Tags Disappearing

sb2017

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177
This post isn't intended as a complaint, just curious if anyone else has noticed the same thing and knows what might be happening.

This morning I browsed the reissue list for my dad since he struck out on the draw this year. There was a tag he was interested in so we got all set up on the computer at 10:50. From 10:55 to 11, he continued to click "confirm choices" with the tag code entered and ready. Whenever it would say "hunt code unavailable", he would simply try again. We thought that by doing that, if the tags happened to be posted a few minutes early then we'd be able to scoop it up. The website says "as close to 11 as the system allows", but we figured that means AFTER 11, assuming they are accounting for system delays/crashes.

He continued to hit "confirm" as frequently as possible until around 11:05 with no luck. I checked the reissue list and it said that all tags had been moved to the Leftover list. Checked the leftover list.... the report was generated at 10:58 this morning, and the hunt code we were after was not on the list.

So, the tag was on the reissue list of tags that go on sale at 11, but after the transfer to the leftover list, it's missing from the report that was generated 2 minutes before the time that tags are supposed to be available?

Are tags going on sale before the 11am start time?
 
That has happened to me quite a few times too, but I understand why and how that happens. There are a lot of people trying for a small number of tags and it makes sense to me that the server gets overloaded.

What I noticed this morning seemed a little different. It kind of gave me the impression that tags are being removed (presumably bought) before anyone online even has a chance at them.
 
The leftover list just shows what tags are available to purchase on the time stamp that is generated on the report. If the tag was available 1 min earlier and purchased it will not show up. If the tag comes up 10 seconds after, it might show up on the next report in 5 min, but only if it was not purchased before the next time stamp. So downloading and monitoring the list is basically useless for the higher demand tags. They have usually been hitting in first 5 min and gone in seconds. Lag was worst I have ever seen today. Kind of a joke to see the tag available to add to cart, then add the tag, and wait 30 seconds to find out it is not available anymore. They need to dedicate some more bandwidth or server capacity on Wednesdays at 11.
 
I feel you, homey. Didn't try this week, but tried last week. Seems fruitless, but occasionally it can happen. Well, ya know, unless it's a low demand tag.
 
Yeah, we were bummed at the way it went down this morning but oh well. At the end of the day, it keeps things fun that we have the chance to keep trying to get lucky and score tags off of this list. My only hang up is that I'm starting to have my doubts about how much of a chance, if any, there actually even is with the more prestigious tags.
 
Makes one wonder if all the tags that get returned even make it to the reissue list. Since they produce the reissue list once a week, how many tags get processed on Tuesday afternoon thru Friday that sit in there waiting for Tuesday/Wednesday to come around? some tags may not get hunted, or season nearly over when they do hit the list (if they hit the list). For example, If a 1st season elk tag doesn’t hit the list on the Tuesday before season starts on Saturday but gets processed after the “weekly rodeo” on Tuesday/Wednesday that tag will not be hunted come Saturday through half of Wednesday. If it does hit the list, someone basically has 1/2 day to give it a go. Makes one wonder if some of these tags just don’t hit the list as CPW knows the season is basically over. (I didn’t pay close enough attention to see if this actually happened last year or not). Hunters are losing out on opportunity in these situations and CPW (potentially) losing out on revenue (something they glory). I have a friend who turned in an elk tag and after day 29 his account still did not clear of the tag. He called and they said due to the volume of tags and the procedures of getting it taken care of was causing a huge backlog. I know this can very per tag and timing, etc. How many tags are buried in the pile that may never hit the list? One can only speculate.

I wish enough pull could come together to go back to the random way they did it for several years—the way the CPW staff recommended keeping it before a 2-3 board members overruled those recommendations. CPW staff mentioned that the change to a preview list/set time release system would be inefficient, time prohibitive, costly, etc. But there the CPW commission disregarded the need for sufficiency, effectiveness, cost, etc. The whole reason it went from once-a-week back in 2016-2017 to the randomizing process was to be more efficienct, time sensitive, etc. Then they totally revert back.

