The Colorado Hunting Guide

Last verified

Elk in GMU 73

GMU 73 has 17 2026 elk hunt codes (2 over the counter, 15 drawn), and the highest resident adult cutoff is E-F-073-O2-R at 5 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 73 is

GMU 73 lies in Montezuma County. CPW's boundary description: bounded on N by Colo. 184 & 145 and Bear Creek; on E by Montezuma-La Plata Co. line; on S by NM; on W by U.S. 491. 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 73

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 73 in 2026, as they were on the 2025 maps. 2025 brochure, OTC maps pp. 38–41 No over-the-counter archery license is valid in GMU 73; archery elk here is drawn.

GMU 73 has 15 limited elk codes for 2026 (3 archery, 2 muzzleloader and 10 rifle), 3 of them valid in this GMU alone. Resident adult cutoffs, highest first: E-F-073-O2-R at 5 preference points, E-F-071-O1-R at 4 preference points, E-F-071-O1-M at 2 preference points, E-F-071-P4-R at 2 preference points and E-F-073-O3-R at 2 preference points. The code with the most licenses is E-M-071-O1-A (shared across 4 GMUs, so its numbers are for the whole code): 800 licenses and 321 resident adult first-choice applicants. CPW 2026 Elk Draw Recap

Largest codes valid in GMU 73 alone: E-F-073-O2-R (10 licenses, drew out at 5 preference points), E-F-073-O3-R (10 licenses, drew out at 2 preference points) and E-F-073-O4-R (10 licenses, drew out at 0 preference points).

The 2025 harvest row with the most hunters among codes that include GMU 73 is EM000U2R (over the counter): 19.3% success among 23,668 hunters, for the whole code across 93 GMUs, not GMU 73 alone. CPW 2025 Elk Harvest Estimates

2026 elk hunt codes

Over-the-counter elk is available here through 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 73 (CPW 2026 Big Game Brochure)
Hunt codeMethod / season2026 datesSexLicenseValid in
E-E-071-P1-AArcherySept. 2–30Either-sexLimited (draw), private land only4 GMUs: 71, 72, 73, 711
E-F-071-O1-AArcherySept. 2–30CowLimited (draw)4 GMUs: 71, 72, 73, 711
E-M-071-O1-AArcherySept. 2–30BullLimited (draw)4 GMUs: 71, 72, 73, 711
E-F-071-O1-MMuzzleloaderSept. 12–20CowLimited (draw)4 GMUs: 71, 72, 73, 711
E-M-071-O1-MMuzzleloaderSept. 12–20BullLimited (draw)4 GMUs: 71, 72, 73, 711
E-F-071-O1-RRifle, 1st seasonOct. 14–18CowLimited (draw)4 GMUs: 71, 72, 73, 711
E-F-071-P1-RRifleOct. 14–18CowLimited (draw), private land only4 GMUs: 71, 72, 73, 711
E-F-071-P4-RRifleNov. 18–22CowLimited (draw), private land only4 GMUs: 71, 72, 73, 711
E-F-073-O2-RRifle, 2nd seasonOct. 24–Nov. 1CowLimited (draw)GMU 73 only
E-F-073-O3-RRifle, 3rd seasonNov. 7–15CowLimited (draw)GMU 73 only
E-F-073-O4-RRifle, 4th seasonNov. 18–22CowLimited (draw)GMU 73 only
E-M-000-U2-RRifle, 2nd seasonOct. 24–Nov. 1BullOver the counter90 GMUs (full list below)
E-M-000-U3-RRifle, 3rd seasonNov. 7–15BullOver the counter90 GMUs (full list below)
E-M-071-O1-RRifle, 1st seasonOct. 14–18BullLimited (draw)4 GMUs: 71, 72, 73, 711
E-M-071-O4-RRifle, 4th seasonNov. 18–22BullLimited (draw)4 GMUs: 71, 72, 73, 711
E-M-071-P1-RRifleOct. 14–18BullLimited (draw), private land only4 GMUs: 71, 72, 73, 711
E-M-071-P4-RRifleNov. 18–22BullLimited (draw), private land only4 GMUs: 71, 72, 73, 711
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

