Denver ? Eager hunters bought a record 11,653 leftover licenses from the Colorado Division of Wildlife last Tuesday the first day they went on sale for the 2002-2003 seasons. Last year, 8,662 leftover licenses were sold.

Leftover licenses are limited licenses that are left over after the application and drawing process.

They are available to all hunters. A record 430,207 applications the most in at least 10 years went through the drawing process this year, compared with 391,555 last year.

The volume of hunters who came to buy a leftover license was probably due in part to the sale of additional elk licenses.

Since Colorado’s elk herd is well over-objective, more cow licenses were issued this year, and there are more game management units where hunters can obtain an additional tag to kill an extra cow elk.

Also, in an effort to reach population objectives for deer, the Division sold leftover buck deer licenses rather than destroy them, as was done last year.

The Fort Collins office saw the biggest gain from last year, selling 1,536 leftover licenses compared with 950 last year.

“It was incredible,” said Fred Quartarone, a spokesman for the Division in Fort Collins who was working at the leftover license sales. “It was the biggest turnout we’ve seen in years. We were selling licenses until 5 p.m., and there was still a line out the door.”

In Colorado Springs, hunters camped overnight for a chance to get a limited license.

The line started forming Sunday night, and by Tuesday morning more than 300 hunters were waiting for the doors to open.