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Plan a group application

Applying for deer with friends? Enter each hunter’s preference points to see the points your group draws with, the hunts it could draw, and what drawing costs each of you.

How groups work in Colorado

Your group

One row per hunter. Each hunter’s deer Preference pointA credit you earn each year your first-choice hunt doesn’t draw (or when you apply just to earn one). In most hunts, applicants with more points draw first.More detail in the guide are in their CPW account; never applied for deer? That’s 0. Leave a row blank if you don’t need it. We don’t ask for names.

Hunter 1

Hunter 2

Add more hunters (up to 8)Show

Hunter 3

Hunter 4

Hunter 5

Hunter 6

Hunter 7

Hunter 8

How a group applies in Colorado

For deer, a group can be any size. Groups apply in the primary draw only. Each hunter applies and pays on CPW’s site; DrawWise never applies for anyone.

  1. 1.Agree on your hunts

    Everyone lists the same unit, season and weapon for each choice, in the same order. Only bull or antlerless can differ.

  2. 2.Pick a group leader

    The leader applies first, so CPW can check everyone else’s choices against theirs.

  3. 3.Everyone else applies

    Each hunter applies in their own CPW account and enters the leader’s customer ID number (CID) on the application.

  4. 4.Check every application

    If anyone in the group makes an application error, everyone in the group is disqualified.

Before you apply together

  • CPW asks you to apply as a group only if every hunter is committed to going only if everyone draws.
  • Applying together doesn’t raise your odds. In CPW’s words, “Group applications do not increase the probability of drawing licenses.”
  • List second to fourth choices too. They give your group more chances to hunt together, and they don’t use preference points.
  • Residents and nonresidents can apply together, but the group gets no licenses once the nonresident cap is met.
  • Groups can’t get hybrid draw licenses, the share CPW draws at random on its hardest hunts. Young hunters lose youth preference in a group.
  • Colorado’s draw changes in 2028. Check CPW’s group rules again before that draw.

From CPW’s primary draw page (opens in a new tab), checked October 15, 2026. Rules can change: check them with CPW before you apply.