Enough people gripe about CPW office/staff, however, more (many more) need to gripe about/to the CPW commission board and its members. They all have emails address, they allow for public comment at CPW board meetings-in person or virtual-, etc. get involved as you see fit—on any issue. For some reason we tend to be passive until it is too late.
 
yes, it happens to me as well. and there is no way ,especially when there are multiple tags available that they can all be gone within 1-2 seconds. I would almost guarantee that they are scooped up by a CPW employee well before we get our chance at them.
Also to confirm my theory, one time a few years ago ,I was in the CPW main office on Broadway in Denver (jobsite was close by) to try and get a good tag on reissue day. I found it interesting that every computer in the office had the reissue list pulled up and ready to go. I asked the agent at the counter if they have access to these good reissue tags and was told " absolutely , it's a perk of the job" !:mad:
 
yes, it happens to me as well. and there is no way ,especially when there are multiple tags available that they can all be gone within 1-2 seconds. I would almost guarantee that they are scooped up by a CPW employee well before we get our chance at them.
Also to confirm my theory, one time a few years ago ,I was in the CPW main office on Broadway in Denver (jobsite was close by) to try and get a good tag on reissue day. I found it interesting that every computer in the office had the reissue list pulled up and ready to go. I asked the agent at the counter if they have access to these good reissue tags and was told " absolutely , it's a perk of the job" !:mad:
I am pretty sure there is no longer any perks with the current system, not saying they didn't have an advantage before, but I think that is gone now. It is basically a lottery for everyone for the good tags, 100s to 1000s of people trying for 1-2 tags and yes they are definitely gone in 1 to 2 seconds, no doubt as you don't have to check out anymore. I have not seen any tags go before 11 AM either.

And yes, there will be some tags that are returned late (after the 30 day window) that will not make it to the list, but most will make it even though some of those will be sold on a Wednesday with only 2 days left in the season because of the New/Old process vs. them pushing them through before the season started in the past.
 
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I love the current system ! I got lucky and pulled a unit 76 first rifle bull tag today. I hunted it in 2019 with an outfitter and killed a bull that scored over 340 in the burn area. Now I’m heading back this October. Very excited !!!
So you are one of the lucky ones. I hunted in 17 archery and was trying for the same tag. After trying about a minute and a half after 11, all of a sudden it moved to the next screen as if I was gonna get it in my cart, but after a delay of 5-10 seconds, it said none were available. You are very lucky! Good luck to you and you better pickup your backpack training!
 
I was able to get a re-issued buck tag in my elk unit today. Not a premium tag for sure but it's nice to have. 2 tags available for this hunt code. A little strange, I started entering the code around 10:55, got to the screen to add it to my cart at 11:06, but then after adding it to my cart the system seemed to freeze for about 60 seconds then took me back to the enter a hunt code screen, so I entered the hunt code again and got the no tags available message. I stayed on the web site and got a pop up message about 10 minutes later saying I had 4 minutes left to complete the transaction in my cart. So I went back to my cart and completed the transaction. If I had left the CPW site I probably would have never known I had a tag in my cart.
 
I love the current system ! I got lucky and pulled a unit 76 first rifle bull tag today. I hunted it in 2019 with an outfitter and killed a bull that scored over 340 in the burn area. Now I’m heading back this October. Very excited !!!
I damn near had 1 of the 4
 
"How steep are the mountains? How far do we have to go to get in on a good one? Fellas, we can't even quad in a Wilderness Area! Turn them in." ;)
yeah there is very little chance of killing an elk in 76. I encourage anyone that has a tag to turn it in. I hunted it last year and thought it was neat country.
 
I was initially excited when I got to the next screen with one of the 76 tags. When I hit confirm to add to cart, it was gone. A question I have is about returning tags. Don't you have to turn the tag back in at least 30 days before the season starts unless "extreme medical circumstances" is how it's worded in the book? Why are there still so many archery and muzzy tags still getting added to the reissue list every week?
 
