Which elk hunt codes are valid in GMU 461?

12 limited codes in the 2026 brochure: E-E-461-O1-A (archery either, Sept. 2–30); E-F-461-O1-M (muzzleloader female, Sept. 12–20); E-M-461-O1-M (muzzleloader male, Sept. 12–20); E-F-461-O1-R (rifle female, Oct. 14–18); E-M-461-O1-R (rifle male, Oct. 14–18); E-F-461-O2-R (rifle female, Oct. 24–Nov. 1); E-M-461-O2-R (rifle male, Oct. 24–Nov. 1); E-F-461-O3-R (rifle female, Nov. 7–15); E-M-461-O3-R (rifle male, Nov. 7–15); E-F-461-O4-R (rifle female, Nov. 18–22); E-M-461-O4-R (rifle male, Nov. 18–22); E-F-461-P5-R (rifle female, Sept. 1–Jan. 31).

What is the easiest elk tag to draw in GMU 461?

E-M-461-O3-R (rifle, male, Nov. 7–15) drew out at 0 pts (2nd choice) for residents and – for nonresidents in the 2026 draw, with 10 tags.

How many points does it take to draw E-E-461-O1-A?

In the 2026 primary draw the last E-E-461-O1-A tag went at 0 pts (2nd choice) resident points and 0 pts (3rd choice) nonresident points. Resident history 2023–2026: 0/0/-/0; nonresident: 0/-/-/0.

What is elk hunting success in GMU 461?

In 2024, 132 elk hunters in GMU 461 harvested 26 animals (20% success, all seasons and weapons, CPW harvest survey).

GMU 461 Elk Report — 2026 season

12 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	16 (6 bulls / 10 cows)	128	12%	858
2024	26 (14 bulls / 11 cows)	132	20%	794
2023 Archery	0	34	0%	511
2023 Muzzleloader	0	11	0%	42
2023 Rifle	16	83	19%	305
2024 Archery	3	37	8%	383
2024 Muzzleloader	0	18	0%	94
2024 Rifle	23	77	30%	317

Season	Antlered harvest / hunters	Success	Antlerless harvest / hunters	Success
2023 Muzzleloader	0 / 9	0%	0 / 2	0%
2023 Rifle	6 / 32	18%	10 / 51	20%
2024 Rifle	12 / 34	34%	11 / 43	26%

* 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-461-O1-A	archery	either	Sept. 2–30	■461	A	50	15	0 (2nd)	0 (3rd)	0/0/-/00/-/-/0	18%	55.9
E-F-461-O1-MLeftover likely	muzzleloader	female	Sept. 12–20	■461	A	0	0	–	–	–––	0%*	–
E-M-461-O1-MLeftover likely	muzzleloader	male	Sept. 12–20	■461	A	7	2	–	–	–––	32%*	10.8
E-F-461-O1-RLeftover likely	rifle	female	Oct. 14–18	■461	A	3	2	–	–	–––	20%*	17.0
E-M-461-O1-R	rifle	male	Oct. 14–18	■461	A	10	7	0 (2nd)	0	-/-/0/0-/-/0/0	0%*	–
E-F-461-O2-RLeftover likely	rifle	female	Oct. 24–Nov. 1	■461	A	1	0	–	–	–––	0%*	–
E-M-461-O2-R	rifle	male	Oct. 24–Nov. 1	■461	A	10	12	0	0	-/0/0/0-/-/-/0	22%*	23.5
E-F-461-O3-RLeftover likely	rifle	female	Nov. 7–15	■461	A	1	0	–	–	–––	0%*	–
E-M-461-O3-R	rifle	male	Nov. 7–15	■461	A	10	7	0 (2nd)	–	0/-/-/00/-/-/-	43%*	13.7
E-F-461-O4-RLeftover likely	rifle	female	Nov. 18–22	■461	A	0	0	–	–	–––	0%*	–
E-M-461-O4-R	rifle	male	Nov. 18–22	■461	A	10	5	0 (2nd)	–	-/-/0/0–	40%*	12.0
E-F-461-P5-RPLO	rifle	female	Sept. 1–Jan. 31	461	C	25	37	0	–	0/0/0/0–	32%	101.8

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

Near-sure draws (0–1 point in 2026)

E-M-461-O3-R rifle male, Nov. 7–15: 10 tags, 7 first-choice apps, drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res /– nonres, success 43% (low sample), List A
E-M-461-O4-R rifle male, Nov. 18–22: 10 tags, 5 first-choice apps, drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res /– nonres, success 40% (low sample), List A
E-F-461-P5-R rifle female, Sept. 1–Jan. 31: 25 tags, 37 first-choice apps, drew at 0 res /– nonres, success 32%, List C (private land only)
E-M-461-O2-R rifle male, Oct. 24–Nov. 1: 10 tags, 12 first-choice apps, drew at 0 res /0 nonres, success 22% (low sample), List A
E-E-461-O1-A archery either, Sept. 2–30: 50 tags, 15 first-choice apps, drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res /0 pts (3rd choice) nonres, success 18%, List A
E-M-461-O1-R rifle male, Oct. 14–18: 10 tags, 7 first-choice apps, drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res /0 nonres, success 0% (low sample), List A

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

E-F-461-P5-R rifle female Sept. 1–Jan. 31 — drew at 0 res / – nonres, 25 tags

Leftover likely

These codes had licenses left over after the 2026 primary draw:E-F-461-O1-M, E-M-461-O1-M, E-F-461-O1-R, E-F-461-O2-R, E-F-461-O3-R, E-F-461-O4-R.

With your points

Likely draws (6)

Coin flips (0)

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 461?: 12 limited codes in the 2026 brochure: E-E-461-O1-A (archery either, Sept. 2–30); E-F-461-O1-M (muzzleloader female, Sept. 12–20); E-M-461-O1-M (muzzleloader male, Sept. 12–20); E-F-461-O1-R (rifle female, Oct. 14–18); E-M-461-O1-R (rifle male, Oct. 14–18); E-F-461-O2-R (rifle female, Oct. 24–Nov. 1); E-M-461-O2-R (rifle male, Oct. 24–Nov. 1); E-F-461-O3-R (rifle female, Nov. 7–15); E-M-461-O3-R (rifle male, Nov. 7–15); E-F-461-O4-R (rifle female, Nov. 18–22); E-M-461-O4-R (rifle male, Nov. 18–22); E-F-461-P5-R (rifle female, Sept. 1–Jan. 31).
What is the easiest elk tag to draw in GMU 461?: E-M-461-O3-R (rifle, male, Nov. 7–15) drew out at 0 pts (2nd choice) for residents and – for nonresidents in the 2026 draw, with 10 tags.
How many points does it take to draw E-E-461-O1-A?: In the 2026 primary draw the last E-E-461-O1-A tag went at 0 pts (2nd choice) resident points and 0 pts (3rd choice) nonresident points. Resident history 2023–2026: 0/0/-/0; nonresident: 0/-/-/0.
What is elk hunting success in GMU 461?: In 2024, 132 elk hunters in GMU 461 harvested 26 animals (20% success, all seasons and weapons, CPW harvest survey).