Hunt this year, keep your points
You don't have to choose between hunting and saving points. Put your dream hunt (or the point code) 1st and a hunt that reliably goes to 2nd choice behind it.
Why it works
- Your 1st choice misses, so you earn a preference point.
- Every 1st-choice applicant is processed before 2nd choices, but hunts with more licenses than 1st-choice demand roll down to 2nd-choice applicants.
- 2nd choices don't touch your points. You hunt this fall and come back next year with one more point.
Watch out: a hunt that goes to 2nd choice one year can fill with 1st choices the next. Favor hunts that have done it several years running — the “years” column below.
Bull & either-sex hunts that went to 2nd choice in 2026
451 elk hunts issued licenses to 2nd-choice residents in 2026 (303 of them cow hunts). These are the bull and either-sex ones:
| Hunt | Type | 2nd-choice res. drew | Years with room* |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-M-011-O1-R | Bull · 1st rifle · Units 11, 12, 13, 23, 24, 25 | 302 of 945 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-007-O3-R | Bull · 3rd rifle · Units 7, 8 | 191 of 372 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-007-O2-R | Bull · 2nd rifle · Units 7, 8 | 153 of 398 | 12 of 12 |
| E-E-082-O1-R | Either sex · 1st rifle · Unit 82 | 84 of 151 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-019-O2-R | Bull · 2nd rifle · Unit 19 | 76 of 158 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-019-O3-R | Bull · 3rd rifle · Unit 19 | 66 of 120 | 12 of 12 |
| E-E-018-O4-R | Either sex · 4th rifle · Units 18, 181 | 58 of 119 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-007-O4-R | Bull · 4th rifle · Units 7, 8 | 58 of 125 | 12 of 12 |
| E-E-011-P1-R | Either sex · Private land only rifle · Units 11, 12, 13, 23, 24, 25 | 56 of 78 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-041-O4-R | Bull · 4th rifle · Units 41, 42, 52, 411, 421 | 47 of 124 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-011-O4-R | Bull · 4th rifle · Units 11, 211 | 36 of 80 | 12 of 12 |
| E-E-003-P1-R | Either sex · Private land only rifle · Units 3, 4, 5, 214, 301, 441 | 35 of 57 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-068-O4-R | Bull · 4th rifle · Units 68, 681 | 35 of 139 | 12 of 12 |
| E-E-461-O1-A | Either sex · Archery · Unit 461 | 31 of 35 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-012-O4-R | Bull · 4th rifle · Units 11, 12, 13, 23, 24, 25 | 30 of 69 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-019-O4-R | Bull · 4th rifle · Unit 19 | 28 of 56 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-079-O1-R | Bull · 1st rifle · Unit 79 | 28 of 78 | 12 of 12 |
| E-E-082-O4-R | Either sex · 4th rifle · Unit 82 | 27 of 62 | 12 of 12 |
| E-E-015-O4-R | Either sex · 4th rifle · Unit 15 | 22 of 38 | 12 of 12 |
| E-E-041-P4-R | Either sex · Private land only (4) rifle · Unit 41 | 22 of 67 | 12 of 12 |
| E-E-060-O4-R | Either sex · 4th rifle · Unit 60 | 21 of 29 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-059-O4-R | Bull · 4th rifle · Units 59, 581 | 20 of 60 | 12 of 12 |
| E-E-062-P4-R | Either sex · Private land only (4) rifle · Unit 62 | 19 of 31 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-041-O1-R | Bull · 1st rifle · Units 41, 42, 52, 411, 421, 521 | 19 of 290 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-191-O2-R | Bull · 2nd rifle · Unit 191 | 19 of 38 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-511-O4-R | Bull · 4th rifle · Unit 511 | 18 of 32 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-191-O3-R | Bull · 3rd rifle · Unit 191 | 15 of 33 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-014-O4-R | Bull · 4th rifle · Unit 14 | 13 of 28 | 12 of 12 |
