Application Strategy 2025: Colorado elk and antelope draw strategies plus tactics to help you apply

Colorado's 2025 elk and antelope application overview

The application deadline for all Colorado species is 8:00 p.m. MT on April 1, 2025. You can apply online here. Colorado is a fairly easy state to apply in. You will have to create an online account if you have not previously done so. Or you can call 1-800-244-5613 for help setting up an account.

New Or Noteworthy For This Year

Insider features

Hunt Planner

To aid in your research and planning efforts, we have a tool called Hunt Planner. This product will help you be more efficient at planning for hunts and also keeps all your research data organized. No more notepads getting lost or headaches when trying to remember what units caught your eye during your research! Everything you need is always in one place at GOHUNT.

What can you do in Hunt Planner?

Point Tracker

Your GOHUNT Insider account also has the Point Tracker feature. This allows you to enter the number of points you have for each state and species and, as you research through Filtering and Draw Odds, your point total will automatically be highlighted.

State Information

To view important information and an overview of Colorado’s rules/regulations, the draw system and preference points, tag and license fees and an interactive boundary line map, check out our State Profile. You can also view the Species Profiles to access historical and statistical data to help you find trophy units.

Note: Be aware that some units may have slightly different dates. Review the Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW) brochure for details of the hunts you plan to apply for.

Note: Be aware that some units may have slightly different dates. Review the CPW brochure for details of the hunts you plan to apply for.

Important dates and information

*Elk and/or antelope license cost will only be charged if you are successful in the draw.

The Colorado Draw System

Understanding the draw

Unless there is an insufficient number of resident applications, nonresident hunters shall receive no more than 25% of available deer, elk, bear and antelope licenses for hunt codes requiring fewer than six preference points for resident hunters to draw in the regular drawing and no more than 20% of available deer, elk, bear and antelope licenses for hunt codes requiring six or more preference points for resident hunters to draw in the regular drawing as calculated using a rolling three-year average for the previous three limited license draws with a one year lag.

Point system

Colorado utilizes a true preference point system to allocate elk and antelope draw licenses. This means that the applicants with the most preference points who apply for any given hunt will draw the licenses. There is no random draw for licenses. There are OTC elk licenses for some units for archery, and many for second and third rifle seasons. There are also OTC archery either-sex antelope licenses in many units. It should be noted that a large portion of the better  OTC archery antelope units are in the eastern portion of the state where access to public land is very limited. We’ll cover all OTC opportunities in a separate article later this year.

Applicants will gain one preference point for every year they apply for a hunt and are unsuccessful in drawing their first choice. If applicants want to build preference points only, they can use the preference point only code as their first choice. Applicants can draw a hunt as a second, third or fourth choice and still build a preference point for that year. You cannot build more than one preference point per species per year. If you draw your first hunt choice, your preference points will be purged. If you fail to apply for a species or have not purchased a license for 10 consecutive years, then all accumulated preference points for that species will be purged.

Elk preference point only code: E-P-999-99-P

Antelope preference point only code: A-P-999-99-P

Hunt choices

Colorado allows applicants to select up to four hunt choices for elk and antelope. Colorado considers every applicant's first choice before moving to subsequent choices. In essence, in order to draw a license as a second choice, there must be a surplus of permits after every applicant's first choice is considered and so on and so forth throughout the other choices. As previously stated, you may be able to draw some hunts as a second choice while using the preference point code as your first choice. This would allow you to build a point for future years and also draw the second choice hunt. 

You can explore the odds of drawing as a second choice within your Insider account. Simply change the “choice” filter from first to second and you can see all hunt odds of drawing as a second choice.

Group applications

Group applications of any number are accepted for elk and antelope. Residents and nonresidents can apply together. When a resident and nonresident apply together on a group application, the nonresident license comes out of the nonresident quota for that hunt. One person must be the group leader and all applications in that group are linked together with that group leader’s CID number. Every member of the group must apply for the same hunt at each choice. The group application will go into the draw with the lowest number of preference points of any single member of the group. This means that if a group of three apply and they have one, seven and 12 points, the application will go into the draw with one point. CPW will not over allocate licenses to cover a group application if there are not enough licenses left. For example, if there were two licenses left and an application for a group of three was selected, they would reject that application and move to the next applicant.

Second drawing

Licenses remaining after the primary drawing will be available in a secondary drawing. The secondary drawing is open to anyone — whether they applied in the primary drawing or not. Applicants must have purchased a qualifying license to apply for the secondary draw. The secondary draw does not use preference points and you cannot apply for preference points. The secondary drawing is a random draw.

