Flat Tops Wilderness Guides 2026 Guide To The 2026 Colorado Big Game Draw and A detailed How To Apply, Hunt Codes, Season Dates, and Descriptions
Booking Update:
Guided hunts continue to be in high demand. Only a few guided spots remain for 2027. Enquire now if you’re in the planning phase.
Our only 2026 Guided availability is:
One spot (up to two hunters) 2026 Wilderness Archery Guided
For 2026, we still have several Drop Camp openings, including:
A handful of 2026 Archery Drop Camps
Two 2026 First Rifle Drop Camps — Premier elk-only season. Less pressured elk. Can combo with bear tags.
One 2026 3rd Rifle Drop Camp — Elk/mule deer combo hunt. These camps are usually booked well in advance!
2026 Guide to the Colorado Big Game Draw
The 2026 Colorado Big Game Draw period opens March 1st. The draw deadline is April 7th at 8:00pm MST. Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW) will post draw results beginning on May 26th. Paper licenses will be mailed on June 26th.
Don’t procrastinate! Submit your application early to avoid the stress of a frantic, last-minute ordeal. Often, the CPW website is overloaded on the final days of the draw deadline.
To apply you will need:
1) The hunt codes for the hunts you want to apply for. These can be found below for all of the hunts FTWG has to offer. If you are planning on hunting a different area you will need to look these up in the 2026 Colorado Big Game Brochure.
2) Your hunter safety certificate
3) A credit card that is valid through June
4) An email address
If you are a first time license purchaser for a Colorado fishing or hunting license you will need to create an account which will generate a Customer Identification Number (CID). To begin this process click HERE.
During the application process, if you run into an issue on the CPW website please call one of their offices and speak with a representative click HERE.
For non-residents, before you can apply for a tag or for a preference point you need to purchase a qualifying license. The cheapest qualifying license is an annual small game license.
If you are going to be purchasing an over-the-counter tag along with a draw tag, please purchase that OTC tag online in August. August 4th is when they go on sale. OTC tags can also be purchased at any license vendor in the state. However, don’t wait until the last stop to purchase your OTC tag! Generally, CPW office locations are your best bet for buying a tag in-person. Also, big-box sporting stores (Cabela’s, Sportsmen’s Warehouse, etc.) are a good alternative.
As mentioned above, this article is for elk, mule deer, and black bear for the areas we hunt on the Flat Tops Wilderness Guides permit area. If you are interested in Rocky Mountain goat, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, or Shiras moose, we have another Blog article that addresses those species. The draw system is very different than the standard big game draw. For more information, check out: Understanding The Colorado Sheep, Goat, and Moose Draw.
Whether you plan on hunting every year or once every 20 years, you should be putting into the Colorado draw. Even if that means you are only applying for preference points. Likely, Colorado will continue to move more OTC units to draw units which will require preference points. Gaining a preference point each year is the best way to guarantee your success of drawing a tag in the future, and often times, hunting a better unit.
However, keep in mind that a 20 point unit is not 20x better than a 1 point unit! For both deer and elk, Boone and Crockett quality animals exist in every single unit in Colorado; the units that require more preference points simply have a higher density of those trophy animals. We recommend hunting OTC and Second Choice units every year as you build points. Then, every few years, spend your points on hunts that require 3-5 preference points. This gives you the best bang-for-the-buck in terms of hunt quality and hunting experiences. If you sit on the couch acquiring 20+ preference points, you’ll lack the skills and physicality to capitalize on a premium hunt. Go hunting instead!
Don’t be intimidated by the Draw. The Flat Tops Wilderness Area has abundant elk populations and liberal tag allocations. Securing tags is easy. This is the epicenter of Western hunting!
Definitions:
CPW: Colorado Parks and Wildlife. They are the state agency tasked with wildlife and fisheries management in Colorado.
OTC: Over-the-counter tags. These can be purchased online in August through the CPW website or in-person wherever licenses are sold. However, these need to be purchased BEFORE the season opens! The exception is OTC archery tags.
