CO OTC Question

ryanlane55

New Member
Feb 20, 2019
7
3
Springfield, MO
If you have a tag for a draw unit, is it legal to hunt an OTC with that tag?

Looking at possibly putting in for one of the low PP units. If drawn and not liking what we are seeing in that unit, was wondering if we could bounce to one of the OTC nearby.

Thanks guys.

My assumption is no, but couldn't find in the regs.
 

taskswap

Very Active Member
Jul 9, 2018
523
379
Colorado
The tags are VERY specific about what you take. The difference between OTC and Draw is how you obtain them, not what they're for. (With the exception of "Unlimited" tags I'm not aware of any tags that ARE available OTC but CANNOT be requested in the draw. It's just a code.)

For example, EF043O2R is "Elk, Female, GMU 043, Rifle 2 (Second Season)". It doesn't say OTC or Draw anywhere on the tag, but I got it in the draw. There is also an EM043O2R if I wanted to go for a bull. That IS an OTC tag but not because the code says so. Its just that in GMU 43 there are "unlimited" tags available for bulls, so they don't bother taking applications for it in the draw. You can just buy them any time (OTC). The draw is only for limited licenses.

Likewise, being limited doesn't mean you can't buy them OTC once the draw is done. DM038O2R is "Deer, Male, GMU 038, Rifle 2", a similar tag and code to the elk one above. You can request that in the draw, but because it's a tricky spot to hunt (and the quota is also very high) I haven't seen it draw out completely, at least in the past few years. There are always tags left over. You can buy those OTC. But again, that didn't make the tag an "OTC tag" or change what you can take. It's just how you bought it.

Sorry if this was long-winded, just trying to clear it up.
 

CoHiCntry

Veteran member
Mar 31, 2011
1,390
21
Colorado Mountains
OTC tags don’t have a unit listed on the tag. It’s just OTC which includes all the OTC units. You don’t buy an OTC tag for any specific unit.