The honest answer is anywhere from about $2,000 for a nonresident DIY hunt done on a budget to $15,000 or more for a one-on-one guided hunt. Here is where the money goes.

License costs (2026)

These are fixed costs from Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

Item	Nonresident	Resident
Qualifying license (annual small game, adult)*	$104.86	$38.49
Habitat Stamp (ages 18–64)	$12.76	$12.76
Elk application fee (draw only)	$11.49	$8.93
Adult elk license	$845.16 (elk/fishing combo)	$70.40
Total for one elk license	about $974	about $131

*A qualifying license is required to apply for the draw. You don’t need it for an over-the-counter tag. Youth licenses are much cheaper: $130.07 for a nonresident youth elk/fishing combo and $20.30 for a resident youth.

DIY hunt: what to budget

If you hunt public land on your own, the license is only part of your total cost. A typical nonresident DIY trip includes:

Expense	Typical range
Licenses and fees	about $975
Travel (gas or flights, rental)	$400–$1,500
Food and camp supplies for a week	$150–$400
Lodging if not camping	$0–$1,200
Meat processing	$300–$600
Shipping or hauling meat home	$0–$500
Trip total, not counting gear	about $1,800–$5,200

These ranges are estimates. Gear is extra: good boots, optics, a pack frame for hauling meat, and cold-weather clothing can easily cost more than the trip if you’re starting from scratch.

Drop camp

A drop camp is a middle option. The outfitter packs you, your gear, and a furnished camp into the backcountry on horses or mules, then packs out you and your elk at the end. You hunt on your own.

Some outfitters price drop camps per hunter, others per camp. Prices vary widely by how far in the camp is and what’s provided. Ask exactly what’s included: tents, stoves, cots, food, and whether meat pack-out is part of the price.

Guided hunt prices

Here are real examples from Colorado outfitters’ published prices:

Hunt type	Example price
Fully guided archery package with lodging and meals, 3 days	$3,000
Same, 7 days	$6,000
Guided private-land elk, 2 hunters per guide	$10,000 + $1,000 harvest fee
Guided wilderness elk, 2 hunters per guide	$11,000
Guided wilderness elk, 1 hunter per guide	$14,000
Guided private-land cow elk	$3,000 + $1,000 harvest fee

Prices depend on the unit, private vs. public land, the season, how many hunters share a guide, and the quality of bulls the outfitter usually takes.

What’s usually NOT included in a guided hunt

• Your elk license, application fees, and Habitat Stamp
• Landowner tags or vouchers, if the hunt needs one
• Travel to and from Colorado
• Meat processing and shipping
• Taxidermy
• Harvest or trophy fees (some outfitters charge these on top)
• Tips. A common rule is about 10% of the hunt price for your guide, plus a smaller amount for wranglers or camp cooks.

Ways to save

• Hunt a cow or either-sex tag. These often draw with zero points and some outfitters charge less for cow hunts.
• Look for discount and last-minute hunts. Outfitters sometimes have a cancellation or open dates. See discount guided hunts.
• Split a drop camp. Price per hunter drops when you fill the camp.
• Go semi-guided. Some outfitters offer camp, scouting info, and pack-out without a full-time guide. Browse DIY and self-guided hunts.
• Build points while you save. Apply for a point now, hunt a better unit later.

Related: How Colorado draw points work · Draw odds by unit · Colorado Elk Hunting Guide · Guided vs. DIY vs. drop camp · How to apply for the elk draw

License fees are from Colorado Parks and Wildlife for 2026. Guided hunt examples are from outfitters’ published price lists and can change at any time.