Last verified Oct. 2026

Elk in GMU 26

Q: Is there over-the-counter elk in GMU 26?

Yes: E-E-000-U1-A , E-M-000-U2-R , E-M-000-U3-R are valid in GMU 26 for 2026.

GMU 26 has 19 2026 elk hunt codes (3 over the counter, 16 drawn), and the highest resident adult cutoff is E-E-025-W1-R at 11 preference points. CPW 2026 Big Game Brochure

Everything below is 2026: the 2026 hunt codes, the 2026 draw and the 2025 harvest. 2027 hunt codes and quotas are not on this site yet (CPW had not published them as of October 17, 2026, when this site last checked). Codes do change between years, so confirm yours in the 2027 brochure before you apply.

Where GMU 26 is

GMU 26 lies in Garfield,Eagle & Routt counties. CPW's boundary description: bounded on N by Bear River; on E by Colo. 131; on S by Colorado River; on W by Derby Creek, Middle Fork of Derby Creek and USFS Trail 1802. 2026 brochure, unit descriptions p. 69–72 Check the line on the ground and on private land in CPW's own Colorado Hunting Atlas; boundary roads and ridgelines are the legal edge, not a map shading. How GMUs work.

What is different about GMU 26

2026 brochure, OTC maps pp. 38–40 The unlimited 2nd and 3rd season bull licenses (E-M-000-U2-R and E-M-000-U3-R) are valid in GMU 26 in 2026, as they were on the 2025 maps. 2025 brochure, OTC maps pp. 38–41 Residents can also buy over-the-counter archery here (E-E-000-U1-A); nonresidents cannot buy OTC archery elk west of I-25 and apply for a limited code.

GMU 26 has 16 limited elk codes for 2026 (2 archery, 2 muzzleloader and 12 rifle), 2 of them valid in this GMU alone. Resident adult cutoffs, highest first: E-E-025-W1-R at 11 preference points, E-F-025-W1-R at 1 preference point, E-E-025-O1-M at 0 preference points, E-F-025-O2-R at 0 preference points and E-F-025-O3-R at 0 preference points. The code with the most licenses is E-M-011-O1-R (shared across 12 GMUs, so its numbers are for the whole code): 3,000 licenses and 664 resident adult first-choice applicants. CPW 2026 Elk Draw Recap

Largest codes valid in GMU 26 alone: E-M-026-O4-R (100 licenses, drew out at leftover) and E-F-026-L1-R (25 licenses, drew out at 0 preference points).

The 2025 harvest row with the most hunters among codes that include GMU 26 is EM000U2R (over the counter): 19.3% success among 23,668 hunters, for the whole code across 93 GMUs, not GMU 26 alone. CPW 2025 Elk Harvest Estimates

Ranching for Wildlife codes here (Burns Hole Ranch) are for Colorado residents only and good only on the ranch. 2026 brochure, Ranching for Wildlife, p. 41

2026 elk hunt codes

Over-the-counter elk is available here through E-E-000-U1-A, E-M-000-U2-R, E-M-000-U3-R; how OTC units work. "Statewide framework" dates are the general season windows on the elk seasons page.

