COLORADO IS CHANGING ITS BIG GAME DRAW – Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) has announced significant changes to its big-game licensing process, set to take effect in 2028. The current hybrid draw system will be replaced with a split-draw model for elk, deer, bear, pronghorn, and turkey tags.
HOW IT WORKS
In the new system, available tags for each hunt will be evenly divided between two applicant pools:
•Preference Point Draw: Fifty percent of the tags will be allocated based on the traditional preference point system, favoring hunters with the most accumulated points.
•Bonus Draw: The remaining fifty percent will be distributed through a bonus draw, functioning like a raffle. While hunters with more preference points will have additional entries, it’s possible for those with fewer or no points to secure a tag over long-waiting applicants.
This change aims to address issues such as point creep and to simplify the draw process amid growing concerns over resident hunting opportunities. However, it has raised concerns among hunters who have accumulated significant preference points, as the new system may affect their chances of drawing coveted tags.
CPW’s decision reflects an effort to balance fairness and opportunity in the allocation of hunting licenses, responding to feedback from the hunting community. Hunters are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the upcoming changes and adjust their application strategies accordingly.
“I am curious if we had had direction to follow dollars — more than looking for solutions — if we’d have come to other solutions,” said Jennifer Burbey, president of the Colorado Outfitters Association and a Draw Process Working Group member. “That said, we did not. What we were told to do was simplify the draw, in essence, so that’s what we strove to do.”
For more detailed information, please refer to the official announcement by CPW and be sure to visit Ehuntr.com for more details coming soon.
