Colorado Hunting License 2026: Cost, OTC Elk & Online

Colorado does not sell a traditional hunting license. Instead, hunters purchase a qualifying license — the Resident Small Game Hunting License ($38.49) or Non-Resident Small Game ($104.86) — which serves as the entry credential for all draw applications and tag purchases. This qualifying license covers small game and upland birds but does not include big game; separate tags for deer, elk, pronghorn, and bear must be purchased or drawn. The license year runs April 1 through March 31, matching the CPW (Colorado Parks & Wildlife) management cycle. A $12.76 Habitat Stamp is automatically added to all purchases for hunters ages 18–64 and funds habitat conservation on public and private land. Seniors 64+ and youth under 18 are exempt from the Habitat Stamp.

Non-resident elk tags in Colorado ($845.16) include an annual fishing license — a built-in value add. All CPW transactions carry a $1.25 search-and-rescue fee and a $1.50 Wildlife Education Fund fee. Draw applications for deer, elk, pronghorn, bear, moose, bighorn sheep, and mountain goat open March 1 and close April 7, with results posted in late May. The application fee is $8.93 resident / $11.49 NR per species, non-refundable. Leftover (over-the-counter) licenses become available in early August on a first-come-first-served basis through cpw.state.co.us/buyapply. For hunters without preference points, leftover licenses in less-competitive units offer a path to hunting Colorado without a multi-year draw wait.

Colorado's preference point system works on a weighted draw: applicants with the highest preference points receive draw odds equal to (points + 1) squared. This means a hunter with 5 points has 36x the drawing power of a first-time applicant. However, unlike Nevada, there is no guaranteed draw after accumulating points — a hunter may still fail to draw even with 10+ points in the most competitive units. Point creep in popular units (like Unit 2 for mule deer or Units 48/481 for elk) has extended average wait times significantly over the past decade.

Colorado remains one of the major elk hunting states in the West, but access should be read hunt-code by hunt-code rather than as a blanket OTC or draw rule. Both resident and non-resident hunters pursue elk through a combination of limited draw licenses, leftover licenses, and OTC opportunities where CPW still lists them. Archery elk season opens August 30 (concurrent with mule deer archery), followed by a muzzleloader season September 13–21, then the high-traffic rifle seasons: 2nd Season (October 18–26), 3rd Season (November 1–9), and 4th Season (November 12–16).

OTC elk tags have been progressively restricted in recent years. In 2025, CPW eliminated non-resident OTC archery elk licenses for GMUs west of I-25, converting those to draw-only. In 2026, OTC bull elk tags for the 2nd and 3rd rifle seasons in GMUs 54, 55, and 551 (Gunnison Basin) were also eliminated due to overhunting pressure. Non-residents can still purchase OTC archery elk for limited eastern units and OTC rifle elk in many western units outside Gunnison Basin. Residents retain significantly broader OTC access. CPW has announced a plan to transition to a 50/50 draw system with standardized 25% NR allocation, expected to begin around 2028.

Mule deer hunting in Colorado offers multiple rifle seasons and a strong archery season, but the license path depends on the hunt code listed in the current CPW brochure. Deer seasons mirror elk seasons in structure, with overlapping archery (August 30–September 28), muzzleloader (September 13–21), and rifle seasons. Antler restrictions vary by GMU; many western units enforce a 4-point minimum on one antler. Colorado's mule deer population has fluctuated in recent decades due to drought and habitat fragmentation, and some northwest units remain highly competitive for non-resident applicants.

Turkey hunting is one of Colorado's most accessible big game opportunities. Both spring (April 12–May 25) and fall (September 1–October 31) turkey seasons use OTC licenses — no draw required. Spring turkey tags cost $26 resident / $188.86 NR. The spring season targets Merriam's turkeys, which are found across most of the mountain foothills and western plateaus from the Front Range to the Utah border. Rio Grande turkeys are present on the eastern plains, particularly in riparian drainages. Fall turkey licenses cover either sex. The combination of OTC availability, relatively affordable NR tags, and consistent bird numbers makes Colorado's spring turkey season a strong destination hunt.

Bear hunting in Colorado uses a mix of draw and OTC tags depending on unit. The archery/rifle bear season runs September 2 through November 20, but specific season types and dates vary by GMU. Black bears are widespread in the mountain ranges. Sows with cubs, and cubs themselves, are prohibited. OTC bear tags ($64.01 resident / $302.56 NR) are available in most units; some high-pressure units require draw permits. Baiting is prohibited; hound hunting requires a separate hound license. Colorado's bear population is estimated at 17,000–20,000 animals.

Colorado's once-in-a-lifetime big game species — moose, bighorn sheep, and mountain goat — offer some of the most coveted tags in the West. Moose tags ($385.66 resident / $2,823.53 NR) are extremely limited, with hundreds of applicants per tag in popular units. Colorado moose are found primarily in North Park (Jackson County), the San Juan Mountains, and the Yampa Valley. Bighorn sheep tags are managed by hunting unit with quotas of 5–40 animals per unit. Mountain goat tags are among the rarest draws in the state. Residents who draw moose, sheep, or goat become ineligible to draw the same species again — a once-in-a-lifetime rule that adds gravity to every application.