DIY ELK IN CO?

[cmmorales3]

Hello All,
My party and I want to ry elk hunting for the first time but we have no idea what we are doing. I was wondering if any one knows of any states that offer over the counter cow tags. We were hoping to try Colorado.

Thanks,

Chris

 

[Litch]

There are no over the counter Cow Elk tags in Colorado. There will more than likely be leftover tags after the draw for specific zones. The over the counter Bull tag is not zone specific, as long as it is not one of the trophy zones.

 

[barel74]

Idaho has both cow and bull tags otc, I think Oregon does, too.

 

[1oldman]

Colorado has otc cow tags, I buy one every year. They also have otc bull tags, I think the cow tag is 250 and the bull is 500, at least it was last year.

 

[RLB]

I'm going to Colorado unit 581 this Nov and try for a cow elk for my first DIY hunt. They have OTC elk tags there. According to their website, last year during the 3rd phase, hunters had a 7% success rate for that unit. But this will be my first time elk hunting and I'm using a friends cabin to keep the cost down so I aint gonna complain about the low success rate. Next year I'm putting in for the mule deer drawing.

 

[Litch]

I just went back and read the regs and only saw OTC Cow Elk tags available for Archery only. There are leftover Cow tags for specific areas available after the draw. If I am missing something, please refer me to the right page in the regs, thanks.
Just got off the phone with CO DOW and the closest thing they have to an "OTC" Cow tag is in GMU 25 & 26. Everything else is limited leftover tags that are zone specific. The Bull Elk OTC tags are good in all GMUs except trophy areas.

 

[SDHNTR]

Other than archery there are no OTC cow tags in CO. You can buy leftover tags in a lot of units though. Most units do have OTC bull tags. I know, it seems kinda backwards but that's the way it is.

 

[RLB]

Try this: http://wildlife.state.co.us/NR/rdonlyres/2...35C1D/0/elk.pdf "UNLIMITED RIFLE ELK
1. Unlimited antlered elk licenses are available
for 2nd and 3rd seasons only. They are
valid in all units except 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 10, 19,
20, 29, 39, 40, 46, 48, 49, 50, 51, 56, 57,
58, 61, 66, 67, 69, 76, 79, 84, 87, 88, 89,
90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100,
101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 109, 110,
111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119,
120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128,
129, 130, 132, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 143,
144, 145, 146, 147, 191, 201, 391, 461, 481,
500, 501, 512, 561, 682, 791, 851 on
Bosque del Oso SWA, 951."
You then have to look at the specific unit to see if there are any licenses in that unit. In the unit 'm going to hunt 581, they have OTC cow tags.

 

[RLB]

581 Rifle-Separate Oct.11-15 Bull* E-M-581-O1-R
Cow* E-F-581-O1-R
Rifle-Combined Oct.18-26 Cow* E-F-581-O2-R
Rifle-Combined Nov.1-7 Cow* E-F-581-O3-R
Rifle-Combined Nov.12-16 Bull* E-M-581-O4-R
Cow* E-F-581-O4-R
Rifle-Late Nov.29-Dec.7 Cow* E-F-059-L1-R
units 59, 581
Rifle-Late Dec.27-Jan.4 Cow E-F-059-L2-R
units 59, 581

 

[Litch]

RLB,
Call (303)297-1192 option 0, which is the information line for CO DOW and ask that question. You might be surprised with the answer you get. Long way to go from Pensacola to be disappointed, might want to do some homework. Misinterpreting the regs could be a huge mistake in your situation. Not trying to have an argument, just giving a little helpful advice, the codes you posted are for the Big Game draw that was due by April 1st.

 

[ducslayer]

Litch is correct listen to him!..............Jim

 

[RLB]

Oops, sorry guys. the guy that explained it to me was wrong. Imagine that. I just called and found out the OTC tags are for bulls, not cows. Sorry for the confusion. I'll go back to being a lurker.

 

[easymoney]

Great info here and for those who are going to be traveling long distances to hunt it pays to listen to what is being said.
Also, there are always seems to be loads of cow tags or landowner tags for sale late in the season, when the outfitters are going to wind up get stuck with unsold tags you can pick up some great bargins.

 

[Litch]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (RLB @ Apr 24 2008, 08:44 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Oops, sorry guys. the guy that explained it to me was wrong. Imagine that. I just called and found out the OTC tags are for bulls, not cows. Sorry for the confusion. I'll go back to being a lurker. [/b]

Don't be a lurker, jump on in the conversation, it's good fun as well as useful information.
There is a very good chance that the GMU you are hunting will have limited leftover tags after the draw, they will be available in August. Check the CO DOW website for the way to go about getting one of the leftover tags when they post them.

 

[COHunter]

GMU 581???

Thats close to my house, and I've never had a huge desire to Elk hunt there. Hope you have access to some good private land

 

[JNDEER]

another piece of advice..i am sure it has been said before but make sure you posses your Hunter ID card........when i was at HQ we would get those calls all the time to verify information and for those hunters who were older some of them were not in the system...if your not in the system and FG cannot verify you passsed your test then CO and many other states will NOT sell you a license......

 

[foulshot]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (JNDEER @ Apr 25 2008, 05:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

another piece of advice..i am sure it has been said before but make sure you posses your Hunter ID card........when i was at HQ we would get those calls all the time to verify information and for those hunters who were older some of them were not in the system...if your not in the system and FG cannot verify you passsed your test then CO and many other states will NOT sell you a license......[/b]

I would try to get it verified in the system. I took mine to a DOW office when I first moved here, now I can do everything online.