Preference point (PP): There are two ways to gain a preference point in Colorado. You can either pay for a preference point as a First Choice in the draw, or earn a preference point if you are unsuccessful in drawing your First Choice tag
Guaranteed draw: If you apply for this tag you will most likely draw it even if you have zero preference points. However, you need to put this as your First Choice… You will NOT be able to build preference points
Preference Point Gainer Hunt: PP Gainer Hunt. These are hunts that you can draw as a Second Choice. This means you can build a preference point as your First Choice. If you are applying for one of these and your goal is to build a point, make sure you use the preference point code as your First Choice. If you put the hunt code for one of these units as your first choice you will LOSE any preference points you have built up.
0 vs O: This is a huge one! In a lot of the hunt codes you might see a 0 (the number zero) or an O (the letter.) As a rule, the only time the you will type the number 0 is if the Game Management Unit (GMU) is only a two digit number. For example, GMU 25 is typed as: 025. The only time you type the letter O is in front of the season. For example, 2nd rifle season is typed as: O2. The hunt code for for a deer hunt in unit 25 during 2nd rifle season looks like this: D-M-025-O2-R which reads like: D-M-025(zero two five)-O2 (letter O 2)-R
Preference Point Codes:
Deer: D-P-999-99-P
Elk: E-P-999-99-P
Bear: B-P-999-99-P
September Hunts:
September Bear
GMU 25 Archery Bear 9/2-9/30: PP Gainer
Hunt Code: B-E-012-O1-A
We recommend applying for the rifle bear tag. You can always shoot a bear with a bow on a rifle tag.
GMU 25 Archery Bear Add on 9/2-9/30: OTC
Hunt Code: B-E-012-U1-A
You MUST hold an archery deer or archery elk tag to purchase one of these licenses
GMU 25 Muzzleloader Bear 9/12-9/20: PP Gainer Hunt
Hunt code: B-E-012-O1-M
We recommend applying for the rifle bear tag. The rifle tag is a longer season and is a PP Gainer Hunt
GMU 25 Muzzleloader Bear Add on 9/12-9/20: OTC
B-E-012-U1-M
You must hold a valid muzzleloader deer or muzzleloader elk tag to purchase one of the licenses
GMU 25 Rifle Bear 9/2-9/30: PP Gainer Hunt
Hunt code: B-E-012-O1-R
This is a great tag to have in addition to your archery or muzzleloader tags for elk and/or deer. This is the tag to get if you are a dedicated bear hunter coming on one of our Guided Bear Hunts
This 1st Rifle hunter was glad he had a bear tag in his pocket! Even if the focus is elk, if you’re hunting with us in September or October you ought to bring a bear tag along.
September Mule Deer
GMU 25 Archery Deer 9/2-9/30: Guaranteed Draw
Hunt Code: D-E-025-O1-A
This either-sex tag is an awesome tag to have in the pocket even if your main goal is elk hunting. There is the real possibility of seeing a giant buck but they are hard to get within bow range. If you are targeting mule deer specifically, you may want to grab an archery elk tag (see lower in the article.)
GMU 24 Archery deer (South) 9/2-9/30: Guaranteed Draw
Hunt Code: D-E-023-O1-A
Tag is a great option to choose from if you are hunting one of our camps on the border of GMU24/25 and you combo it with a GMU unit 24 (south) elk tag.
GMU 25 Muzzleloader Deer 9/12-9/20: PP Gainer Hunt
Hunt Code: D-M-025-O1-M
This is a great tag to have if you are chasing elk with a muzzleloader and see a buck. Deer can be tough to hunt this time of year. There is a good chance they may have been bumped around by elk hunters and if they are rubbed out of their velvet they will be in the dark timber.
