Quote Originally Posted by henpecked View Post
Get your hunter safety done and then post back up here. I'm sure there are people willing to help.

Yes, call CPW and sign up for a hunter safety course ASAP. The instructors can help you with advice, as can the hunt planners at the CPW offices. Then get in on the drawings for deer, elk and pronghorn licenses. The deadline for big game applications is April 5th. You have enough time, but don't delay, you need your hunter safety before you can apply. Read the CPW website and the hunting brochures thoroughly. There are application seminars being held across the Front Range now, see http://cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/Pages/News-Release-Details.aspx?NewsID=5689

Consider applying for doe deer and cow elk instead of hunting bucks and bulls. You'll have a much higher likelihood of early success.

Go to the library and pull any books on hunting, you can learn a lot by reading. Spend time in the outdoors, search for and watch wildlife of all kinds to develop your outdoor and observational skills. Get some decent binoculars and use them daily. Small game hunting this summer will help condition you for the big game seasons, mentally and physically. Hunting isn't shooting but it requires good shooting skills. Both time in the outdoors and time on the range are important. You'll get out of it what you put into it.

A guided or drop camp hunt can be a good way to accelerate your learning and increase your success, but it's costly.