I’m sitting in the Hunter Ed classroom waiting for the students to arrive and I thought I’d better tell you why you shouldn’t wait to get your Colorado hunting applications in.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife implemented their new licensing system a few weeks ago and ever since they’ve been encouraging hunters and angels to get into the system, update their profiles, and buy their licenses a.s.a.p.. Since I sit on the Colorado Sportsman’s Roundtable, attend CPW public meetings, teach hunter ed, and mentor others, I did just that. I got on the website right away. I updated my profile. I made sure my preference points were still listed as they should be, and then I waited for the day license sales opened.
I immediately bought and applied for all my licenses. I had no problem, and heck it’s much less expensive than it used to be. (Now — What to do with all that extra dinero? <winking of course>) I ran into no hic-ups and had zero problems. I even have my small game hunting and fishing combo license with me as I type. Yep! It’s already here.
That leads me to a friend and her husband. She asked that I stop by and help her navigate the system as she’s a bit wary and they’re actually some of the few who, until now, has always applied using the paper mail-in applications for her hunting licenses. I agreed to help and met her after church.
We sat down to purchase and apply for her husband’s tags. Logged in. Applied. Purchased. Done. The process went as smooth as silk.
Next, my friend logged in to her portal and we began, with her information verification screen. Everything looked good. She clicked the save button only to be stopped by the system, which displayed an error message something like “the name cannot be found in the system.” She logged out and then in. The same error message popped up. She pulled out her old hunting license to see if she used to have her maiden name on them. Nope. The name on the screen read exactly the same as the old hunting license, but the system wouldn’t allow her to proceed to even look at a species or tag for which to apply.
The moral of my story is if you have a problem similar to my friend’s you may not have time to go to the CPW office and get it taken care of. Get online NOW and buy or apply! Learn more below.
CPW urges hunters, begin applying online for a limited license today, do not wait until the last minute
DENVER – Colorado Parks and Wildlife is urging hunters planning to apply for a limited hunting license to begin the process as soon as possible. The agency says waiting until just before the application deadline, midnight, April 3, could pose challenges for hunters due to staff availability and support. Getting in early will ensure successfully completing and submitting an application.
This year, CPW launched a new, integrated online purchasing system designed to streamline the limited license application process. Agency officials say so far the majority of transactions have been successful; however, as is the case with the rollout of any new computerized system, there are always challenges.
“As advanced as our new system is, and regardless of how well it has worked so far, there is no system in existence that will work perfectly out of the box,” said Cory Chick, License Services Manager. “Especially this first year, we urge hunters to do their part by logging on today and making sure any holdups are addressed right now, not at the last minute.”
One recommendation CPW officials have for hunters is to be sure and read all directions on the website before applying. There are video tutorials and step by step guides for setting up accounts.
“One of the primary challenges customers are facing is when they create a new profile rather than looking up their CID number.” said Bradley Gabrielski, CPW Call Center Coordinator. “The information to make the online application process work is there, but it is critical that people take the time to read it before they start.”
Gabrielski says hunters with questions, or those that may not have experience with computers, have several options to get help with their application. They can come into one of CPW’s offices located across the state, contact the CPW Call Center at 1-303-297-1192 or by calling the agency’s 24-hour hotline at 1-800-244-5613.
Agency staff are asking for customers to be patient when calling into an office, the CPW Call Center or the Aspira Call Center. Call volume is extremely high this time of year which is also why it is important to start the application process earlier rather than later.
“We cannot stress enough that waiting until the last minute to apply is not recommended,” said Chick. “Begin your application today.”
For more information, call your local CPW office, or you can go to the CPW website for detailed information.
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CPW is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 41 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW’s work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.
