Draw Process Working Group
At the May 2023 Parks and Wildlife Commission Meeting, the Commission requested Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) staff to form a Draw Process Working Group. The purpose of the Draw Process Working Group is to analyze the agency’s current hunting draw rules and processes in order to identify ways to reduce complexities and find new solutions/alternatives to fix some of the preference point and other draw-related issues. The Draw Process Working Group will also focus on addressing the biological and sociological concerns related to Colorado’s limited license draws.
The Draw Process Working Group, representing a broad range of interests in hunting management and game conservation, will:
- Provide input on the current draw rules and processes,
- Brainstorm ways to reduce complexities in the current system
- Formulate potential solutions and alternatives to address issues with the current system
The topics to be covered during the Draw Process Working Group work sessions include:
- Primary Draw/Draw Methods
- Preference Points
- Weighted Draw and Weighted Preference Points
- Reissue Process
All Draw Process Working Group meetings will be livestreamed on the CPW YouTube Channel. For more information on these meetings, contact dnr_cpw_planning@state.co.us.
*Check out our FAQs on this page for more information and updates.
Documents - New!
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Draw Process Working Group Charter.pdf (255 KB) (pdf)
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Draw Process Working Group Updates - November Commission Meeting Memo
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Draw Process Working Group Recommendations on Sheep, Goat and Moose Draws (735 KB) (pdf)
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Draw Process Working Group Recommendations on Primary Draw Methods and Preference Points (370 KB) (pdf)
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Yogi_Test comment
Given that a major objective of the Draw Process Working Group is to mitigate draw process complexities with a focus on simplification, then one of the focus items should be on simplifying the “spider web” of rules, regulations, preferences, opportunities, options etc, etc, related to Youth Hunting. Reading from top-to-bottom the Youth Hunting page 17 in the (2023) brochure leaves the reader with their “head spinning” trying to figure out how to fit something together, make it all work right and not make a mistake in doing so. Youth certainly deserve and should have preference but it shouldn’t be so hard to figure out. Right now it’s like trying to solve a Rubiks Cube.
This will not be the popular opinion but it is one that will save our future of hunting. Most of us look at the world through the lens thinking there is only so much of one thing and I need to grab it before it goes away. By looking at it through a longer term lens of creating abundance we can assure it will be there for the future generations. We will have to bear the brunt of the work and sacrifice. We need to eliminate the draw system and go to a straight draw. The next generations will not fight for our rights as hunters if they have to wait for a decade to have a great hunt. We are eliminating OTC areas which are restricting them to go to draw areas and potentially not hunt this year. Forcing them to go into the draw and increase the point creep even more. We also need the non resident for the revenue they bring in as their funds support almost all of our hunting as well as many of our small businesses throughout the state. Residents cannot afford to see the tags increase to the same level or higher as non residents. I know we will loose the points we've been accumulating but it is worth it in the long term to save our way of life. Not a popular proposal but its the right thing to do.
Given that a major objective of the Draw Process Working Group is to mitigate draw process complexities with a focus on simplification, then one of the focus items should be on simplifying the “spider web” of rules, regulations, preferences, opportunities, options etc, etc, related to Youth Hunting. Reading from top-to-bottom the Youth Hunting page 17 in the (2023) brochure leaves the reader with their “head spinning” trying to figure out how to fit something together, make it all work right and not make a mistake in doing so. Youth certainly deserve and should have preference but it shouldn’t be so hard to figure out. Right now it’s like trying to solve a Rubiks Cube.
Given that a major objective of the Draw Process Working Group is SIMPLIFICATION, then one of the focus items should be on simplifying the “spider web” of rules, regulations, preferences, opportunities, options etc, etc, related to Youth Hunting. Reading from top-to-bottom the Youth Hunting page 17 in the (2023) brochure leaves the reader with their “head spinning” trying to figure out how to fit something together, make it all work right and not make a mistake in doing so. Youth certainly should have preference but it shouldn’t be so hard to figure out. Right now it’s like trying to solve a Rubiks Cube.
Given that a major objective of the Draw Process Working Group is simplification, then one of the focus items should be on simplifying the “spider web” of rules, regulations, preferences, opportunities, options etc, etc, related to Youth Hunting. Reading from top-to-bottom the Youth Hunting page 17 in the (2023) brochure leaves the reader with their “head spinning” trying to figure out how to fit something together, make it all work right and not make a mistake in doing so. Youth certainly should have preference but it shouldn’t be so hard to figure out. Right now it’s like trying to solve a Rubiks Cube.
