Which elk hunt codes are valid in GMU 481?

11 limited codes in the 2026 brochure: E-E-481-O1-A (archery either, Sept. 2–30); E-F-481-O1-M (muzzleloader female, Sept. 12–20); E-M-481-O1-M (muzzleloader male, Sept. 12–20); E-M-481-O1-R (rifle male, Oct. 14–18); E-F-481-O2-R (rifle female, Oct. 24–Nov. 1); E-M-481-O2-R (rifle male, Oct. 24–Nov. 1); E-F-481-O3-R (rifle female, Nov. 7–15); E-M-481-O3-R (rifle male, Nov. 7–15); E-F-481-O4-R (rifle female, Nov. 18–22); E-M-481-O4-R (rifle male, Nov. 18–22); E-F-481-P5-R (rifle female, Sept. 1–Jan. 31).

What is the easiest elk tag to draw in GMU 481?

E-M-481-O1-R (rifle, male, Oct. 14–18) drew out at 1 for residents and 5 for nonresidents in the 2026 draw, with 65 tags.

How many points does it take to draw E-M-481-O1-R?

In the 2026 primary draw the last E-M-481-O1-R tag went at 1 resident points and 5 nonresident points. Resident history 2023–2026: 1/1/1/1; nonresident: 2/2/4/5.

What is elk hunting success in GMU 481?

In 2024, 494 elk hunters in GMU 481 harvested 179 animals (36% 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 481 Elk Report — 2026 season

11 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	111 (86 bulls / 20 cows / 5 calves)	493	22%	2,975
2024	179 (112 bulls / 59 cows / 8 calves)	494	36%	3,019
2023 Archery	15	93	16%	787
2023 Muzzleloader	12	59	20%	270
2023 Rifle	84	341	25%	1,918
2024 Archery	18	95	19%	885
2024 Muzzleloader	13	57	22%	269
2024 Rifle	148	342	43%	1,864

Season	Antlered harvest / hunters	Success	Antlerless harvest / hunters	Success
2023 Muzzleloader	12 / 35	33%	0 / 24	0%
2023 Rifle	63 / 181	35%	19 / 160	12%
2024 Muzzleloader	6 / 32	20%	5 / 25	19%
2024 Rifle	90 / 184	49%	52 / 158	33%

* CPW's antlered/antlerless tables do not include either-sex hunt 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-481-O1-A	archery	either	Sept. 2–30	481	A	110	193	0	2	0/0/0/01/2/2/2	21%	50.4
E-F-481-O1-M	muzzleloader	female	Sept. 12–20	481	A	35	12	0 (2nd)	0 (2nd)	0/0/0/00/0/0/0	15%	35.0
E-M-481-O1-M	muzzleloader	male	Sept. 12–20	481	A	40	73	0	3	1/0/0/01/1/2/3	29%	19.3
E-M-481-O1-R	rifle	male	Oct. 14–18	481	A	65	182	1	5	1/1/1/12/2/4/5	57%	6.9
E-F-481-O2-R	rifle	female	Oct. 24–Nov. 1	481	A	80	79	0 (2nd)	0 (2nd)	0/0/0/00/0/0/0	29%	17.5
E-M-481-O2-R	rifle	male	Oct. 24–Nov. 1	481	A	85	135	0	2	0/0/0/00/1/1/2	47%	11.2
E-F-481-O3-R	rifle	female	Nov. 7–15	481	A	40	33	0 (2nd)	0 (2nd)	0/0/0/00/0/0/0	8%	54.3
E-M-481-O3-R	rifle	male	Nov. 7–15	481	A	40	50	0	0	0/0/0/00/0/1/0	20%	29.2
E-F-481-O4-R	rifle	female	Nov. 18–22	481	A	20	8	0 (2nd)	–	-/0/0/0-/0/-/-	0%	–
E-M-481-O4-R	rifle	male	Nov. 18–22	481	A	10	15	0	2	0/0/0/0-/0/1/2	20%*	16.0
E-F-481-P5-RPLO	rifle	female	Sept. 1–Jan. 31	481	B	50	62	0	1	0/0/0/01/-/1/1	53%	36.9

