It's almost tax time, which means an even tighter deadline looms for big-game hunters puzzling over forms that must be filled out if they hope to draw special licenses for the fall hunting seasons.

The deadline is April 3 for hunters to apply for limited licenses or preference points for deer, elk, pronghorn, bear and moose. Fail to apply as you have in the past, and it's possible you might lose valuable preference points.

Beginning this year, hunters who have points for a specific critter but haven't applied in three years will have their points for that critter purged. To keep piling up points, stay current.

Also this year, the practice of spending a few preference points for one license and banking the balance ends. This year, it's all or nothing.

Draw a preference-point-weighted license as your first choice, and you're back to zero points for 2008. The Wildlife Commission agreed to allow hunters to split their preference point heap as a pilot program for 2006 only.

"It was a one-time deal in an effort to reduce preference-point creep," division spokesman Tyler Baskfield said. "The commission probably will revisit the idea sometime."

Filling out big-game application forms is a ritual that requires hunters to plan their camps, comrades and hunting grounds long in advance of the actual hunting seasons.

Those who choose to avoid the hassle can buy unlimited bull elk tags over the counter for the second or third rifle seasons, but success rates are much higher with limited licenses and in limited areas.

Also this year, hunters won't get their licenses in the mail before first meeting their Habitat Stamp requirements. Hunters 19 to 24 years old must buy one of the $5 stamps with their first hunting or fishing license. A second stamp covers all other licenses purchased.

Pronghorn licenses for muzzleloaders also are limited this year and applicable to specific game units.

The upper age limit for youth big-game hunters also has been raised from 15 years old to 17 years old.

And beginning this year, those youth hunters will get first preference in leftover elk and deer drawings.

Big-game brochures and applications are at license agents, division offices and on the Web at www.wildlife.state.co.us. The division recommends e-filing for speed, simplicity and to minimize mistakes.

MONTROSE SHOW: Anglers and their families will celebrate fly fishing, conservation and one of the West's greatest trout rivers Friday and Saturday at the Black Canyon Fly Fishing Show in Montrose.

The two-day event at the Montrose Pavilion will feature 40 local and regional fly tiers, fly-fishing gear for sale, fishing programs and casting events.

Tyler Befus, the 9-year-old fly-tying and fly-fishing phenomenon and author from Montrose, will speak and tie flies at the show, which specializes in fly fishing for kids and families.

"We get a lot of people from the Front Range," said Mac Cunningham, president of the Gunnison Gorge Anglers chapter of Trout Unlimited, which sponsors the fundraising event.

"We'll have kids' competition and we'll give out T-shirts, 20 rods, 10 fly-tying sets and 20 vests."

The grand prize in a raffle is a three-day float fishing trip through the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, worth $2,600. The show opens at 1 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. Saturday. Admission is free.

Side forays to fish the Uncompahgre and Gunnison rivers nearby are optional but recommended.

dentrye@RockyMountainNews.com