Your permit is only valid for a specific season. These OTC elk tags go on sale on August 3rd at 9 a.m., but remember that they can be purchased at any time before the hunt ends at any CPW location, online, by phone, and at any license sales agent. Most-if not all-OTC units have antler point restrictions of four points or more, or a brow tine that is 5” or more in length on one side. There are a few important differences to know when getting ready to purchase one of these licenses, which we will touch on. Archery, second, and third rifle seasons all fall under this OTC platform. For now, Colorado has unlimited OTC elk licenses that can be sold all the way up to and into the season for select units. However, with other states like Idaho, Utah, and Oregon moving toward draws or putting a quota on the number of permits that can be issued, it will likely force Colorado’s hand in heading in the same direction in the future. Any animal harvested on public land from an OTC area is an accomplishment, and once a hunter finds continued success under these types of conditions, they will be able to tackle most hunting endeavors.Ĭolorado is still the king when it comes to OTC elk hunting. These hunts are typically looked at as bonding experience and training for young and old hunters alike to sharpen their skills however, a service like onX Elite can help to increase the odds of success by combining the mapping expertise of onX with the unique boots on the ground experience of Huntin’ Fool. This doesn’t mean they are bad hunts it just means there is a lot more competition for the resource and hunters are often required to put in more time and effort to increase their odds of harvest. Most OTC hunts will average much lower harvest success than draw type hunts, especially on public land. These hunts are managed for the opportunity to get out in the field and enjoy the outdoors while trying to fill your freezer. We’ll look into a few of what I consider to be the best states available for hunters to secure a hunting permit this year through an OTC permit.Īlmost every state has some form of OTC hunt available to choose from. As a result, states have had more and more demand for OTC (over-the-counter) type permits, which has resulted in more pressure on the resource (wildlife) and state agencies have had to adjust the way they issue/allocate these OTC permits. This has pushed most hunters to search for alternatives to draw type permits to fill their hunting schedule. Consequently, state draws are seeing record high applications for big game year-after-year and hunters are finding themselves without a hunting permit in their hands after the spring draw season. Mapping platforms like onX have revolutionized how we find accessible public land to hunt without risk of trespassing, which 20 years ago was likely some resident’s honey hole. Throughout the last 5-10 years, insight into state draws and how they work along with tips to “beat” these draws have become more readily available. If you’re looking for information on one particular state, jump to Colorado, Utah, or Arizona. We’ll touch on a few of my favorite states for these OTC opportunities. What can you do to still put meat in the fridge? Let’s take a look into a few different over-the-counter big game hunting options still available for public land hunting in the West this fall. You didn’t draw a tag, and now you’re left looking at the upcoming hunting seasons with a bit of angst.
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