Colorado GMU 1 Elk Hunting
Moffat County, northwest Colorado · 127 sq mi
Based on the EASIEST unit-wide bull or either-sex hunt code available to adult Colorado residents in the 2026 primary draw — the lowest preference-point tier that drew reliably. Private-land-only and Ranching for Wildlife hunts are excluded because neither is a unit-wide public-land opportunity — NOT because the public cannot draw them. A private-land-only license requires the hunter's own permission to hunt private ground; a Ranching for Wildlife license is valid on the participating ranches enrolled in that program. They are separate systems. Other weapons, seasons and nonresident applicants can require substantially more points. The band is a floor, not a target: even the easiest qualifying hunt here sits in that range.
What hunting GMU 1 is like
Colorado GMU 1 spans 127 square miles in Moffat County in the northwest corner of the state, covering country that rises from 5,000 feet to 8,900 feet with a typical elevation around 6,900 feet. The terrain is mixed, with substantial steep ground: roughly 37% of the unit is gentle, 38% is moderate, 21% is steep, and 4% is rugged. The mean slope across the unit is 17 degrees, placing it in the steep range overall.
About 61% of the unit, roughly 78 square miles, is BLM land generally open to public hunting. The National Park Service owns approximately 23% of the unit where hunting is prohibited. Private land accounts for 11% of the unit. Roughly 4.9% of the unit is unclassified in ownership. Public access to BLM ground depends on roads, trailheads, and seasonal conditions typical of the area.
Elk occupy the unit across a broad seasonal range: CPW maps elk on Overall Range covering 100% of the unit, Winter Range covering 83%, and Summer Range covering 78%. Within those ranges, elk concentrate seasonally: Winter Concentration covers 29% of the unit and Summer Concentration covers 28%. Resident Population mapping shows year-round use over only 2% of the unit, indicating that most elk in GMU 1 follow seasonal movement rather than remaining year-round. As fall progresses, elk shift in response to elevation, weather, and the seasonal transition from summer to winter range.
The unit offers nine seasons total, eight of which are open to public applicants. Archery runs September 2–30 and is either-sex. Muzzleloader runs September 12–20 and is antlerless or bull. Early Rifle runs October 1–11 and is either-sex. Four numbered rifle seasons follow: 1st Rifle (October 14–18), 2nd Rifle (October 24–November 1), 3rd Rifle (November 7–15), and 4th Rifle (November 18–22) are all antlerless. Late Rifle runs December 1–31 and is antlerless. One season, August 15–January 15 for antlerless elk, is private-land-only. The unit draws at premium difficulty, requiring 10–19 preference points for the easiest unit-wide bull or either-sex hunt code available to adult Colorado residents. Hunter pressure is low. The unit also holds at least one premium bull season requiring substantially more points.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 5,000–8,900 ft, typically around 6,900 ft
- Steepness
- Steep — mean slope 17°
- Slope breakdown
- 37% gentle · 38% moderate · 21% steep · 4% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~78 sq mi
Land & access
About 61% of GMU 1 is public land a hunter can count on — BLM. Another 23% is public but closed to hunting — National Park Service.
- BLM61%
- National Park Service23%
- Unclassified ownership5%
- Private11%
“Ownership unclassified” means the source dataset does not record an owner for that acreage. It is not known to be public or private.
Where elk live in the unit
Colorado Parks & Wildlife maps elk seasonal ranges statewide. This is how much of GMU 1 each range covers — the single best clue to whether elk are here in September, in November, or only passing through. The layers overlap, so they do not add to 100%.
- Overall Range100%the full extent of range CPW maps for elk — near 100% on most units, and not a statement about when elk are present
- Winter Range83%used in winter
- Summer Range78%used in summer
- Winter Concentration29%where elk bunch up in winter
- Summer Concentration28%where elk bunch up in summer
- Resident Population2%the only layer that means year-round use
Elk seasons & weapons (2026)
| Season | Dates | Tags offered |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | September 2 – September 30 | Either-sex |
| Muzzleloader | September 12 – September 20 | Antlerless, Bull |
| 1st Rifle | October 14 – October 18 | Antlerless |
| 2nd Rifle | October 24 – November 1 | Antlerless |
| 3rd Rifle | November 7 – November 15 | Antlerless |
| 4th Rifle | November 18 – November 22 | Antlerless |
| Early Rifle | October 1 – October 11 | Either-sex |
| Late Rifle | December 1 – December 31 | Antlerless |
| Private-land only | August 15 – January 15 | Antlerless |
Dates span every hunt code of that type in this unit and can differ by code. Confirm the current brochure with Colorado Parks & Wildlife before applying.