* 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-M-481-O1-R rifle male, Oct. 14–18: 65 tags, 182 first-choice apps, drew at 1 res /5 nonres, success 57%, List A
E-F-481-P5-R rifle female, Sept. 1–Jan. 31: 50 tags, 62 first-choice apps, drew at 0 res /1 nonres, success 53%, List B (private land only)
E-M-481-O2-R rifle male, Oct. 24–Nov. 1: 85 tags, 135 first-choice apps, drew at 0 res /2 nonres, success 47%, List A
E-F-481-O2-R rifle female, Oct. 24–Nov. 1: 80 tags, 79 first-choice apps, drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res /0 pts (2nd choice) nonres, success 29%, List A
E-M-481-O1-M muzzleloader male, Sept. 12–20: 40 tags, 73 first-choice apps, drew at 0 res /3 nonres, success 29%, List A
E-E-481-O1-A archery either, Sept. 2–30: 110 tags, 193 first-choice apps, drew at 0 res /2 nonres, success 21%, List A
E-M-481-O3-R rifle male, Nov. 7–15: 40 tags, 50 first-choice apps, drew at 0 res /0 nonres, success 20%, List A
E-M-481-O4-R rifle male, Nov. 18–22: 10 tags, 15 first-choice apps, drew at 0 res /2 nonres, success 20% (low sample), List A
E-F-481-O1-M muzzleloader female, Sept. 12–20: 35 tags, 12 first-choice apps, drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res /0 pts (2nd choice) nonres, success 15%, List A
E-F-481-O3-R rifle female, Nov. 7–15: 40 tags, 33 first-choice apps, drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res /0 pts (2nd choice) nonres, success 8%, List A
E-F-481-O4-R rifle female, Nov. 18–22: 20 tags, 8 first-choice apps, drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res /– nonres, success 0%, List A

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

E-M-481-O1-Mmuzzleloader male:res 1/0/0/0nonres 1/1/2/3
E-M-481-O1-Rrifle male:res 1/1/1/1nonres 2/2/4/5
E-M-481-O2-Rrifle male:res 0/0/0/0nonres 0/1/1/2
E-M-481-O4-Rrifle male:res 0/0/0/0nonres -/0/1/2

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

No List C hunts in this unit.

E-F-481-P5-R rifle female Sept. 1–Jan. 31 — drew at 0 res / 1 nonres, 50 tags

With your points

Likely draws (10)

E-E-481-O1-A needs 0 pts
E-F-481-O1-M 0 pts, 2nd choice
E-M-481-O1-M needs 0 pts
E-F-481-O2-R 0 pts, 2nd choice
E-M-481-O2-R needs 0 pts
E-F-481-O3-R 0 pts, 2nd choice
E-M-481-O3-R needs 0 pts
E-F-481-O4-R 0 pts, 2nd choice
E-M-481-O4-R needs 0 pts
E-F-481-P5-R needs 0 pts

Coin flips (1)

E-M-481-O1-R needs 1 pt

Not this year (0)

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 481?: 11 limited codes in the 2026 brochure: E-E-481-O1-A (archery either, Sept. 2–30); E-F-481-O1-M (muzzleloader female, Sept. 12–20); E-M-481-O1-M (muzzleloader male, Sept. 12–20); E-M-481-O1-R (rifle male, Oct. 14–18); E-F-481-O2-R (rifle female, Oct. 24–Nov. 1); E-M-481-O2-R (rifle male, Oct. 24–Nov. 1); E-F-481-O3-R (rifle female, Nov. 7–15); E-M-481-O3-R (rifle male, Nov. 7–15); E-F-481-O4-R (rifle female, Nov. 18–22); E-M-481-O4-R (rifle male, Nov. 18–22); E-F-481-P5-R (rifle female, Sept. 1–Jan. 31).
What is the easiest elk tag to draw in GMU 481?: E-M-481-O1-R (rifle, male, Oct. 14–18) drew out at 1 for residents and 5 for nonresidents in the 2026 draw, with 65 tags.
How many points does it take to draw E-M-481-O1-R?: In the 2026 primary draw the last E-M-481-O1-R tag went at 1 resident points and 5 nonresident points. Resident history 2023–2026: 1/1/1/1; nonresident: 2/2/4/5.
What is elk hunting success in GMU 481?: In 2024, 494 elk hunters in GMU 481 harvested 179 animals (36% 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.