AmmoSight

Colorado Elk EF161O3R

Elk female rifle season 3 GMU 161 in GMU 161, rifle only, Nov 7–15, 2026. 71% public land, mostly Forest Service.

Your odds at 0 points · 2026 draw

100% Undersubscribed

5 first-choice applicants for 260 tags

74 first-choice applicants for 260 tags (all residencies) in 2026, so every first-choice applicant drew and 186 tags went to the leftover draw. The 100% reflects low demand that year, and a code like this can flip the year demand catches up.

Years to draw on points: —

NR Tags
260
Applicants
5
Success
11%

First-choice nonresidents, standard draw; nonresidents capped at 25%. Success: all hunters in GMU 161, 2024.

Points Needed to Draw

Undersubscribed every year on file: 5–22 first-choice applicants for 260 tags, 2021–2026.

Insufficient history (0 of 3 draws) — a creep trend needs at least three draw years with a published drew-out level.

What It Costs · 2026 NR Fees

Closes Apr 6 · 169 days
Cost to Apply
$129.11
If You Miss
$129.11
If You Draw
$974.27

The $11.49 nonresident limited-license application-processing fee (per species, per draw) is not refunded. The $104.86 nonresident annual small game license (cheapest qualifying license to enter the draws; base $102.11 + surcharges) is not refunded. The $12.76 Colorado Wildlife Habitat Stamp (ages 18-64, once per license year, added automatically) is not refunded. A preference point fee, deer/elk/pronghorn (none until the 2028 draw) is $0, bought separately. Drawing adds the $845.16 nonresident elk license (bull, either-sex or cow; includes annual fishing combo; base $842.41 + surcharges) - charged only if drawn.

Optional, not counted above: Hunt-code exchange fee (same species, quota remaining, before season starts) $5 and License refund processing fee (most refunds) $15.

Opens
Mar 1, 2027
Closes
Apr 6, 2027
Results
about May 25

Next application window: Open Mar 1 – Apr 6, 2027 (expected). Dates are last cycle's, rolled forward until Colorado Parks and Wildlife publishes 2027.

▸ Every Fee, With Sources
  • Nonresident limited-license application-processing fee (per species, per draw) · paid at application $11.49 CPW 2026 2 CCR 406-0 Chapter W-0 General…
  • Nonresident annual small game license (cheapest qualifying license to enter the draws; base $102.11 + surcharges) · paid at application $104.86 or $194.21 CPW 2026 Big Game Hunting brochure
  • Colorado Wildlife Habitat Stamp (ages 18-64, once per license year, added automatically) · paid at application $12.76 CPW 2026 2 CCR 406-0 Chapter W-0 General…
  • Preference point fee, deer/elk/pronghorn (none until the 2028 draw) · only for a point bought without applying — an unsuccessful applicant gets the point free $0 CPW 2026 web page
  • Nonresident elk license (bull, either-sex or cow; includes annual fishing combo; base $842.41 + surcharges) - charged only if drawn · paid if drawn, refundable $845.16 CPW 2026 Big Game Hunting brochure
161
11%hunter success 2024 · 2,888 hunters, 318 elk
Forest Service 40% Private 29% BLM 26% State 5% GMU 161 in full →

Details

Odds by Point Level · 2026 Draw

Points Chance Applied Drew
0–10 ← you 100% — —

Preference points, computed from published point-level pools. A dash means Colorado Parks and Wildlife did not publish a count for that level. Colorado runs a second, random pass after the points pass.

Draw results: CPW 2026 Primary ELK Post Draw Report, p. 822, retrieved Aug 31, 2026.

As a Lower Choice

2nd Choice
25%

Tags issued to lower choices ÷ lower-choice applicants, as published. Points do not help a lower choice.

How It Hunted, 2024

WhoHuntersHarvestSuccess
All of GMU 161 2,888 318 11%

Across every license type in GMU 161, Colorado Parks and Wildlife counted 2,888 hunters and 318 elk taken in 2024, and 11% of them took an elk. Colorado's figures come from CPW's post-season hunter survey. CPW's 2025 report dropped the per-GMU table in favour of hunt-code rows, so the newest year shown here is 2024. Source: CPW 2024 Statewide Elk Harvest; CPW 2023 Statewide Elk Hunting Harvest Estimates.

▸ Year-by-Year Numbers 6 draws

The standard draw for nonresidents, one row per year. Colorado runs a second, random pass after the points pass; it is shown beside the year it belongs to.

Year Tags Applicants Per Tag Points Needed Random Pass Source
2026 260 5 0 — 112 tags of 1 CPW 2026 Primary ELK Post Draw Report, p. 822
2025 260 7 0 — 80 tags of 0 CPW 2025 Primary ELK Post Draw Report, p. 723
2024 260 7 0 — 111 tags of 3 CPW 2024 Primary ELK Post Draw Report, p. 679
2023 260 8 0 — 67 tags of 2 CPW 2023 Primary ELK Post Draw Report, p. 681
2022 260 22 0.1 — 43 tags of 5 CPW 2022 Primary ELK Post Draw Report, p. 617
2021 260 14 0.1 — 17 tags of 0 CPW 2021 Primary Elk Post Draw Report, p. 635

