COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) wants to remind hunters that the deadline to submit an application for the first round of big game licenses is Tuesday, April 1 at 8 p.m.
Hunters are encouraged to get their application in a early as possible to avoid confusion or mixups, CPW said.
The first round of hunters selected for big game licenses will be posted online from May 27-May 30. Hunters will have until 11:59 p.m. on June 2 to surrender a license from the primary draw should they choose to.
The big game hunting season includes elk, deer, bighorn sheep, and mountain lions. You do need a qualifying license, such as a small game or spring turkey licenses. To learn more, click here.
2025 changes
There are a few changes for the 2025 season that hunters should be aware of. Among the biggest are changes in licenses for out-of-state hunters.
CPW will be restricting the offering of over-the-counter archery elk licenses for game management units (GMUs) west of Interstate 25 and GMU 140. Hunters must now participate in a limited draw.
Each year, a limited number of licenses is allotted to each GMU), which areas across the state that are available to hunt, broken down on a map. A GMU map is available through the Colorado Hunting Atlas or on the inside back cover of the Big Game Brochure.
Missed the first application portal? No worries, CPW will be offering a secondary draw later in the year, with applications accepted on June 19 and the results of that draw posted on July 7. Click here to see CPW's Big Game Brochure, or you can read it below.
