Unit 53 bull elk, rifle

Hunt code
EM053O1R
Unit
53
Weapon
Rifle
Draw years
2021–2026

In 2026, residents needed 0 points: the report shows 38 of 49 drew at that level.

In 2026, nonresidents needed 3 points: the report shows 13 of 16 drew at that level.

Harvest success in 2025 was 23.6%.

2026 draw by point level

First-choice applicants at each point level, and how many of them drew.

Show residents or nonresidents
PointsResidents
AppliedDrewRate
811100%
522100%
411100%
266100%
11010100%
0493878%
All695884%
PointsNonresidents
AppliedDrewRate
82150%
611100%
53133%
46467%
3161381%
21000%
11700%
02300%
All782026%

Year by year

Permits are the hunt's total; CPW doesn't split them by residency in this report.

YearPermitsResidentsNonresidents
AppliedDrewPts neededAppliedDrewPts needed
2026806958078203
2025805252081231
2024803939097361
20238046420121351
2022806949073241
2021806350074270
023202120222023202420252026
ResidentsNonresidentsPoints needed, by year: the trend of past cutoffs, not a forecast.

Harvest

YearHuntersHarvestSuccess
2025721723.6%

Reading these numbers

Colorado ranks first-choice applicants by preference points (one point for each year you miss your first choice), with nonresidents capped at a share of each hunt's licenses. Hunts that took 10+ resident points the year before and have 5+ licenses also run a hybrid draw: up to 20% of licenses go at random to applicants with at least 5 points. For moose, bighorn sheep and mountain goat, each miss after 3 preference points adds a weighted point that improves a random draw instead; for those species the point level shown is preference plus weighted points. Numbers are adult first-choice applicants; youth and landowner (LPP) applicants are reported separately by CPW and left out.

Sources

See a number that doesn't match the report? Tell us.

Other hunts in unit 53

Units listed next to it

In CPW's unit order, which often but not always means nearby.