Which elk hunt codes are valid in GMU 500?

12 limited codes in the 2026 brochure: E-E-500-O1-A (archery either, Sept. 2–30); E-F-500-O1-M (muzzleloader female, Sept. 12–20); E-M-500-O1-M (muzzleloader male, Sept. 12–20); E-F-500-L1-R (rifle female, Dec. 12–20 Late); E-M-500-O1-R (rifle male, Oct. 14–18); E-F-500-O2-R (rifle female, Oct. 24–Nov. 1); E-M-500-O2-R (rifle male, Oct. 24–Nov. 1); E-F-500-O3-R (rifle female, Nov. 7–15); E-M-500-O3-R (rifle male, Nov. 7–15); E-F-500-O4-R (rifle female, Nov. 18–22); E-M-500-O4-R (rifle male, Nov. 18–22); E-F-500-P5-R (rifle female, Sept. 1–Jan. 31).

What is the easiest elk tag to draw in GMU 500?

E-M-500-O4-R (rifle, male, Nov. 18–22) drew out at 1 for residents and 1 for nonresidents in the 2026 draw, with 10 tags.

How many points does it take to draw E-M-500-O1-R?

In the 2026 primary draw the last E-M-500-O1-R tag went at 4 resident points and 7 nonresident points. Resident history 2023–2026: 2/3/4/4; nonresident: 3/6/7/7.

What is elk hunting success in GMU 500?

In 2024, 777 elk hunters in GMU 500 harvested 234 animals (30% success, all seasons and weapons, CPW harvest survey).

GMU 500 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	171 (93 bulls / 69 cows)	610	28%	3,320
2024	234 (128 bulls / 106 cows)	777	30%	4,361
2023 Archery	22	84	27%	799
2023 Muzzleloader	25	102	25%	495
2023 Rifle	123	425	29%	2,026
2024 Archery	29	104	28%	1,016
2024 Muzzleloader	44	124	36%	702
2024 Rifle	161	549	29%	2,642

Season	Antlered harvest / hunters	Success	Antlerless harvest / hunters	Success
2023 Muzzleloader	18 / 44	40%	8 / 58	13%
2023 Rifle	58 / 153	38%	58 / 272	21%
2024 Muzzleloader	32 / 55	59%	12 / 69	17%
2024 Rifle	75 / 184	41%	86 / 366	24%

* 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-500-O1-A	archery	either	Sept. 2–30	■500	A	110	346	2	6	2/3/3/23/4/5/6	15%	72.9
E-F-500-O1-M	muzzleloader	female	Sept. 12–20	■500	B	85	102	0	0	0/0/0/00/0/0/0	44%	9.5
E-M-500-O1-M	muzzleloader	male	Sept. 12–20	■500	A	45	177	3	8	3/2/2/36/6/7/8	34%	14.5
E-F-500-L1-R	rifle	female	Dec. 12–20 Late	■500	B	10	11	0	–	0/0/0/0–	55%	8.3
E-M-500-O1-R	rifle	male	Oct. 14–18	■500	A	65	271	4	7	2/3/4/43/6/7/7	49%	7.2
E-F-500-O2-R	rifle	female	Oct. 24–Nov. 1	■500	B	195	198	0	0	0/0/0/00/0/0/0	25%	18.6
E-M-500-O2-R	rifle	male	Oct. 24–Nov. 1	■500	A	65	180	1	2	1/0/0/11/1/1/2	26%	20.5
E-F-500-O3-R	rifle	female	Nov. 7–15	■500	B	170	73	0 (2nd)	0 (2nd)	0/0/0/00/0/0/0	32%	14.7
E-M-500-O3-R	rifle	male	Nov. 7–15	■500	A	30	43	0	1	0/0/0/00/0/0/1	27%	21.8
E-F-500-O4-R	rifle	female	Nov. 18–22	■500	B	20	2	0 (2nd)	–	0/0/0/0-/-/0/-	32%	11.2
E-M-500-O4-R	rifle	male	Nov. 18–22	■500	A	10	24	1	1	1/0/0/11/0/1/1	88%*	3.7
E-F-500-P5-RPLO	rifle	female	Sept. 1–Jan. 31	500	B	20	32	1	–	1/1/0/1–	40%	15.3

