The Colorado Hunting Guide

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Non-resident elk hunting in Colorado

A non-resident Colorado elk hunt realistically starts at about $974 in state fees before you spend a dollar on travel, gear, or a guide — and the tag rules differ from a resident's in one big way: non-resident over-the-counter archery elk was eliminated west of I-25. Non-residents keep OTC rifle elk and can still draw limited archery codes; the non-resident hub covers the broader picture. CPW · Elk hunting

The real cost, all in

The elk license itself is $845.16 for a non-resident in 2026, but that number alone undersells the bill. To buy or apply for one you also need a qualifying license and, in most cases, a habitat stamp — and if you're applying in the draw rather than buying OTC, an application fee on top:

That totals roughly $974 for one species' worth of state fees — before fuel, lodging, licensed processing, gear, or an outfitter. CPW · Primary Draw If you buy an OTC rifle tag instead of applying in the draw, drop the application fee and you're closer to $963. The full breakdown of every species and add-on fee is on the license-costs page; what a DIY trip costs beyond the license is on the DIY cost page.

OTC or draw — the non-resident decision

PathWhat it gets youTrade-off
OTC rifle elk (2nd/3rd season) Buy the tag directly, no points, no waiting Crowded units, no unit choice guarantee once tags sell out locally
OTC archery, east-of-I-25 units Buy directly in the few units that still allow it Limited geography — not the classic western-slope hunt
Draw a limited archery or 1st/4th-rifle code Access to western-slope units, quieter hunts, higher success Competes for a capped non-resident share; can take years of points

For a first out-of-state elk hunt, OTC rifle elk is the fastest way in — no draw, no points, and Colorado still sells more OTC elk tags than any neighboring state. If a specific western-slope archery hunt is the goal, plan on the draw and start banking preference points now, because that tag is no longer something a non-resident can just buy. CPW · OTC licenses

Tag strategy: build points or buy OTC now?

The honest trade-off: every year you apply and don't draw, you bank a preference point toward a better unit later, but non-residents draw against a separate, capped share of each hunt code (roughly 20–25% depending on how competitive the code is), so a sought-after western-slope unit can take years to draw. If you want to hunt this season, an OTC rifle tag gets you into the field now with no point strategy required. Most non-resident hunters do both — buy OTC most years while quietly stacking a point for one unit they're targeting down the road. How the draw works and how points accumulate cover the mechanics.

Guided or DIY — when a non-resident should consider an outfitter

Public-land elk hunting is legal and common for non-residents, but coming from out of state with no local knowledge of a unit is where a lot of first trips go sideways. If you don't have a season or two of scouting in you, a guide or drop camp buys back that learning curve — what a guided hunt costs lays out realistic pricing, and the non-resident hub routes to the first-hunt planning guide if you're still deciding DIY versus guided.

Common questions

How much does a non-resident elk hunt cost in Colorado?

Figure roughly $974 in state fees for one species application — the $845.16 elk license, a $104.86 qualifying license, a $12.76 habitat stamp, and an $11.49 application fee. That's before travel, gear, processing, or a guide. Buying an OTC tag instead of applying in the draw drops the application fee.

Can non-residents still buy an over-the-counter elk tag in Colorado?

Yes for rifle elk — non-residents can still buy OTC rifle elk tags. Non-resident OTC archery elk was eliminated for units west of I-25 and GMU 140, though a few units east of I-25 still sell OTC archery to non-residents. See OTC tags.

What's the fastest way for a non-resident to hunt elk in Colorado?

An over-the-counter rifle elk tag in the 2nd or 3rd rifle season — no draw, no preference points, buy it directly. Archery elk on the western slope now requires drawing a limited non-resident code.

Should a non-resident hunt elk in Colorado DIY or with an outfitter?

Either works legally — public land is open to non-residents. DIY saves money but assumes you can scout or already know a unit; a guide or drop camp costs more but replaces years of local knowledge. See guided hunt costs and planning your first hunt.

Primary sources

Never miss a deadline

The Colorado draw application closes in early April, and season dates shift a little each year. Leave your email and we'll send one short reminder before the draw deadline and a note whenever the season dates change — nothing else.