Colorado hunters will be able to draw for big game licenses starting March 1 for the 2022 season.

This year, all hunters wanting to participate in the big game draw will need a qualifying license, which are available for purchase starting March 1 as well. The qualifying license must be purchased before applying for a big game license or preference points.

Many game management units will require the heads of any deer harvested to test for chronic wasting disease at no charge to the hunter. Hunters who voluntarily want to submit an animal sample to Colorado Parks and Wildlife can do so for $25.

Another change this year, bow hunters will be allowed to use compound bows with any let-off percentage, though draw-loc and crossbows are still restricted to hunters with a disability recreation permit.

Licenses can also be surrendered by April 22 for bighorn sheep or mountain goats and by June 6 for elk, deer, pronghorn, bear or moose, which will result in CPW reinstating the hunter’s preference points to the pre-draw level and removing the license from their account.

Hunters wanting to exchange a license will be able to do so for a $5 flat fee.

For more information, go to CPW.State.CO.us/Documents/RulesRegs/Brochure/BigGame/biggame.pdf.