The state of Colorado is named after the Spanish word for “colorful”, and hunting in this state is precisely that. The list of Colorado big-game animals includes white-tailed deer and mule deer, moose, pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, mountain lions, and black bears. Upland birds and waterfowl are also popular draws for hunters. But the monarch of Colorado is elk. 

Colorado remains one of the premier elk states in the West. Colorado Parks and Wildlife currently estimates the state’s elk population at over 290,000 animals, more than in any other state. Hunting tourism plays an important role in the life and the economy of Colorado rural communities, a fact that is stressed by some of the copy of Colorado’s awesome “Hug a Hunter” advertising campaign. With good road access, large public access areas, options to have a guided, semi-guided, or DIY hunt, and opportunities to buy elk tags over-the-counter, no wonder that the state remains high on every elk hunter’s list.

This post answers the most common questions that prospective hunters may have about elk hunting in Colorado, including but not limited to OTC elk tag options, best elk units, best time for hunting, choosing an outfitter and and other tips.

Can I buy OTC elk tags in Colorado?

Yes, but the old broad-brush answer needs updating. CPW says OTC licenses are still available without going through the draw and are not restricted in quantity, but elk OTC licenses are rifle only. Under Colorado’s current 2025–2029 season structure, unlimited OTC antlered elk licenses can be available in certain units during the 2nd and 3rd rifle seasons. Resident OTC archery elk can still exist in certain units, but for nonresidents the rules changed sharply: CPW says nonresidents can no longer buy OTC archery elk licenses west of I-25 and in GMU 140, and those hunts now sit in the draw as limited licenses. Nonresidents still have OTC archery elk only in certain east-of-I-25 GMUs under specific hunt codes. 

For the 2026 license year, the main dates to know are:

• Primary draw – March 1 to April 7 at 8 p.m. Mountain Time
• Secondary draw – June 18 to June 30.
• Leftover limited licenses plus OTC sales – August 4 at 9 a.m. MDT. T

Plains elk is also different from the older “zero objective” descriptions that still float around online. In eligible east-of-I-25 plains units, the current framework calls for archery from September 2 to September 30, a 2026 muzzleloader season from September 12 to September 20, and rifle from September 1 through January 31. As always in Colorado, the hunt code and the unit matter as much as the species. 

How about landowner tags?

In current CPW language, these are landowner vouchers under the Landowner Preference Program. To qualify, land must be at least 160 contiguous acres of private agricultural land, the species must use the property in significant or huntable numbers or have a history of game damage, and the land must sit in a GMU where all rifle licenses for elk are totally limited. If any OTC rifle elk license exists in the GMU, there is no landowner preference for elk there. 

West of I-25, CPW shows up to 10% of the public quota in an unrestricted pool and up to 10% in a private-land-only restricted pool. East of I-25, the page shows up to 15% unrestricted and 10% restricted to private-land-only immediate family or youth transfers. 

Transfer rules are strict. A voucher may be transferred one time only by the landowner or designated land manager to an eligible hunter. That transfer includes permission to access and hunt the registered land for the full season covered by the voucher. Any voucher transferred by someone other than the landowner or designated land manager is void. And if the voucher is private-land-only, treat that literally: it does not authorize hunting on public ground. 

What units are better for elk hunting in Colorado?

There is no permanent, official answer to that question. Statistically, most 300+ point elk trophies come from GMU 2, 10, and 201, and GMU 12, 23 and 24 are also in high esteem. However, old “top unit” lists age fast. It’s best to study CPW’s current draw recap, harvest reports, and population estimates by unit, and draw your own conclusions. Those annual reports matter more than reputation, because Colorado’s elk management moves with herd objectives, winter severity, access, and crowding. 

That point is especially relevant in 2026. CPW’s license recommendation summary calls for a statewide increase in elk licenses overall, but it also recommends substantial reductions in female elk licenses in places such as E-8 Troublesome and E-13 Williams Fork. In other words, the serious hunter should choose a unit based on current access, season timing, public-private mix, terrain, and fresh CPW statistics—not on decade-old trophy lore. 

Don’t ask your outfitter whether they hunt in a “trophy unit.” Ask for evidence of past success and details on how it was achieved. For example, if the outfitter hunts the afore-mentioned wintering ground pocket, and gets 9 of 10 of the bulls during the late rifle season, an early season archery hunt with them may have much lower chances of success. Good outfitters willingly share such details.  

When is the best time to hunt elk in Colorado?

Every elk hunter is first and foremost focused on the bugle. In Colorado, the bugle begins mid-September and typically covers the archery and the first rifle season. That is to say, if you want not just to harvest an elk, but to see the mountain monarch in his full glory, voicing his challenge to rivals, blowing clouds of smoke into the crisp mountain air, and all other elk hunting poetry, you will have to pack a bow or get lucky with the draw or look for landowner or outfitter who can provide you with a special private land tag. 

