Attention all hunters! The application period for Colorado’s 2025 big game hunting licenses is now open, running from March 1 to April 1, 2025, with a strict deadline of 8 p.m. Mountain Time on April 1.

Key Details:

• Application Period: March 1 – April 1, 2025​
• Application Deadline: April 1, 2025, at 8 p.m. MDT
• Species Available: Elk, deer, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, desert bighorn sheep, mountain goats, moose, pronghorn, black bears, and mountain lion
• Application Process: All applications must be submitted online through the Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) website. ​

Important Changes for 2025:

• Nonresident Archery Elk Licenses: Starting this year, nonresidents can no longer purchase over-the-counter (OTC) archery elk licenses for Game Management Units (GMUs) west of I-25 and GMU 140. Nonresident hunters must now apply for limited licenses through the primary draw. OTC licenses remain available for certain GMUs east of I-25, primarily requiring landowner permission. ​
• Season Structure Updates: The 2025–2029 Big Game Season Structure introduces several changes, including adjustments to season dates and hunting opportunities. Hunters are advised to review the 2025 Colorado Big Game brochure for detailed information. ​
• Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Testing: CPW mandates the submission of CWD test samples (heads) from all deer harvested during rifle seasons in specific hunt codes. Hunters should consult the 2025 Big Game brochure to determine if their hunt area requires mandatory testing. ​

Tips for a Successful Application:

• Apply Early: Submitting your application well before the deadline allows time to address any potential issues and reduces last-minute stress.
• Review Regulations: Familiarize yourself with the 2025 Colorado Big Game brochure to understand new regulations, season structures, and specific unit changes.
• Qualifying License: Ensure you have purchased a qualifying license before applying for the big game draw.
• Update Personal Information: Verify that your contact and payment information in the CPW system is current to prevent any processing delays.

For comprehensive information and to submit your application, visit the CPW official website. Remember, the deadline is April 1, 2025, at 8 p.m. MDT—don’t miss out on the opportunity for an unforgettable hunting experience in Colorado’s majestic landscapes!

For a step-by-step guide on the application process, check out the following video from the good folks at Fresh Tracks with Randy Newberg:

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Leftover and Reissued Big ​Game Licenses

Leftover Big Game Licenses

• Now available – View the 2022 Leftover list.​​
• Leftover licenses went on sale August 2, 2022 at 9am MT.
• Active military personnel:  See the Military Benefits page for related opportunities.

What are leftover licenses?

Leftover licenses are the remaining limited licenses available after the primary and secondary draws are completed. The secondary draw has replaced the leftover draw. 

Reissued Big Game Licenses

Any license returned before the leftover list is created will be available August 2 when leftover licenses go on sale.

Starting August 9 the Reissue Preview list will be available. For details, see License Refunds, Reissues, Reversals and Exchanges. 

Starting on August 10 at 11am reissued licenses that were on the Reissue Preview List become available for sale on the leftover list. 

What are reissued licenses?

Reissued licenses are limited licenses that were returned for a refund or preference points, as well as those that were not paid for – and are listed on the leftover list.​ For more information on reissued licenses, visit the License Refund & Reissue page.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Over-the-Counter Big Game Licenses

​Over-the-Counter (OTC) Big Game Licenses

Big game over-the-counter licenses went on sale August 2, 2022, 9am MT. ​

What are over-the-counter licenses?

OTC licenses are not restricted in quantity but are restricted to certain units, seasons and manners of take. Although they are considered “unlimited licenses,” they are
still subject to purchase limits for each individual. 

They are available without having to participate in the draw(s). They do not require buying/having a qualifying license, do not use preference points and can be purchased after the start of a season by phone, online and in person at sales agents around the state.​​​​

Over-the-Counter and Add-on Bear Licenses

​Over-​the-Counter (OTC) Bear Licenses​

Bear over-the-counter rifle licenses went on sale August 2, 9am MT.​

What are over-the-counter licenses?

