What is the Govenor’s Tag

One of our big events every year is the auction for our Colorado Mule Deer Governor’s Tag. What exactly is it? The Governor’s Tag (as it is more commonly known) is actually 1 of 18 special Auction and Raffle big game licenses authorized by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) valid in any open unit with extended seasons. A nonprofit organization directly involved in the conservation of wildlife in Colorado or the Division may be authorized by the commission to conduct the license auction or raffle. CMDA has held this auction tag for at least the previous 15 years.

Of the proceeds received for that tag, the nonprofit’s retain up to 25% of the gross proceeds of the auctions and raffles to cover costs and to fund projects of their choosing that benefit wildlife in Colorado. For CMDA, these funds find their way into habitat projects and the recruitment & retention of youth and female hunters. We prefer to focus on first-timer’s, but attempt to provide a positive experience for anyone that gets selected to participate in one of our hunts.

The remaining 75% of gross proceeds are then paid to CPW. Funds generated from the sale of these licenses are used for big game habitat enhancement, research, management, and education in Colorado. To distribute these funds, a Project Advisory Committee (PAC) reviews proposals and makes project funding recommendations for the CPW Director’s approval. The PAC is made up of representatives from each conservation organization with an auction or raffle license, the United States Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and CPW. These 18 Auction and Raffle big game licenses generate an average gross of $592,000 per year and have generated more than $2.9 million in the last five years. In 2016, 24 projects totaling $437,000 in Auction and Raffle Funds were recommended for funding by the PAC and approved for funding by CPW Director Broscheid. Other nonprofits can put in for these funds for approved projects, even though they have nothing to do with the auctions or raffles. They just have to have an idea and plan on how to use these funds for the benefit of wildlife within the state.

So, what does the recipient of this tag receive? Right off the top, he is allowed to hunt any open unit in the state, beginning with the first day of Archery Season, through the the last day of the last rifle season. He must still get permission to hunt on private land, and the land must be in a GMU that has at least one open season for that animal that year.

For deer and elk, these hunters are not restricted to the same manner of take as any ongoing open season (e.g., a legal rifle or legal muzzleloader can be used for deer or elk during an open archeryonly season). In addition, deer and elk A/R hunters are not restricted to open season methods of take when no open seasons are in progress. It gives these hunters the time to find the animal of their dreams.

And finally, because this is a wildlife conservation donation to CPW, they get a very nice tax deduction at the end of the year. These men and women have worked hard to get to this point in their lives, and we just want to say thank you for these donations to help the wildlife in Western Colorado. As always, this is exactly where the funds entrusted to the Colorado Mule Deer Association stay. We also want to say “Good Luck & Good Hunting”.

Additional information can be found in the links below

​For questions about the actual program, please contact:

Andy Holland
CPW Big Game Manager 
(970) 472-4437
andy.holland@state.co.us