2026 elk hunt codes valid in GMU 26 (CPW 2026 Big Game Brochure)
Hunt code	Method / season	2026 dates	Sex	License	Valid in
E-E-000-U1-A	Archery	Sept. 2–30	Either-sex	Over the counter Resident only	115 GMUs (full list below)
E-E-011-P1-A	Archery	Sept. 2–30	Either-sex	Limited (draw), private land only	12 GMUs (full list below)
E-E-025-V1-A	Archery	Sept. 2–30	Either-sex	Limited (draw) Nonresident only	4 GMUs: 25, 26, 34, 231
E-E-025-O1-M	Muzzleloader	Sept. 12–20	Either-sex	Limited (draw)	4 GMUs: 25, 26, 34, 231
E-F-025-O1-M	Muzzleloader	Sept. 12–20	Cow	Limited (draw)	4 GMUs: 25, 26, 34, 231
E-E-011-P1-R	Rifle	Oct. 14–18	Either-sex	Limited (draw), private land only	12 GMUs (full list below)
E-E-025-W1-R	Rifle	Oct. 13–21; Dec. 16–20	Either-sex	Ranching for Wildlife (limited) Colorado residents only	3 GMUs: 25, 26, 35 (GMU 26: Ranching for Wildlife: Burns Hole Ranch only)
E-F-025-O1-R	Rifle, 1st season	Oct. 14–18	Cow	Limited (draw)	3 GMUs: 25, 26, 34
E-F-025-O2-R	Rifle, 2nd season	Oct. 24–Nov. 1	Cow	Limited (draw)	2 GMUs: 25, 26
E-F-025-O3-R	Rifle, 3rd season	Nov. 7–15	Cow	Limited (draw)	2 GMUs: 25, 26
E-F-025-O4-R	Rifle, 4th season	Nov. 18–22	Cow	Limited (draw)	2 GMUs: 25, 26
E-F-025-P5-R	Rifle	Aug. 15– Jan. 15, 2027	Cow	Limited (draw), private land only	3 GMUs: 25, 26, 231
E-F-025-W1-R	Rifle	Oct. 17–21	Cow	Ranching for Wildlife (limited) Colorado residents only	3 GMUs: 25, 26, 35 (GMU 26: Ranching for Wildlife: Burns Hole Ranch only)
E-F-025-W2-R	Rifle	Dec. 3–7	Cow	Ranching for Wildlife (limited) Colorado residents only	3 GMUs: 25, 26, 35 (GMU 26: Ranching for Wildlife: Burns Hole Ranch only)
E-F-026-L1-R	Rifle, Late	Dec. 1– Jan. 15, 2027	Cow	Limited (draw)	GMU 26 only
E-M-000-U2-R	Rifle, 2nd season	Oct. 24–Nov. 1	Bull	Over the counter	90 GMUs (full list below)
E-M-000-U3-R	Rifle, 3rd season	Nov. 7–15	Bull	Over the counter	90 GMUs (full list below)
E-M-011-O1-R	Rifle, 1st season	Oct. 14–18	Bull	Limited (draw)	12 GMUs (full list below)
E-M-026-O4-R	Rifle, 4th season	Nov. 18–22	Bull	Limited (draw)	GMU 26 only

E-E-000-U1-A is valid in 115 GMUs in 2026

3, 6, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 43, 53, 59, 60, 62, 63, 64, 65, 68, 79, 82, 83, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 105, 106, 107, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 161, 171, 181, 211, 214, 231, 301, 361, 371, 431, 471, 511, 581, 591, 681, 691, 851, 861, 951

E-M-000-U2-R is valid in 90 GMUs in 2026

3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 47, 52, 53, 59, 60, 62, 63, 64, 65, 68, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 77, 78, 80, 81, 82, 85, 86, 131, 133, 134, 140, 141, 142, 161, 171, 181, 211, 214, 231, 301, 361, 371, 411, 421, 431, 441, 444, 471, 511, 521, 581, 591, 681, 691, 711, 741, 751, 771, 851, 861

E-M-000-U3-R is valid in 90 GMUs in 2026

E-E-011-P1-A is valid in 12 GMUs in 2026

11, 12, 13, 23, 24, 25, 26, 33, 34, 131, 211, 231

E-E-011-P1-R is valid in 12 GMUs in 2026

11, 12, 13, 23, 24, 25, 26, 33, 34, 131, 211, 231

E-M-011-O1-R is valid in 12 GMUs in 2026

11, 12, 13, 23, 24, 25, 26, 33, 34, 131, 211, 231

2026 draw results

These codes are valid in GMU 26 and nowhere else, so their draw numbers describe this unit. "Drawn out at" is the preference-point level of the last applicant drawn in that group, from CPW's Drawn Out At report; how to read it.

E-F-026-L1-R: 2026 primary draw, GMU 26 only, 25 licenses
Applicant group	Applicants, 1st choice	Drawn, all choices	Drawn out at
Resident adult	25	19	0 preference points; 1 of 7 drawn at that level
Nonresident adult	3	3	2 preference points; 2 of 2 drawn at that level
Resident youth	0	2	2nd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 2 of 3 drawn at that level
Nonresident youth	1	1	2 preference points; 1 of 1 drawn at that level

E-M-026-O4-R: 2026 primary draw, GMU 26 only, 100 licenses
Applicant group	Applicants, 1st choice	Drawn, all choices	Drawn out at
Resident adult	8	10	Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Nonresident adult	24	25	Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Nonresident youth	2	3	Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)

The codes below also include GMU 26, but they cover other units too. Their numbers are for the whole code.

