For now, Colorado is still home to the largest free-ranging elk population in the world. At the heart of Colorado’s elk habitat is an endless supply of oak, aspen, and pine-covered ridges broken up by scattered high mountain meadows, lakes, and winding streams. If that scenic backdrop occupies your dreams at night, then you absolutely need to be planning a hunt here.
The most talked about topic for elk in Colorado the last couple years has been the wolf reintroduction. However, CPW has put a halt on that program while the state struggles to keep up with mitigation claims that blew past a million dollars in 2025 alone. It turns out the only thing that wolves like eating more than moose and elk is cattle. Shocker, right? There is no record on wolf-on-elk or wolf-on-moose predation, but there is a record of wolf-on-cattle predation—and it’s high. Right now, the presence of cattle may be the only thing keeping wildlife predation at lower levels.
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Over-the-counter nonresident archery elk licenses moved to a draw in 2025. Everyone was curious how they would allocate tags and if any would go onto the leftover list. For those who felt like they lost a fallback option to pick up an archery license and go chase bulls in the rut, there’s no need to worry. Of all the affected units, only one hit quota in the primary draw. In total, there were 3,899 archery elk licenses for non-residents leftover—all of which could be picked up over the counter. Again, these are the -VIA tags. If you want to continue to build points and draw an archery elk license, look at choosing one of those hunt codes as your second choice, or wait to grab one that is leftover. The only true non-draw, over-the-counter licenses in Colorado are for the second and third rifle elk seasons. Not every unit is OTC for those seasons, but most are. For all other non-resident licenses, you must apply for them in the draw.
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This doesn’t mean you have no chance of getting one of these hunts if you don’t apply for them in the primary draw. All these hunts have tag quotas. If the tags are not exhausted in the primary draw, CPW will roll any remaining quota into the secondary draw. Remaining quota after that will then be rolled over to the leftover tag list, where they are issued on a first-come, first-serve basis. Remember, all youth get preference in the secondary draw. This is a great chance to pick up some tags for your kids. Adults hoping to pick up tags in this draw will want to apply for a unit that had more tags available than the number of youth who applied the year prior to have an actual chance of drawing. Many don’t realize this and end up throwing an application down the drain.
Colorado offers a select few units that are specifically managed for trophy potential. Units like 1, 2, 201, and 10 are on the big-ticket hunts, but don’t expect to draw them. Drawing a tag here will cost you 29+ points, and that number is only rising with the ongoing point creep. While these areas can produce bulls in the 340” range, it’s still tough to consistently turn up giants. The next tier, units 40, 61, and 76, are a step down but still offer respectable trophy potential with bulls in the 320 to 330” class. These hunts typically require around 20 points to draw, making them an excellent choice if you’ve got some points in the bank.
If you’re looking for a true 340 to 350” bull, Colorado may not be your best bet especially if you’re not sitting on a pile of points. A good rule of thumb is to use the point requirements to gauge the overall trophy quality of a unit. For hunts that take 0 to 5 points, expect similar trophy quality across the board, regardless of weapon choice. What varies more is the landscape—public versus private land, the presence of wilderness areas, and the spread of elk populations. Once you hit the 10 to 20+ point range, there’s a better chance at a mature bull, but don’t be fooled; the higher point hunts aren’t always the best, especially if they’re popular or have prime season dates. Some units with lower point totals may offer just as much trophy potential, so don’t get stuck chasing after units with big reputations. Year after year, 320 to 330” class bulls get pulled out of both over-the-counter and easy-to-draw units. Realistically, you’ll most likely be chasing raghorns in those areas, but a mature bull can be found anywhere in the state at any time.
If you’re new to the game or don’t have decades of points built up, Colorado isn’t the place to chase trophy bulls. However, it is a top-tier opportunity state where you can regularly secure good elk tags and hunt more frequently. With the introduction of wolves and the uncertainties surrounding their impact on the elk population, the landscape may shift, but, for now, Colorado remains one of the best states for hunting elk. If you’re not fixated on inches and are looking for a great elk hunting experience, this is a state worth applying in.
| Hunt | 2026 Dates |
|---|---|
| Colorado Archery Elk Hunt | TBD |
| Colorado Muzzleloader Elk Hunt | TBD |
| Colorado First Rifle Elk Hunt | October 14-18 |
| Colorado Second Rifle Elk Hunt | October 24-November 1 |
| Colorado Third Rifle Elk Hunt | November 7-15 |
| Colorado Fourth Rifle Hunt | November 18-22 |
Colorado has raffle and auction Governor-type permits. For more information, go to https://cpw.state.co.us/activities/hunting/big-game/auction-and-raffle-licenses. You can also refer to the article “Governor, Commissioner, and Conservation Tags” in our January 2026 issue.
Colorado also has a landowner voucher program. Up to ten percent of private-land-only and ten percent of unit-wide permits for deer, elk, and antelope licenses for both the general and restricted quota west of I-25 may be issued as landowner vouchers. East of I-25, up to fifteen percent of elk, and antelope licenses for the general quota and up to ten percent of licenses for the land restricted quota may be issued as landowner vouchers.
Huntin’ Fool has a free listing service for all Colorado LPP voucher recipients. A list of landowners is not available from Colorado Parks and Wildlife. We list more Colorado LPP vouchers than any other listing service. You can find a list of available Colorado LPP vouchers as well as other big game vouchers for multiple states at www.huntinfool.com. Vouchers are updated daily, and we have a free text and email notification process that will notify you every time a new listing is posted. You can sign up for this notifications on our free smartphone app.Over the last 20+ years, we've collected hunting research and data, so join Huntin' Fool today and access the best research tools for hunting elk in Colorado, including Draw Odds, Consultations, and much more. Go on more hunts with better information!
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Online applications must be submitted by 8 p.m. (MDT) on April 7, 2026.
Our magazine, which is available in print and online, has everything in one location - application info, draw details and odds, fees, hunter requirements, point structure, age restrictions, youth information, weapon restrictions, other tag opportunites, hunt planning, and much more. If you would like access to all of our research, join today!
| 2026 Colorado Non-Resident Fees | |
|---|---|
| Fee | Cost |
| Annual Small Game Hunting License (required to apply) | $104.86 |
| Youth Annual Small Game Hunt License (under age 18, required to apply) | $2.53 |
| Habitat Stamp (required for adults to apply) | $12.76 |
| Draw Application (per species) | $11.49 |
| Adult Point Fee (per species for Sheep, Moose, and Mtn. Goat) | $100.00 |
| Youth Point Fee (all species) | None |
| Post Draw Fees (if successful) | |
| Elk - Bull, Cow or Either-Sex | $845.16 |
| Youth Big Game (Elk, Deer, or Antelope) | $130.07 |
Colorado Elk Hunting Articles from Huntin' Fool Magazine
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