Which elk hunt codes are valid in GMU 561?

10 limited codes in the 2026 brochure: E-E-561-O1-A (archery either, Sept. 2–30); E-F-561-O1-M (muzzleloader female, Sept. 12–20); E-M-561-O1-M (muzzleloader male, Sept. 12–20); E-M-561-O1-R (rifle male, Oct. 14–18); E-F-561-O2-R (rifle female, Oct. 24–Nov. 1); E-M-561-O2-R (rifle male, Oct. 24–Nov. 1); E-F-561-O3-R (rifle female, Nov. 7–15); E-M-561-O3-R (rifle male, Nov. 7–15); E-F-561-O4-R (rifle female, Nov. 18–22); E-M-561-O4-R (rifle male, Nov. 18–22).

What is the easiest elk tag to draw in GMU 561?

E-M-561-O1-R (rifle, male, Oct. 14–18) drew out at 1 for residents and 4 for nonresidents in the 2026 draw, with 30 tags.

How many points does it take to draw E-M-561-O1-R?

In the 2026 primary draw the last E-M-561-O1-R tag went at 1 resident points and 4 nonresident points. Resident history 2023–2026: 1/1/1/1; nonresident: 1/3/2/4.

What is elk hunting success in GMU 561?

In 2024, 283 elk hunters in GMU 561 harvested 45 animals (16% success, all seasons and weapons, CPW harvest survey).

GMU 561 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	48 (32 bulls / 15 cows)	260	19%	1,417
2024	45 (22 bulls / 22 cows)	283	16%	1,760
2023 Archery	10	68	15%	547
2023 Muzzleloader	9	37	25%	163
2023 Rifle	29	155	18%	707
2024 Archery	11	68	16%	769
2024 Muzzleloader	2	43	4%	235
2024 Rifle	33	173	19%	757

Season	Antlered harvest / hunters	Success	Antlerless harvest / hunters	Success
2023 Muzzleloader	2 / 20	10%	7 / 17	44%
2023 Rifle	19 / 85	23%	8 / 70	11%
2024 Muzzleloader	0 / 28	0%	2 / 15	12%
2024 Rifle	15 / 95	16%	8 / 67	11%

* 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-561-O1-A	archery	either	Sept. 2–30	561	A	80	91	0	0	0/0/0/00/1/0/0	15%	59.0
E-F-561-O1-M	muzzleloader	female	Sept. 12–20	561	A	25	14	0 (2nd)	0 (2nd)	0/0/0/00/0/0/0	10%	52.5
E-M-561-O1-M	muzzleloader	male	Sept. 12–20	561	A	35	46	0	0	0/0/0/01/0/0/0	24%	23.0
E-M-561-O1-R	rifle	male	Oct. 14–18	561	A	30	64	1	4	1/1/1/11/3/2/4	63%	4.8
E-F-561-O2-R	rifle	female	Oct. 24–Nov. 1	561	A	30	41	0	1	1/1/0/0-/-/-/1	3%	174.0
E-M-561-O2-R	rifle	male	Oct. 24–Nov. 1	561	A	30	35	0	1	0/1/0/00/1/1/1	12%	57.3
E-F-561-O3-R	rifle	female	Nov. 7–15	561	A	30	30	0	0	0/0/0/01/-/1/0	0%	–
E-M-561-O3-R	rifle	male	Nov. 7–15	561	A	30	28	0 (2nd)	0	0/0/0/00/0/0/0	8%	55.5
E-F-561-O4-RLeftover likely	rifle	female	Nov. 18–22	561	A	15	6	–	–	-/0/0/--/0/0/-	12%	35.5
E-M-561-O4-R	rifle	male	Nov. 18–22	561	A	20	0	0 (3rd)	0 (2nd)	-/0/-/0-/0/-/0	35%	11.4

Near-sure draws (0–1 point in 2026)

E-M-561-O1-R rifle male, Oct. 14–18: 30 tags, 64 first-choice apps, drew at 1 res /4 nonres, success 63%, List A
E-M-561-O4-R rifle male, Nov. 18–22: 20 tags, 0 first-choice apps, drew at 0 pts (3rd choice) res /0 pts (2nd choice) nonres, success 35%, List A
E-M-561-O1-M muzzleloader male, Sept. 12–20: 35 tags, 46 first-choice apps, drew at 0 res /0 nonres, success 24%, List A
E-E-561-O1-A archery either, Sept. 2–30: 80 tags, 91 first-choice apps, drew at 0 res /0 nonres, success 15%, List A
E-M-561-O2-R rifle male, Oct. 24–Nov. 1: 30 tags, 35 first-choice apps, drew at 0 res /1 nonres, success 12%, List A
E-F-561-O1-M muzzleloader female, Sept. 12–20: 25 tags, 14 first-choice apps, drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res /0 pts (2nd choice) nonres, success 10%, List A
E-M-561-O3-R rifle male, Nov. 7–15: 30 tags, 28 first-choice apps, drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res /0 nonres, success 8%, List A
E-F-561-O2-R rifle female, Oct. 24–Nov. 1: 30 tags, 41 first-choice apps, drew at 0 res /1 nonres, success 3%, List A
E-F-561-O3-R rifle female, Nov. 7–15: 30 tags, 30 first-choice apps, drew at 0 res /0 nonres, success 0%, List A

Point creep warnings (rose 2+ points since 2023)

E-M-561-O1-Rrifle male:res 1/1/1/1nonres 1/3/2/4

Leftover likely

These codes had licenses left over after the 2026 primary draw:E-F-561-O4-R.

With your points

Likely draws (8)

Coin flips (1)

E-M-561-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 561?: 10 limited codes in the 2026 brochure: E-E-561-O1-A (archery either, Sept. 2–30); E-F-561-O1-M (muzzleloader female, Sept. 12–20); E-M-561-O1-M (muzzleloader male, Sept. 12–20); E-M-561-O1-R (rifle male, Oct. 14–18); E-F-561-O2-R (rifle female, Oct. 24–Nov. 1); E-M-561-O2-R (rifle male, Oct. 24–Nov. 1); E-F-561-O3-R (rifle female, Nov. 7–15); E-M-561-O3-R (rifle male, Nov. 7–15); E-F-561-O4-R (rifle female, Nov. 18–22); E-M-561-O4-R (rifle male, Nov. 18–22).
What is the easiest elk tag to draw in GMU 561?: E-M-561-O1-R (rifle, male, Oct. 14–18) drew out at 1 for residents and 4 for nonresidents in the 2026 draw, with 30 tags.
How many points does it take to draw E-M-561-O1-R?: In the 2026 primary draw the last E-M-561-O1-R tag went at 1 resident points and 4 nonresident points. Resident history 2023–2026: 1/1/1/1; nonresident: 1/3/2/4.
What is elk hunting success in GMU 561?: In 2024, 283 elk hunters in GMU 561 harvested 45 animals (16% success, all seasons and weapons, CPW harvest survey).