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Search Colorado elk hunts

Every elk hunt in Colorado’s 2026 draw, and how many preference points it took to get a license. You don’t need to know the codes: tap any underlined word for what it means.

Know the basics? Jump to the searchApplying with friends? Plan a group

New to Colorado’s draw?

Each spring you apply in The drawColorado’s yearly lottery for most elk hunting licenses. You apply in the spring, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) decides who gets each license. for a hunt: a UnitA Game Management Unit: the numbered area of Colorado where the license lets you hunt. (an area of Colorado), a SeasonWhen you can hunt. O1 to O4 are the regular seasons, in order; archery and muzzleloader hunts use O1. Other letters are special seasons with their own dates, and P means private land only. and a WeaponHow you’ll hunt: archery (bow), muzzleloader or rifle. Each one has its own season dates.. Most hunts go first to applicants with the most 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. This page shows how many points each hunt took in the latest draw, so you can see what’s within reach.

How do I get preference points?

  • Apply in the spring draw. If your First choiceThe hunt you list first on your application. Only your first choice uses your preference points.More detail in the guide doesn’t draw, you earn 1 elk point.
  • Want a point without trying for a license? Put the point-only code E-P-999-99-P as your first choice. CPW removes this code in 2028.
  • Drawing your first choice puts your elk points back to 0. Second to fourth choices never use or earn points.
  • You need a qualifying license before you apply. Dates are on the deadlines page.
Read the full guide (the draw, explained in full)

How to use this page

  1. Add your points

    Type your elk 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. The list then keeps only hunts within reach and marks each one Likely drawIn the latest draw the hunt took fewer points than you have, took exactly your total with every applicant in your group at that total drawing, or had licenses reach later choices or be left over. It describes last year, so it isn’t a guarantee.More detail in the guide or At the cutoffYou have exactly the points the hunt took, and CPW’s report doesn’t show everyone with that many drawing. Ties are broken at random.More detail in the guide. Never applied? You have 0.

  2. Narrow the list

    Pick a UnitA Game Management Unit: the numbered area of Colorado where the license lets you hunt., WeaponHow you’ll hunt: archery (bow), muzzleloader or rifle. Each one has its own season dates., SeasonWhen you can hunt. O1 to O4 are the regular seasons, in order; archery and muzzleloader hunts use O1. Other letters are special seasons with their own dates, and P means private land only. or Bull, antlerless or either sexWhich elk the license lets you take. Bull: an elk with antlers. Antlerless: an elk without antlers, such as a cow. Either sex: either one.. Anything left on “Any” includes every option.

  3. Open a hunt

    Tap a result to see every year’s draw, how many people applied at each point level, and the trend.

Your 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 your CPW account. Never applied for elk? You have 0. With points entered, you’ll see only hunts that took that many or fewer. Leave it blank to see every hunt.

A UnitA Game Management Unit: the numbered area of Colorado where the license lets you hunt. is the numbered area of Colorado where the license is valid.

WeaponHow you’ll hunt: archery (bow), muzzleloader or rifle. Each one has its own season dates.. Each has its own season dates.

Bull, antlerless or either sexWhich elk the license lets you take. Bull: an elk with antlers. Antlerless: an elk without antlers, such as a cow. Either sex: either one. the license lets you take: a bull has antlers, an antlerless elk (such as a cow) doesn’t.

SeasonWhen you can hunt. O1 to O4 are the regular seasons, in order; archery and muzzleloader hunts use O1. Other letters are special seasons with their own dates, and P means private land only.. O1 to O4 are the regular seasons; P means private land only. Check dates in CPW’s brochure.

More filters(nonresident applicants, private-land hunts hidden, by unit)Show

Resident or nonresidentResidents and nonresidents are drawn separately, with different license limits, so the points a hunt took can differ between them.More detail in the guide are drawn separately, so the points needed differ.

Private land onlyA hunt with a P season is valid only on private land, and you need the landowner’s permission before you apply. need a landowner’s permission before you apply, so they’re hidden unless you include them.

By unit number, or by the points each hunt's latest draw took.

809 hunts for nonresident applicants

Showing 26 to 50. 149 private-land-only hunts hidden. Include them

How to read a result
The name and the code
“Unit 004 · Season O1 · Archery · Either sex” is the hunt in plain words. Under it is its Hunt codeCPW’s ID for one hunt, such as E-M-003-O1-R. It’s what you enter on your application. We show a plain name beside it.More detail in the guide, the ID you’d enter on your application. Each part means something:
Elk
E
Either sex
E
Unit 004
004
Season O1
O1
Archery
A
What the latest draw took
On the right is the hunt’s 2026 result for your Resident or nonresidentResidents and nonresidents are drawn separately, with different license limits, so the points a hunt took can differ between them.More detail in the guide. For this one: “Took 4 points.”“Took… points” is the Took N pointsThe fewest preference points that still drew a license in that year’s draw, for your applicant group.More detail in the guide a license. “No points cutoffThat year the draw didn’t run out at a point level: licenses reached people’s second or later choices, or were left over.More detail in the guide” means points weren’t what decided it that year.Add your points above and each hunt gets a label: Likely drawIn the latest draw the hunt took fewer points than you have, took exactly your total with every applicant in your group at that total drawing, or had licenses reach later choices or be left over. It describes last year, so it isn’t a guarantee.More detail in the guide or At the cutoffYou have exactly the points the hunt took, and CPW’s report doesn’t show everyone with that many drawing. Ties are broken at random.More detail in the guide.

Words on this page

The draw
Colorado’s yearly lottery for most elk hunting licenses. You apply in the spring, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) decides who gets each license.
Preference point
A 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.
First choice
The hunt you list first on your application. Only your first choice uses your preference points.
Hunt code
CPW’s ID for one hunt, such as E-M-003-O1-R. It’s what you enter on your application. We show a plain name beside it.
Unit
A Game Management Unit: the numbered area of Colorado where the license lets you hunt.
Season
When you can hunt. O1 to O4 are the regular seasons, in order; archery and muzzleloader hunts use O1. Other letters are special seasons with their own dates, and P means private land only.
Weapon
How you’ll hunt: archery (bow), muzzleloader or rifle. Each one has its own season dates.
Bull, antlerless or either sex
Which elk the license lets you take. Bull: an elk with antlers. Antlerless: an elk without antlers, such as a cow. Either sex: either one.
Resident or nonresident
Residents and nonresidents are drawn separately, with different license limits, so the points a hunt took can differ between them.
Took N points
The fewest preference points that still drew a license in that year’s draw, for your applicant group.
No points cutoff
That year the draw didn’t run out at a point level: licenses reached people’s second or later choices, or were left over.
Likely draw
In the latest draw the hunt took fewer points than you have, took exactly your total with every applicant in your group at that total drawing, or had licenses reach later choices or be left over. It describes last year, so it isn’t a guarantee.
At the cutoff
You have exactly the points the hunt took, and CPW’s report doesn’t show everyone with that many drawing. Ties are broken at random.
Private land only
A hunt with a P season is valid only on private land, and you need the landowner’s permission before you apply.

From CPW’s 2026 draw results (CPW source (opens in a new tab)). Hunts that weren't in the 2026 draw aren't listed, the same as on My Outlook.