GMU 24 Muzzleloader Deer (South) 9/12-9/20: Guaranteed Draw
Hunt Code: D-M-023-O1-M
This is a great tag to have if you are chasing elk with a muzzleloader and see a buck. Deer can be tough to hunt this time of year. There is a good chance they may have been bumped around by elk hunters and if they are rubbed out of their velvet they will be in the dark timber
Early Rifle Deer 9/12-9/20: Requires 7-13 PP
Hunt Code: D-M-012-E1-R
This tag varies year-to-year on the amount of PP it requires solely due to low tag quotas. The tag is over valued. However, this is an awesome time of the year to be in the mountains chasing bucks in velvet. The deer are dispersed throughout the landscape leaving a low density. That said, there is the chance of shooting an absolute giant.
September Elk
GMU 25 Non-resident Archery Elk 9/2-9/30: PP Gainer Hunt
Hunt Code: E-E-025-V1-A
This is an either-sex tag. You can combo this with the archery deer and/or a bear tag.
GMU 25 Resident Archery Elk 9/2-9/30: OTC
Licenses go on sale August 5th. Only available to Colorado residents.
This is an either-sex tag. You can combo this with the archery deer and/or a bear tag.
GMU 24 Archery Elk (South) 9/2-9/30: On average requires 3-4 Non-resident PP and 0-1 resident PP
Hunt Code: E-E-033-O1-A
Tag is a great option to choose from if you are hunting one of our or northern camps on the border of GMU24/25 and you have a few PP or are willing to watch the leftover list for returned tags
GMU 25 Muzzleloader Elk 9/12-9/20: on average requires 2-3 Non-resident PP
Hunt Code: E-E-025-O1-M
This is a great tag to have and is either sex! Muzzleloader hunters can expect more/better shot opportunities than archers. This is a great way to experience bugling elk during the rut if you aren’t a bowhunter.
GMU 24 Muzzleloader Elk (South) 9/12-9/20: on average requires 5-6 Non-resident PP
Hunt Code: E-E-033-O1-M
Getting it done with a bow is the ultimate achievement!
1st Rifle Season: 10/14-10/18
1st Rifle Bull Elk: Guaranteed Draw
Hunt Code: E-M-011-O1-R
Very popular hunt! Often times the season dates catch the tail end of the rut. Not a weather-dependent hunt. Elk may still be in their summer range and bulls hanging with cows. ***Should be used as a First Choice hunt code.
1st Rifle Cow Elk: requires 0-1 PP
Hunt Code: E-F-025-O1-R
Cow tags have moved to List A. This means hunters will have to choose between a cow tag or a bull tag. You’ll no longer have the option for both. The cow tag is slightly harder to draw than the bull tag.
1st Rifle Bear: OTC
Hunt Code: B-E-012-U5-R ****DO NOT APPLY FOR THIS TAG IN THE DRAW**** it is to be added in August
This tag is a great addition to an elk tag.
This 1st Rifle bull from 2025 is the often discussed, but rarely seen LEGAL 3×3. He sports plenty of brow tine! This was a classic high country October hunt and a well-earned trophy.
2nd Rifle Season: 10/24-11/1
2nd Rifle Bull Elk: OTC (For both Residents and Nonresidents)
Very popular hunt. This is a fantastic elk/mule deer combo hunt. Weather can start playing a factor in elk behavior, triggering migration from the high country. Snow and cold temperatures make for better hunting!
2nd Rifle Cow Elk: Requires 0-1 PP
Hunt Code: E-F-025-O2-R
Cow tags have moved to List A. This means hunters will have to choose between a cow tag or a bull tag. You’ll no longer have the option for both.
2nd Rifle Deer: PP Gainer
Hunt Code: D-M-025-O2-R
All OTC elk hunters should consider getting this tag. Bucks are in transition and starting to think about does.
2nd Rifle Bear: OTC
Hunt Code: B-E-012-U5-R ****DO NOT APPLY FOR THIS TAG IN THE DRAW**** it is to be added in August
Not recommended. Most bears have denned by this time of year.
In 2025, we didn’t get much weather during 2nd Rifle. However, it didn’t keep our drop camp hunters from stacking up a few nice bucks and bulls.
