They have suspended the sale of leftover licenses indefinitely because the system crashed. Lady on the phone said to try calling back later today. I know someone who was 2nd in line at the office and the 1st guy got his tags when the system crashed.
Leftover License Sale Suspended
- Thread starter Colorado T
- Start date
Slugz
Veteran member
Not.......I'm trying to call from Kuwait on two different phones huskyhunter
New Member
Yeah, back up and running but looks like it messed with my dad getting his bear tag. They still had them available while he was on the phone with the lady when the system went down, now that it is back up and running they are all gone.
Winchester
Veteran member
I was was 2nd in line and it crashed on me. First guy got his tag then it crashed ... good for him ... but dang.
hoshour
Veteran member
I dialed almost continually and got through twice in the first hour and - 9:30 and 10:00 I was told both times the system was down and to call back later. I got through again about 20 minutes later and I gave them 30 hunt codes for deer and 15 for antelope - every one was sold out.
It looks like nonresidents really got screwed on this setup. I don't know how all those tags were taken at 10:20 when the system was down the first hour. Either the system was not down in the first few minutes when I couldn't get through or residents in line at CPW offices got licenses while nonresidents dialing in were shut out. I don't think it was intentional, but it sure was not handled well.
It looks like nonresidents really got screwed on this setup. I don't know how all those tags were taken at 10:20 when the system was down the first hour. Either the system was not down in the first few minutes when I couldn't get through or residents in line at CPW offices got licenses while nonresidents dialing in were shut out. I don't think it was intentional, but it sure was not handled well.
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swampokie
Veteran member
Biggest freakn joke I've ever experienced. Got totally hosed as non res. Got
Through after 320 redial a only to get told call back later. Got through 751 calls later and the tag I wanted went while she tried to figure out the proper spelling of my last name. I even mailed in and
Struck out on that. It's hard to convince me a lot of
Those tags weren't earmarked. What a morning!
Through after 320 redial a only to get told call back later. Got through 751 calls later and the tag I wanted went while she tried to figure out the proper spelling of my last name. I even mailed in and
Struck out on that. It's hard to convince me a lot of
Those tags weren't earmarked. What a morning!
ColoradoV
Very Active Member
- Oct 4, 2011
- 820
- 941
Not bad where I was. I was first in line at a cpw machine and we got a couple of busy signals - then got through at just after 9 03. All 4 hunts I wanted were gone a total of 9 tags.. Folks get their hopes up but in reality 100% of the sought after tags are gone at 5 seconds past 9. Some faster than that.
A lady got a buck tag as well as a private land antelope then the system crashed out even for the vendors. When it came back up every single quality tag was taken but they went to real hunters who were just a bit luckier than me today.
I do know of a guys who got tags for elk, deer, as well as bear.
A lady got a buck tag as well as a private land antelope then the system crashed out even for the vendors. When it came back up every single quality tag was taken but they went to real hunters who were just a bit luckier than me today.
I do know of a guys who got tags for elk, deer, as well as bear.
swampokie
Veteran member
JimP
Administrator
It is really to the point in just about all the states that if you want to hunt a area you need to put it down as your second choice at least in Colorado where you won't loose your points on a second choice hunt. I have seen way too many problems with trying to pick up a leftover when everyone else is trying to do the same thing, the servers just can't handle the load that is hitting it all at the same time.
I have seen in happen in Utah quite often on the main draw when hunters wait until the last day to put in for their tags and all of a sudden the system crashes. You have to figure that when you are going for a very limited amount of tags and there are a couple thousand hunters trying to do the same thing something is bound to happen.
I have seen in happen in Utah quite often on the main draw when hunters wait until the last day to put in for their tags and all of a sudden the system crashes. You have to figure that when you are going for a very limited amount of tags and there are a couple thousand hunters trying to do the same thing something is bound to happen.
Slugz
Veteran member
Boy that seemed like a mess. This was the first year I tried that. I didn't draw a deer tag but 8 of the tags I put in for showed up on the list. Must have been turned in. I had pretty much the same experience. I had two phones going on speed dial, got though twice to be told still down. Got through at like 1010 when they came up, first updated list I saw was 1020 posted and they were all gone. Oh well I tried, guess you gotta be in line and hopefully first or second. Oh well, good point Jim on the utilizing the second choice thing more, I probably don't enough.
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tdcour
Veteran member
Yeah, very frustrating to have stuff crash. I'm thinking in person is the way to go rather than over the phone. what a cluster. I had hope, but every tag I was after was gone once I finally got through.
hoshour
Veteran member
If you go in person, you'll probably need to get there the evening before. One guy posted that he showed up two hours early and was #40 in line.You can do that if you live in a neighboring state but if you don't, that's a really long ordeal.
I know guys who camped out and were 2nd in line at the local P&W office and still didn't get their licenses. I'm not sure either way really mattered.
Slugz
Veteran member
tdcour
Veteran member
I'm sure I'll still try in the future, but I definitely will go into it with more realistic expectations... like knowing I'm not going to get a tag and just knowing I'm wasting my time. That way it surprises me the good way.
Winchester
Veteran member
I got to Wal-Mart 2 hours early and was 2nd in line. The 1st guy in line got his license but then either the system crashed or the folks behind the counter really didn't know how to work the machine. They keep getting error messages when entering my hunt code but it was correct (taking it directly from a copy of the leftover list). I've heard that it's best to go to a DOW location because they know how to work the machines better ... but the lines are much longer at DOW. There may not be a really good way to work the leftover draw. I think Jim's suggestion to use the 2nd choice option may be the best.
JimP
Administrator
I have watched different states as well as Colorado over the years and the draws and decided long ago that if you want a tag that is offered in the general draw that you need to put in for it either as your first choice or second through fourth.
In my home unit of 44 years ago you used to be able to pick up a cow elk tag over the counter for any season that you wanted. Then that slipped away to the point where if you didn't put in for a cow tag as a second choice you wouldn't get it or it was unlikely. The same for a few other units around me. I have seen the same thing for the late season cow tags in 35, there used to be a lot of them and now you just might not draw it unless you have it listed as a first choice.
So in effect the herds are about what the DOW wants. They would be happy if there were no leftover tags. As for those that are turned back in, that is a crap shoot on getting one of them especially if they take a few points to draw in the first place. It wouldn't matter if you could do it on line, in person or over the phone.
In my home unit of 44 years ago you used to be able to pick up a cow elk tag over the counter for any season that you wanted. Then that slipped away to the point where if you didn't put in for a cow tag as a second choice you wouldn't get it or it was unlikely. The same for a few other units around me. I have seen the same thing for the late season cow tags in 35, there used to be a lot of them and now you just might not draw it unless you have it listed as a first choice.
So in effect the herds are about what the DOW wants. They would be happy if there were no leftover tags. As for those that are turned back in, that is a crap shoot on getting one of them especially if they take a few points to draw in the first place. It wouldn't matter if you could do it on line, in person or over the phone.
Hilltop
Veteran member
JimP
Administrator
Colorado does have a leftover drawing but you need to specify that you want to be included in the leftover draw on your application.
The tags that are offered OTC are ones that no one wanted or were turned back in the last month for one reason or another. I really don't see a need for another draw since the majority of these tags have gone through a first, second, third, fourth, and one leftover draw already before they became OTC tags.
The tags that are offered OTC are ones that no one wanted or were turned back in the last month for one reason or another. I really don't see a need for another draw since the majority of these tags have gone through a first, second, third, fourth, and one leftover draw already before they became OTC tags.