Other Licenses Valid in GMU 161

  • EE006O1M Elk either-sex muzzleloader season 1 GMU 6 Sep 12–20 · 400 tags · cut 1 0%
  • EE006O1R Elk either-sex rifle season 1 GMU 6 Oct 14–18 · 750 tags · cut 0 46%
  • EE006P1R Elk either-sex rifle private-land-only GMU 6Private land only — you need landowner access Oct 14–18 · 70 tags · 32 applied 100%
  • EE006V1A Elk either-sex archery nonresident-only GMU 6 Sep 2–30 · 1,240 tags · 403 applied 100%
  • EE006W1R Elk either-sex rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 6Private ranch — access comes with the tag Sep 2–6 · 5 tags · 0 applied 100%
  • EE006W2R Elk either-sex rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 6Private ranch — access comes with the tag Oct 22–26 · 7 tags · 0 applied 100%
  • EE161O4R Elk either-sex rifle season 4 GMU 161 Nov 18–22 · 100 tags · 9 applied 100%
  • EF006O1M Elk female muzzleloader season 1 GMU 6 Sep 12–20 · 150 tags · 8 applied 100%
  • EF006O1R Elk female rifle season 1 GMU 6 Oct 14–18 · 1,400 tags · 10 applied 100%
  • EF006O2R Elk female rifle season 2 GMU 6 Oct 24 – Nov 1 · 1,400 tags · 39 applied 100%
  • EF006P2R Elk female rifle private-land-only GMU 6Private land only — you need landowner access Oct 30 – Nov 7 · 50 tags · 0 applied 100%
  • EF006P5R Elk female rifle private-land-only GMU 6Private land only — you need landowner access Aug 15 – Jan 31 · 500 tags · 17 applied 100%
  • EF006V1A Elk female archery nonresident-only GMU 6 Sep 2–30 · 15 tags · 0 applied —
  • EF006W1R Elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 6Private ranch — access comes with the tag Oct 14–18 · 7 tags · 0 applied 100%
  • EF006W2R Elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 6Private ranch — access comes with the tag Oct 28 – Nov 1 · 5 tags · 0 applied 100%
  • EF006W3R Elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 6Private ranch — access comes with the tag Nov 4–8 · 5 tags · 0 applied 100%
  • EF006W4R Elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 6Private ranch — access comes with the tag Nov 11–15 · 5 tags · 0 applied 100%
  • EF161O4R Elk female rifle season 4 GMU 161 Nov 18–22 · 150 tags · 0 applied —
  • EF161P3R Elk female rifle private-land-only GMU 161Private land only — you need landowner access Nov 13–19 · 10 tags · no first-choice applicants 100%
  • EF161P4R Elk female rifle private-land-only GMU 161Private land only — you need landowner access Nov 24–28 · 10 tags · no first-choice applicants 100%

Odds at your points, nonresident, standard class where offered. * fewer than 5 tags.

▸ Legal Cartridges 21 on file for Colorado elk

21 cartridges on file are legal for elk with a rifle in Colorado, 1 of them depending on the load. Rules and sources: Colorado hunting laws.

.243 Winchester (depends on the load) from $1.11/rd .25-06 Remington from $1.82/rd 6.5 Creedmoor from $1.01/rd 6.5 Grendel from $0.72/rd .270 Winchester from $0.15/rd 7mm-08 Remington from $1.84/rd 7mm Remington Magnum from $2.05/rd .30-06 Springfield from $1.11/rd .300 AAC Blackout from $0.60/rd .300 Winchester Magnum from $1.25/rd .30-30 Winchester from $1.08/rd .308 Winchester from $0.82/rd .338 Winchester Magnum from $2.61/rd .350 Legend from $1.10/rd .35 Whelen .360 Buckhammer .400 Legend .444 Marlin .450 Bushmaster from $2.02/rd .45-70 Government from $1.97/rd .50 Beowulf
▸ Sources 16
  1. CPW 2026 Primary ELK Post Draw Report, p. 822 · draw results, seasons, retrieved Aug 31, 2026
  2. CPW 2025 Primary ELK Post Draw Report, p. 723 · earlier draws, retrieved Aug 31, 2026
  3. CPW 2024 Primary ELK Post Draw Report, p. 679 · earlier draws, retrieved Aug 31, 2026
  4. CPW 2023 Primary ELK Post Draw Report, p. 681 · earlier draws, retrieved Aug 31, 2026
  5. CPW 2022 Primary ELK Post Draw Report, p. 617 · earlier draws, retrieved Aug 31, 2026
  6. CPW 2021 Primary Elk Post Draw Report, p. 635 · earlier draws, retrieved Sep 1, 2026
  7. CPW 2026 2 CCR 406-2 Chapter W-2 Big Game… draw rules, retrieved Aug 31, 2026
  8. CPW 2026 2 CCR 406-0 Chapter W-0 General… fees, retrieved Aug 31, 2026
  9. CPW 2026 Big Game Hunting brochure fees, retrieved Aug 31, 2026
  10. CPW 2026 web page fees, retrieved Aug 31, 2026
  11. CPW 2024 Statewide Elk Harvest, retrieved Aug 31, 2026
  12. CPW 2023 Statewide Elk Hunting Harvest Estimates harvest, retrieved Aug 31, 2026
  13. CPW 2022 Statewide Elk Harvest, retrieved Aug 31, 2026
  14. CPW 2021 Statewide Elk Harvest, retrieved Aug 31, 2026
  15. CPW 2026 GMU Boundary, retrieved Aug 31, 2026
  16. Bureau of Land Management, Colorado State Office 2026 BLM Surface Management Agency land ownership, retrieved Aug 31, 2026
  17. co_blm_sma_2026 map shading

About These Numbers

Odds are from the 2026 draw, the latest on file, computed from Colorado Parks and Wildlife's published results (preference points, computed from published point-level pools). They are what happened in that draw, not a forecast. Under five tags a percentage carries a *, because one applicant either way swings it. A dash means the agency did not publish the number, and a date marked expected is last cycle's schedule rolled forward.

Report an error on this page

Every report is checked against the agency source before we change anything.

We don't take applications: check Colorado Parks and Wildlife's site and apply there.

Prior-draw odds from Colorado Parks and Wildlife's results, not a forecast · All Colorado elk hunts