DENVER - With the start of the 2011 big-game hunting seasons now less than two months away, Colorado Parks and Wildlife reminds hunters that they can begin purchasing unlimited over-the-counter big game licenses for elk. A capped number of over-the-counter licenses for black bear are also on sale.
Hunters can pick up their over-the-counter licenses at more than 730 authorized license sales agents around the state, at Colorado Parks and Wildlife service centers, by phone, or on-line.
For elk hunters who missed the draw or failed to draw their first choice, over-the-counter elk licenses offer the opportunity to hunt bull or cow elk during the archery season or bull elk during the second and third rifle seasons in many game management units in Colorado. Unlimited over-the-counter bull elk licenses may be purchased at any time before the season begins or at Colorado Parks and Wildlife offices during the applicable elk season.
Colorados elk population is larger than any other herd in North America. With roughly 283,000 elk, 23 million acres of public land and elk seasons that run from August through January, Colorado offers a tremendous variety of hunting opportunity. Last year, more than half of the bull elk harvested in Colorado were taken by archery and rifle hunters with over-the-counter tags.
Colorado is the only state that offers non-residents and residents the opportunity to purchase unlimited over-the-counter licenses for bull elk. In a select number of units, archery hunters can purchase both an unlimited over-the-counter bull tag and an over-the-counter antlerless elk tag.
Hunters with questions about what licenses they can purchase and where licenses are valid can find more information online or by phone with one of the new Colorado Parks and Wildlife Hunt Planners at (303) 291-PLAN or (303) 291-7526. Hunt planners are hunters themselves and well versed in the opportunities available around the state.
A small number of antlerless, or cow, over-the-counter rifle licenses are also available for game management units 25 and 26, which are located north of Interstate-70, approximately between Gypsum and Yampa. The number of these licenses is capped, so they are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Archery, muzzleloader and some rifle bear licenses are also sold over-the-counter with a cap. That means that there are a preset number of these either-sex licenses available on a first-come, first-served basis. Hunters who wish to obtain one of these licenses are advised that they generally sellout within days. Some bear units sellout in minutes.
Anyone who wants to hunt bears during the regular rifle season must hold a deer or an elk tag for the same manner of take, the same season and the same unit in which bear will be hunted. To properly manage bear harvest, all bear licenses for Colorado are area specific and limited in quantity.
Availability of over-the-counter licenses that have limited cap numbers can be viewed on-line at http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunt/BigGame/pdf/otccap.pdf.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife is also reminding hunters that the deadline to apply for fall turkey licenses is today. Applications must be submitted online or postmarked by regular mail before midnight in order to be included in the drawing for limited fall turkey licenses.
Instructions for applying for a license can be found on page 2 of the 2011 Colorado Turkey brochure which is available at hunting license retailers or online at http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/Turkey/.
Fall turkey season begins Sept. 1, and runs through Oct. 2, west of I-25, and Oct. 21, east of I-25, except in game management unit 140 southeast of Trinidad. In addition to limited draw licenses, hunters can also purchase an unlimited, over-the-counter fall turkey license which is valid in more than 120 game management units. Over-the-counter licenses are on sale.
For more information about Division of Wildlife go to: http://wildlife.state.co.us.
