Contributors to this thread:
I'm applying for an elk tag I'm almost sure to get in Co.If I draw one of my long shots, would Co allow me to return my tag and get my points back?
Yes but you would forfeit the money for the tag to keep your points, if you want your money back you would have to forfeit your points and either option has to take place before season starts.
As above but expensive option for a NR. That is why NM draw always stinks for us due to the timing with CO draw but Wyoming is perfect......you know the results before CO draw.
I've had to turn tags in Colorado back in, can't really plan on drawing Sheep, Moose, etc...
You can get a refund, or they keep your money and you have the points going in before that years draw.
Keep in mind what Matthews said.... You will not get a point for the current year so if you went into the draw with 5 points you will still have 5
As mentioned above. You can download a form from the CPW website to return your tags.
i still have a lot to learn about all the different states tags systems. as a Midwestern hunter I am just now getting serious about the whole elk hunting thing and have a lot to learn......what do you elk nuts spend each year just in application fees ?
It gets expensive!!But you get most of the money back 3months later.Co you have to pay tag fees to apply and get refunded if you don't draw minus like $40.Wy, you can just buy a point starting in July till end of Sept for $50.But if you apply for a tag there, you have to pay full license price to apply So if you wanted to apply in just Co. and Wy, you'd be putting out almost $1200.If you don't draw either you get it all back minus app fees You could put the applications on a cc and make payments till you get a refund or tag then pay it off.Either way its not a cheap game for a NR,but worth the price of admission
thanks mixed bag......so we are looking to cut our teeth in co. can you just buy points in co or do you have to actually enter the tag drawing? for example we are in no means ready to actually hunt this up coming fall but we would like to start acquiring points for a future hunt. what are the steps if you don't mind me asking?
this years applications for colorado are due by april 7th, yes you can just apply for a preference point but you have to pay the full price of a tag, you will then get a refund after the draw, minus application fee $3, habitat stamp fee $10 and $40 (for non resident, $30 for resident) fee if you don't meet certain criteria, if you didn't buy some kind of licence then you definitly will get charged the fee.
you must meet age requirements and have a hunter education card even to just apply for a point.
keep in mind that many areas do not require a draw tag (over the counter) and many draw areas have so few licences and so many applicants that you will never aquire enough points in your lifetime to draw a tag. commonly refered to as point creep. you gain a point by applying but the number of points required to draw keeps increasing too.
if you know where you want to hunt you can look up the statistics on the states web site to see how many points are required to draw a tag for that area. draw units are not always for trophy quality reasons, some are to limit the pressure so the elk don't move to private land.
if you want to gain points with friends or family keep in mind that when you do decide to hunt, in a group application you use the person with the fewest points. so if you and a buddy have 10 points each and now someone else joins your group with only say 3 points you could only draw in a unit where only 3 points are required and you would still loose all of your points.
I like my tags just the way they are.....$25.00 for my elk A tag. I feel sorry for you out of staters, well not really.
