When is elk season in Colorado Unit 72?

Colorado Unit 72 has several 2026 elk seasons. Archery is September 2–30 and muzzleloader is September 12–20. Rifle windows are October 14–18, October 24–November 1, November 7–15, and November 18–22; a separate female rifle hunt runs September 1–30 in the specified area south and west of the Dolores River in Dolores County. Sex and license restrictions depend on the hunt.

What license or permit do I need to hunt elk in Colorado Unit 72?

You need the Elk License that applies to your hunt in Colorado Unit 72. Residents and nonresidents have over-the-counter options, and some supported OTC licenses go on sale at 9 a.m. on August 4, 2026. The exact hunt code and restrictions depend on the season and opportunity.

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Colorado Elk Game Management Unit 72

Plan an elk hunt in Colorado Game Management Unit 72. Review season dates, license options, then browse available private-land hunts and book directly from landowners.

Last updated October 19, 2026 by Aricin Rotarius

Find Hunts in Unit 72

Sold Out

Southwest CO DIY Archery Big Game Hunt w/ Lodging

3,000 Acres at Lanier Farms in Cortez, CO

Starting Price $4,950 / Guest

1 Guest

5 Days

RV Friendly

Sold Out

Southwest CO Guided Archery Big Game Hunt w/ Lodging & Meals

3,000 Acres at Lanier Farms in Cortez, CO

Starting Price $7,700 / Guest

1 Guest

5 Days

RV Friendly

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Colorado Elk Opportunities in Unit 72

Female

September 1, 2026 – September 30, 2026

Opportunity	Method	Availability	License or Permit	Additional Details
Female	Rifle	Resident: — Nonresident: —	Elk License: E-F-072-P5-R	Land: Private Land Only 711 S and W of Dolores River, within Dolores Co. List B List B

Archery — Limited Resident & Nonresident Licenses

September 2, 2026 – September 30, 2026

Opportunity	Method	Availability	License or Permit	Additional Details
Either	Archery	Resident: — Nonresident: —	Elk License: E-E-071-P1-A	Land: Private Land Only
Female	Archery	Resident: — Nonresident: —	Elk License: E-F-071-O1-A	—
Male	Archery	Resident: — Nonresident: —	Elk License: E-M-071-O1-A	—

Muzzleloader Elk — Limited Licenses

September 12, 2026 – September 20, 2026

Opportunity	Method	Availability	License or Permit	Additional Details
Antlerless	Muzzleloader	Resident: OTC Nonresident: OTC	Elk License: E-F-071-O1-M	List A. Add-on over-the-counter bear licenses available for this unit.
Bull	Muzzleloader	Resident: OTC Nonresident: OTC	Elk License: E-M-071-O1-M	List A. Add-on over-the-counter bear licenses available for this unit.

Female

October 14, 2026 – October 18, 2026

Opportunity	Method	Availability	License or Permit	Additional Details
Female	Rifle	Resident: — Nonresident: —	Elk License: E-F-071-O1-R	List A
Female	Rifle	Resident: — Nonresident: —	Elk License: E-F-071-P1-R	Land: Private Land Only List B

Male

October 14, 2026 – October 18, 2026

Opportunity	Method	Availability	License or Permit	Additional Details
Male	Rifle	Resident: — Nonresident: —	Elk License: E-M-071-O1-R	List A
Male	Rifle	Resident: — Nonresident: —	Elk License: E-M-071-P1-R	Land: Private Land Only List A

Female

October 24, 2026 – November 1, 2026

Opportunity	Method	Availability	License or Permit	Additional Details
Female	Rifle	Resident: — Nonresident: —	Elk License: E-F-072-O2-R	List A

Second Season

October 24, 2026 – November 1, 2026

Opportunity	Method	Availability	License or Permit	Additional Details
Antlered	Rifle	Resident: OTC Nonresident: OTC	Elk License: E-M-000-U2-R	List: A. Units marked New: 3, 4, 5, 11, 12, 13, 14, 23, 24, 131, 211, 214, 231, 301, 441.

