It looks like you have to pay for the license when you are just trying to buy a preference point for Colorado elk. Is this right?
They refund the tag cost after the draw you'll have to pay a non refundable a fee if you didn't have license in the previous year Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
like stated you front the tag cost then get it back a few months later minus the application fee. That said, CO is kind of skewed for NR elk hunting. You have loads of OTC units, then loads of units that require so many points that getting in the game now is futile. Not much in between (yes there still are some). If I was set on hunting CO, I'd go OTC and learn an area well to return annually. If I wanted to play the points game, I'd look elsewhere.
I don't see much point in buying a point for elk in Co unless you have a specific goal for a mid tear unit, maybe needing it for private access ect. That said it's a cheap point with being only 43 non refundable( plus a 10 habitat fee) Now for mule deer CO is a must buy point yearly, considering it has the best mule deer hunting in the lower48 and a few points can get you into some excellent units. Forget the blue chip though if you just starting to accumulate points as you will never catch up with point creep unless they change their draw process.
Also you only have to pay for a cow tag, not a bull tag. So the price is less. They do take about 3 months to get the check back to you. It's a nice little gig they got going. Probably bank all the tag money and collect interest off it for a few months, then send it back to you.
And if you hunt CO OTC like we do, a Point each year is a no brainer as it only costs net $3 as you need the habitat stamp each fall anyway. Then at least have some points to try mid tier units every few years which at least limits the number of hunters (pressure). Good Luck!