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

2026 draw results

These codes are valid in GMU 73 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-073-O2-R: 2026 primary draw, GMU 73 only, 10 licenses
Applicant groupApplicants, 1st choiceDrawn, all choicesDrawn out at
Resident adult4475 preference points; 7 of 8 drawn at that level
Nonresident adult1816 preference points; 1 of 2 drawn at that level
Resident youth211 preference point; 1 of 1 drawn at that level
Nonresident youth110 preference points; 1 of 1 drawn at that level
E-F-073-O3-R: 2026 primary draw, GMU 73 only, 10 licenses
Applicant groupApplicants, 1st choiceDrawn, all choicesDrawn out at
Resident adult29102 preference points; 1 of 5 drawn at that level
Nonresident adult40None drawn
E-F-073-O4-R: 2026 primary draw, GMU 73 only, 10 licenses
Applicant groupApplicants, 1st choiceDrawn, all choicesDrawn out at
Resident adult1090 preference points; 3 of 4 drawn at that level
Resident youth012nd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 1 of 1 drawn at that level

The codes below also include GMU 73, but they cover other units too. Their numbers are for the whole code.

E-E-071-P1-A: 2026 primary draw for the whole code (GMUs 71, 72, 73, 711), not GMU 73 alone, 165 licenses
Applicant groupApplicants, 1st choiceDrawn, all choicesDrawn out at
Resident adult11110 preference points; 8 of 8 drawn at that level
Nonresident adult1511500 preference points; 114 of 115 drawn at that level
Resident youth110 preference points; 1 of 1 drawn at that level
Nonresident youth330 preference points; 2 of 2 drawn at that level
E-F-071-O1-A: 2026 primary draw for the whole code (GMUs 71, 72, 73, 711), not GMU 73 alone, 100 licenses
Applicant groupApplicants, 1st choiceDrawn, all choicesDrawn out at
Resident adult43340 preference points; 25 of 34 drawn at that level
Nonresident adult26180 preference points; 6 of 14 drawn at that level
Resident youth57470 preference points; 30 of 40 drawn at that level
Nonresident youth111 preference point; 1 of 1 drawn at that level
E-F-071-O1-M: 2026 primary draw for the whole code (GMUs 71, 72, 73, 711), not GMU 73 alone, 30 licenses
Applicant groupApplicants, 1st choiceDrawn, all choicesDrawn out at
Resident adult95182 preference points; 7 of 22 drawn at that level
Nonresident adult2163 preference points; 4 of 4 drawn at that level
Resident youth1460 preference points; 1 of 7 drawn at that level
Nonresident youth10None drawn
E-F-071-O1-R: 2026 primary draw for the whole code (GMUs 71, 72, 73, 711), not GMU 73 alone, 40 licenses
Applicant groupApplicants, 1st choiceDrawn, all choicesDrawn out at
Resident adult216254 preference points; 8 of 21 drawn at that level
Nonresident adult4894 preference points; 1 of 2 drawn at that level
Resident youth3561 preference point; 2 of 10 drawn at that level
Nonresident youth40None drawn
E-F-071-P1-R: 2026 primary draw for the whole code (GMUs 71, 72, 73, 711), not GMU 73 alone, 15 licenses
Applicant groupApplicants, 1st choiceDrawn, all choicesDrawn out at
Resident adult12100 preference points; 4 of 6 drawn at that level
Nonresident adult210 preference points; 1 of 2 drawn at that level
Resident youth342nd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 1 of 11 drawn at that level
E-F-071-P4-R: 2026 primary draw for the whole code (GMUs 71, 72, 73, 711), not GMU 73 alone, 25 licenses
Applicant groupApplicants, 1st choiceDrawn, all choicesDrawn out at
Resident adult64202 preference points; 11 of 12 drawn at that level
Nonresident adult10None drawn
Resident youth750 preference points; 2 of 3 drawn at that level
Nonresident youth10None drawn
E-M-071-O1-A: 2026 primary draw for the whole code (GMUs 71, 72, 73, 711), not GMU 73 alone, 800 licenses
Applicant groupApplicants, 1st choiceDrawn, all choicesDrawn out at
Resident adult3213200 preference points; 276 of 277 drawn at that level
Nonresident adult7574510 preference points; 189 of 475 drawn at that level