I applaud the volunteers who took on the thankless task of serving on DPWG. Those I have communicated with agree: Their recommendations will bother more hunters than they will satisfy. And they realize CPW can blackball any or all of their suggestions. The Board of Commissioners has already declined some version of all of the proposals in this EngageCPW page, and all but the most radical ones under consideration by DPWG. The Board's standard reason for rejection is 'fairness.' Any change to the existing draw process will benefit some at the expense of most others, as does the current system. Fairness cannot and should not be the the hill this opportunity to improve the draw system dies on. Pick any cohort: youth, residents, NRs, OTC hunters, women, disabled, archers. . . To benefit one is to deprive all others. Board, call it what it is and stop using the fairness excuse to kick this can further down the road. The Board can most decisively do this by clearly stating which groups should be prioritized. If youths need draw incentives to join the sport, the Board should say which groups are less important than youths. Ditto for archers, OTC hunters, outfitters, all groups. Don't hold your breath for that clarification from the Board, they would have to resign if their true allegiances were disclosed.
Here is my disclosure: 4 generations of my family have and do hunt Colorado. Resident small and big game hunter, angler since 1964. Never hunted with an outfitter, never paid a trespass fee. Typically hunt 2 big game seasons/year. Have used the draw system to hunt either sex elk 1st season in unit 61, and antlered deer on RFW Hill Ranch, 2 of the crown jewels of the draw system. Accompanied nephew on an RFW youth hunt. Hunted early season, late season and every season in between with archery, muzzleloader, rifle. Hunted big game in at least 30 GMUs west of I-25. Participated in 4 years of hunter and agency discussion about the draw process and season structure as past member of CPW Sportspersons' Roundtable. Stood in line for leftover and reissued licenses, in person and virtually. My biases are, in order:
1. Sustainability and improvement of habitat and herd resources. Without this first, the rest don't matter.
2. Connecting Colorado citizens with outdoor recreation so they will value and vote for wildlife and habitat. Youth recruitment fits here, as does better opportunity for residents in general, which I prioritize higher than nonresident opportunity. See #1 above.
3. North American Model of Wildlife Conservation. More opportunity for hunting, less privatizing and monetization of outdoor sports. Outfitters should not be vectors of government financial stimulus from CPW to landowners. Landowners host much of our big game, however, and should be encouraged to allow hunters access to game on their property. This leaves room for consideration of OTC for private land only, providing it does not prioritize NR over residents.
Deer, elk, bear, pronghorn
Proposals that will not reduce point creep and opportunity loss: Hybrid draw, point banking, and point averaging on group applications. Proposals that will reduce or eliminate point creep: Elimination of points by sunsetting over some number of years and no issuance of new points. Making every draw random removes year-to-year predictability and aspiration, both of which serve #2 and 3 above. Thus, a preference point system for these 4 species should have a maximum # of points allowed to accumulate (5, 7 or 10). Everyone with that maximum point total who applies has an equal chance. Hunters who already have more than the maximum # of points/species have to use them within 3 years, after that they will all be reduced to the new maximum threshold.
Points should be awarded one per year if 1st AND 2nd choice are not drawn in main drawing. Leftover tags should not cost points. Reissues of returned tags should cost the # of points it took to draw that tag. If claiming a reissued tag without having the points it cost in the draw, that tag uses all the points the new user has for that species.
Youth preference matters for recruitment but is abused in the current system.
R/NR = 90/10% for all draw tags, same as everywhere else. After 1stAs a result, resident license fees increase to maintain the same level of enterprise funding for CPW as has been.
OTC unlimited for residents only, we can more readily switch units to reduce pressure during Sept. NRs have capped OTC #s and must commit to a a small region of units (create geographic areas that allow NRs flexibility to hunt multiple units such as Gunnison area, or Meeker area, or Durango area). NR archers must commit to either the 1st 2 weeks or 2nd 2 weeks of Sept. Rs have the whole month and all OTC units.
Given that a major objective of the Draw Process Working Group is simplification, then one of the focus items should be on simplifying the “spider web” of rules, regulations, preferences, opportunities, options etc, etc, related to Youth Hunting. Reading from top-to-bottom the Youth Hunting page 17 in the (2023) brochure leaves the reader with their “head spinning” trying to figure out how to fit something together, make it all work right and not make a mistake in doing so. Youth certainly should have preference but it shouldn’t be so hard to figure out. Right now it’s like trying to solve a Rubiks Cube.
Given that a major objective of the Draw Process Working Group is simplification, then one of the focus items should be on simplifying the “spider web” of rules, regulations, preferences, opportunities, options etc, etc, related to Youth Hunting. Reading from top-to-bottom the Youth Hunting page 17 in the (2023) brochure leaves the reader with their “head spinning” trying to figure out how to fit something together, make it all work right and not make a mistake in doing so. Youth certainly should have preference but it shouldn’t be so hard to figure out. Right now it’s like trying to solve a Rubiks Cube.