I have heard that you should not go past the residency page until straight up 11:00 or it will kick you out. Is that still accurate info?
 
I have heard that you should not go past the residency page until straight up 11:00 or it will kick you out. Is that still accurate info?
I believe that was the the junior draw, I mean the second draw, where you were cautioned not to go beyond residency.
 
I was initially excited when I got to the next screen with one of the 76 tags. When I hit confirm to add to cart, it was gone. A question I have is about returning tags. Don't you have to turn the tag back in at least 30 days before the season starts unless "extreme medical circumstances" is how it's worded in the book? Why are there still so many archery and muzzy tags still getting added to the reissue list every week?
Stevo, I’m not sure exactly what the process is but I know for certain that it takes some time for the CPW to get returned tags onto the reissue list. I know of tags that have been turned in and haven’t showed up on the list for several weeks.
 
Stevo, I’m not sure exactly what the process is but I know for certain that it takes some time for the CPW to get returned tags onto the reissue list. I know of tags that have been turned in and haven’t showed up on the list for several weeks.
Were they high point tags that took more than 5 Res points to draw?
 
Think of it this way, several thousand people have their fingers on their keyboards waiting for zero hour. In milliseconds those tags will disappear, no real mystery.
I don't disagree at all, the mystery part for me in this specific instance was that all clues pointed towards the tag disappearing before anyone was technically even able to purchase it.
 
I am sure there are several thousand for the 8/3 shitshow. But I am curious how many are still trying now. I have several buddies that still can't remember what days the tags go live and several that just flat out quit trying. I still pick up a decent tag or two every year - but I do miss the days of old - 5years ago picking up 10-15 point tags and then having a buddy or family member turning in the same tag since I had it and then getting his tag next year.
 
I got a pretty good archery deer tag last week, then proceeded to hear of at least 5 other dudes that I personally know that was going for the same tag. I'm sure there was a bunch going for it I was just the lucky button pusher that day.
A couple of them wanted to know what my secret was lol. No secret just hit the buttons faster than the hundred other guys doing the same thing you are.

Had other tags in previous weeks that never even validated they was there and they were gone.
 
I am pretty sure there is no longer any perks with the current system, not saying they didn't have an advantage before, but I think that is gone now. It is basically a lottery for everyone for the good tags, 100s to 1000s of people trying for 1-2 tags and yes they are definitely gone in 1 to 2 seconds, no doubt as you don't have to check out anymore. I have not seen any tags go before 11 AM either.

And yes, there will be some tags that are returned late (after the 30 day window) that will not make it to the list, but most will make it even though some of those will be sold on a Wednesday with only 2 days left in the season because of the New/Old process vs. them pushing them through before the season started in the past.
So you dont think it is possible for a CPW employee who knows what tags are going to be up on the list to already have that tag pulled or at least in their cart prior to the public having access at 11am? The list we are seeing is just that, a simple list. Who is to say those 1 or 2 premium tags ever even get released to the public and are not already in someone pocket when 11am hits and the gate opens? At 11am those tags simple go to " not available for sale" or " tag has no available quota".

Another thing I have noticed.... Why is the pop up you are given when a tag is not available different? Some say not no quota available, some say tag not for sale, etc etc.
 
Why is the pop up you are given when a tag is not available different? Some say not no quota available, some say tag not for sale, etc etc.

I was curious on the quota not available vs the not for sale, wasn't sure if it's telling or what not.

As far as the employee's having an advantage, they gotta use the same system we do, anything else would be way to easy to be caught and to prove. Besides that there's always that one guy. Even if they had a good thing going, some other employee would ruin it for them, either by ratting them out or feeling slighted he didnt get a tag he wanted and raise hell lol.
 
So you dont think it is possible for a CPW employee who knows what tags are going to be up on the list to already have that tag pulled or at least in their cart prior to the public having access at 11am? The list we are seeing is just that, a simple list. Who is to say those 1 or 2 premium tags ever even get released to the public and are not already in someone pocket when 11am hits and the gate opens? At 11am those tags simple go to " not available for sale" or " tag has no available quota".