Female

November 7, 2026 – November 15, 2026

Opportunity	Method	Availability	License or Permit	Additional Details
Female	Rifle	Resident: — Nonresident: —	Elk License: E-F-072-O3-R	List A

Third Season

November 7, 2026 – November 15, 2026

Opportunity	Method	Availability	License or Permit	Additional Details
Antlered	Rifle	Resident: OTC Nonresident: OTC	Elk License: E-M-000-U3-R	List: A. Valid units same as second season. Units marked New: 3, 4, 5, 11, 12, 13, 14, 23, 24, 131, 211, 214, 231, 301, 441.

Female

November 18, 2026 – November 22, 2026

Opportunity	Method	Availability	License or Permit	Additional Details
Female	Rifle	Resident: — Nonresident: —	Elk License: E-F-072-O4-R	List A
Female	Rifle	Resident: — Nonresident: —	Elk License: E-F-071-P4-R	Land: Private Land Only List B

Male

November 18, 2026 – November 22, 2026

Opportunity	Method	Availability	License or Permit	Additional Details
Male	Rifle	Resident: — Nonresident: —	Elk License: E-M-071-P4-R	Land: Private Land Only List A
Male	Rifle	Resident: — Nonresident: —	Elk License: E-M-071-O4-R	List A

License and Permit Options

Elk License: E-E-071-P1-A

License	Residency	Eligibility	Availability	Price
Elk License: E-E-071-P1-A	Resident	Ages 18–63	—	$70.40
Elk License: E-E-071-P1-A	Resident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	—	$20.30
Elk License: E-E-071-P1-A	Nonresident	—	—	$845.16
Elk License: E-E-071-P1-A	Nonresident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	—	$130.07

Elk License: E-F-071-O1-A

License	Residency	Eligibility	Availability	Price
Elk License: E-F-071-O1-A	Resident	Ages 18–63	—	$70.40
Elk License: E-F-071-O1-A	Resident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	—	$20.30
Elk License: E-F-071-O1-A	Nonresident	—	—	$845.16
Elk License: E-F-071-O1-A	Nonresident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	—	$130.07

Elk License: E-F-071-O1-M

License	Residency	Eligibility	Availability	Price
Elk License: E-F-071-O1-M	Resident	Ages 18–63	OTC	$70.40
Elk License: E-F-071-O1-M	Resident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	OTC	$20.30
Elk License: E-F-071-O1-M	Nonresident	—	OTC	$845.16
Elk License: E-F-071-O1-M	Nonresident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	OTC	$130.07

Elk License: E-F-071-O1-R

License	Residency	Eligibility	Availability	Price
Elk License: E-F-071-O1-R	Resident	Ages 18–63	—	$70.40
Elk License: E-F-071-O1-R	Resident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	—	$20.30
Elk License: E-F-071-O1-R	Nonresident	—	—	$845.16
Elk License: E-F-071-O1-R	Nonresident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	—	$130.07

Elk License: E-F-071-P1-R

License	Residency	Eligibility	Availability	Price
Elk License: E-F-071-P1-R	Resident	Ages 18–63	—	$70.40
Elk License: E-F-071-P1-R	Resident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	—	$20.30
Elk License: E-F-071-P1-R	Nonresident	—	—	$845.16
Elk License: E-F-071-P1-R	Nonresident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	—	$130.07

Elk License: E-F-071-P4-R

License	Residency	Eligibility	Availability	Price
Elk License: E-F-071-P4-R	Resident	Ages 18–63	—	$70.40
Elk License: E-F-071-P4-R	Resident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	—	$20.30
Elk License: E-F-071-P4-R	Nonresident	—	—	$845.16
Elk License: E-F-071-P4-R	Nonresident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	—	$130.07

Elk License: E-F-072-O2-R

License	Residency	Eligibility	Availability	Price
Elk License: E-F-072-O2-R	Resident	Ages 18–63	—	$70.40
Elk License: E-F-072-O2-R	Resident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	—	$20.30
Elk License: E-F-072-O2-R	Nonresident	—	—	$845.16
Elk License: E-F-072-O2-R	Nonresident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	—	$130.07

Elk License: E-F-072-O3-R

License	Residency	Eligibility	Availability	Price
Elk License: E-F-072-O3-R	Resident	Ages 18–63	—	$70.40
Elk License: E-F-072-O3-R	Resident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	—	$20.30
Elk License: E-F-072-O3-R	Nonresident	—	—	$845.16
Elk License: E-F-072-O3-R	Nonresident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	—	$130.07

