Which elk hunt codes are valid in GMU 18?

14 limited codes in the 2026 brochure: E-E-018-V1-A (archery either, Sept. 2–30); E-F-018-V1-A (archery female, Sept. 2–30); E-E-018-O1-M (muzzleloader either, Sept. 12–20); E-F-018-O1-M (muzzleloader female, Sept. 12–20); E-F-018-L1-R (rifle female, Nov. 28–Dec. 6 Late); E-E-018-O1-R (rifle either, Oct. 14–18); E-F-018-O1-R (rifle female, Oct. 14–18); E-F-018-O2-R (rifle female, Oct. 24–Nov. 1); E-F-018-O3-R (rifle female, Nov. 7–15); E-E-018-O4-R (rifle either, Nov. 18–22); E-F-018-O4-R (rifle female, Nov. 18–22); E-E-018-P1-R (rifle either, Oct. 14–18); E-E-018-P4-R (rifle either, Nov. 18–22); E-F-018-P5-R (rifle female, Sept. 1– Jan. 31, 2027).

What is the easiest elk tag to draw in GMU 18?

E-F-018-P5-R (rifle, female, Sept. 1– Jan. 31, 2027) drew out at 1 for residents and – for nonresidents in the 2026 draw, with 10 tags.

How many points does it take to draw E-E-018-O1-M?

In the 2026 primary draw the last E-E-018-O1-M tag went at 0 resident points and 0 nonresident points. Resident history 2023–2026: 0/0/0/0; nonresident: 0/0/0/0.

What is elk hunting success in GMU 18?

In 2024, 4,997 elk hunters in GMU 18 harvested 662 animals (13% success, all seasons and weapons, CPW harvest survey).

GMU 18 Elk Report — 2026 season

14 limited hunt codes valid in this unit. CPW 2026 brochure, 2026 primary draw recap, 2025 harvest survey. Points: resident / nonresident.

Unit harvest trend (2023–2024)

Year	Harvest	Hunters	Success	Rec. days
2023	572 (366 bulls / 184 cows)	5,500	10%	26,660
2024	662 (370 bulls / 269 cows)	4,997	13%	24,655
2023 Archery	58	1,356	4%	8,432
2023 Muzzleloader	44	387	11%	2,102
2023 Rifle	471	3,756	13%	16,127
2024 Archery	73	1,070	7%	6,503
2024 Muzzleloader	51	382	13%	2,165
2024 Rifle	538	3,544	15%	15,987

Season	Antlered harvest / hunters	Success	Antlerless harvest / hunters	Success
2023 Rifle	190 / 1,155	16%	124 / 1,522	8%
2024 Rifle	182 / 1,242	15%	171 / 1,199	14%

* CPW's antlered/antlerless tables do not include either-sex hunt codes. The split is hidden where one side is empty, because that usually means the unit’s tags for it are either-sex codes.

All limited + over-the-counter hunters. CPW published unit-level tables for 2023 and 2024; the 2025 report has hunt-code totals only.

Every hunt code in the unit

			Dates	GMUs						Pts 23→26 res / nonres
E-E-018-V1-ALeftover likely	archery	either	Sept. 2–30	18, 181	A	264	139	–	–	–––	2%	344.7
E-F-018-V1-ALeftover likely	archery	female	Sept. 2–30	18, 181	B	3	2	–	–	–––	–	–
E-E-018-O1-M	muzzleloader	either	Sept. 12–20	18, 181	A	250	273	0	0	0/0/0/00/0/0/0	11%	52.2
E-F-018-O1-M	muzzleloader	female	Sept. 12–20	18, 181	B	55	17	0 (2nd)	0 (2nd)	-/0/0/0-/0/0/0	4%	122.0
E-F-018-L1-R	rifle	female	Nov. 28–Dec. 6 Late	18	B	10	48	2	–	0/1/1/20/-/2/-	0%	–
E-E-018-O1-R	rifle	either	Oct. 14–18	18, 181	A	405	582	0	0	0/0/0/00/0/0/0	17%	22.3
E-F-018-O1-R	rifle	female	Oct. 14–18	18, 181	B	80	76	0 (2nd)	0	-/0/0/0-/0/0/0	9%	38.8
E-F-018-O2-R	rifle	female	Oct. 24–Nov. 1	18	B	250	196	0 (2nd)	0 (2nd)	-/0/0/0-/0/0/0	4%	135.1
E-F-018-O3-R	rifle	female	Nov. 7–15	18	B	200	181	0 (2nd)	0 (2nd)	-/-/0/0-/-/0/0	9%	59.8
E-E-018-O4-R	rifle	either	Nov. 18–22	18, 181	A	205	128	0 (2nd)	0 (2nd)	-/-/-/0-/-/-/0	11%	34.3
E-F-018-O4-R	rifle	female	Nov. 18–22	18	B	50	13	0 (2nd)	0 (2nd)	-/-/-/0-/-/-/0	17%	19.8
E-E-018-P1-RPLOLeftover likely	rifle	either	Oct. 14–18	18, 181	A	23	9	–	–	–––	54%	5.5
E-E-018-P4-RPLOLeftover likely	rifle	either	Nov. 18–22	18, 181	A	1	0	–	–	–––	12%	34.0
E-F-018-P5-RPLO	rifle	female	Sept. 1– Jan. 31, 2027	18	B	10	66	1	–	-/-/1/1-/-/1/-	20%*	142.5

* Low sample: CPW flags these hunt codes "few hunters responded".

