Which elk hunt codes are valid in GMU 79?

10 limited codes in the 2026 brochure: E-E-079-V1-A (archery either, Sept. 2–30); E-F-079-O1-M (muzzleloader female, Sept. 12–20); E-M-079-O1-M (muzzleloader male, Sept. 12–20); E-F-079-O1-R (rifle female, Oct. 14–18); E-M-079-O1-R (rifle male, Oct. 14–18); E-F-079-O2-R (rifle female, Oct. 24–Nov. 1); E-M-079-O2-R (rifle male, Oct. 24–Nov. 1); E-F-079-O3-R (rifle female, Nov. 7–15); E-M-079-O3-R (rifle male, Nov. 7–15); E-F-079-O4-R (rifle female, Nov. 18–22).

What is the easiest elk tag to draw in GMU 79?

E-M-079-O1-R (rifle, male, Oct. 14–18) drew out at 0 pts (2nd choice) for residents and 0 pts (2nd choice) for nonresidents in the 2026 draw, with 165 tags.

How many points does it take to draw E-F-079-O1-M?

In the 2026 primary draw the last E-F-079-O1-M tag went at 0 pts (3rd choice) resident points and 0 pts (3rd choice) nonresident points. Resident history 2023–2026: -/0/-/0; nonresident: -/0/-/0.

What is elk hunting success in GMU 79?

In 2024, 1,034 elk hunters in GMU 79 harvested 163 animals (16% success, all seasons and weapons, CPW harvest survey).

GMU 79 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	140 (86 bulls / 54 cows)	1,136	12%	6,454
2024	163 (83 bulls / 76 cows)	1,034	16%	5,551
2023 Archery	32	388	8%	2,962
2023 Muzzleloader	0	36	0%	194
2023 Rifle	107	712	15%	3,298
2024 Archery	33	352	9%	2,334
2024 Muzzleloader	2	28	5%	152
2024 Rifle	128	654	20%	3,066

Season	Antlered harvest / hunters	Success	Antlerless harvest / hunters	Success
2023 Muzzleloader	0 / 14	0%	0 / 22	0%
2023 Rifle	56 / 336	17%	41 / 356	11%
2024 Muzzleloader	2 / 6	24%	0 / 22	0%
2024 Rifle	62 / 307	20%	56 / 339	16%

* 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-079-V1-ALeftover likely	archery	either	Sept. 2–30	79	A	86	27	–	–	–––	5%	201.8
E-F-079-O1-M	muzzleloader	female	Sept. 12–20	■79	A	25	9	0 (3rd)	0 (3rd)	-/0/-/0-/0/-/0	0%	–
E-M-079-O1-M	muzzleloader	male	Sept. 12–20	■79	A	15	27	0	2	0/0/0/01/2/0/2	7%	89.0
E-F-079-O1-R	rifle	female	Oct. 14–18	■79	A	50	33	0 (2nd)	0 (2nd)	0/0/-/00/0/-/0	10%	40.8
E-M-079-O1-R	rifle	male	Oct. 14–18	■79	A	165	73	0 (2nd)	0 (2nd)	0/0/0/00/0/0/0	22%	19.0
E-F-079-O2-RLeftover likely	rifle	female	Oct. 24–Nov. 1	■79	A	96	37	–	–	0/-/0/-0/-/0/-	2%	241.0
E-M-079-O2-R	rifle	male	Oct. 24–Nov. 1	■79	A	100	82	0 (2nd)	0	0/0/0/00/0/0/0	15%	38.4
E-F-079-O3-R	rifle	female	Nov. 7–15	■79	A	100	65	0 (2nd)	0 (2nd)	0/0/0/00/0/0/0	8%	70.6
E-M-079-O3-R	rifle	male	Nov. 7–15	■79	A	100	130	0	0	0/0/0/00/0/0/0	13%	42.1
E-F-079-O4-RLeftover likely	rifle	female	Nov. 18–22	■79	A	64	27	–	–	–––	4%	103.0

Near-sure draws (0–1 point in 2026)

E-M-079-O1-R rifle male, Oct. 14–18: 165 tags, 73 first-choice apps, drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res /0 pts (2nd choice) nonres, success 22%, List A
E-M-079-O2-R rifle male, Oct. 24–Nov. 1: 100 tags, 82 first-choice apps, drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res /0 nonres, success 15%, List A
E-M-079-O3-R rifle male, Nov. 7–15: 100 tags, 130 first-choice apps, drew at 0 res /0 nonres, success 13%, List A
E-F-079-O1-R rifle female, Oct. 14–18: 50 tags, 33 first-choice apps, drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res /0 pts (2nd choice) nonres, success 10%, List A
E-F-079-O3-R rifle female, Nov. 7–15: 100 tags, 65 first-choice apps, drew at 0 pts (2nd choice) res /0 pts (2nd choice) nonres, success 8%, List A
E-M-079-O1-M muzzleloader male, Sept. 12–20: 15 tags, 27 first-choice apps, drew at 0 res /2 nonres, success 7%, List A
E-F-079-O1-M muzzleloader female, Sept. 12–20: 25 tags, 9 first-choice apps, drew at 0 pts (3rd choice) res /0 pts (3rd choice) nonres, success 0%, List A

Leftover likely

These codes had licenses left over after the 2026 primary draw:E-E-079-V1-A, E-F-079-O2-R, E-F-079-O4-R.

With your points

Likely draws (7)

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 79?: 10 limited codes in the 2026 brochure: E-E-079-V1-A (archery either, Sept. 2–30); E-F-079-O1-M (muzzleloader female, Sept. 12–20); E-M-079-O1-M (muzzleloader male, Sept. 12–20); E-F-079-O1-R (rifle female, Oct. 14–18); E-M-079-O1-R (rifle male, Oct. 14–18); E-F-079-O2-R (rifle female, Oct. 24–Nov. 1); E-M-079-O2-R (rifle male, Oct. 24–Nov. 1); E-F-079-O3-R (rifle female, Nov. 7–15); E-M-079-O3-R (rifle male, Nov. 7–15); E-F-079-O4-R (rifle female, Nov. 18–22).
What is the easiest elk tag to draw in GMU 79?: E-M-079-O1-R (rifle, male, Oct. 14–18) drew out at 0 pts (2nd choice) for residents and 0 pts (2nd choice) for nonresidents in the 2026 draw, with 165 tags.
How many points does it take to draw E-F-079-O1-M?: In the 2026 primary draw the last E-F-079-O1-M tag went at 0 pts (3rd choice) resident points and 0 pts (3rd choice) nonresident points. Resident history 2023–2026: -/0/-/0; nonresident: -/0/-/0.
What is elk hunting success in GMU 79?: In 2024, 1,034 elk hunters in GMU 79 harvested 163 animals (16% success, all seasons and weapons, CPW harvest survey).