3rd Rifle Season: 11/7-11/15
3rd Rifle Bull Elk: OTC (For both Residents and Nonresidents)
Very popular hunt. This is a fantastic elk/mule deer combo hunt. Weather can start playing a factor in elk behavior, triggering migration from the high country. Snow and cold temperatures make for better hunting!
3rd Rifle Cow Elk: 0-1 PP
Hunt Code: E-F-025-O3-R
Cow tags have moved to List A. This means hunters will have to choose between a cow tag or a bull tag. You’ll no longer have the option for both.
3rd Rifle Deer: 0-1 PP
Hunt Code: D-M-025-O3-R
All OTC elk hunters should consider getting this tag. The mule deer rut officially begins. Watch the does and bucks will show!
3rd Rifle Bear: OTC
Hunt Code: B-E-012-U5-R ****DO NOT APPLY FOR THIS TAG IN THE DRAW**** it is to be added in August.
Not recommended. Most bears have denned by this time of year.
Nothing is a prettier than a big 6×6 atop a pack mule. On a clear November day, those antlers sparkle!
4th Rifle Season: 11/18-11/22
4th Rifle Bull Elk: Guaranteed Draw
Hunt Code: E-M-025-O4-R
This is an awesome time to hunt big bulls, but be prepared for nasty weather! Frigid temperatures and deep snow keep elk on their feet for long periods of time.
4th Rifle Cow Elk: 0-1 PP
Hunt Code: E-F-025-O4-R
If you want a bull and a cow tag in your pocket it probably won’t happen. For most hunters, a bull tag is more desirable. Whichever tag you’d prefer should be used as your first choice.
4th Rifle Deer: 0-1 PP
Hunt Code: D-M-025-O4-R
The bucks are in full-blown rut! This is a great tag! Historically this tag has taken about 5 points to draw. Recently, with higher tag allocations, this is taking 0-1 PP to draw for nonresidents. Residents will certainly draw with zero points.
4th Rifle Bear: OTC
Hunt Code: B-E-012-U5-R ****DO NOT APPLY FOR THIS TAG IN THE DRAW**** it is to be added in August
Not recommended. Most bears have denned by this time of year.
Got bucks? 4th Rifle is where it’s at for trophy mule deer! The elk hunting can also be phenomenal as bulls migrate towards south slopes and wintering grounds.
How to apply — Step-by-step
1.) Go to your browser and navigate to the CPW website (https://cpw.state.co.us/)
2.) Click “BUY A LICENSE OR PASS” in the top right of the screen.
3.) Click “Sign In Or Create Account” in the top right of the screen
4a.) If this is your first time purchasing a license in Colorado, you will need to create an account. Click “Create an Individual Account”
You will then have to complete 6 different steps to create this account
4b.) If you are a returning customer fill in your CID number/password and sign in. You will then have to confirm your personal details (mailing address, height, weight, etc.)
5.) Once you are signed in, click the “GO HUNTING AND FISHING” tab near the top and select “Buy Small Game & Combo Licenses”
6.)Purchase and add to cart the non resident small game annual license
7.) Then click “Big Game, Turkey & Draws”
8.) Scroll down until you see the list of species. Select the species you wish to apply/build a point for and click “Apply Now”
9.) Choose if you are applying as a group (or not) and hit proceed. Remember, if you apply as a group it means you will all draw or none of you will draw. You will be subject to the lowest point holder in the group.
10.) Type your hunt code or preference point code. Remember, if you want to ensure you draw the tag this year, the hunt code should be your First Choice. To build a point, you must either be unsuccessful in the draw or you must use the preference point code as your First Choice. Once you’ve entered your codes, click “Confirm Choices” and then add to cart.
11.) Repeat this process with any other species you wish to apply for.
12.) CPW will also force you to purchase a Habitat Stamp and ask how you would like the order fulfilled (by mail or by pick up at a sales location.)