Another thing I have noticed.... Why is the pop up you are given when a tag is not available different? Some say not no quota available, some say tag not for sale, etc etc.
I would guess the "Tag not available" is what shows when a tag is in someones cart, then when it's actually paid for it goes to "No quota available". Just a thought.
 
So you dont think it is possible for a CPW employee who knows what tags are going to be up on the list to already have that tag pulled or at least in their cart prior to the public having access at 11am? The list we are seeing is just that, a simple list. Who is to say those 1 or 2 premium tags ever even get released to the public and are not already in someone pocket when 11am hits and the gate opens?
I do not think that is possible. They all become live for everyone at the same exact second and we all know what tags are on the list.. Which of the 1000s of CPW employees would get that advantage, all of them, one of them...and how?
 
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I think it would be interesting to do a random audit of the CPW system and trace where some of these high point returned tags went.
 
I do not think that is possible. They all become live for everyone at the same exact second and we all know what tags are on the list.. Which of the 1000s of CPW employees would get that advantage, all of them, one of them...and how?
You assume that the computers on the CPW system have the same access and permissions that the general public has.
 
Few years ago it was the bots taking tags, so some cried, while others busted arse and got tags. Now we get this “equal/fair” system, now the cpw employees are taking the tags.

Tag volumes are down, hyper focus on the few nuggets. Quality tags will continue to drop as more units cross the 5 point threshold due to creep.

The good ole days are over….
 
Few years ago it was the bots taking tags, so some cried, while others busted arse and got tags. Now we get this “equal/fair” system, now the cpw employees are taking the tags.

Tag volumes are down, hyper focus on the few nuggets. Quality tags will continue to drop as more units cross the 5 point threshold due to creep.

The good ole days are over….
Technically, internet, Covid, and more city people finding the great outdoors sure is making things crowded.
 
You assume that the computers on the CPW system have the same access and permissions that the general public has.
Yes, I believe that to be correct. To my knowledge a third party is running the server/system to distribute the tags so the CPW employees are getting on like anyone else in the world. Some may have had an advantage in the past in they knew what tags would be reissued randomly as they processed those returned tags, but with the current system everyone knows what tags will be available.
 
Yes, I believe that to be correct. To my knowledge a third party is running the server/system to distribute the tags so the CPW employees are getting on like anyone else in the world. Some may have had an advantage in the past in they knew what tags would be reissued randomly as they processed those returned tags, but with the current system everyone knows what tags will be available.
Then maybe we should dig a little deeper into this "3rd party"? Someone is entering this info into the spread sheet that is released on tuesdays so someone knows what is going on behind the scene. There is clearly something a miss between the constant computer lag, glitches and disappearing tags .
 
Then maybe we should dig a little deeper into this "3rd party"? Someone is entering this info into the spread sheet that is released on tuesdays so someone knows what is going on behind the scene. There is clearly something a miss between the constant computer lag, glitches and disappearing tags .
You can think what you want, but there are too many people pinging the system at the same time and it is causing a lag. Every week, I get the tag loaded, but it doesn't end up in the cart because someone else beat me. The tags are there for me and I am close, just too many people trying and your odds for a good tag are less than 1% if you have a good connection and hit it when it is released. I believe that the reissue list is produced by CPW and then sent to the 3rd party on Tuesdays when everyone else can see it.
 
The tags are there and available for everyone at the same time. There’s just not a lot on the list this year and way more people trying than ever before. Every western hunting website and Colorado Facebook pages have so many post about the reissue. So far, I’ve seen one good deer tag that we wanted and I got it. Just waiting for another to pop up before season starts.
 
