Which elk hunt codes are valid in GMU 501?

12 limited codes in the 2026 brochure: E-E-501-O1-A (archery either, Sept. 2–30); E-F-501-O1-M (muzzleloader female, Sept. 12–20); E-M-501-O1-M (muzzleloader male, Sept. 12–20); E-F-501-L1-R (rifle female, Dec. 12–20 Late); E-M-501-O1-R (rifle male, Oct. 14–18); E-F-501-O2-R (rifle female, Oct. 24–Nov. 1); E-M-501-O2-R (rifle male, Oct. 24–Nov. 1); E-F-501-O3-R (rifle female, Nov. 7–15); E-M-501-O3-R (rifle male, Nov. 7–15); E-F-501-O4-R (rifle female, Nov. 18–22); E-M-501-O4-R (rifle male, Nov. 18–22); E-F-501-P5-R (rifle female, Sept. 1–Jan. 31).

What is the easiest elk tag to draw in GMU 501?

E-F-501-O3-R (rifle, female, Nov. 7–15) drew out at 0 for residents and 1 for nonresidents in the 2026 draw, with 50 tags.

How many points does it take to draw E-M-501-O1-R?

In the 2026 primary draw the last E-M-501-O1-R tag went at 7 resident points and 16 nonresident points. Resident history 2023–2026: 5/6/6/7; nonresident: 7/9/11/16.

What is elk hunting success in GMU 501?

In 2024, 378 elk hunters in GMU 501 harvested 125 animals (33% success, all seasons and weapons, CPW harvest survey).

GMU 501 Elk Report — 2026 season

12 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	103 (64 bulls / 37 cows / 2 calves)	356	29%	1,940
2024	125 (83 bulls / 36 cows / 6 calves)	378	33%	2,260
2023 Archery	12	56	22%	450
2023 Muzzleloader	12	48	24%	230
2023 Rifle	79	251	31%	1,260
2024 Archery	28	61	46%	579
2024 Muzzleloader	15	61	24%	316
2024 Rifle	82	257	32%	1,365

Season	Antlered harvest / hunters	Success	Antlerless harvest / hunters	Success
2023 Muzzleloader	12 / 24	48%	0 / 24	0%
2023 Rifle	42 / 100	42%	35 / 151	23%
2024 Muzzleloader	10 / 28	35%	5 / 33	15%
2024 Rifle	47 / 108	44%	30 / 149	20%

* 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-501-O1-A	archery	either	Sept. 2–30	■501	A	70	402	5	10	4/4/4/55/6/8/10	31%	26.6
E-F-501-O1-M	muzzleloader	female	Sept. 12–20	■501	B	40	47	0	0	0/0/0/00/0/0/0	36%	13.0
E-M-501-O1-M	muzzleloader	male	Sept. 12–20	■501	A	30	87	6	9	5/4/5/69/14/16/9	36%	16.2
E-F-501-L1-R	rifle	female	Dec. 12–20 Late	■501	B	10	52	3	–	1/2/2/3-/2/3/-	67%*	5.0
E-M-501-O1-R	rifle	male	Oct. 14–18	■501	A	25	221	7	16	5/6/6/77/9/11/16	41%	8.1
E-F-501-O2-R	rifle	female	Oct. 24–Nov. 1	■501	B	50	111	1	1	1/1/1/11/-/-/1	33%	11.1
E-M-501-O2-R	rifle	male	Oct. 24–Nov. 1	■501	A	40	186	3	8	2/3/3/33/4/6/8	22%	24.4
E-F-501-O3-R	rifle	female	Nov. 7–15	■501	B	50	75	0	1	0/0/0/02/4/-/1	39%	11.5
E-M-501-O3-R	rifle	male	Nov. 7–15	■501	A	30	116	3	6	3/2/2/33/4/5/6	48%	12.4
E-F-501-O4-R	rifle	female	Nov. 18–22	■501	B	20	25	0	0	0/0/0/0-/-/-/0	6%	51.0
E-M-501-O4-R	rifle	male	Nov. 18–22	■501	A	20	82	2	8	2/1/2/23/4/4/8	17%	22.3
E-F-501-P5-RPLO	rifle	female	Sept. 1–Jan. 31	501	B	30	35	0	0	0/0/0/00/2/1/0	35%	24.4