Resident youth24240 preference points; 21 of 21 drawn at that level
Nonresident youth950 preference points; 3 of 7 drawn at that level
E-M-071-O1-M: 2026 primary draw for the whole code (GMUs 71, 72, 73, 711), not GMU 73 alone, 350 licenses
Applicant groupApplicants, 1st choiceDrawn, all choicesDrawn out at
Resident adult2031950 preference points; 162 of 167 drawn at that level
Nonresident adult3311331 preference point; 59 of 157 drawn at that level
Resident youth18180 preference points; 15 of 15 drawn at that level
Nonresident youth1342 preference points; 3 of 3 drawn at that level
E-M-071-O1-R: 2026 primary draw for the whole code (GMUs 71, 72, 73, 711), not GMU 73 alone, 550 licenses
Applicant groupApplicants, 1st choiceDrawn, all choicesDrawn out at
Resident adult3093020 preference points; 217 of 222 drawn at that level
Nonresident adult4111880 preference points; 32 of 221 drawn at that level
Resident youth46460 preference points; 34 of 34 drawn at that level
Nonresident youth32140 preference points; 2 of 16 drawn at that level
E-M-071-O4-R: 2026 primary draw for the whole code (GMUs 71, 72, 73, 711), not GMU 73 alone, 75 licenses
Applicant groupApplicants, 1st choiceDrawn, all choicesDrawn out at
Resident adult59550 preference points; 38 of 42 drawn at that level
Nonresident adult13130 preference points; 8 of 8 drawn at that level
Resident youth660 preference points; 6 of 6 drawn at that level
Nonresident youth110 preference points; 1 of 1 drawn at that level
E-M-071-P1-R: 2026 primary draw for the whole code (GMUs 71, 72, 73, 711), not GMU 73 alone, 75 licenses
Applicant groupApplicants, 1st choiceDrawn, all choicesDrawn out at
Resident adult770 preference points; 5 of 5 drawn at that level
Nonresident adult58592nd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 1 of 26 drawn at that level
Nonresident youth990 preference points; 7 of 7 drawn at that level
E-M-071-P4-R: 2026 primary draw for the whole code (GMUs 71, 72, 73, 711), not GMU 73 alone, 30 licenses
Applicant groupApplicants, 1st choiceDrawn, all choicesDrawn out at
Resident adult12162nd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 4 of 11 drawn at that level
Nonresident adult11132nd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 2 of 5 drawn at that level
Resident youth110 preference points; 1 of 1 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 73. 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 codeValid in (2025)HuntersElk harvestedSuccess
EM000U2R (OTC)93 GMUs (full list below)23,6684,55819.3%
EM000U3R (OTC)93 GMUs (full list below)17,3712,09612.1%
EE071P1A4 GMUs: 71, 72, 73, 7111303728.5%
EF071O1A4 GMUs: 71, 72, 73, 711951111.6%
EM071O1A4 GMUs: 71, 72, 73, 71179916620.8%
EF071O1M4 GMUs: 71, 72, 73, 71130620%
EM071O1M4 GMUs: 71, 72, 73, 7113497220.6%
EF071O1R4 GMUs: 71, 72, 73, 711391435.9%
EF071P1R4 GMUs: 71, 72, 73, 7114125%*
EF071P4R4 GMUs: 71, 72, 73, 711211571.4%
EF073O2RGMU 73 only600%*
EF073O3RGMU 73 only10550%*
EF073O4RGMU 73 only8337.5%*
EM071O1R4 GMUs: 71, 72, 73, 71155015227.6%
EM071O4R4 GMUs: 71, 72, 73, 7117568%
EM071P1R4 GMUs: 71, 72, 73, 711746486.5%
EM071P4R4 GMUs: 71, 72, 73, 71122627.3%

* CPW flags this estimate: few hunters responded.

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

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

CPW 2025 Elk Harvest Estimates

Outfitters

No outfitter in this site's verified directory sells hunts in GMU 73 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: Southwest), 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 73?

Yes: E-M-000-U2-R, E-M-000-U3-R are valid in GMU 73 for 2026.

What does it take to draw elk in GMU 73?

The highest-cutoff 2026 code that includes GMU 73, E-F-073-O2-R, drew out at 5 preference points for resident adults and 6 preference points for nonresident adults; it covers this GMU alone.

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