What a great time of the year to begin planning for next season’s hunts in Colorado! The 2024 Colorado Big Game and Sheep & Goat Brochures are due out in mid-February. So, let’s get a jump on planning now, that way you’ll be ahead of the game when they arrive!

DEER

Colorado remains one of the best western states for mule deer hunting with opportunities statewide for decent bucks, and if you put in the time and do your research/scouting (either on the ground and/or using TagHub), the occasional monster buck can be found, in pretty much any unit. Of note, this is the last year of the current 5-year Big Game Season Structure (BGSS) with the later deer seasons occurring well into November, potentially during the rut, giving hunters a better chance to harvest older age-class bucks. It’s unknown if these late seasons will occur again in the next 5-year plan.

In Colorado, all mule deer units have only limited/draw licenses, there are no Over-the Counter (OTC) hunts. Even so, you only really need to accumulate a few points, maybe 4 – 7, and then just go hunting. Since big bucks can potentially be found in most GMUs, there’s no need to accumulate 20+ points for a “trophy area.” Hunts that only take a few points can be very rewarding, so, if you’re interested in hunting mule deer, save up a few points and get in on the action in Colorado.

ELK

Elk hunting in Colorado is managed for opportunity in most GMUs rather than older-age class, “trophy” bulls. There are a few units managed for older-age class bulls, but they typically take nearly 30 (or more) preference points for a nonresident to draw. So, if you’re looking for a true monster bull, Colorado isn’t your best choice. For the most part, Colorado elk hunting is for those who want to have a chance at a decent/legal bull to put some meat in the freezer. The best thing is you don’t need to have a bunch of preference points to pull this off, because in Colorado, you can still walk up to the counter and buy an Over-the-Counter (OTC) bull elk tag for 2nd or 3rd season. 

With the exception of these OTC hunts, all other Colorado elk hunts (1st & 4th rifle seasons, all muzzleloader, and some archery units) are limited-entry hunts. If you’ve saved up some preference points, you’ll have the opportunity to avoid the high-traffic OTC areas and get into some of these limited-tag units. Low point (0-5) units are primarily managed for opportunity and there will normally be fewer hunters than an OTC unit. Medium point (5-15) units will likely provide a better chance at harvesting a mature bull, but nothing is guaranteed, so really do your homework before cashing in your points. High point (20-30+) units are managed for older-age class bulls, so they’ll give you the best chance at harvesting a “trophy” bull. 

PRONGHORN

Colorado can’t really be considered a primary western destination for antelope and if you’re searching for a big “Booner” buck you should probably focus on Wyoming, New Mexico, Utah, or Arizona. Here in Colorado, pronghorn management is similar to elk in that they’re managed more for opportunity than high-end “trophy” quality, and a mid-70s class buck is considered very good. But unlike elk, which have OTC rifle hunts available, all pronghorn rifle hunts have only limited/draw licenses.

A large portion of Colorado’s pronghorns live on the “eastern plains” east of I-25.  Much of that land is private ranchland, public land is scarce, and gaining hunting access can be an issue. The good news is the Eastern Plains have been producing more quality bucks over the last few years. 

Some of the better pronghorn areas in Colorado for bigger, prime 3+-year-old bucks are in the northwest corner (bordering Wyoming), with some other worthwhile areas in the southern/central regions (bordering New Mexico). Units in these areas require double-digit points for residents and nonresidents to draw with the best units taking 20 or more points, and they may not really be worth it.

WEIGHTED PREFERENCE POINTS 

Colorado uses a weighted preference point system to award all moose, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep and mountain goat limited licenses. You must accumulate preference points for three years before you can compete for a license. Each year after that, (if unsuccessful) you will be awarded a weighted point. Once you have the minimum three points, go ahead and apply to get in the drawing! There’s no need to wait until you’ve accumulated 20+ points and you only have to fork-over the $8.00 resident / $10.00 nonresident application fee up front. Every year some lucky hunters draw tags with very few weighted points. 

MOOSE

If you’re looking to hunt Shiras’ moose, there’s no place better than Colorado! Thanks to a very successful reintroduction effort by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), the state’s moose population is expanding its range across the state. Areas around Walden, Meeker, Glenwood Springs, Vail, Montrose, Gunnison, Grand Mesa, and others all report healthy moose populations that continue to expand their range. 

Additionally, the way bull moose hunts work is different from any other species. Once you’re awarded a license, you can hunt archery, muzzleloader, or rifle season, or all three until your tag is filled. There are also plenty of cow hunts available if you’re just looking to fill your freezer and they have significantly better draw odds. 

SHEEP

Colorado has a healthy population of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep spread out across much of the state. This gives hunters numerous hunting units to choose from. The total number of Rocky Mountain tags is expected to be 321 for 2024 (which includes 30 nonresidents licenses).  Those tags contain a mix of ram, ewe, rifle, and archery tags, so there are a variety of options available. 

Colorado also has three desert bighorn sheep herds (Black Ridge, Dolores River , and Dominquez/Uncompahgre) in four GMUs; S56, S62, S63, and S64 along the western border of the state. The total number of desert sheep tags will hold steady at 14 resident and 1 nonresident for 2024. 

Please remember Rocky Mountain sheep tags are awarded using weighted preference points but for desert sheep it’s totally a random draw, and the odds aren’t good. Last year there were over 2000+ applications for the one nonresident desert sheep tag.

MOUNTAIN GOATS

If you’re looking for a place for a solid mountain goat hunt, Colorado is a great choice. Most goat units are located in the center of the state (except unit G5 in the southwest corner) and they offer excellent hunting opportunities with high success rates and decent trophy potential. Normally goat tags are either sex, but there are also plenty of Nanny hunts available to allow for herd management. Goat hunts are primarily rifle hunts, but there are a couple of archery-only hunts as well. The majority of these goat units are in rugged mountainous regions where goats are found above tree-line (11,500+), so if you want to hunt goats, the time to get in shape is NOW.