Colorado GMU 11 Elk Hunting
Moffat and Rio Blanco counties, northwest Colorado · 610 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 11 is like
GMU 11 spans 610 square miles across northwestern Colorado in Moffat and Rio Blanco counties. The unit ranges from 5,500 feet to 8,300 feet in elevation, with typical hunting at around 6,300 feet. The terrain is rolling, with some steeper breaks: 62 percent of the unit is gentle, 29 percent is moderate, and 9 percent is steep, making it generally accessible to hunters on foot across most of its area.
Approximately 64 percent of the unit (roughly 387 square miles) is generally open to public hunting, managed by the Bureau of Land Management and State Wildlife Areas. An additional 3.7 percent is Colorado State Trust Land, huntable only where CPW has enrolled parcels in its Public Access Program. The remaining 33 percent is private land. Access to public ground depends on the quality and location of existing roads and trailheads, which vary across the unit.
Elk occupancy in GMU 11 shifts through the year. Winter Range and Winter Concentration cover 100 and 71 percent of the unit, respectively, indicating that winter-season hunting concentrates in a well-defined portion of the landscape. Summer Range covers 41 percent, while Summer Concentration is limited to 15 percent, showing that summer elk cluster in specific areas as they retreat to higher country. Migration Corridors span 47 percent of the unit, reflecting the broader movement patterns between summer and winter grounds. Resident Population, which indicates year-round use by some elk, covers 16 percent of the unit; beyond that area, elk are present seasonally. As autumn advances from September through November, hunters should expect elk to shift gradually from summer and migration grounds toward winter range, though the timing and extent of this movement vary with weather and snow conditions.
The unit offers seven public seasons: Archery from September 2 to September 30 (either-sex), Muzzleloader from September 12 to September 20 (either-sex or antlerless), and five rifle seasons. The four numbered rifle seasons run from October 14 through November 22 (1st Rifle October 14–18, 2nd Rifle October 24–November 1, 3rd Rifle November 7–15, 4th Rifle November 18–22), each offering antlerless or bull tags. Late Rifle runs separately from December 1 to December 31 (antlerless only). Archery and Muzzleloader seasons coincide with the rut onset and primary rut phases, while the numbered rifle seasons cover the tail end of the rut and early post-rut recovery, and the 3rd and 4th Rifle seasons occur as elk transition toward winter grounds. Late Rifle takes place after elk have settled on winter range. Draw difficulty for the easiest qualifying unit-wide bull or either-sex code is easy, often requiring zero preference points for adult Colorado residents. Hunter pressure on the unit is moderate.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 5,500–8,300 ft, typically around 6,300 ft
- Steepness
- Moderate — mean slope 10.5°
- Slope breakdown
- 62% gentle · 29% moderate · 9% steep · 0% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~387 sq mi, plus ~23 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About 64% of GMU 11 is public land a hunter can count on — BLM and State Wildlife Areas. A further 4% is State Trust Land, which is huntable only where CPW has enrolled it.
- BLM61%
- State Wildlife Area2%
- State Trust Land4%
- National Park Service<1%
- Private33%
Colorado State Trust Land is open to public hunting only where it is enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program. Check current enrollment before planning around it.
Where elk live in the unit
Colorado Parks & Wildlife maps elk seasonal ranges statewide. This is how much of GMU 11 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%.
- Winter Range100%used in winter
- 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 Concentration71%where elk bunch up in winter
- Migration Corridors47%movement between ranges, not residence
- Summer Range41%used in summer
- Resident Population16%the only layer that means year-round use
- Summer Concentration15%where elk bunch up in summer
Elk seasons & weapons (2026)
| Season | Dates | Tags offered |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | September 2 – September 30 | Either-sex |
| Muzzleloader | September 12 – September 20 | Either-sex, Antlerless |
| 1st Rifle | October 14 – October 18 | Antlerless, Bull |
| 2nd Rifle | October 24 – November 1 | Antlerless, Bull |
| 3rd Rifle | November 7 – November 15 | Antlerless, Bull |
| 4th Rifle | November 18 – November 22 | Antlerless, Bull |
| Late Rifle | December 1 – December 31 | Antlerless |
| Private-land only | September 2 – November 30 | Either-sex, Antlerless |
| Ranching for Wildlife | October 2 – December 16 | Either-sex, 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.
GMU 11 elk hunting FAQ
Can a hunter with zero preference points draw a tag on GMU 11?
Yes. Draw difficulty for the easiest qualifying unit-wide bull or either-sex code is easy, often drawing at zero points for adult Colorado residents. Other weapons, seasons, and nonresident applicants can require substantially more points, but an applicant with no preference points can reasonably expect to draw at least some of the available hunts.
How much public land can a hunter actually access on foot in this unit?
Approximately 64 percent of the unit (roughly 387 square miles) is generally open to public hunting on BLM and State Wildlife Areas. However, access on foot depends on the distribution and quality of roads and trailheads across that public ground. An additional 3.7 percent of the unit is State Trust Land, huntable only where CPW has enrolled it in the Public Access Program; hunters should verify which parcels are accessible before planning.
Is this unit better suited to early-season or late-season hunts?
Archery and Muzzleloader seasons occur during the rut onset and primary rut (early September through mid-September), when bulls are actively calling and less predictable in their movements. Rifle seasons run through November, spanning the post-rut period and the transition onto winter range, when elk movements settle into more defined patterns. Late Rifle (December 1–31) hunts elk already on winter grounds. The choice depends on hunting style and preference for rut activity versus predictable seasonal movements.
Where do elk concentrate during different seasons?
Winter Concentration covers 71 percent of the unit, indicating that winter elk cluster in a large portion of the landscape. Summer Concentration is much more limited, covering only 15 percent of the unit, so summer elk are confined to specific areas. Migration Corridors span 47 percent of the unit, reflecting the routes elk use as they move between seasons; however, Resident Population covers only 16 percent, meaning elk beyond that area are not present year-round.
Does the terrain require extensive high-country hiking, or is most hunting in rolling country?
Most of the unit is rolling to moderately sloped: 62 percent is gentle and 29 percent is moderate terrain. Only 9 percent is steep, and no portion is classified as rugged. A hunter in good condition can access much of the unit on foot without extreme elevation gain or scrambling, though specific access will depend on where roads and trailheads reach the public ground.
When should a hunter expect elk to move from summer to winter grounds?
Summer Range covers 41 percent of the unit while Winter Range covers 100 percent, suggesting that significant movement from higher summer areas toward broader winter grounds occurs through fall. Migration Corridors span 47 percent of the unit, indicating the pathways this transition uses. As autumn advances from September through November, particularly with the arrival of snow, elk gradually shift toward winter range, though timing and extent vary with weather conditions.
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 28, 2026.