You can think what you want, but there are too many people pinging the system at the same time and it is causing a lag. Every week, I get the tag loaded, but it doesn't end up in the cart because someone else beat me. The tags are there for me and I am close, just too many people trying and your odds for a good tag are less than 1% if you have a good connection and hit it when it is released. I believe that the reissue list is produced by CPW and then sent to the 3rd party on Tuesdays when everyone else can see it.
explain this.... This week there were 5 decent antelope tags available for the same hunt. I have the code loaded and at exactly 11am I hit confirm choice.."no tags available" . I load the code and try again "no tags available". All this by 11.02am Later that day I happen to talk to one of the guys who got one of the 5 tags. he says he logged on at 11am and got the tag at 11.04am. WTF?
 
explain this.... This week there were 5 decent antelope tags available for the same hunt. I have the code loaded and at exactly 11am I hit confirm choice.."no tags available" . I load the code and try again "no tags available". All this by 11.02am Later that day I happen to talk to one of the guys who got one of the 5 tags. he says he logged on at 11am and got the tag at 11.04am. WTF?
Lol, read the language in the rules. It says plain as day tags will be uploaded "as close to 11:00 as possible" I don't think you fully appreciate the task at hand, or how many people are trying for the tags.

I shouldn't say this, but if you are done trying at 11:02 you are never going to get a tag.

I sure wish they would just go back to the random uploads that was way more fun and a person actually had to work and be persistent to get a tag. If they could eliminate the bots getting them that way that is by far the best system.
 
Lol, read the language in the rules. It says plain as day tags will be uploaded "as close to 11:00 as possible" I don't think you fully appreciate the task at hand, or how many people are trying for the tags.

I shouldn't say this, but if you are done trying at 11:02 you are never going to get a tag.

I sure wish they would just go back to the random uploads that was way more fun and a person actually had to work and be persistent to get a tag. If they could eliminate the bots getting them that way that is by far the best system.
I had no problem getting several good tags when it was the random pop up system 3 years ago. That I did fully appreciate ! :mad:
 
I
I had no problem getting several good tags when it was the random pop up system 3 years ago. That I did fully appreciate ! :mad:
Ve gotten tags with both systems, some really good tags with both systems.

That said I liked the random uploads, there was some skin in the game to get one of those tags or really good luck.

This new system is all about the luck of hitting the button at just the right time with 1000 others people doing the same thing.
 
And lots of archery elk tags returned as well. How do you return a tag 2 weeks into the season?
Processing delays from them having to compile a weekly list rather than issuing them randomly. CPW staff stated that going to a preview/weekly releasing would take more time and resources vs keeping it random.

All these muzz tags and many of the archery could have hit the list from last Tuesday afternoon thru Friday in a random system, but instead there they sit for potentially a week without being hunted/or prepped to hunt just so they can make the weekly list. CPW is denying opportunity rather can creating it in situations like these.
 
Even those tags must go quick. Just logged on to see. Nothing available. Locals or someone living lose and really knows the area must grab them. I would just like to see something pop up. ???
 
Those tags had plenty of time to hit the list especially if they were returned a month ago
Keep in mind that if the tag took 5 or more points to draw , once it is returned they have to call the next 5 applicants in line to see if they want the tag. If none do then it hits the reissue list.
 
Keep in mind that if the tag took 5 or more points to draw , once it is returned they have to call the next 5 applicants in line to see if they want the tag. If none do then it hits the reissue list.
True but youd think they would have enough time to do that and get these tags out before the season starts
 
Had a interesting conversation with a gal at CPW today... She said they actually have a team in their licensing dept that starts to manually release the reissue tags at 11am. Hence why the rules say " as close to 11am as possible". She said usually they can get the whole list released for sale by 11.15am.
No 3rd party resource, no fancy computer software, etc. I told her that sounded pretty prehistoric and she laughed and agreed.
 