Bugle aside, the best time for hunting depends on both the territory, and the hunting methods. In most parts of Colorado archery hunts, early and the first rifle seasons are the best time. In other regions, however, it’s the late season hunts that prove more successful. The rule of thumb is, hunt early in the season on higher elevations, and hunt later in the season in the valleys where the elk migrate when the snow pushes them down.

In the current season structure, Colorado’s 2026 main elk dates are: 

• Archery – Sept. 2–30
• Muzzleloader – Sept. 12–20
• 1st rifle Oct. 14–18
• 2nd rifle Oct. 24–Nov. 1
• 3rd rifle Nov. 7–15,
• 4th rifle Nov. 18–22.

The late rifle elk window falls within Nov. 23, 2026, through Jan. 31, 2027, with exact timing set annually by GMU/DAU. Plains elk east of I-25 uses its own framework, including a Sept. 1–Jan. 31 rifle season in eligible units. 

Should I choose an outfitted, DIY, semi-guided, or drop-camp hunt?

Colorado still supports the full range: DIY public-land hunts, semi-guided packages, drop camps, and fully outfitted trips. Guides and outfitters in Colorado must be registered, bonded, and insured, and they need the proper permits to operate on public land. If you plan to hire a guide or outfitter, you can check them out at the Colorado Outfitters Association website. If you book on BookYourHunt.com, you can rest assured that we already did that as part of our vetting process.

The license math alone is worth considering before you decide. On CPW’s 2026 OTC fee page, resident elk is listed at $66.12, resident youth elk at $18.45, and nonresident bull, either-sex, and cow elk/fishing combo licenses at $803.39, with nonresident youth elk/fishing combo licenses at $122.91. This is significantly less than in some other states, but still represents a considerable investment. Given that an outfitter brings in a lot of value in scouting time, local knowledge, including access, and pack-out logistics, booking a hunt often pays off.

What else do I need to know?

• Do not rely on the old blanket “legal bull” rule. In many GMUs, a bull must have four points on one antler or a brow tine at least 5 inches long, but many GMUs have no antler-point restriction at all, including 1, 2, 10, 20, 29, 39, 40, 46, 48, 49, 50, 51, 56, 57, 58, 61, 69, 76, 84, 201, 391, 461, 481, 500, 501, 561, 682, 791, and units east of I-25 except 140. Antlers must still be at least 5 inches long to count as antlered. 
• Colorado requires hunter education for anyone born on or after January 1, 1949 before applying for or buying a hunting license. 
• Firearm hunters must wear at least 500 square inches of solid fluorescent orange or fluorescent pink above the waist, plus a hat or head covering visible from all directions. Camouflage orange or pink does not count, and the rule also covers muzzleloader hunters and archers hunting during rifle seasons. 
• Treat private-land boundaries seriously. CPW says private land does not have to be posted or fenced, and you need permission to enter private land, including to retrieve an animal. The Colorado Hunting Atlas is one of the best official tools for checking GMUs, concentrations, campgrounds, access points, and field-office contacts. 
• In 2026, CPW requires mandatory CWD sample submission from elk taken during rifle seasons in specific hunt codes, with no charge for mandatory testing. Check the current brochure for the exact hunt codes selected that year. 
• Elk hunting in Colorado usually takes place in steep and broken terrain, ravines, dense woods, etc. In short, expect it to be a short-range close encounter rather than mountain game-like spot-and-stalk.
• Many elk hunts in Colorado take place on high altitude. Hunters from the plains may experience mountain sickness. It is a life-threatening condition; please take it seriously!
• Colorado is out of grizzly habitat range, but other predators, such as mountain lions and black bears, may take an interest in your outdoor activities. Caution is advised.
• If you’re planning a camping trip, bear in mind that camping may be restricted. Contact CPW for details on camping on the unit you intend to hunt.
• Guided hunts based on limited draw tags are usually more affordable than those based on guaranteed (OTC or landowner’s) tags, but insist on fully refundable deposit in the case of not drawing a tag.

Before applying or hunting, verify season dates, hunt codes, unit boundaries, CWD requirements, access rules, and license availability with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, because those details can change after a blog post is published.

More on elk and elk hunting

Elk Tags Over the Counter

For countless hunters across the U.S. and beyond, the dream of chasing bugling elk in the fall hinges on one crucial moment: the tag draw. And when those results hit your inbox and your name isn’t among the lucky winners, it’s easy to feel the season slipping away. But hold that sigh – your elk season isn’t over yet. In fact, it might just be getting started. Across the American West, several states offer opportunities to purchase elk tags over-the-counter, or through landowner allocation programs. Let’s go through these options. CONTINUE READING