Fall weather
- September — highs around 72°F, lows around 45°F (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 58°F, lows around 33°F, about 1.1 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 44°F, lows around 22°F, about 3.2 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 1 elk hunting FAQ
Can a hunter with no preference points draw anything here?
No. The easiest unit-wide bull or either-sex code available to adult Colorado residents requires 10–19 preference points. Antlerless-only seasons may draw easier, but the unit's baseline draw difficulty falls in the premium range, and hunters without points are not competitive for any public bull or either-sex opportunity.
Is this unit better hunted early or late in the fall?
Archery and Muzzleloader seasons in early September coincide with rut onset and primary rut, when bulls are most active and vocal. Early Rifle (October 1–11) overlaps late rut and early post-rut activity. By contrast, the four numbered rifle seasons (mid-October through November) occur after peak rut when bulls are recovering and then moving toward winter range, making them potentially more challenging hunts. Late Rifle in December falls entirely on winter range as conditions cool significantly.
What proportion of this unit can a public-land hunter actually access?
BLM open land covers approximately 61% of the unit. National Park Service land (23%) is closed to hunting, and private land (11%) requires permission. Roughly 5% is unclassified in ownership, meaning it is not confirmed as either public or private. A hunter planning to use only general-access BLM ground should plan for that 61% figure, though actual entry points depend on road networks, trailheads, and seasonal closures not described in this overview.
Where do elk concentrate within the unit, and does that change through the season?
Winter Concentration covers 29% of the unit and Summer Concentration covers 28%, but the spatial location of those concentration areas is not specified by the mapping data — concentrations may shift with elevation, weather, and seasonal transition. Most elk follow seasonal movement rather than staying year-round; only 2% of the unit shows resident use, meaning hunters should expect animals to shift position as fall progresses from summer range toward winter range.
Is the terrain on this unit steep enough to discourage foot hunters?
The unit is mixed: 37% is gentle, 38% is moderate, 21% is steep, and 4% is rugged. Foot hunters will encounter a range of slopes across the unit, with a substantial portion requiring negotiation of steep terrain. Hunters should assess their physical capability against the 25% of the unit that is steep or rugged before committing preference points.
What does the draw difficulty label mean, and what does it not cover?
Premium difficulty (10–19 points) describes the easiest unit-wide bull or either-sex hunt code available to adult Colorado residents in the primary draw. It applies only to that specific tier and does not describe premium bull seasons, other weapon seasons, or antlerless-only hunts, which may draw either harder or easier. Applicants below this band should not expect the easiest qualifying resident hunt to draw reliably, and nonresident categories are not an easier alternative, as they may require even more points. An applicant should confirm the specific hunt code and applicant class they are targeting, as requirements can vary significantly within the unit.
Data sources & methodology
- Colorado Parks & Wildlife — Big Game hunting — seasons, weapons, hunt codes and license types
- CPW — Primary Draw rules — how preference points and the hybrid draw work
- CPW — Elk statistics, draw recap and Drawn Out At reports — the point levels behind the draw-difficulty bands
- CPW — Secondary Draw — licenses remaining after the primary draw
- CPW — Maps and GIS (Species Activity Mapping) — elk seasonal range
- CPW — State Trust Land Finder — which State Trust acreage is enrolled and open to public hunting
- Federal and state land-ownership datasets — land ownership and access
- NOAA climate normals — fall weather
Draw difficulty is a qualitative band, not published odds — the note under the summary above states exactly which hunt code it describes. Land shares are separate, non-overlapping categories: publicly owned is not the same as open to hunting, and State Trust Land is huntable only where CPW has enrolled it. Unit data last updated August 27, 2026.