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

Near-sure draws (0–1 point in 2026)

E-M-500-O4-R rifle male, Nov. 18–22: 10 tags, 24 first-choice apps, drew at 1 res /1 nonres, success 88% (low sample), List A
E-F-500-L1-R rifle female, Dec. 12–20 Late: 10 tags, 11 first-choice apps, drew at 0 res /– nonres, success 55%, List B
E-F-500-O1-M muzzleloader female, Sept. 12–20: 85 tags, 102 first-choice apps, drew at 0 res /0 nonres, success 44%, List B
E-F-500-P5-R rifle female, Sept. 1–Jan. 31: 20 tags, 32 first-choice apps, drew at 1 res /– nonres, success 40%, List B (private land only)
E-F-500-O3-R rifle female, Nov. 7–15: 170 tags, 73 first-choice apps, drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res /0 pts (2nd choice) nonres, success 32%, List B
E-F-500-O4-R rifle female, Nov. 18–22: 20 tags, 2 first-choice apps, drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res /– nonres, success 32%, List B
E-M-500-O3-R rifle male, Nov. 7–15: 30 tags, 43 first-choice apps, drew at 0 res /1 nonres, success 27%, List A
E-M-500-O2-R rifle male, Oct. 24–Nov. 1: 65 tags, 180 first-choice apps, drew at 1 res /2 nonres, success 26%, List A
E-F-500-O2-R rifle female, Oct. 24–Nov. 1: 195 tags, 198 first-choice apps, drew at 0 res /0 nonres, success 25%, List B

Point creep warnings (rose 2+ points since 2023)

E-E-500-O1-Aarchery either:res 2/3/3/2nonres 3/4/5/6
E-M-500-O1-Mmuzzleloader male:res 3/2/2/3nonres 6/6/7/8
E-M-500-O1-Rrifle male:res 2/3/4/4nonres 3/6/7/7

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

E-F-500-O1-M muzzleloader female Sept. 12–20 — drew at 0 res / 0 nonres, 85 tags
E-F-500-L1-R rifle female Dec. 12–20 Late — drew at 0 res / – nonres, 10 tags
E-F-500-O2-R rifle female Oct. 24–Nov. 1 — drew at 0 res / 0 nonres, 195 tags
E-F-500-O3-R rifle female Nov. 7–15 — drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res / 0 pts (2nd choice) nonres, 170 tags
E-F-500-O4-R rifle female Nov. 18–22 — drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res / – nonres, 20 tags
E-F-500-P5-R rifle female Sept. 1–Jan. 31 — drew at 1 res / – nonres, 20 tags

With your points

Likely draws (6)

Coin flips (3)

Not this year (3)

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 500?: 12 limited codes in the 2026 brochure: E-E-500-O1-A (archery either, Sept. 2–30); E-F-500-O1-M (muzzleloader female, Sept. 12–20); E-M-500-O1-M (muzzleloader male, Sept. 12–20); E-F-500-L1-R (rifle female, Dec. 12–20 Late); E-M-500-O1-R (rifle male, Oct. 14–18); E-F-500-O2-R (rifle female, Oct. 24–Nov. 1); E-M-500-O2-R (rifle male, Oct. 24–Nov. 1); E-F-500-O3-R (rifle female, Nov. 7–15); E-M-500-O3-R (rifle male, Nov. 7–15); E-F-500-O4-R (rifle female, Nov. 18–22); E-M-500-O4-R (rifle male, Nov. 18–22); E-F-500-P5-R (rifle female, Sept. 1–Jan. 31).
What is the easiest elk tag to draw in GMU 500?: E-M-500-O4-R (rifle, male, Nov. 18–22) drew out at 1 for residents and 1 for nonresidents in the 2026 draw, with 10 tags.
How many points does it take to draw E-M-500-O1-R?: In the 2026 primary draw the last E-M-500-O1-R tag went at 4 resident points and 7 nonresident points. Resident history 2023–2026: 2/3/4/4; nonresident: 3/6/7/7.
What is elk hunting success in GMU 500?: In 2024, 777 elk hunters in GMU 500 harvested 234 animals (30% success, all seasons and weapons, CPW harvest survey).