Colorado GMU 133 Elk Hunting
Huerfano, Las Animas and Pueblo counties, southeast Colorado · 576 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 133 is like
Colorado GMU 133 spans 576 square miles across Huerfano, Las Animas and Pueblo counties in the southeast region. The unit is characterized by gentle and rolling terrain, with elevations ranging from 4,800 feet to 6,600 feet and a mean slope of 3.1 degrees. Ninety-five percent of the unit is gentle terrain, with 4% moderate and only 1% steep. The country is accessible and walkable across most of the landscape, though steepness is not the limiting factor for hunting here.
Approximately 8.1% of the unit, roughly 46 square miles, is generally open to public hunting. This ground comprises State Wildlife Areas and BLM land. An additional 8.3%, about 48 square miles, is Colorado State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment in CPW's Public Access Program. Private land comprises 76% of the unit, with 8.0% unclassified in ownership. Legal access rather than terrain difficulty defines hunting opportunity on most of GMU 133.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife mapping shows Resident Population covering 42% of the unit, indicating year-round elk use over that share. This resident population does not subdivide into mapped seasonal ranges for this unit, meaning the distribution of elk through fall and winter is not distinguished in the available data. Hunters should expect elk use throughout the year on the mapped resident ground, though the exact timing and location of animals will vary with weather and other conditions.
Three seasons are offered on GMU 133. Muzzleloader runs September 12 to September 20 for either-sex or antlerless elk, occurring during the primary rut phase. The 4th Rifle season runs November 18 to November 22 for bulls only, taking place during migration transition. Late Rifle runs October 24 to January 31 for antlerless elk. This extended late season offers the longest window for hunting and spans the post-rut period, migration transition and early winter phases. Draw difficulty for the easiest qualifying unit-wide code is easy, often requiring zero preference points for an adult Colorado resident.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 4,800–6,600 ft, typically around 6,000 ft
- Steepness
- Gentle — mean slope 3.1°
- Slope breakdown
- 95% gentle · 4% moderate · 1% steep · 0% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~46 sq mi, plus ~48 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About 8% of GMU 133 is public land a hunter can count on — State Wildlife Areas and BLM. A further 8% is State Trust Land, which is huntable only where CPW has enrolled it.
- State Wildlife Area8%
- BLM<1%
- State Trust Land8%
- Unclassified ownership8%
- Private76%
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.
“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 133 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 Range51%the full extent of range CPW maps for elk — near 100% on most units, and not a statement about when elk are present
- Resident Population42%the only layer that means year-round use
Elk seasons & weapons (2026)
| Season | Dates | Tags offered |
|---|---|---|
| Muzzleloader | September 12 – September 20 | Either-sex, Antlerless |
| 4th Rifle | November 18 – November 22 | Bull |
| Late Rifle | October 24 – January 31 | 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 133 elk hunting FAQ
How much public ground can a hunter actually hunt in this unit?
Only about 8.1% of the unit, roughly 46 square miles, is generally open to public hunting through State Wildlife Areas and BLM. An additional 8.3% is State Trust Land, but access depends on whether parcels are enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program — not all are. Legal access, not terrain difficulty, is the primary constraint.
Is this unit realistic to draw with no preference points?
Yes. Draw difficulty is easy, often requiring zero preference points for an adult Colorado resident applying for the easiest qualifying unit-wide bull or either-sex code in the primary draw. Other weapons, seasons and nonresident applicants can require substantially more points.
When does the rut occur and which seasons coincide with it?
The primary rut phase runs September 1 through September 30, and the muzzleloader season falls entirely within this window. The 4th Rifle season in November falls during migration transition, after the rut. The extended Late Rifle season spans from October, which captures late-rut and post-rut recovery phases, through January for winter conditions.
Does elk distribution shift significantly as the fall progresses?
CPW maps 42% of the unit as Resident Population, indicating year-round use, but does not subdivide this ground into seasonal ranges. Hunters should expect elk use across the mapped resident ground throughout the year, though exact timing and location will vary with weather and conditions.
How difficult is the terrain to hunt on foot?
The terrain is walkable and manageable, with 95% of the unit being gentle and rolling country and only 1% steep. Elevation ranges from 4,800 to 6,600 feet. Steepness is not the limiting factor for hunting — legal access to public ground is.
How much hunter pressure should I expect?
Overall hunter pressure on GMU 133 is moderate. The draw difficulty label and pressure level are independent factors — an easy-to-draw unit can still receive moderate use during its seasons.
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.