Which elk hunt codes are valid in GMU 45?

9 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-045-O2-R (rifle female, Oct. 24–Nov. 1); E-F-045-O3-R (rifle female, Nov. 7–15); E-F-045-O4-R (rifle female, Nov. 18–22); E-M-045-O4-R (rifle male, Nov. 18–22).

What is the easiest elk tag to draw in GMU 45?

E-M-044-O1-R (rifle, male, Oct. 14–18) drew out at 1 for residents and 4 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 45?

In 2024, 867 elk hunters in GMU 45 harvested 134 animals (15% success, all seasons and weapons, CPW harvest survey).

GMU 45 Elk Report — 2026 season

9 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	101 (98 bulls / 3 cows)	698	15%	3,935
2024	134 (95 bulls / 39 cows)	867	15%	4,145
2023 Archery	20	249	8%	1,976
2023 Muzzleloader	14	42	33%	192
2023 Rifle	67	407	16%	1,766
2024 Archery	14	219	6%	1,583
2024 Muzzleloader	12	65	19%	335
2024 Rifle	108	583	18%	2,227

Season	Antlered harvest / hunters	Success	Antlerless harvest / hunters	Success
2023 Rifle	64 / 379	17%	3 / 28	12%
2024 Muzzleloader	12 / 36	34%	0 / 29	0%
2024 Rifle	69 / 364	19%	39 / 219	18%

* 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-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-045-O2-RLeftover likely	rifle	female	Oct. 24–Nov. 1	45	B	141	51	–	–	4/-/-/-5/-/-/-	6%	91.6
E-F-045-O3-RLeftover likely	rifle	female	Nov. 7–15	45	B	74	35	–	–	1/-/-/-–	11%	43.7
E-F-045-O4-RLeftover likely	rifle	female	Nov. 18–22	45	B	19	7	–	–	0/-/-/-–	10%	37.0
E-M-045-O4-RLeftover likely	rifle	male	Nov. 18–22	45	A	25	7	–	–	–––	0%	–

Near-sure draws (0–1 point in 2026)

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-045-O2-R rifle female Oct. 24–Nov. 1 — drew at – res / – nonres, 141 tags
E-F-045-O3-R rifle female Nov. 7–15 — drew at – res / – nonres, 74 tags
E-F-045-O4-R rifle female Nov. 18–22 — drew at – res / – nonres, 19 tags

Leftover likely

These codes had licenses left over after the 2026 primary draw:E-F-045-O2-R, E-F-045-O3-R, E-F-045-O4-R, E-M-045-O4-R.

With your points

Likely draws (4)

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 45?: 9 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-045-O2-R (rifle female, Oct. 24–Nov. 1); E-F-045-O3-R (rifle female, Nov. 7–15); E-F-045-O4-R (rifle female, Nov. 18–22); E-M-045-O4-R (rifle male, Nov. 18–22).
What is the easiest elk tag to draw in GMU 45?: E-M-044-O1-R (rifle, male, Oct. 14–18) drew out at 1 for residents and 4 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 45?: In 2024, 867 elk hunters in GMU 45 harvested 134 animals (15% success, all seasons and weapons, CPW harvest survey).