These are sold online, by phone, at sales agents and CPW locations for rifle, archery and muzzleloader seasons.

• OTC archery and muzzleloader bear licenses are add-on only licenses.

Add-on Bear Over-the-Counter Licenses​

Add-on archery and muzzleloader bear OTC licenses went on sale August 2, 9am MT.​

Some archery and muzzleloader bear licenses are available in unlimited numbers this year as “add-on” licenses. You can add on one of these bear licenses if you have a deer or elk license for the same season/method of take and at least one hunting unit overlaps.​​​​

1. READ UP AND RESEARCH

Draw stats, harvest stats, public versus private, an increase or decrease in licenses: There’s a lot to consider when preparing for the hunting season. Having macro and micro knowledge is important, but it’s also worth remembering that not all resources are created equally.

Most hunters start their schooling with their dads and granddads. Old hunt stories were their first lessons, and their first successful hunts came from being put on a decent buck in an area they’ve hunted for decades. But for those of you who didn’t start learning the ins and outs at age 7, publications and digital resources are the go-to method of unriddling big game hunting.

At the start of your hunting career, learning anything and everything is helpful. It boosts your excitement and covers the basics from a variety of perspectives. But once you get a few hunt seasons under your pack, you’ll begin developing a sense of what’s useful to you and your hunts, how to narrow down your resources and gather information pertinent to putting your best hunt plans forward. When reading up and researching for application season, put stock in resources that are as focused on your state, season, and species as you are.

2. PREPARE AND PRACTICE

Using the late winter and early spring seasons to reacquaint yourself with your gear and tinker with your bow, arrows, rounds, and rifles is a good time to get yourself in motion. It’s also a good time to push yourself by getting involved in shooting tournaments, joining a club, and practicing your shot while waiting on draw results.

Let’s start by getting the obvious out of the way. Yes, practicing your shot at a range with rock solid rests, or in the backyard with all the time in the world, are vastly different from a steep downhill 53-yard shot through thick timber, or a 400-yard shot through pulsing crosswinds. But the point here is to use this time to get the bad shots of the slow season out of your system, to get good at making good shots and to begin turning your bow and rifle into an extension of your own body.

If you’re already zeroed in and making good groups on paper, then consider adding some challenge by joining a shooting club or competing in a tournament. Surrounding yourself with shooters who can hit 2-inch groups at 500+ yards, or thread a needle at 60, is not only good company to pick up tips, but a great way to improve your accuracy before the draw.

3. TRAIN AND TEST

Though it’s a natural byproduct of scouting, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t get a jumpstart on getting in shape before the season starts. Pushing past the pressure and getting far enough from the road to reach mature animals requires physical fitness and the time to achieve it.

Contrary to the way it may look online or on the cover of your favorite hunt magazine, trophy animals are flat-out tough to hunt. Locating and harvesting are one thing. And packing it out is a whole other. A lot of hunters go all-in on cardio, preparing their lungs for thin air and far-flung glassing locations. Other hunters spend most of their time in the weight room to prepare for the hard labor of a 4-trip pack out.

The strength and physical fitness required to fill your tag and freezer with a mature age-class buck, ram, or bull shouldn’t be taken lightly. And when your goal is to improve year after year and best your best, moving further and faster is a big key to success. SHOP KUIU TRAINING GEAR NOW

4. SCOUT AND STUDY

When the draw results are in, one of the most important things you can do is get your boots dirty (or broken in if you’re running a new pair) with preseason scouting.

Indeed, digital mapping and GPS tools have made preseason scouting, planning and out-of-state hunting more accessible than ever, but nothing seconds the knowledge gained from in-the-field observations. If your hunt is within a reasonable distance, make every excuse possible to check out your unit before the start of the season.

