Image: co_tag_increase

Colorado plans to increase hunting license numbers for the upcoming 2026 Big Game Hunting season. (Image by Brent Coulter)

Due to an increase in elk populations in northwest Colorado, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) says it will propose an increase in elk licenses for the 2026 Big Game Hunting season.

According to 9news.com, area biologists claim elk in the Bears Ears and White River areas have reached the objective population range for first time since the severe winter of 2022-23.

In May, the CPW northwest region staff plan to present the Parks and Wildlife Commission with a plan to greatly increase the number of antlerless elk licenses, while bull tags during second and third rifle seasons will switch back to over-the-counter.

“Looking at the landscape today, it’s hard to believe that just three years ago we were experiencing the worst winter we had seen in 70 years,” said CPW Meeker Area Terrestrial Biologist Darby Finley. “That spring we saw some of the lowest survival rates ever recorded by CPW biologists. In some areas elk populations north of Craig were reduced by half. Today, we are seeing a much different picture with elk population numbers.”

Don’t Miss: A Minnesota Train Has Struck and Killed Dozens of Deer

CPW Craig Area Terrestrial Biologist Becca De Vergie said the low amount of snow made it difficult to count the elk, because they blended into the sagebrush-covered hills.

“Despite this challenge, and thanks to a skilled pilot, we were still able to observe and classify thousands of elk in overall good body condition,” De Vergie said.

Finley says spike bulls serve as important indicators of the previous year's calf survival.

“As we have seen, calf ratios continue to be trending in a positive direction with excellent spike bull ratios in the past two years, indicating high survival and recruitment of calves into the yearling age class,” he said.

CPW said it will present its license number recommendations for the 2026 big game hunting season to the Parks and Wildlife Commission during the May meeting in Grand Junction. The Primary Draw application period closed on April 7.

“We wanted to make sure that we are getting this information out to hunters, especially those who chose to hunt in other areas to help in our efforts to increase the elk population,” said CPW Meeker Area Wildlife Manager Mike Swaro.