E-E-011-P1-A: 2026 primary draw for the whole code (GMUs 11, 12, 13, 23, 24, 25, 26, 33, 34, 131, 211, 231), not GMU 26 alone, 1,000 licenses
Applicant group	Applicants, 1st choice	Drawn, all choices	Drawn out at
Resident adult	32	76	Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Nonresident adult	364	494	Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Resident youth	0	2	Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Nonresident youth	5	11	Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)

E-E-011-P1-R: 2026 primary draw for the whole code (GMUs 11, 12, 13, 23, 24, 25, 26, 33, 34, 131, 211, 231), not GMU 26 alone, 700 licenses
Applicant group	Applicants, 1st choice	Drawn, all choices	Drawn out at
Resident adult	55	118	Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Nonresident adult	308	355	Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Resident youth	7	12	Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Nonresident youth	7	7	Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)

E-E-025-O1-M: 2026 primary draw for the whole code (GMUs 25, 26, 34, 231), not GMU 26 alone, 150 licenses
Applicant group	Applicants, 1st choice	Drawn, all choices	Drawn out at
Resident adult	73	70	0 preference points; 49 of 51 drawn at that level
Nonresident adult	123	70	1 preference point; 16 of 26 drawn at that level
Resident youth	8	8	0 preference points; 5 of 5 drawn at that level
Nonresident youth	3	2	1 preference point; 1 of 1 drawn at that level

E-E-025-V1-A: 2026 primary draw for the whole code (GMUs 25, 26, 34, 231), not GMU 26 alone, 1,030 licenses
Applicant group	Applicants, 1st choice	Drawn, all choices	Drawn out at
Nonresident adult	382	796	Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Nonresident youth	8	13	Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)

E-E-025-W1-R: 2026 primary draw for the whole code (GMUs 25, 26, 35), not GMU 26 alone, 7 licenses
Applicant group	Applicants, 1st choice	Drawn, all choices	Drawn out at
Resident adult	60	7	11 preference points; 3 of 3 drawn at that level
Resident youth	8	0	None drawn

E-F-025-O1-M: 2026 primary draw for the whole code (GMUs 25, 26, 34, 231), not GMU 26 alone, 150 licenses
Applicant group	Applicants, 1st choice	Drawn, all choices	Drawn out at
Resident adult	7	47	Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Nonresident adult	2	31	Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Resident youth	0	2	Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)

E-F-025-O1-R: 2026 primary draw for the whole code (GMUs 25, 26, 34), not GMU 26 alone, 200 licenses
Applicant group	Applicants, 1st choice	Drawn, all choices	Drawn out at
Resident adult	43	84	Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Nonresident adult	26	32	Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Resident youth	9	14	Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Nonresident youth	0	1	Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)

E-F-025-O2-R: 2026 primary draw for the whole code (GMUs 25, 26), not GMU 26 alone, 125 licenses
Applicant group	Applicants, 1st choice	Drawn, all choices	Drawn out at
Resident adult	107	89	0 preference points; 55 of 73 drawn at that level
Nonresident adult	24	21	0 preference points; 14 of 17 drawn at that level
Resident youth	8	10	2nd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 2 of 6 drawn at that level
Nonresident youth	4	5	2nd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 1 of 1 drawn at that level

E-F-025-O3-R: 2026 primary draw for the whole code (GMUs 25, 26), not GMU 26 alone, 50 licenses
Applicant group	Applicants, 1st choice	Drawn, all choices	Drawn out at
Resident adult	48	36	0 preference points; 16 of 28 drawn at that level
Nonresident adult	38	10	2 preference points; 9 of 11 drawn at that level
Resident youth	2	2	0 preference points; 2 of 2 drawn at that level
Nonresident youth	3	2	0 preference points; 1 of 2 drawn at that level

E-F-025-O4-R: 2026 primary draw for the whole code (GMUs 25, 26), not GMU 26 alone, 25 licenses
Applicant group	Applicants, 1st choice	Drawn, all choices	Drawn out at
Resident adult	7	14	3rd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 1 of 17 drawn at that level
Nonresident adult	5	8	2nd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 3 of 3 drawn at that level
Resident youth	1	2	3rd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 1 of 1 drawn at that level
Nonresident youth	1	1	0 preference points; 1 of 1 drawn at that level

E-F-025-P5-R: 2026 primary draw for the whole code (GMUs 25, 26, 231), not GMU 26 alone, 300 licenses
Applicant group	Applicants, 1st choice	Drawn, all choices	Drawn out at
Resident adult	115	187	Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Nonresident adult	30	38	Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Resident youth	7	17	Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Nonresident youth	6	6	Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)

E-F-025-W1-R: 2026 primary draw for the whole code (GMUs 25, 26, 35), not GMU 26 alone, 20 licenses
Applicant group	Applicants, 1st choice	Drawn, all choices	Drawn out at
Resident adult	24	19	1 preference point; 5 of 8 drawn at that level
Resident youth	2	1	2 preference points; 1 of 1 drawn at that level

E-F-025-W2-R: 2026 primary draw for the whole code (GMUs 25, 26, 35), not GMU 26 alone, 20 licenses
Applicant group	Applicants, 1st choice	Drawn, all choices	Drawn out at
Resident adult	12	18	2nd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 6 of 14 drawn at that level
Resident youth	0	2	2nd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 2 of 3 drawn at that level