| E-E-016-O4-R | Either sex · 4th rifle · Unit 16 | 12 of 22 | 12 of 12 |
| E-E-064-P4-R | Either sex · Private land only (4) rifle · Unit 64 | 12 of 23 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-561-O4-R | Bull · 4th rifle · Unit 561 | 12 of 17 | 12 of 12 |
| E-E-028-P4-R | Either sex · Private land only (4) rifle · Units 28, 37 | 10 of 12 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-104-O2-R | Bull · 2nd rifle · Unit 104 | 10 of 13 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-191-O4-R | Bull · 4th rifle · Unit 191 | 10 of 17 | 12 of 12 |
| E-E-053-P1-R | Either sex · Private land only rifle · Units 53, 63 | 9 of 14 | 12 of 12 |
| E-E-028-P1-R | Either sex · Private land only rifle · Units 28, 37 | 8 of 8 | 12 of 12 |
| E-E-053-P4-R | Either sex · Private land only (4) rifle · Units 53, 63 | 6 of 14 | 12 of 12 |
| E-E-391-O1-A | Either sex · Archery · Unit 391 | 6 of 8 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-025-O4-R | Bull · 4th rifle · Unit 25 | 6 of 15 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-074-O4-R | Bull · 4th rifle · Units 74, 741 | 6 of 18 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-104-O1-R | Bull · 1st rifle · Unit 104 | 6 of 10 | 12 of 12 |
| E-E-015-P1-R | Either sex · Private land only rifle · Unit 15 | 5 of 10 | 12 of 12 |
| E-E-018-P1-R | Either sex · Private land only rifle · Units 18, 181 | 5 of 6 | 12 of 12 |
| E-E-027-O4-R | Either sex · 4th rifle · Unit 27 | 5 of 11 | 12 of 12 |
| E-E-086-P1-R | Either sex · Private land only rifle · Units 86, 691, 861 | 5 of 23 | 12 of 12 |
| E-E-371-O4-R | Either sex · 4th rifle · Unit 371 | 5 of 11 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-009-O1-R | Bull · 1st rifle · Unit 9 | 5 of 5 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-033-O4-R | Bull · 4th rifle · Unit 33 | 5 of 11 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-053-O4-R | Bull · 4th rifle · Unit 53 | 5 of 16 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-104-O3-R | Bull · 3rd rifle · Unit 104 | 5 of 9 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-231-O4-R | Bull · 4th rifle · Unit 231 | 5 of 9 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-391-O1-M | Bull · Muzzleloader · Unit 391 | 5 of 6 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-391-O3-R | Bull · 3rd rifle · Unit 391 | 5 of 8 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-461-O1-M | Bull · Muzzleloader · Unit 461 | 5 of 5 | 12 of 12 |
| E-E-043-P1-R | Either sex · Private land only rifle · Units 43, 431, 471 | 4 of 6 | 12 of 12 |
| E-E-085-P1-R | Either sex · Private land only rifle · Units 85, 140, 851 | 4 of 62 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-009-O2-R | Bull · 2nd rifle · Unit 9 | 4 of 8 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-034-O4-R | Bull · 4th rifle · Unit 34 | 4 of 10 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-104-O1-M | Bull · Muzzleloader · Unit 104 | 4 of 7 | 12 of 12 |
| E-M-104-O4-R | Bull · 4th rifle · Unit 104 | 4 of 6 | 12 of 12 |
*Years in which the hunt issued licenses to 2nd-choice residents or had licenses left over after the primary draw.
See all 2nd-choice hunts in the Draw Finder →
Questions
Can I draw a Colorado elk tag with my 2nd choice and still keep my points?
Yes. 2nd–4th choices don't use points, and you still earn a point if your 1st choice is unsuccessful. In the 2026 draw, 451 elk hunts issued licenses to 2nd-choice resident applicants.
What should I put as my 1st choice?
Either a hunt you’re building toward (you’ll earn a point when you miss) or the point-only code E-P-999-99-P. Both keep your points growing.
Updated 2026-11-07. Rules summarized from the CPW Big Game Brochure and Parks and Wildlife Commission documents — the brochure is the final word.