1. put in a preference point for every species you think you will ever be interested in (remember the more/longer you hunt, your desire for different types of hunting may change). Cheap in my opinion, and all proceeds benefit CO hunting and other outdoor activities.

2. if you have kids do same for them (tags are cheap for kids), also enroll them in the youth program. You will have to accompany them and both of you will learn Both my sons were selected/hunted for all species through the youth program. I required my daughter to obtain hunter safety, she wasn't interested in hunting, however it was a cheap safety class. Now she hunts 10 years later and is thankful for the preference points! I think the youth program has changed and now you can only be selected for 1 big game, still good experience.

3. Ask friends, family, neighbors, coworkers, even people you dont think are hunters to; take you, give you advice, or "point you the right direction". You will realize quickly what is good/bad advice, in the beginning it is all good! You will also realize many hunters are happy to help, just not show you their "spot".

4. Pick an area to hunt this year. throw a dart at a map, choose someplace interesting you, choose an area you want to hike/camp/shoot, you get the idea. You may not get in on draw this year, but look up the area, find out if there are leftovers, buy one, or buy OTC. A left over cow/doe tag will increase your odds.

5. Hike, camp, visit the area this summer. Get acquainted with the area, buy a map, call DOW, get in touch with the local officer of the area and talk to him/her (during summer, not during hunting season, they probably don't have time to chat you up during their busiest time of year). Finally, now you have a tag and a reason/excuse to actually visit during hunting season.

6. Enjoy your experience, whether you are successful or not! Average Elk success rate in CO is 18%, keep that in mind. It may take you 5 years to harvest one.

7. Repeat next year, maybe pick a new area. Soon you will know several areas in the state, determine your hunting style. Soon after that you will be pro, have honed your skills, and know what/when you want it.

that was my approach when I first moved here 15 years ago. Mostly, I hunted alone, or with one of my kids. I've learned quite a bit of the state and have settled in on my favorite "spot" for the last 5 years. I still visit other places, usually with a leftover tag for a new area, different season, just for the experience. As an example, I hunted 3 GMU's last year and didn't fill a tag, however I would never consider it a waste of time or $, I still enjoyed it and I'm still learning. I've also been invited to several hunt camps over the years and learned who I like/dont like to hunt with. You may be surprised who might actually invite you, if you follow point 3 above. My current hunt camp consists of primarily my kids and several close friends. I've just started to be interested in fowl hunting, so I put the gun and dog in truck and drive to an area on a map, check it out, then repeat the next weekend. CO is fortunate to have LOTS of public land.

Finally, you will learn real fast that finding your "spot" will require a little more work than tooling around in your truck, get away from the crowds. PM me and I'd be happy to point you in a couple directions for areas that i've hunted with leftovers.

Cheers and happy hunting,
Tim