* 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-501-O3-R rifle female, Nov. 7–15: 50 tags, 75 first-choice apps, drew at 0 res /1 nonres, success 39%, List B
E-F-501-O1-M muzzleloader female, Sept. 12–20: 40 tags, 47 first-choice apps, drew at 0 res /0 nonres, success 36%, List B
E-F-501-P5-R rifle female, Sept. 1–Jan. 31: 30 tags, 35 first-choice apps, drew at 0 res /0 nonres, success 35%, List B (private land only)
E-F-501-O2-R rifle female, Oct. 24–Nov. 1: 50 tags, 111 first-choice apps, drew at 1 res /1 nonres, success 33%, List B
E-F-501-O4-R rifle female, Nov. 18–22: 20 tags, 25 first-choice apps, drew at 0 res /0 nonres, success 6%, List B

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

E-E-501-O1-Aarchery either:res 4/4/4/5nonres 5/6/8/10
E-F-501-L1-Rrifle female:res 1/2/2/3nonres -/2/3/-
E-M-501-O1-Rrifle male:res 5/6/6/7nonres 7/9/11/16
E-M-501-O2-Rrifle male:res 2/3/3/3nonres 3/4/6/8
E-M-501-O3-Rrifle male:res 3/2/2/3nonres 3/4/5/6
E-M-501-O4-Rrifle male:res 2/1/2/2nonres 3/4/4/8

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

No List C hunts in this unit.

E-F-501-O1-M muzzleloader female Sept. 12–20 — drew at 0 res / 0 nonres, 40 tags
E-F-501-L1-R rifle female Dec. 12–20 Late — drew at 3 res / – nonres, 10 tags
E-F-501-O2-R rifle female Oct. 24–Nov. 1 — drew at 1 res / 1 nonres, 50 tags
E-F-501-O3-R rifle female Nov. 7–15 — drew at 0 res / 1 nonres, 50 tags
E-F-501-O4-R rifle female Nov. 18–22 — drew at 0 res / 0 nonres, 20 tags
E-F-501-P5-R rifle female Sept. 1–Jan. 31 — drew at 0 res / 0 nonres, 30 tags

With your points

Likely draws (4)

E-F-501-O1-M needs 0 pts
E-F-501-O3-R needs 0 pts
E-F-501-O4-R needs 0 pts
E-F-501-P5-R needs 0 pts

Coin flips (1)

E-F-501-O2-R needs 1 pt

Not this year (7)

E-E-501-O1-A needs 5 pts
E-M-501-O1-M needs 6 pts
E-F-501-L1-R needs 3 pts
E-M-501-O1-R needs 7 pts
E-M-501-O2-R needs 3 pts
E-M-501-O3-R needs 3 pts
E-M-501-O4-R needs 2 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 501?: 12 limited codes in the 2026 brochure: E-E-501-O1-A (archery either, Sept. 2–30); E-F-501-O1-M (muzzleloader female, Sept. 12–20); E-M-501-O1-M (muzzleloader male, Sept. 12–20); E-F-501-L1-R (rifle female, Dec. 12–20 Late); E-M-501-O1-R (rifle male, Oct. 14–18); E-F-501-O2-R (rifle female, Oct. 24–Nov. 1); E-M-501-O2-R (rifle male, Oct. 24–Nov. 1); E-F-501-O3-R (rifle female, Nov. 7–15); E-M-501-O3-R (rifle male, Nov. 7–15); E-F-501-O4-R (rifle female, Nov. 18–22); E-M-501-O4-R (rifle male, Nov. 18–22); E-F-501-P5-R (rifle female, Sept. 1–Jan. 31).
What is the easiest elk tag to draw in GMU 501?: E-F-501-O3-R (rifle, female, Nov. 7–15) drew out at 0 for residents and 1 for nonresidents in the 2026 draw, with 50 tags.
How many points does it take to draw E-M-501-O1-R?: In the 2026 primary draw the last E-M-501-O1-R tag went at 7 resident points and 16 nonresident points. Resident history 2023–2026: 5/6/6/7; nonresident: 7/9/11/16.
What is elk hunting success in GMU 501?: In 2024, 378 elk hunters in GMU 501 harvested 125 animals (33% success, all seasons and weapons, CPW harvest survey).