Draws & licenses · Updated 2026-10-01
Apply by early April. Find out in late May. The plain-English version of a system that the Colorado Parks and Wildlife website explains in 14 pages of policy.
The short answer
The Colorado elk draw is a preference-point lottery run annually by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW).Hunters apply by early April (April 7 in 2026; CPW sets the date each year) through the CPW online portal, listing up to four hunt-code choices in priority order. CPW awards tags in late May, with the highest-point applicants drawing first. Applicants who don’t draw earn a preference point for that species, useable in the following year’s draw. Tags that don’t sell in the primary draw go on leftover sale in early August on a first-come basis.
Colorado divides its big-game tags into two categories: over-the-counter (OTC) licenses that any qualifying hunter can buy at a sporting goods store, and limited-entry licenses that go through the primary draw. The limited-entry category includes most rifle 1st and 4th seasons (GMU 59 among them), most muzzleloader hunts, and many archery hunts in game-management units with herd pressure.
The draw exists because limited-entry units have fewer tags than applicants. Without a lottery, the units with the best success rates would either sell out in seconds or get jammed with too many hunters. The point system tries to make the draw feel fair across years — apply unsuccessfully a few years in a row and your odds improve.
Most non-residents come to Colorado for a draw unit specifically. The reason is straightforward: the limited-entry units hold more mature animals because the herds aren’t hammered every year. GMU 59 on the south slope of Pikes Peak is one of those units. Rifle 1st and 4th bull elk are limited (draw); 2nd and 3rd rifle bull elk licenses are over the counter; archery and muzzleloader are limited for non-residents.
Step by step
The whole application takes about 30 minutes the first time, ten minutes in subsequent years. License fees vary by species and residency; the application fee is currently around $8 and is non-refundable.
If you don't already have one, set up a free Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) account at cpw.state.co.us. You'll need your Customer ID number from any prior CPW license, or you can request a new one. The account is also where your preference points accumulate year over year.
Colorado has roughly 185 Game Management Units (GMUs). Pick the unit, the season (archery, muzzleloader, rifle 1–4), and the weapon class. Use CPW's draw recap and onX or GoHunt to estimate the point cutoff for your target hunt. GMU 59 on the south slope of Pikes Peak runs limited entry for 1st and 4th rifle bull elk, with 2nd and 3rd rifle over the counter — confirm point requirements before you build a hunt plan around it.
Big-game primary draw applications are due in early April each year for that fall's hunt (April 7 at 8 p.m. MT in 2026; CPW sets the date each year). Apply online through your CPW account. You can build a list of up to four hunt-code choices in priority order; if you don't draw your top pick, CPW runs your second, third, and fourth choices in order. Application fees are nominal; the license fee is only charged if you draw.
CPW runs the primary draw in late May and posts results in your account portal. If you drew a tag, your card is charged the license fee. If you didn't draw, you get a refund of the license fee minus the application processing fee, and you receive a preference point for the species you applied for (subject to the late-application rule for non-residents).
Unsold licenses from the primary draw go on sale in early August on a first-come basis. Returned and reissued licenses appear throughout the season in your CPW account. These are how a lot of out-of-state hunters fill a tag in a year they didn't draw their primary application.
Calendar
Dates are CPW’s standard cadence. Confirm against the current-year calendar at cpw.state.co.us.
Early February
Big-game brochure published
CPW publishes the annual big-game brochure with that year's hunt codes, season dates, and license-fee schedule.
Early March
Application portal opens
The online CPW portal opens for primary draw applications for that fall's hunts.
Early April
Primary draw deadline
All primary draw applications must be submitted by 8:00 PM Mountain Time on the deadline day — April 7 in 2026; CPW sets the date each year. Late applications are not accepted (with one non-resident grace exception).
Late May
Draw results posted
CPW runs the primary draw and posts results in your account portal. Successful applicants' license fees are charged at that time.
Early August
Leftover license sale
Unsold tags from the primary draw go on sale on a first-come basis through the CPW portal. Limited 4th rifle and muzzleloader leftovers are most common.
Rolling
Reissue list
Returned licenses appear in the reissue pool throughout the season. Check your CPW account weekly during your target season.
Non-resident specifics
Colorado allocates 65% of limited-entry tags to residents and 35% to non-residents on most units. On a small number of high-demand units the non-resident allocation drops to 20%. GMU 59 follows the standard 65/35 split.
Non-residents pay higher fees: an elk license currently runs around $781 for non-residents versus around $57 for residents. The application fee is the same ($8 range). Refunds work the same way for both groups.
Non-residents face one additional procedural quirk: the late-application rule. If a non-resident submits their primary application after the early-April deadline (which used to be permitted with a small fee), they forfeit the preference point for that year even if they don’t draw. CPW has tightened this rule recently; check the current-year brochure before banking on a late entry.
The cleanest non-resident path: apply by the early-April deadline every year for the target unit, accumulate points each year you don’t draw, and call us in January if you want to talk through whether to pursue a landowner voucher instead.
The Colorado big-game primary draw closes in early April for that fall's hunting season (April 7 at 8 p.m. MT in 2026; CPW sets the date each year). Applications are submitted online through your CPW account at cpw.state.co.us.
Colorado uses a preference-point system. Each year you apply for limited-entry tags, you either draw a license or earn a point. The next year, applicants with the most points are awarded tags first. Tags that don't fill in the primary draw are sold leftover in August.
Preference points are awarded annually to applicants who don't draw a limited-entry tag. They accumulate by species — elk points, deer points, pronghorn points, etc. — and are used by CPW to order applications in the next year's draw, with high-point holders awarded tags first.
GMU 59 elk preference-point requirements vary by season and residency. 2nd and 3rd rifle bull elk licenses are over the counter, so they need no points; for the draw seasons, non-residents have typically needed 1–3 points depending on weapon class and season in recent years. The cutoff is published in CPW's annual draw recap; we're happy to walk you through current numbers — call (303) 355-4868.
Yes. Colorado landowners with qualifying acreage and agricultural use receive landowner preference vouchers each year, which can be transferred to a hunter. A voucher entitles the holder to a tag in the corresponding hunt code without going through the draw and without consuming preference points.
If you applied for a limited-entry tag and didn't draw, you earn a preference point for that species and receive a refund of the license fee. You can then apply for leftover licenses on a first-come basis in August, or pursue a landowner voucher.
Yes. Non-residents pay higher license fees and face stricter quotas — Colorado allocates 65% of limited-entry tags to residents and 35% to non-residents on most units. Non-residents apply through the same CPW online portal by the same early-April deadline (April 7 in 2026).
CPW runs the primary draw in late May and posts results in your CPW account portal. Successful applicants are charged the license fee at that time; unsuccessful applicants receive a refund and a preference point.
Related guides
Colorado preference points, explainedSoon
Landowner vouchers in ColoradoSoon
What to pack for a Colorado elk huntSoon
Guided bull elk hunts on GMU 59 →
Sources
Plan a 2027 hunt
Most non-resident hunters need 1–4 points for GMU 59 elk depending on weapon class and season. We can walk you through your current point situation, talk about landowner voucher availability for the year, and reserve a hunt week once your tag is in hand.
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