E-M-011-O1-R: 2026 primary draw for the whole code (GMUs 11, 12, 13, 23, 24, 25, 26, 33, 34, 131, 211, 231), not GMU 26 alone, 3,000 licenses
Applicant group	Applicants, 1st choice	Drawn, all choices	Drawn out at
Resident adult	664	966	2nd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 302 of 945 drawn at that level
Nonresident adult	1,485	1,866	2nd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 381 of 1034 drawn at that level
Resident youth	56	87	2nd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 31 of 93 drawn at that level
Nonresident youth	70	81	2nd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 11 of 46 drawn at that level

CPW 2026 Elk Draw Recap CPW 2026 Elk Drawn Out At

2025 harvest, by hunt code

CPW reports harvest by hunt code and by herd area (DAU), not by GMU. A code that covers several units reports one number for all of them, so read those rows as the code, not as GMU 26. Why success rates mislead.

2025 elk harvest by hunt code (CPW 2025 Elk Harvest Estimates). Each row is the whole hunt code, wherever it was valid in 2025 (2025 brochure unit lists).
2025 hunt code	Valid in (2025)	Hunters	Elk harvested	Success
EE000U1A (OTC)	115 GMUs (full list below)	9,541	1,076	11.3%
EM000U2R (OTC)	93 GMUs (full list below)	23,668	4,558	19.3%
EM000U3R (OTC)	93 GMUs (full list below)	17,371	2,096	12.1%
EE011P1A	12 GMUs (full list below)	638	206	32.3%
EE025V1A	4 GMUs: 25, 26, 34, 231	711	53	7.5%
EE025O1M	4 GMUs: 25, 26, 34, 231	140	27	19.3%
EF025O1M	4 GMUs: 25, 26, 34, 231	103	7	6.8%
EE011P1R	12 GMUs (full list below)	609	351	57.6%
EF025O1R	3 GMUs: 25, 26, 34	145	15	10.3%
EF025O2R	2 GMUs: 25, 26	120	8	6.7%
EF025O3R	2 GMUs: 25, 26	48	3	6.3%
EF025O4R	2 GMUs: 25, 26	22	2	9.1%
EF025P5R	3 GMUs: 25, 26, 231	221	20	9%
EF026L1R	GMU 26 only	9	2	22.2%*
EM011O1R	12 GMUs (full list below)	2,974	701	23.6%
EM026O4R	GMU 26 only	41	0	0%

* CPW flags this estimate: few hunters responded.

EE000U1A was valid in 115 GMUs in 2025

EM000U2R was valid in 93 GMUs in 2025

3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 47, 52, 53, 54, 55, 59, 60, 62, 63, 64, 65, 68, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 77, 78, 80, 81, 82, 85, 86, 131, 133, 134, 140, 141, 142, 161, 171, 181, 211, 214, 231, 301, 361, 371, 411, 421, 431, 441, 444, 471, 511, 521, 551, 581, 591, 681, 691, 711, 741, 751, 771, 851, 861

EM000U3R was valid in 93 GMUs in 2025

EM011O1R was valid in 12 GMUs in 2025

11, 12, 13, 23, 24, 25, 26, 33, 34, 131, 211, 231

EE011P1A was valid in 12 GMUs in 2025

11, 12, 13, 23, 24, 25, 26, 33, 34, 131, 211, 231

EE011P1R was valid in 12 GMUs in 2025

11, 12, 13, 23, 24, 25, 26, 33, 34, 131, 211, 231

CPW 2025 Elk Harvest Estimates

Outfitters

No outfitter in this site's verified directory sells hunts in GMU 26 on its own website or lists it among its registered GMUs, so none is named here. We do not place outfitters on a unit page by mailing address.

Listings come only from this site's verified outfitter directory (this unit's region: Northwest), where every record is an Active state registration with guided hunting confirmed on the outfitter's own site. Check any outfitter's registration yourself before you book (how).

Common questions

Is there over-the-counter elk in GMU 26?

Yes: E-E-000-U1-A, E-M-000-U2-R, E-M-000-U3-R are valid in GMU 26 for 2026.

What does it take to draw elk in GMU 26?

The highest-cutoff 2026 code that includes GMU 26, E-E-025-W1-R, drew out at 11 preference points for resident adults and no apps for nonresident adults; it covers 3 GMUs.

Where GMU 26 is

What is different about GMU 26

2026 elk hunt codes

2026 draw results

2025 harvest, by hunt code

Outfitters

Common questions

Get the printable 2026 season calendar