Near-sure draws (0–1 point in 2026)

E-F-018-P5-R rifle female, Sept. 1– Jan. 31, 2027: 10 tags, 66 first-choice apps, drew at 1 res /– nonres, success 20% (low sample), List B (private land only)
E-F-018-O4-R rifle female, Nov. 18–22: 50 tags, 13 first-choice apps, drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res /0 pts (2nd choice) nonres, success 17%, List B
E-E-018-O1-R rifle either, Oct. 14–18: 405 tags, 582 first-choice apps, drew at 0 res /0 nonres, success 17%, List A
E-E-018-O1-M muzzleloader either, Sept. 12–20: 250 tags, 273 first-choice apps, drew at 0 res /0 nonres, success 11%, List A
E-E-018-O4-R rifle either, Nov. 18–22: 205 tags, 128 first-choice apps, drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res /0 pts (2nd choice) nonres, success 11%, List A
E-F-018-O3-R rifle female, Nov. 7–15: 200 tags, 181 first-choice apps, drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res /0 pts (2nd choice) nonres, success 9%, List B
E-F-018-O1-R rifle female, Oct. 14–18: 80 tags, 76 first-choice apps, drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res /0 nonres, success 9%, List B
E-F-018-O1-M muzzleloader female, Sept. 12–20: 55 tags, 17 first-choice apps, drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res /0 pts (2nd choice) nonres, success 4%, List B
E-F-018-O2-R rifle female, Oct. 24–Nov. 1: 250 tags, 196 first-choice apps, drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res /0 pts (2nd choice) nonres, success 4%, List B

Point creep warnings (rose 2+ points since 2023)

E-F-018-L1-Rrifle female:res 0/1/1/2nonres 0/-/2/-

Stackable tags (List B/C — hold alongside a List A tag)

E-F-018-V1-A archery female Sept. 2–30 — drew at – res / – nonres, 3 tags
E-F-018-O1-M muzzleloader female Sept. 12–20 — drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res / 0 pts (2nd choice) nonres, 55 tags
E-F-018-L1-R rifle female Nov. 28–Dec. 6 Late — drew at 2 res / – nonres, 10 tags
E-F-018-O1-R rifle female Oct. 14–18 — drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res / 0 nonres, 80 tags
E-F-018-O2-R rifle female Oct. 24–Nov. 1 — drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res / 0 pts (2nd choice) nonres, 250 tags
E-F-018-O3-R rifle female Nov. 7–15 — drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res / 0 pts (2nd choice) nonres, 200 tags
E-F-018-O4-R rifle female Nov. 18–22 — drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res / 0 pts (2nd choice) nonres, 50 tags
E-F-018-P5-R rifle female Sept. 1– Jan. 31, 2027 — drew at 1 res / – nonres, 10 tags

Leftover likely

These codes had licenses left over after the 2026 primary draw:E-E-018-V1-A, E-F-018-V1-A, E-E-018-P1-R, E-E-018-P4-R.

With your points

Likely draws (8)

Coin flips (1)

E-F-018-P5-R (1)

Not this year (1)

E-F-018-L1-R (2)

Based on the last draw's drawn-out-at points. Codes with no draw at that residency are left out. Point creep can push a code up a bucket.

Drawn-out-at = preference points held by the last successful applicant at that residency. "0 (2nd)" = the code filled with 2nd-choice applicants, so any 1st-choice applicant drew with 0 points. Success % and days/harvest are from CPW's 2025harvest survey, by hunt code.

FAQ

Which elk hunt codes are valid in GMU 18?: 14 limited codes in the 2026 brochure: E-E-018-V1-A (archery either, Sept. 2–30); E-F-018-V1-A (archery female, Sept. 2–30); E-E-018-O1-M (muzzleloader either, Sept. 12–20); E-F-018-O1-M (muzzleloader female, Sept. 12–20); E-F-018-L1-R (rifle female, Nov. 28–Dec. 6 Late); E-E-018-O1-R (rifle either, Oct. 14–18); E-F-018-O1-R (rifle female, Oct. 14–18); E-F-018-O2-R (rifle female, Oct. 24–Nov. 1); E-F-018-O3-R (rifle female, Nov. 7–15); E-E-018-O4-R (rifle either, Nov. 18–22); E-F-018-O4-R (rifle female, Nov. 18–22); E-E-018-P1-R (rifle either, Oct. 14–18); E-E-018-P4-R (rifle either, Nov. 18–22); E-F-018-P5-R (rifle female, Sept. 1– Jan. 31, 2027).
What is the easiest elk tag to draw in GMU 18?: E-F-018-P5-R (rifle, female, Sept. 1– Jan. 31, 2027) drew out at 1 for residents and – for nonresidents in the 2026 draw, with 10 tags.
How many points does it take to draw E-E-018-O1-M?: In the 2026 primary draw the last E-E-018-O1-M tag went at 0 resident points and 0 nonresident points. Resident history 2023–2026: 0/0/0/0; nonresident: 0/0/0/0.
What is elk hunting success in GMU 18?: In 2024, 4,997 elk hunters in GMU 18 harvested 662 animals (13% success, all seasons and weapons, CPW harvest survey).