Elk License: E-F-072-O4-R

License	Residency	Eligibility	Availability	Price
Elk License: E-F-072-O4-R	Resident	Ages 18–63	—	$70.40
Elk License: E-F-072-O4-R	Resident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	—	$20.30
Elk License: E-F-072-O4-R	Nonresident	—	—	$845.16
Elk License: E-F-072-O4-R	Nonresident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	—	$130.07

Elk License: E-F-072-P5-R

License	Residency	Eligibility	Availability	Price
Elk License: E-F-072-P5-R	Resident	Ages 18–63	—	$70.40
Elk License: E-F-072-P5-R	Resident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	—	$20.30
Elk License: E-F-072-P5-R	Nonresident	—	—	$845.16
Elk License: E-F-072-P5-R	Nonresident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	—	$130.07

Elk License: E-M-000-U2-R

License	Residency	Eligibility	Availability	Price
Elk License: E-M-000-U2-R	Resident	Ages 18–63	OTCAvailable August 4, 2026	$70.40
Elk License: E-M-000-U2-R	Resident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	OTCAvailable August 4, 2026	$20.30
Elk License: E-M-000-U2-R	Nonresident	—	OTCAvailable August 4, 2026	$845.16
Elk License: E-M-000-U2-R	Nonresident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	OTCAvailable August 4, 2026	$130.07

Elk License: E-M-000-U3-R

License	Residency	Eligibility	Availability	Price
Elk License: E-M-000-U3-R	Resident	Ages 18–63	OTCAvailable August 4, 2026	$70.40
Elk License: E-M-000-U3-R	Resident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	OTCAvailable August 4, 2026	$20.30
Elk License: E-M-000-U3-R	Nonresident	—	OTCAvailable August 4, 2026	$845.16
Elk License: E-M-000-U3-R	Nonresident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	OTCAvailable August 4, 2026	$130.07

Elk License: E-M-071-O1-A

License	Residency	Eligibility	Availability	Price
Elk License: E-M-071-O1-A	Resident	Ages 18–63	—	$70.40
Elk License: E-M-071-O1-A	Resident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	—	$20.30
Elk License: E-M-071-O1-A	Nonresident	—	—	$845.16
Elk License: E-M-071-O1-A	Nonresident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	—	$130.07

Elk License: E-M-071-O1-M

License	Residency	Eligibility	Availability	Price
Elk License: E-M-071-O1-M	Resident	Ages 18–63	OTC	$70.40
Elk License: E-M-071-O1-M	Resident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	OTC	$20.30
Elk License: E-M-071-O1-M	Nonresident	—	OTC	$845.16
Elk License: E-M-071-O1-M	Nonresident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	OTC	$130.07

Elk License: E-M-071-O1-R

License	Residency	Eligibility	Availability	Price
Elk License: E-M-071-O1-R	Resident	Ages 18–63	—	$70.40
Elk License: E-M-071-O1-R	Resident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	—	$20.30
Elk License: E-M-071-O1-R	Nonresident	—	—	$845.16
Elk License: E-M-071-O1-R	Nonresident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	—	$130.07

Elk License: E-M-071-O4-R

License	Residency	Eligibility	Availability	Price
Elk License: E-M-071-O4-R	Resident	Ages 18–63	—	$70.40
Elk License: E-M-071-O4-R	Resident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	—	$20.30
Elk License: E-M-071-O4-R	Nonresident	—	—	$845.16
Elk License: E-M-071-O4-R	Nonresident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	—	$130.07

Elk License: E-M-071-P1-R

License	Residency	Eligibility	Availability	Price
Elk License: E-M-071-P1-R	Resident	Ages 18–63	—	$70.40
Elk License: E-M-071-P1-R	Resident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	—	$20.30
Elk License: E-M-071-P1-R	Nonresident	—	—	$845.16
Elk License: E-M-071-P1-R	Nonresident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	—	$130.07

Elk License: E-M-071-P4-R

License	Residency	Eligibility	Availability	Price
Elk License: E-M-071-P4-R	Resident	Ages 18–63	—	$70.40
Elk License: E-M-071-P4-R	Resident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	—	$20.30
Elk License: E-M-071-P4-R	Nonresident	—	—	$845.16
Elk License: E-M-071-P4-R	Nonresident	Ages 12–17; Youth hunters	—	$130.07