The Colorado Hunting Guide

Last verified

Colorado vs. other Western states

Colorado is the most accessible of the big elk states for a non-resident because it is the only one of the five major elk states that still sells a true over-the-counter elk tag to out-of-state hunters — Wyoming, Montana, and (as of 2026) Idaho all require non-residents to draw. That access comes at a price: Colorado's non-resident elk license, at $845.16, is the most expensive of the group. New Mexico is cheaper but draw-only. CPW · Elk hunting

The five-state snapshot

StateNon-resident elk tagOTC for non-residents?Elk, roughly
Colorado $845.16 Yes — OTC rifle elk; OTC archery only in a few east-of-I-25 units Largest herd of the group
Wyoming ~$692 regular / ~$1,268 special draw, + fees No — all non-resident elk is draw-only Roughly a third of Colorado's
Montana ~$1,112 elk combo, + base license & conservation fees No — general elk combo is a random drawing Roughly half of Colorado's
Idaho ~$652 tag + $185 nonresident license No, as of 2026 — general elk moved from OTC to a draw, with a small post-draw "returned tag" sale Roughly a third of Colorado's
New Mexico Roughly $400–$1,000 depending on tag type, + base license No — elk is effectively draw-only for non-residents Smallest of the group

The Colorado figures are hard, live-verified numbers. Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and New Mexico figures come straight from each state's own site as of this page's verified date, but license-year fees change every state, every year — treat the other-state numbers as directional and confirm them on the source before you budget a trip.

Cost vs. access — the actual trade-off

New Mexico is the cheapest tag on this list but offers non-residents no practical OTC path — everything runs through the draw, so budget years of non-resident preference points for a good unit. Wyoming and Montana sit in between: no OTC, moderate-to-high tag cost, and non-resident allocations capped well below what residents get. Colorado costs the most per tag but is the only state where that cost buys immediate access — no draw required, if you're willing to hunt an OTC rifle season. The full Colorado fee tables are on the license-costs page.

Elk numbers — more elk, more units

Colorado holds the largest elk population of any state, by a wide margin, and correspondingly the most game management units and the most public land open to elk hunting. More elk and more units don't guarantee an easier hunt in any given unit — pressure and terrain still decide that — but they mean more options: more OTC units, more draw hunt codes, and more room to spread out than in lower-population states. Which units are actually "best" covers how to weigh that beyond raw population.

Which state should you pick?

If OTC access and sheer number of elk matter most, Colorado is the clear answer, and it's why most out-of-state elk hunters end up here. If you already have a stack of Wyoming or Montana preference points, or you're chasing a specific unit's reputation, that history can outweigh Colorado's OTC advantage. There's no universally "best" state — only the best fit for your budget, your patience for the draw, and how much you value being able to just buy a tag. Start with the non-resident hub and the Colorado non-resident elk plan to see if Colorado's trade-offs work for you.

Common questions

Is Colorado or Wyoming better for elk hunting?

Colorado offers non-residents over-the-counter rifle elk tags with no draw; Wyoming requires all non-resident elk hunters to draw. Colorado also holds roughly three times Wyoming's elk population. Wyoming's tags are typically cheaper if you draw, and some hunters prefer its lower hunting pressure in specific areas — it depends on whether you value guaranteed access or potentially less crowding.

What is the easiest state to draw an elk tag in?

Colorado doesn't require a draw at all for OTC rifle elk, which is the most "accessible" of the major elk states for non-residents. Among draw-only states, odds vary enormously by unit and hunt code in Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and New Mexico — check each state's own published draw-odds data before assuming any one is "easy."

Which state has the most elk?

Colorado, with the largest elk population of any state — roughly double Montana's, the next largest in this comparison. Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming are broadly similar in size to each other, and New Mexico's herd is the smallest of the five.

Is a Colorado non-resident elk tag more expensive than other states?

Yes, Colorado's $845.16 non-resident elk license is the highest sticker price of the five states compared here. It's also the only one that still sells a true over-the-counter rifle elk tag to non-residents, so the higher price buys guaranteed access the draw-only states don't offer.

Primary sources

Never miss a deadline

The Colorado draw application closes in early April, and season dates shift a little each year. Leave your email and we'll send one short reminder before the draw deadline and a note whenever the season dates change — nothing else.