Colorado Secondary Draw

The Colorado Secondary Draw offers hunters an opportunity to obtain elk, deer, pronghorn, and bear licenses that were not issued during the primary draw.

Eligibility and Application Details

Anybody is able to participate in the Colorado Secondary Draw, including those who did not participate in the primary draw. Applicants in the secondary draw must possess a qualifying license to apply. There is an application fee of $8 for residents and $10 for nonresidents.

• Youth hunters receive preference for all hunt codes in the secondary draw
• The secondary draw does not utilize preference points
• Group applications are not allowed

Additional details on the application are available from CPW here and here.

Application Dates – When is the 2023 Colorado Secondary Draw?

Applications for the secondary draw will be accepted from June 21 to June 30, 2023, until 8 p.m. MT. You can apply online through your CPW account or by phone. You can start tracking draw deadlines in the OnPoint app to never miss an application, available on Web(beta), Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

The draw normally opens in late June and closes in late June or early July. Dates for the 2023 Colorado Secondary Draw are below. You can add this draw and others to you OnPoint calendar to never miss an application.

Available Tags

The available tags lists are available by species and could be found at the links below.

• Elk
• Deer
• Pronghorn
• Bear

Colorado Secondary Draw Application Process

To apply online, sign into your CPW account at cpwshop.com, confirm or update your account details, select “Buy Big Game Licenses” under “Go Hunting & Fishing,” choose your residency, and ensure you possess a qualifying license. Select the species you want to apply for (deer, elk, pronghorn, and bear), enter your hunt code selections (up to four choices per species), and submit your application. Remember to pay the application fees at this time. Successful applicants will be charged after the draw, and the payment deadline is July 21, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. MT. It’s important not to purchase another license or redeem a voucher until you receive the results of your secondary draw application.

Other License Options

If you’re unsuccessful in the secondary draw or choose not to participate, you have alternative options to secure licenses. The Leftover tag sale, which opens on August 1st and goes until tags sell out, offers limited licenses that were not issued in the primary or secondary draws. Over-the-counter (OTC) licenses are also available for purchase starting at the same time. Additionally, you can keep an eye on the Leftover List, released in late July, which provides an opportunity to purchase licenses that become available weekly. You can read more about Colorado hunting opportunities in our resources on Colorado Hunting and the Colorado Big Game Draw.

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