The timeframe to apply in the second drawing is June 19 to 30, 2025 at 8 p.m. MT. Youth ages 12 to 17 receive priority for all licenses that make it to the second draw. Draw results for the secondary drawing will be available on July 7. The surrender deadline for the secondary drawing is July 9.

Returned, leftover, and reissued licenses

Colorado allows applicants who have drawn a license to return it if they do not want it. There will be a timeframe after the draw where applicants can refuse the license and have their points restored to the pre-draw level. Applicants can also choose to pay for the license and return it at a later date as long as it’s done at least 30 days prior to the hunt. In this case, they can choose to receive a refund for the cost of the license or have their preference points reinstated to a pre-draw level. Note: If you have your points reinstated, you will not receive a point for that year's application.

Any returned or leftover licenses after the secondary draw will be reissued via a first come, first served process starting on Aug. 5 at 9 a.m. MT. The leftover list will be made available in late July.  Beyond Aug. 5, every Tuesday at 11 a.m. MT, all reissued licenses will be placed on a list and published on the CPW website for customers to review. The following day, Wednesday at 11 a.m., those licenses will be sold on a first come, first served basis. Reissued licenses can be purchased online or in-person at CPW offices or other license agents.

Snowpack and drought in Colorado

Be sure to check out this great article to learn about tracking snowpack and drought.

2025

---

---

2024

---

---

2023

---

---

2022

---

---

Colorado's Elk Breakdown

Colorado is home to the world's largest elk herd, providing unmatched hunting opportunities in the West with a thriving elk population of over 300,000 animals. It is the only state offering truly unlimited OTC rifle elk licenses. However, recent trends show that more units are moving from OTC to draw only. Still, for 2025, applicants should plan to enter the draw and, if they don’t draw a tag, take advantage of the OTC hunts to get out in the field and hunt elk this fall.

Trophy quality in Colorado doesn’t quite match that of neighboring states like Nevada, Arizona, Utah or New Mexico. Colorado should be viewed more as an opportunity state than a trophy state. Each year, a few bulls over 340” are harvested and these quality bulls can be found in nearly every unit — whether it’s a draw or OTC unit. With the large elk population, there’s always a solid age structure and a few bulls that live long enough to reach impressive sizes. We recommend applying for a tag every few years. Generally, the harder-to-draw hunts aren’t worth pursuing unless you've built up several decades’ worth of points.

When most people think of hunting elk in the Rocky Mountains, Colorado often comes to mind — and for good reason. There’s no reason you shouldn’t be hunting elk there this year!

Elk populations and bull:cow ratios 

The current Colorado elk population has grown slightly, according to the most recent 2023 surveyed data, with a current total of 303,390 animals — up a small amount from 303,190 in 2022. Colorado manages their herds in different Data Analysis Units (DAU) with the various units placed in unit groups. The following tables will give you the estimated populations and bull:cow ratios for the top DAUs and the units within each group.

Note: 2023 data was used as the 2024 data wasn't available at the time of publishing.

Hit list units for Colorado elk in 2025

The top elk units in Colorado are well-known. They have high draw odds and consistently produce some great bulls. While they may not quite compare to the top units in Arizona or Utah, these Colorado units still deliver impressive bulls each year. One thing to pay attention to when reviewing standalone Draw Odds is the comparison between the "early" or rut seasons and the post-rut seasons. Even with the best units, draw odds can fluctuate significantly. If you're open to it, you might be able to cut down the wait time and jump into a later season in one of these top units.

*Unit 851 Bosque Del Oso WA is a 30,000-acre state wildlife area (SWA). Annually, elk move off of the adjacent private lands and winter on the SWA. The third and fourth rifle seasons here offer very good low pressure hunts for great bulls. There are other hunts, too, but the better hunts are later in the season.

How to uncover hidden gem elk units

Hidden gems can mean different things to different people. For some, it might refer to an opportunity they weren’t aware of or an off-the-radar unit that produces a certain caliber of animal — sometimes, it's a mix of both.

No matter how you define it, the tools in your Insider account can help you find these hidden opportunities. Colorado elk hunting offers so many options that you could almost throw a dart and hit a great opportunity. In my opinion, some of the best hidden gems in Colorado are found during the second, third and fourth rifle seasons. Early archery, muzzleloader and rifle seasons in many units occur during or right after the rut — and those licenses tend to be harder to draw. Late rifle hunts can be more challenging as the larger bulls separate from the cows and seek refuge to regain weight after the rut. However, for hunters willing to work hard and brave the cold, snowy conditions, there’s potential for a nice bull.