Given that a major objective of the Draw Process Working Group is simplification, then one of the focus items should be on simplifying the “spider web” of rules, regulations, preferences, opportunities, options etc, etc, related to Youth Hunting. Reading from top-to-bottom the Youth Hunting page 17 in the (2023) brochure leaves the reader with their “head spinning” trying to figure out how to fit something together, make it all work right and not make a mistake in doing so. Youth certainly should have preference but it shouldn’t be so hard to figure out. Right now it’s like trying to solve a Rubiks Cube.
Given that a major objective of the Draw Process Working Group is simplification, then one of the focus items should be on simplifying the “spider web” of rules, regulations, preferences, opportunities, options etc, etc, related to Youth Hunting. Reading from top-to-bottom the Youth Hunting page 17 in the (2023) brochure leaves the reader with their “head spinning” trying to figure out how to fit something together, make it all work right and not make a mistake in doing so. Youth certainly should have preference but it shouldn’t be so hard to figure out. Right now it’s like trying to solve a Rubiks Cube.
Given that a major objective of the Draw Process Working Group is simplification, then one of the focus items should be on simplifying the “spider web” of rules, regulations, preferences, opportunities, options etc, etc, related to Youth Hunting. Reading from top-to-bottom the Youth Hunting page 17 in the (2023) brochure leaves the reader with their “head spinning” trying to figure out how to fit something together, make it all work right and not make a mistake in doing so. Youth certainly should have preference but it shouldn’t be so hard to figure out. Right now it’s like trying to solve a Rubiks Cube.
Given that a major objective of the Draw Process Working Group is simplification, then one of the focus items should be on simplifying the “spider web” of rules, regulations, preferences, opportunities, options etc, etc, related to Youth Hunting. Reading from top-to-bottom the Youth Hunting page 17 in the (2023) brochure leaves the reader with their “head spinning” trying to figure out how to fit something together, make it all work right and not make a mistake in doing so. Youth certainly should have preference but it shouldn’t be so hard to figure out. Right now it’s like trying to solve a Rubiks Cube.
Given that a major objective of the Draw Process Working Group is simplification, then one of the focus items should be on simplifying the “spider web” of rules, regulations, preferences, opportunities, options etc, etc, related to Youth Hunting. Reading from top-to-bottom the Youth Hunting page 17 in the (2023) brochure leaves the reader with their “head spinning” trying to figure out how to fit something together, make it all work right and not make a mistake in doing so. Youth certainly should have preference but it shouldn’t be so hard to figure out. Right now it’s like trying to solve a Rubiks Cube.
Given that a major objective of the Draw Process Working Group is simplification, then one of the focus items should be on simplifying the “spider web” of rules, regulations, preferences, opportunities, options etc, etc, related to Youth Hunting. Reading from top-to-bottom the Youth Hunting page 17 in the (2023) brochure leaves the reader with their “head spinning” trying to figure out how to fit something together, make it all work right and not make a mistake in doing so. Youth certainly should have preference but it shouldn’t be so hard to figure out. Right now it’s like trying to solve a Rubiks Cube.
Given that a major objective of the Draw Process Working Group is simplification, then one of the focus items should be on simplifying the “spider web” of rules, regulations, preferences, opportunities, options etc, etc, related to Youth Hunting. Reading from top-to-bottom the Youth Hunting page 17 in the (2023) brochure leaves the reader with their “head spinning” trying to figure out how to fit something together, make it all work right and not make a mistake in doing so. Youth certainly should have preference but it shouldn’t be so hard to figure out. Right now it’s like trying to solve a Rubiks Cube.
Given that a major objective of the Draw Process Working Group is simplification, then one of the focus items should be on simplifying the “spider web” of rules, regulations, preferences, opportunities, options etc, etc, related to Youth Hunting. Reading from top-to-bottom the Youth Hunting page 17 in the (2023) brochure leaves the reader with their “head spinning” trying to figure out how to fit something together, make it all work right and not make a mistake in doing so. Youth certainly should have preference but it shouldn’t be so hard to figure out. Right now it’s like trying to solve a Rubiks Cube.
Given that a major objective of the Draw Process Working Group is simplification, then one of the focus items should be on simplifying the “spider web” of rules, regulations, preferences, opportunities, options etc, etc, related to Youth Hunting. Reading from top-to-bottom the Youth Hunting page 17 in the (2023) brochure leaves the reader with their “head spinning” trying to figure out how to fit something together, make it all work right and not make a mistake in doing so. Youth certainly should have preference but it shouldn’t be so hard to figure out. Right now it’s like trying to solve a Rubiks Cube.