Colorado GMU 14 Elk Hunting
Routt and Grand counties, northwest Colorado · 409 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 14 is like
Game Management Unit 14 spans 409 square miles across the northwest region of Colorado in Routt and Grand counties. Elevations range from 6,700 feet to 12,200 feet, with typical ground near 9,100 feet. The terrain is rolling to moderately steep—35 percent gentle slopes, 48 percent moderate terrain, and 15 percent steep ground, with 2 percent rugged. This mix of rolling country and moderate climbing supports both ridge-top and drainage hunting, with accessibility varying by aspect and elevation.
National Forest and BLM lands constitute approximately 85 percent of the unit (348 square miles) and are generally open to public hunting. Private land covers approximately 14 percent of the unit. This public-land majority gives a hunter considerable ground to work, though access and travel still depend on roads, trailheads, and private inholdings that may interrupt passage through the landscape.
Elk distribution shifts with the seasons. Resident Population mapping indicates that approximately 39 percent of the unit sees year-round use, meaning a substantial share of the elk present remain in or near the unit through the calendar year. Summer Range covers 100 percent of the unit, with Summer Concentration comprising 34 percent, suggesting bulls and cows cluster in particular areas during warm months. As fall advances and weather cools, Winter Range covers only 28 percent of the unit, with Winter Concentration at 9 percent; a hunter should expect elk to shift toward winter ground as November arrives and snow accumulates, though the timing and extent of that shift vary with weather. Migration Corridors account for 4 percent of the unit.
The unit offers six publicly available seasons across archery, muzzleloader, and four rifle windows. Archery runs September 2–September 30 for either-sex hunting and overlaps the Rut Onset and Primary Rut phases. Muzzleloader follows from September 12–September 20 for either-sex and antlerless tags during the Primary Rut. First Rifle spans October 14–October 18 for antlerless and bull tags in the Late Rut and early Post-Rut phases. Second, Third, and Fourth Rifle seasons run October 24–November 1, November 7–November 15, and November 18–November 22, respectively, all antlerless except the Fourth season, which also offers bulls. These later rifle seasons align with Post-Rut Recovery and Migration Transition phases. September temperatures at mid-elevation average highs near 63 degrees Fahrenheit and lows near 37 degrees, with minimal snowfall. By November, highs drop to near 38 degrees and lows to near 17 degrees, with snowfall averaging over 31 inches—a steep cooling and increase in snow cover that defines the fall progression. Draw difficulty for the easiest qualifying bull or either-sex code for an adult Colorado resident is Easy, often requiring zero preference points.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 6,700–12,200 ft, typically around 9,100 ft
- Steepness
- Steep — mean slope 15.4°
- Slope breakdown
- 35% gentle · 48% moderate · 15% steep · 2% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~348 sq mi, plus ~1 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About 85% of GMU 14 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest and BLM.
- National Forest85%
- BLM<1%
- State Trust Land<1%
- Unclassified ownership<1%
- Private14%
Where elk live in the unit
Colorado Parks & Wildlife maps elk seasonal ranges statewide. This is how much of GMU 14 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%.
- Summer Range100%used in summer
- 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
- Resident Population39%the only layer that means year-round use
- Summer Concentration34%where elk bunch up in summer
- Winter Range28%used in winter
- Winter Concentration9%where elk bunch up in winter
- Migration Corridors4%movement between ranges, not residence
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 |
| 3rd Rifle | November 7 – November 15 | Antlerless |
| 4th Rifle | November 18 – November 22 | Antlerless, Bull |
| Private-land only | September 2 – December 31 | 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.
Fall weather
- September — highs around 63°F, lows around 37°F, about 0.2 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 50°F, lows around 27°F, about 7 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 38°F, lows around 17°F, about 31.2 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 14 elk hunting FAQ
Can a hunter with no preference points draw an elk tag here?
Yes. The easiest qualifying bull or either-sex code for an adult Colorado resident typically draws at zero preference points. Other seasons, weapons, and tags may require additional points, and nonresidents face different qualification criteria.
Is this a better unit for early-season or late-season hunting?
The unit offers both. Archery and Muzzleloader seasons run in early September during the Rut Onset and Primary Rut phases, when bulls are vocal and active. Later rifle seasons from October through November span Post-Rut Recovery and Migration Transition, when elk shift toward winter range and snow begins to accumulate, fundamentally changing hunting conditions and elk behavior.
How much public ground can a hunter actually access here?
National Forest and BLM lands comprise approximately 85 percent of the unit (348 square miles). Actual access depends on roads, trailheads, and whether private inholdings interrupt travel through the landscape. A hunter should research specific entry points before applying, as public ownership alone does not guarantee straightforward entry.
Do elk stay in this unit year-round, or do they move out for winter?
Resident Population mapping covers 39 percent of the unit, indicating substantial year-round use. However, CPW does not subdivide resident-population ground into seasonal layers, so the presence of year-round elk does not mean all elk remain stationary. Winter Range and Winter Concentration cover much smaller shares, suggesting elk shift toward those areas as the season advances and snow deepens, though timing and extent vary with weather.
Is the terrain steep enough to be punishing for a foot hunter?
The unit is rolling to moderately steep overall, with 35 percent gentle and 48 percent moderate slopes—terrain that is generally manageable on foot. Fifteen percent of the unit is steep, and hikers will encounter steeper pitches in places, but the majority of the ground does not demand extreme fitness or technical climbing.
How much hunter pressure should I expect here?
Overall hunter pressure on the unit is moderate. The combination of an easy draw, substantial public land, and proximity to population centers in the region means the unit sees regular use, though that is distinct from the draw competition itself.
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.