Which elk hunt codes are valid in GMU 3?

13 limited codes in the 2026 brochure: E-E-003-P1-A (archery either, Sept. 2–30); E-E-003-V1-A (archery either, Sept. 2–30); E-E-003-O1-M (muzzleloader either, Sept. 12–20); E-F-003-O1-M (muzzleloader female, Sept. 12–20); E-F-003-L1-R (rifle female, Dec. 1–31 Late); E-E-003-O1-R (rifle either, Oct. 14–18); E-F-003-O1-R (rifle female, Oct. 14–18); E-F-003-O2-R (rifle female, Oct. 24–Nov. 1); E-F-003-O3-R (rifle female, Nov. 7–15); E-E-003-O4-R (rifle either, Nov. 18–22); E-F-003-O4-R (rifle female, Nov. 18–22); E-E-003-P1-R (rifle either, Oct. 14–18); E-F-003-P5-R (rifle female, Oct. 24– Dec. 31).

What is the easiest elk tag to draw in GMU 3?

E-F-003-O1-R (rifle, female, Oct. 14–18) drew out at 0 pts (2nd choice) for residents and 0 pts (2nd choice) for nonresidents in the 2026 draw, with 400 tags.

How many points does it take to draw E-F-003-L1-R?

In the 2026 primary draw the last E-F-003-L1-R tag went at 5 resident points and 5 nonresident points. Resident history 2023–2026: 3/4/5/5; nonresident: 6/14/5/5.

What is elk hunting success in GMU 3?

In 2024, 1,038 elk hunters in GMU 3 harvested 162 animals (16% success, all seasons and weapons, CPW harvest survey).

What does "0 pts (2nd choice)" mean?

The hunt code filled with second-choice applicants. Every first-choice applicant drew, even with zero preference points, and the remaining licenses went to people who listed it as their second choice.

GMU 3 Elk Report — 2026 season

13 limited hunt codes valid in this unit. CPW 2026 brochure, 2026 primary draw recap, 2025 harvest survey. Points: resident / nonresident.

Unit harvest trend (2023–2024)

2023

2024

Year	Harvest	Hunters	Success	Rec. days
2023	152 (93 bulls / 51 cows / 8 calves)	1,629	9%	6,124
2024	162 (100 bulls / 60 cows / 2 calves)	1,038	16%	4,809
2023 Archery	13	160	8%	911
2023 Muzzleloader	2	4	50%	12
2023 Rifle	137	1,465	9%	5,201
2024 Archery	16	109	15%	775
2024 Muzzleloader	2	11	19%	40
2024 Rifle	144	917	16%	3,994

Season	Antlered harvest / hunters	Success	Antlerless harvest / hunters	Success
2023 Rifle	25 / 815	3%	5 / 60	7%
2024 Rifle	68 / 744	9%	27 / 48	57%

* CPW's antlered/antlerless tables do not include either-sex hunt codes. The split is hidden where one side is empty, because that usually means the unit’s tags for it are either-sex codes.

All limited + over-the-counter hunters. CPW published unit-level tables for 2023 and 2024; the 2025 report has hunt-code totals only.

Every hunt code in the unit

			Dates	GMUs				Drew out at (pts)		Points 2023–2026
			Dates	GMUs						Points 2023–2026
E-E-003-P1-APLOLeftover likely	archery	either	Sept. 2–30	3, 4, 5, 14, 214, 301, 441	A	289	212	–	–	–––	22%	29.6
E-E-003-V1-ALeftover likely	archery	either	Sept. 2–30	3, 301	A	23	11	–	–	–––	5%	133.5
E-E-003-O1-M	muzzleloader	either	Sept. 12–20	3, 301	A	20	31	0	4	1/1/1/04/1/3/4	13%*	30.0
E-F-003-O1-MLeftover likely	muzzleloader	female	Sept. 12–20	3, 301	A	12	4	–	–	0/0/-/--/3/-/-	0%*	–
E-F-003-L1-R	rifle	female	Dec. 1–31 Late	3, 301	A	100	513	5	5	3/4/5/56/14/5/5	81%	4.7
E-E-003-O1-RNEW	rifle	either	Oct. 14–18	3, 4, 5, 301, 441	A	800	1,980	0	3	0/-/-/02/-/-/3	–	–
E-F-003-O1-R	rifle	female	Oct. 14–18	3, 4, 5, 214, 301, 441	A	400	190	0 (2nd)	0 (2nd)	2/3/1/0-/3/1/0	44%	6.4
E-F-003-O2-RLeftover likely	rifle	female	Oct. 24–Nov. 1	3, 301	A	166	90	–	–	1/2/-/--/4/-/-	6%	80.1
E-F-003-O3-R	rifle	female	Nov. 7–15	3, 301	A	400	300	0 (2nd)	0 (2nd)	2/1/0/0-/3/0/0	14%	37.7
E-E-003-O4-RNEW	rifle	either	Nov. 18–22	3, 301	A	500	276	0 (3rd)	0 (3rd)	0/-/-/00/-/-/0	–	–
E-F-003-O4-RLeftover likely	rifle	female	Nov. 18–22	3, 4, 5, 301, 441	A	140	42	–	–	1/1/-/-1/2/-/-	21%	18.5
E-E-003-P1-RPLOLeftover likely	rifle	either	Oct. 14–18	3, 4, 5, 214, 301, 441	A	255	170	–	–	-/-/0/--/-/0/-	47%	8.0
E-F-003-P5-RPLOLeftover likely	rifle	female	Oct. 24– Dec. 31	3, 4, 5, 301, 441	B	686	531	–	–	0/1/1/-0/1/1/-	41%	16.1