Glad to see a bunch of premium muzzleloader elk tags hit the list with only a few days left of season
Had a interesting conversation with a gal at CPW today... She said they actually have a team in their licensing dept that starts to manually release the reissue tags at 11am. Hence why the rules say " as close to 11am as possible". She said usually they can get the whole list released for sale by 11.15am.
No 3rd party resource, no fancy computer software, etc. I told her that sounded pretty prehistoric and she laughed and agreed.
I’d take that with a grain of salt…
 
I was able to get a re-issued buck tag in my elk unit today. Not a premium tag for sure but it's nice to have. 2 tags available for this hunt code. A little strange, I started entering the code around 10:55, got to the screen to add it to my cart at 11:06, but then after adding it to my cart the system seemed to freeze for about 60 seconds then took me back to the enter a hunt code screen, so I entered the hunt code again and got the no tags available message. I stayed on the web site and got a pop up message about 10 minutes later saying I had 4 minutes left to complete the transaction in my cart. So I went back to my cart and completed the transaction. If I had left the CPW site I probably would have never known I had a tag in my cart.
This exact scenario happened to me today.
 
The tags I got this year through the re-issue process were not available to put into my cart until several minutes after 11:00. Not high end tags. I'm wondering if anyone got a quality tag in their cart several minutes past the start time?
 
Was it showing in your cart after the freeze?
I logged in at 1057 and entered the code at 1058. I kept punching enter approximately every half minute. I got the worm for about three minutes and was then put all the way back to the beginning. It was fairly late in the game at this point so I figured it was over. Just for the sake of being thorough I put my information back in. It of course said the tag was unavailable. At that point nt I looked at the cart and it showed I had a product in it. I have pulled a lot of tags over the years. It's something I enjoy. Usually pretty bad tags that I feel less people want. This was a hail mary for what I consider a good tag and I got lucky.
 
Well damn we finally got lucky today. We picked up a Buck Pronghorn tag for my brother-in-law. We know there’s only 4 1/2 days left in the season. It’s private land so the odds were in our favor that not very many people went for it. Thank you hunting gods..?
 
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I got one to the add to cart screen a couple weeks ago and had yet to have that happen up to that point. Looked at it like gawdd damnned simpleton for thirty seconds before I saw the add to cart, was to late when I tried to do that. lol
 
When the option to “Add to cart” comes up, you’ve got less than a second to get it. It’s crazy. The last two weeks I got that option but by the time I clicked and it tried to add it, the tag was gone.
you better be on your best game for sure. I’ve had a couple of real good elk tags get to add cart. Just to be nixed by the spinning wheel of death.
 
When the option to “Add to cart” comes up, you’ve got less than a second to get it. It’s crazy. The last two weeks I got that option but by the time I clicked and it tried to add it, the tag was gone.
yea, found that out the hard way. after hitting "confirm choices" for the 900 millionth time, I finally see a screen that says " add to cart" I froze and thought WTF. by that time it was gone:mad:
 
Are guys with fiber optic internet getting these tags? Seems I get the wheel of death, followed by add to cart, followed by extreme anger.
I got mine off my phone while standing In Front of a vendor trying to get a different tag for another person. I got my tag, he didn't get the tag for the other guy.

Better internet might give you a slight advantage but it's not been needed.
 
I have fiber and picked up a buck antelope and buck deer tag this year ---the were the only tag on the list but were only a couple of point kinda tags.
 
When your hot your hot - I would buy a lottery ticket.
Better think twice about that???

Drew 2 sheep tags one year. Against everyone’s advice to get a lottery ticket I didn’t. Next year drew a Mtn Goat tag!!

Keep your luck for hunting and you will be happy
 
Picked up a three point buck tag today... Had two computers going for different tags, one 0 point tag and one 3 point tag. 3 point tag won.
Guess that is what happens when you don't draw the 0 point tag with your 1st choice in the application.

For elk, didn't draw in the draw. For leftovers I had multiple tags that I tried to add to cart, but never could. Ended up with a 0 point MZ tag in an OTC archery unit. Never again will I hunt in an OTC unit. I would have been better off just playing the Wednesday lottery and perhaps taking at least a limited 1st season tag.
Of the tags I tried to add to my cart two were 76 tags when there were some available the first few weeks.
 

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