in fact "reissue tags" that were originally drawn but have been returned for various reasons where the hunter could not go on their hunt.
New this year is any leftover/reissued tag that took 5 or more preference points to draw will be given to the next guy in the draw list. This means these high demand tags will not be placed on the leftover list this year.
It is my understanding that many of the "leftover tags" are in fact "reissue tags" that were originally drawn but have been returned for various reasons where the hunter could not go on their hunt.
If you look at ColoradoHunter's first post with the table of available tags for unit 28, you'll notice that the tags that you can apply for during the 2nd and 3rd rifle seasons are only cow tags. Bull tags for those units are OTC so they don't even give you an option to put in for a Bull tag in a unit that has OTC Bull tags available
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