Call it a family camping trip or a nice day to get out and look for sheds. Or just call it what it is: preseason scouting to get an eye on first and last light activity; Find bedding, rutting, and watering locations; Or get a sense of how long it’ll take to reach glassing knobs a, b and c. When the days are counting down, boots-in-the-dirt studying makes all the e-scouting you’ve done between meetings and on the couch real.

5. PLAYING THE PART

Are you and /or your hunting partners new to elk hunting? Perhaps you are planning your first trip out west and need some help deciding what type of hunt is right for you and / or help with what to bring and how to pack for a Wilderness Pack-in Hunt. If this is the case, we recommend you spend the time to watch our video resources. Even those who have been elk hunting before may pick up some good tips!

Our first video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS5ihS4-aoM is targeted at those new to elk hunting in the interest of helping you better understand the differences between a fully guided hunt vs a drop camp (unguided) hunt. Just as importantly, it takes an in depth look at what constitutes “the ideal profile of a drop camp hunter” in the interest of ensuring it is the right hunt for you if you are considering one. The video concludes with some recommendations aimed at helping you (and your partners) select the right hunt for your interests and abilities.

The additional videos available for your reference are a three-part series aimed at providing insight on “what to bring and how to pack” for a Wilderness Pack-in Hunt. The first two videos of this three-part series are aimed at all our hunters; guided and non-guided (drop camp hunters). The final video in the series is for unguided (drop camp hunters only). The playlist of three videos is available here:

In closing, we believe you will find these videos valuable in planning for your hunt with us as these address the many questions, we receive from hunters every season. We hope you enjoy the videos and look forward to seeing you on your hunt with us in the future.

Most have read about the need to prepare physically for a western elk hunt given the fact of dealing with high altitude and hunting remote country. However, there are two other components of preparation that can be equally important as they relate to increasing chances for elk hunting success:  skills and mental preparation! Within this article, I will review some suggestions and tips which will help you increase your chances to take a bull on your next hunt!

Skills Preparation for a Hunt

Skills preparation in terms of shooting and being “field ready” is often under-estimated! It is astounding and disappointing the number of hunters who believe if they go sight-in their rifle once a year at 100 yards, they are ready to go hunting. With archery, it can be a similar situation with some guys. For example, they go and shoot for a couple of weeks at known / even distances (i.e. 20, 30, 40 yards exactly) and think the same. Thankfully, hunters who put in little preparation rarely get shot opportunities given their lack of commitment to the sport. No doubt, poor skills preparation can result in wounded, never recovered game which is unacceptable in this case. As hunters we owe it to the game we hunt, to harvest them as quickly and cleanly as possible. In support of the above, here’s some sound tips on how to prepare for an elk hunt:

• Shooting Ability – as a guide, I tell clients that recommended shooting skill ability for rifle hunters is out to 300 yards and for archery out to at least 40 yards. To be specific, for rifle hunters they should be able to consistently shoot a 2” group at 300 yards and for archery, hunters should be able to shoot a 4” group at 40 yards. In general, most will agree the size of the “kill zone” is about a 12” pie plate but as responsible hunters we still must refine our skills to help eliminate the risk of poor shot placement. Additionally, shot angles can make this kill zone smaller! Hunters need to be honest with themselves as to what their skill limits are and be disciplined about only shooting within their ability!
• Shooting Positions – once you have your weapon sighted in properly at desired shooting distances, it’s time to move on to practicing shooting simulating “in field positions”. For rifle hunters, this means sitting, prone, kneeling and even some off hand for “in-close situations” if necessary. Ideally, especially “the first shot” at an elk should be off a solid rest in order to make it count! This is your best opportunity for a quick, clean kill. Make the first one count and many times with today’s calibers and ammo, it’s all that’s needed. Archery hunters should also practice “in field shooting positions” (i.e. standing, kneeling, sitting, etc.) including with your pack on, with it off and with your quiver on. Frankly, I never take my quiver off when hunting elk as most times I am on the move.
• Focusing on fundamentals of good shooting – when working to improve your shooting skills it is critical to focus on the fundamentals! Some core fundamental examples are breathing / relaxation, trigger control (steady slow pressure vs “pulling the trigger”), practicing “follow through” (i.e. don’t drop your rifle or bow to see where you hit the target), consistent anchor point for archers and a consistent sight picture (including level).
• Shoot odd distances – once your bow or rifle is sighted in, shoot “odd-distances”. Elk don’t stand at “even distances” like at the range. Know where you bow or rifle shoots!
• Practice shooting guessing the distance – range finders are great and should be used whenever possible (ideally ranging objects in shooting lanes when you first set up). However, practicing guessing distance can be the difference between success or failure especially with archery when an elk shows up unexpectedly and you don’t have time to range. When in doubt of the distance, don’t shoot! Archery hunters also have the luxury of going into the field to simulate hunting conditions with shooting stumps and portable targets. Lastly, 3D courses are also great practice for the archery hunters given they can replicate “hunting-like terrain” (shooting up and down hill), odd distances

