GMU 444 Elk Report — 2026 season
10 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 | 168 (130 bulls / 33 cows) | 992 | 17% | 5,517 |
| 2024 | 254 (166 bulls / 81 cows) | 1,199 | 21% | 6,458 |
| 2023 Archery | 24 | 289 | 8% | 2,189 |
| 2023 Muzzleloader | 17 | 73 | 23% | 440 |
| 2023 Rifle | 127 | 629 | 20% | 2,887 |
| 2024 Archery | 46 | 295 | 16% | 2,080 |
| 2024 Muzzleloader | 17 | 101 | 16% | 511 |
| 2024 Rifle | 191 | 803 | 24% | 3,867 |
| Season | Antlered harvest / hunters | Success | Antlerless harvest / hunters | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 Muzzleloader | 17 / 71 | 23% | 0 / 2 | 0% |
| 2023 Rifle | 89 / 555 | 16% | 33 / 75 | 45% |
| 2024 Muzzleloader | 17 / 70 | 24% | 0 / 31 | 0% |
| 2024 Rifle | 103 / 432 | 24% | 81 / 368 | 22% |
* CPW's antlered/antlerless tables do not include either-sex hunt 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-044-O1-A | archery | either | Sept. 2–30 | 44, 45, 47, 444 | A | 1,000 | 841 | 0 (2nd) | 0 (2nd) | -/-/0/0-/-/0/0 | 16% | 53.7 |
| E-F-044-O1-M | muzzleloader | female | Sept. 12–20 | 44, 45, 47, 444 | B | 125 | 65 | 0 (2nd) | 0 (2nd) | 2/-/0/02/-/0/0 | 19% | 24.9 |
| E-M-044-O1-M | muzzleloader | male | Sept. 12–20 | 44, 45, 47, 444 | A | 250 | 285 | 0 | 0 | 0/0/0/00/0/1/0 | 28% | 15.8 |
| E-F-044-O1-R | rifle | female | Oct. 14–18 | 44, 45, 47, 444 | B | 200 | 175 | 0 (2nd) | 0 (2nd) | 2/-/0/04/-/0/0 | 23% | 15.2 |
| E-M-044-O1-R | rifle | male | Oct. 14–18 | 44, 45, 47, 444 | A | 100 | 403 | 1 | 4 | 1/1/1/11/2/3/4 | 42% | 7.8 |
| E-F-444-O2-RLeftover likely | rifle | female | Oct. 24–Nov. 1 | 444 | B | 154 | 87 | – | – | 5/-/-/-7/-/-/- | 19% | 24.5 |
| E-F-444-O3-RLeftover likely | rifle | female | Nov. 7–15 | 444 | B | 61 | 36 | – | – | 5/-/-/-– | 18% | 27.5 |
| E-F-444-O4-RLeftover likely | rifle | female | Nov. 18–22 | 444 | B | 24 | 11 | – | – | 0/-/-/-0/-/-/- | 40% | 9.5 |
| E-M-444-O4-RLeftover likely | rifle | male | Nov. 18–22 | 444 | A | 56 | 27 | – | – | ––– | 17% | 23.9 |
| E-F-444-P5-RPLO | rifle | female | Aug. 15– Jan. 15 | 444 | B | 100 | 86 | 0 (2nd) | 0 (2nd) | 0/0/0/00/0/0/0 | 65% | 13.6 |
Near-sure draws (0–1 point in 2026)
- E-F-444-P5-R rifle female, Aug. 15– Jan. 15: 100 tags, 86 first-choice apps, drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res /0 pts (2nd choice) nonres, success 65%, List B (private land only)
- E-M-044-O1-R rifle male, Oct. 14–18: 100 tags, 403 first-choice apps, drew at 1 res /4 nonres, success 42%, List A
- E-M-044-O1-M muzzleloader male, Sept. 12–20: 250 tags, 285 first-choice apps, drew at 0 res /0 nonres, success 28%, List A
- E-F-044-O1-R rifle female, Oct. 14–18: 200 tags, 175 first-choice apps, drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res /0 pts (2nd choice) nonres, success 23%, List B
- E-F-044-O1-M muzzleloader female, Sept. 12–20: 125 tags, 65 first-choice apps, drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res /0 pts (2nd choice) nonres, success 19%, List B
- E-E-044-O1-A archery either, Sept. 2–30: 1,000 tags, 841 first-choice apps, drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res /0 pts (2nd choice) nonres, success 16%, List A
Point creep warnings (rose 2+ points since 2023)
- E-M-044-O1-Rrifle male:res 1/1/1/1nonres 1/2/3/4
Stackable tags (List B/C — hold alongside a List A tag)
- E-F-044-O1-M muzzleloader female Sept. 12–20 — drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res / 0 pts (2nd choice) nonres, 125 tags
- E-F-044-O1-R rifle female Oct. 14–18 — drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res / 0 pts (2nd choice) nonres, 200 tags
- E-F-444-O2-R rifle female Oct. 24–Nov. 1 — drew at – res / – nonres, 154 tags
- E-F-444-O3-R rifle female Nov. 7–15 — drew at – res / – nonres, 61 tags
- E-F-444-O4-R rifle female Nov. 18–22 — drew at – res / – nonres, 24 tags
- E-F-444-P5-R rifle female Aug. 15– Jan. 15 — drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res / 0 pts (2nd choice) nonres, 100 tags
Leftover likely
These codes had licenses left over after the 2026 primary draw:E-F-444-O2-R, E-F-444-O3-R, E-F-444-O4-R, E-M-444-O4-R.
With your points
Likely draws (5)
- E-E-044-O1-A (0)
- E-F-044-O1-M (0)
- E-M-044-O1-M (0)
- E-F-044-O1-R (0)
- E-F-444-P5-R (0)
Coin flips (1)
- E-M-044-O1-R (1)
Not this year (0)
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 444?
- 10 limited codes in the 2026 brochure: E-E-044-O1-A (archery either, Sept. 2–30); E-F-044-O1-M (muzzleloader female, Sept. 12–20); E-M-044-O1-M (muzzleloader male, Sept. 12–20); E-F-044-O1-R (rifle female, Oct. 14–18); E-M-044-O1-R (rifle male, Oct. 14–18); E-F-444-O2-R (rifle female, Oct. 24–Nov. 1); E-F-444-O3-R (rifle female, Nov. 7–15); E-F-444-O4-R (rifle female, Nov. 18–22); E-M-444-O4-R (rifle male, Nov. 18–22); E-F-444-P5-R (rifle female, Aug. 15– Jan. 15).
- What is the easiest elk tag to draw in GMU 444?
- E-F-444-P5-R (rifle, female, Aug. 15– Jan. 15) drew out at 0 pts (2nd choice) for residents and 0 pts (2nd choice) for nonresidents in the 2026 draw, with 100 tags.
- How many points does it take to draw E-M-044-O1-R?
- In the 2026 primary draw the last E-M-044-O1-R tag went at 1 resident points and 4 nonresident points. Resident history 2023–2026: 1/1/1/1; nonresident: 1/2/3/4.
- What is elk hunting success in GMU 444?
- In 2024, 1,199 elk hunters in GMU 444 harvested 254 animals (21% success, all seasons and weapons, CPW harvest survey).