Another factor to consider is the comparison between draw archery and the second and third rifle seasons versus OTC hunts. While there are great OTC units and hunts, you can often draw one of the seasons with just a couple of points and experience less pressure on the mountain.

Colorado’s draw system allows applicants to draw hunts as a second choice and still retain and build a point for the year. This means you could go hunting while still earning a preference point for the following year. One advantage of these hunts over some OTC options is that the number of licenses is limited, so there’s generally less hunting pressure. Below, we’ve highlighted some great hunts that are good options as a second choice.

The points system

2025 maximum preference points for elk: 39

Managing points and expectations

I have 0 to 8 elk preference points. What can I expect?

This is a broad point range, but most of the hunts I consider fall within it. I don't view Colorado as a state where you should spend decades building points — the trophy potential doesn’t justify the long wait. Instead, focus on drawing tags more frequently and enjoy some of the best hunting experiences of your life.

To find what you are looking for, jump into Filtering and Draw Odds to identify what fits your style and expectations. Unit Profiles and GOHUNT Maps help when it comes time to narrow down the search to just a few hunts. The table below shows a few hunts that stand out while running through Filtering.

I have 9 to 12 elk preference points. What can I expect?

This area is somewhat of a no-man’s land for elk hunts in Colorado. If you're in this point range, you’re likely after one of the top units after years of building points or preparing to burn points on one of the hunts we’ve mentioned earlier. For residents, a few hunts become available that are worth considering. For nonresidents, the options for better hunts remain limited. These hunts are listed in the table below.

I have 13 to 20 elk preference points. What can I expect?

With the points in this category, I wouldn’t say any hunts are truly worth the points required to draw them. You have two choices: continue building points for the top-tier units or use those points on one of the hunts mentioned earlier and actually get out there hunting. Given all the changes happening in Colorado, my recommendation is to make the most of those points and plan for this year!

I have 20+ elk preference points. What can I expect?

With over 20 points, hunters have likely been applying and building points for two decades or more. Many times, when chatting with fellow hunters, they mention a specific unit and season they’ve been pursuing all these years. However, it’s important to remember that these units may not be the same as they were two decades ago. One thing I've learned over time is that things change — units evolve and the quality of animals can shift. While I don’t want to discourage anyone from chasing their dream hunt, I do recommend keeping an open mind and exploring other options. There may be an up-and-coming unit that offers a better hunt with fewer points required. If you're in this point pool, many of the top units and seasons will likely be within reach in the coming years.

Colorado's Antelope Breakdown

Antelope in Colorado took a hit with winterkill a couple of years ago and they are still struggling as a whole, statewide. That’s represented in the overall 2023 population report of 59,080 animals across the state. That's significantly down from 73,440 reported in 2022, and down from the high of 77,400 in 2021. That doesn’t necessarily mean doom and gloom as populations are still stable and healthy for the most part.

Colorado may not be known as a trophy state for antelope though a few true trophy bucks are harvested each year. The largest bucks in most units typically fall in the 70” to 75” range. If you're focused primarily on trophy potential, you might want to consider other states like New Mexico or Wyoming. However, Colorado offers relatively good draw odds for antelope and the cost to apply is low, especially if you're already applying for other species.

One unique aspect of Colorado's antelope hunting is the diverse terrain and areas you'll hunt. While the eastern part of the state is typical flat, agricultural brush country, much of the western part transitions into more mountainous terrain. A few years ago, hunting antelope in the sagebrush and aspen flats gave me a fresh perspective on the experience. It turned out to be one of the most enjoyable hunts I've ever been a part of.

Note: 2023 data was used as the 2024 data wasn't available at the time of publishing.

Colorado provides limited quota hunts for archery, muzzleloader and rifle antelope. When reviewing Filtering and Draw Odds, you'll see that rifle hunts usually require significantly more points to draw compared to archery and muzzleloader hunts. Opting for one of the primitive weapon types might give you a better chance at securing a permit.

While Colorado may not be a premier destination for trophy antelope, I strongly recommend applying and building points at the very least. It's a solid antelope state and could be a great option when the timing is right for your schedule.

I would suggest that you spend time looking at GOHUNT Maps and reviewing the public land and access before applying. Typically, draw odds for antelope are closely tied to the amount of public land. The more public land, or BLM land, the harder it is to draw and vice versa.

The points system

Managing points and expectations

2025 maximum preference points for antelope: 37