Mental Preparation for a Hunt

“Mental Preparation” for an elk hunt often can mean the difference between harvesting a bull or not. It is my experience, and one that ALL my peer guides over the years would agree, where many hunters can fall short. For example, how will you react when that big bull steps into a shooting lane screaming with steam coming out of his nose at close range or a bull steps out across the park into the clear and you have mere seconds to set up for a clean shot?

One thing is certain with elk hunting, opportunities can arise quickly and just as quickly be gone! Therefore, being mentally prepared is critical to taking advantage of an opportunity! Here are a few tips that can help you with being prepared mentally for what might be one of the most exciting events of your life:

• Create a “Mental checklist” as part of shooting practice. Some examples are:
  • Archery – consistent anchor points, bow square / level, proper pin, focus / pick an “aim spot” on the target (3D targets are great for “picking a spot on game-like situations).
  • Rifle – scope adjusted to the proper power, round chambered, solid rest, safety off, crosshairs square to target, double check aim point on elk, steady trigger finger pressure, fire!
• Simulate “real shooting opportunities” in your mind when practicing. This is a great game to play with yourself on your first shot of a practice session. Was your first shot a “kill shot”? After all, in the field you don’t get a warm-up / practice shot on an elk!
• Practice “shot opportunity thinking” when in the field so it becomes habit. Think about getting in position for the shot so you limit movement when the elk is in sight range (or moving when he’s looking down or away). Identify shooting lanes / obstacles and range distances when you first set up.
• When you see game in the field think about shot placement (or no shot) factoring in good ethics (i.e. think through shot trajectory based on how game is standing and terrain (uphill / downhill). Are other elk in the line of fire?
• Think about controlling breathing and excitement – watch hunting videos paying attention to how successful hunters handle shot preparation and execution. Taking a deep breath and focusing on the shot will help. Try not to focus on how big the elk is or the size of his antlers. Once you know you want to take him, key in on where, when you will shoot and the execution of the shot (including exact shot placement).
• Build “safety first” into all mental preparation exercises! With arrows and bullets, there are no second chances!
• Be prepared not only physically (by being in the best shape you can be for your hunt) but also mentally for pushing yourself through the physical challenges of an elk hunt!

Closing Comments

In closing, your attention to details with your practice and preparation, can make all the difference in the world on your upcoming elk hunt! Too many times hunters get shot opportunities only to have them slip away. These turn into memories which are love / hate:  the great memory of seeing a “bull of a lifetime’ with yet the ugly remembrance of a missed opportunity that plays over and over in your mind for years to come! Therefore, why not get started now in support of your next hunt with being better prepared by honing your physical and mental skills for the opportunity you have been waiting for and dreaming about? While many will take time to buy all kinds of new gear for their next hunt, not enough hunters will take the time to assess and improve their skills in areas that can really make a difference!