How do you read a Colorado hunt code?
A Colorado hunt code is read in five parts, left to right: species (E for elk), sex or type (M male, F female, E either-sex), the three-digit Game Management Unit (e.g., 059), the season identifier, and the method or weapon (R rifle, A archery, M muzzleloader). So a code like EM059O1R reads as an elk, bull, GMU 59, a specific season, rifle tag. Decoding the code tells you exactly what you're applying for — the animal, the sex, the unit, the season, and the weapon — so you don't draw the wrong hunt.
What does EM059O1R mean?
Broken down: E = elk, M = male (bull), 059 = Game Management Unit 59, O1 = a specific season code, and R = rifle. Put together, it's a bull elk rifle tag valid in GMU 59 for that season. Every Colorado big game hunt code follows this same species-sex-unit-season-method pattern, so once you can read one, you can read them all. Always confirm the exact season letters against the current-year CPW brochure, since the season codes are defined there.
What do the letters in a Colorado hunt code mean?
Each position has a job: the first letter is the species (E = elk), the second is the sex or type (M = male/bull, F = female/cow, E = either-sex), the three digits are the GMU, the next characters are the season, and the last letter is the weapon (R = rifle, A = archery, M = muzzleloader). The codes are deliberately compact, so a single string like EF059E1A packs the whole hunt — species, sex, unit, season, weapon — into a few characters.
Why do hunt codes matter when applying?
Because the hunt code is exactly what you apply for — get a character wrong and you can draw a different sex, season, unit, or weapon than you intended, or waste your application. Knowing how to read a code lets you confirm you're entering the bull-vs-cow, season, and unit you actually want, and lets you compare codes intelligently when choosing your first, second, and third choices in the draw. It's a small skill that prevents an expensive mistake.
Where do I find the list of Colorado hunt codes?
The complete, current list of hunt codes — with the exact season letters, dates, tag quotas, and draw details — is published every year in the Colorado Parks and Wildlife big game brochure and in the online application system. Use this guide to understand the structure, then look up the specific codes for your unit and season in the official CPW materials before you apply, since the details are set fresh each year.
