Musings and Life on the Ranch

The Importance of Applying Early

We have come a long way from the way we used to apply for our hunting licenses. No longer must we fill out the thick catalogue insert by hand, carefully double-checking to ensure we write correct hunting code on the right application card, or mailing the in the application and hoping our penmanship is legible enough, lest our application get directly deposited to the reject pile. We have turned over the old way to a system designed to streamline the application process and hopefully save time.

Yet this system has its drawbacks. Namely, the bottleneck of last-minute applications that brings the system to a halt, shutting out any who wish to submit an application at the last minute.

The very system designed for us to quickly submit our applications invites us into procrastination. Something as quick and easy as this can always be put off until later. The application process, which used to be a time-consuming event, can now be accomplished as a footnote to an otherwise busy day. “I need to take time to do this” becomes “I’ll get it done tomorrow.” As more tomorrows pass, we suddenly realize the deadline is here. With the 8 p.m. deadline looming for the applications, too many people log on to the CPW license application system only to find that the system is down and their application cannot be submitted. For all the convenience the technology provides, the system cannot handle too many people trying to do the same thing at once. However, we as applicants can avoid this problem; DON’T WAIT. Apply early, and give yourself plenty of time before the stated deadline. You can avoid becoming another log in a dam of hunters who must hope the CPW extends the deadline.

For more information about the secondary draw, visit https://cpw.state.co.us/secondary-draw