Last verified
Colorado draw application deadlines
The 2026 Colorado primary draw application window runs March 1 through April 7, 2026, closing at 8 p.m. Mountain time. Results post in late May, a secondary draw for leftover licenses follows around June 18–30, and whatever remains — plus every over-the-counter tag — goes on sale August 4, 2026 at 9 a.m. MDT. CPW Primary Draw
The four dates that matter
| Stage | 2026 window | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Primary application window | Mar 1 – Apr 7, 2026, 8 p.m. MT | Submit ranked hunt-code choices. This is where preference points matter — points don't help in the later stages. |
| Primary results | Late May 2026 | CPW posts draw results online; successful applicants can buy their license. |
| Secondary draw | ~Jun 18–30, 2026 | A second draw fills licenses left after the primary. No preference points used here — it's first-come among applicants. |
| Leftover & OTC sale | Aug 4, 2026, 9 a.m. MDT | Any licenses still unclaimed go on sale first-come, first-served, alongside every over-the-counter tag. |
The primary window and its deadline are stated directly on CPW's Primary Draw page. The results and secondary-draw windows are not pinned to an exact date on that page as of this writing — CPW states them as "late May" and "late June," which is how they're presented here; treat the day-of dates as approximate until CPW posts the exact ones. CPW Primary Draw CPW 2026 season dates
Why the deadline is unforgiving
Colorado's draw software closes at the stated minute — 8 p.m. Mountain time on April 7, 2026 — and does not accept late submissions for any reason, including payment or website problems on your end. Apply early enough to fix a rejected card or a wrong hunt code before the window shuts. If you're weighing whether to spend a point this year or hold it, see how points accumulate before you submit.
After the deadline
If you miss the primary window entirely, or don't draw, you still have two more chances at a 2026 tag: the secondary draw in June for licenses left over after the primary, and the leftover/OTC sale on August 4. Neither requires preference points, and the leftover sale opens at the same moment OTC elk and other over-the-counter tags go on sale. CPW · leftover licenses
Common questions
When is the Colorado draw application deadline for 2026?
April 7, 2026 at 8:00 p.m. Mountain time. The application window opened March 1, 2026. There is no late-submission grace period.
When do 2026 Colorado draw results come out?
CPW posts primary draw results in late May 2026. The exact day is not fixed on CPW's own draw page as of this writing, so check your account after the deadline rather than a specific calendar date.
What if I miss the April deadline?
You can still apply in the secondary draw around June 18–30, or buy a leftover or over-the-counter license starting August 4, 2026 at 9 a.m. MDT. You lose access to the limited tags awarded in the primary draw, which are typically the higher-quality units.
Primary sources
- CPW — Big Game Primary Draw (application window, deadline) verified Jul. 2026
- CPW — leftover & OTC sale schedule (Aug 4, 2026) verified Jul. 2026
- CPW Colorado Outdoors — 2026 big-game draw calendar results/secondary dates, verified Jul. 2026