Colorado Parks and Wildlife offices statewide are gearing up for two of the biggest days of the year: “leftover day” Tuesday, August 7, at 9:00 a.m. and “OTC day” August 9 at 9:00 a.m.

On leftover day, CPW sells licenses that have gone through the draw process but still have a quota remaining. In the past, lines for leftover day have resembled crowds waiting to purchase the newest smartphone or attend the opening of a Hollywood blockbuster. Some people even camp out at CPW offices to ensure they get first shot at prime hunting licenses left over from the draw. The crowds come because leftover day is a chance to buy tags that were previously offered during the draw and often represent prime hunting opportunities.

CPW staff are reminding hunters that they can avoid the crowds this year by purchasing their license online at cpwshop.com. Hunters can also purchase by phone at 800-244-5613, at CPW offices, and license retailers.

Get Ready

The 2018 Leftover List has already been published on CPW’s website.

Online Purchases

Hunters are encouraged to make sure their account is valid at cpwshop.com. Be prepared for leftover day by completing the following checklist BEFORE purchases begin on Tuesday, August 7 at 9 a.m. (MDT).

1. Validate or create your customer account.

• If you are an existing customer, log in to CPWshop.com to confirm that you can access your account. If you forgot your password, click the screen to have a new one sent. If you are experiencing issues logging in to your account, call CPW at 303-297-1192 (Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. Mountain Time) or Aspira at 800-244-5613 (24/7) for assistance.
• If you are unsure whether or not you are a customer with an account, useLOOK UP to see if you have an existing account. CAUTION: Do not create multiple accounts. Purchasing licenses with multiple accounts could potentially invalidate your sale.
• If you are a new customer(you have never used the CPW IPAWS site, purchased a CPW wildlife license, or do not have a Reserve America account), create an account. If you are experiencing issues creating an account, call CPW at 303-297-1192 (Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Mountain Time) or Aspira at 800-244-5613 (24/7) for assistance.

2. Confirm account details.

Check that your contact info is correct, including phone, email and mailing address. You will need to enter your credit card information when you check out (VISA, MASTERCARD OR DISCOVER). Your credit card on file will not be charged automatically.

3. Get advice and best practicesfor making your online purchase.

Visit CPW’s Leftover Day’s Tips page. 

In-person Purchases

Those who plan to purchase leftover licenses at license agents or CPW offices should be prepared before they arrive. This will help the process run as efficiently as possible.

If you are planning on purchasing a license, be sure to have the following:

• Your driver's license/state issued identification card,
• Proof of hunter education: hunter education card​ or a Colorado hunting license with verified hunter education,  
• Your social security number (anyone 12 years of age and older are required to give their social security number, if not already on file),
• Your customer identification number (CID), if you have previously purchased a license in Colorado,
• Proof of residency​, if you are planning to purchase a resident license,
• A prioritized list of hunt codes for licenses you are interested in.

​If purchasing a license for someone else (can only be done IN PERSON), the buyer must bring the following for the hunter:

• A clear copy of both sides of their driver's license/state issued identification card,  
• A clear copy of both sides of their hunter education card or a previous Colorado hunting license with verified hunter education,
• Their social security number (anyone 12 years of age and older are required to give their social security number, if not already on file),    
• Their customer identification number (CID), if they have previously purchased a license in Colorado,
• A prioritized list of hunt codes they are interested in.

​IMPORTANT:A person cannot buy a license for someone else over the phone. The option to buy for someone else only works in person. Call the license agent you plan to visit ahead of time to find out their procedures for leftover day. Procedures can vary from location to location.

If applying by phone, note that there will be longer than usual wait times for both Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Aspira. To expedite the purchasing process, try purchasing the license online at cpwshop.com.

Over-The-Counter Licenses

Many of the 500,000 or so who hunt in Colorado request licenses through a draw system. The draw is the only way to buy mule deer licenses. And it’s also a way to get bear, elk, whitetail deer and pronghorn licenses. Typically, there is far more demand than available licenses.

Others, however, simply buy their elk, bear, whitetail deer and pronghorn licenses over-the-counter at CPW’s 18 offices or at other retail outlets - and it is usually a busy day.

Over-The-Counter (OTC) licenses go on sale this year Thursday, August 9 at 9:00 a.m.