* Low sample: CPW flags these hunt codes "few hunters responded".

either +: either-sex license; + marks codes where an adult Colorado resident needed on average 6+ preference points to draw over the previous three draws (CPW brochure p.20). Up to 20% of these licenses may go to nonresidents (p.4).
0 (2nd): the code filled with 2nd-choice applicants: every 1st-choice applicant drew, even with 0 points.

Near-sure draws (0–1 point in 2026)

E-F-003-O1-R rifle female, Oct. 14–18: 400 tags, 190 first-choice apps, drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res /0 pts (2nd choice) nonres, success 44%, List A
E-F-003-O3-R rifle female, Nov. 7–15: 400 tags, 300 first-choice apps, drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res /0 pts (2nd choice) nonres, success 14%, List A
E-E-003-O1-M muzzleloader either, Sept. 12–20: 20 tags, 31 first-choice apps, drew at 0 res /4 nonres, success 13% (low sample), List A
E-E-003-O1-R rifle either, Oct. 14–18: 800 tags, 1,980 first-choice apps, drew at 0 res /3 nonres, success –, List A
E-E-003-O4-R rifle either, Nov. 18–22: 500 tags, 276 first-choice apps, drew at 0 pts (3rd choice) res /0 pts (3rd choice) nonres, success –, List A

Point creep warnings (resident or nonresident points rose 2+ since 2023)

E-F-003-L1-Rrifle female:res 3/4/5/5nonres 6/14/5/5

Stackable tags (List B — can be held alongside a List A tag)

No List C hunts in this unit.

E-F-003-P5-R rifle female Oct. 24– Dec. 31 — drew at – res / – nonres, 686 tags

Leftover likely

These codes had licenses left over after the 2026 primary draw:E-E-003-P1-A, E-E-003-V1-A, E-F-003-O1-M, E-F-003-O2-R, E-F-003-O4-R, E-E-003-P1-R, E-F-003-P5-R.

With your points

Likely draws (5)

E-E-003-O1-M needs 0 pts
E-E-003-O1-R needs 0 pts
E-F-003-O1-R 0 pts, 2nd choice
E-F-003-O3-R 0 pts, 2nd choice
E-E-003-O4-R 0 pts, 3rd choice

Coin flips (0)

Not this year (1)

E-F-003-L1-R needs 5 pts

Numbers are the last draw's drawn-out-at points for the chosen residency: the points held by the last applicant who drew. Codes with no drawn-out-at value for that residency are left out. Point creep can move a code up a bucket.

Drawn-out-at = preference points held by the last successful applicant at that residency. "0 (2nd)" = the code filled with 2nd-choice applicants, so any 1st-choice applicant drew with 0 points. Success % and days/harvest are from CPW's 2025harvest survey, by hunt code.

FAQ

Which elk hunt codes are valid in GMU 3?: 13 limited codes in the 2026 brochure: E-E-003-P1-A (archery either, Sept. 2–30); E-E-003-V1-A (archery either, Sept. 2–30); E-E-003-O1-M (muzzleloader either, Sept. 12–20); E-F-003-O1-M (muzzleloader female, Sept. 12–20); E-F-003-L1-R (rifle female, Dec. 1–31 Late); E-E-003-O1-R (rifle either, Oct. 14–18); E-F-003-O1-R (rifle female, Oct. 14–18); E-F-003-O2-R (rifle female, Oct. 24–Nov. 1); E-F-003-O3-R (rifle female, Nov. 7–15); E-E-003-O4-R (rifle either, Nov. 18–22); E-F-003-O4-R (rifle female, Nov. 18–22); E-E-003-P1-R (rifle either, Oct. 14–18); E-F-003-P5-R (rifle female, Oct. 24– Dec. 31).
What is the easiest elk tag to draw in GMU 3?: E-F-003-O1-R (rifle, female, Oct. 14–18) drew out at 0 pts (2nd choice) for residents and 0 pts (2nd choice) for nonresidents in the 2026 draw, with 400 tags.
How many points does it take to draw E-F-003-L1-R?: In the 2026 primary draw the last E-F-003-L1-R tag went at 5 resident points and 5 nonresident points. Resident history 2023–2026: 3/4/5/5; nonresident: 6/14/5/5.
What is elk hunting success in GMU 3?: In 2024, 1,038 elk hunters in GMU 3 harvested 162 animals (16% success, all seasons and weapons, CPW harvest survey).
What does "0 pts (2nd choice)" mean?: The hunt code filled with second-choice applicants. Every first-choice applicant drew, even with zero preference points, and the remaining licenses went to people who listed it as their second choice.