Colorado GMU 141 Elk Hunting
Las Animas County, southeast Colorado · 239 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 141 is like
Unit 141 occupies 239 square miles in southeastern Colorado, ranging from 4,800 feet at its low point to 5,900 feet at its high. The terrain is gentle and rolling, with 98 percent of the unit in gentle slopes and only 1 percent steep terrain. The country is characterized by low-elevation piñon-juniper, ponderosa, and mixed conifer forest typical of the southern Colorado foothills.
Access to public land is severely limited. Approximately 0.2 percent of the unit—roughly 1 square mile on BLM land—is generally open to public hunting. An additional 7.5 percent is Colorado State Trust Land, huntable only on parcels enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program; which parcels are enrolled is not specified in publicly available records. The remaining 92 percent is private. This ownership pattern makes legal access the primary constraint on hunting opportunity, regardless of how walkable the terrain is.
Elk occupy roughly 20 percent of the unit year-round as Resident Population. Winter Range covers 12 percent of the unit, with 4 percent marked as Winter Concentration where elk cluster. The Overall Range extends across 32 percent of the unit. The Resident Population layer indicates a core of year-round occupancy, though the extent of seasonal elk movement is not precisely defined. Hunters should expect year-round presence across the resident-use ground but should verify current distribution before planning a hunt.
The unit offers three seasons in the primary draw. Muzzleloader runs September 12 through September 20 and is either-sex, falling during the primary rut when bulls are vocally active and less cautious. The numbered 4th Rifle season runs November 18 through November 22 and is bull-only, occurring during the migration transition phase. Late Rifle runs October 24 through January 31 and is antlerless-only, offering an extended opportunity across the post-rut period and into winter. The draw is easy—the simplest unit-wide bull or either-sex code for an adult Colorado resident often requires zero preference points—though other seasons, weapons and nonresident applicants can require substantially more.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 4,800–5,900 ft, typically around 5,500 ft
- Steepness
- Gentle — mean slope 2°
- Slope breakdown
- 98% gentle · 2% moderate · 1% steep · 0% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~1 sq mi, plus ~18 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About <1% of GMU 141 is public land a hunter can count on — BLM. A further 8% is State Trust Land, which is huntable only where CPW has enrolled it.
- BLM<1%
- State Trust Land8%
- Private92%
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 141 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 Range32%the full extent of range CPW maps for elk — near 100% on most units, and not a statement about when elk are present
- Resident Population20%the only layer that means year-round use
- Winter Range12%used in winter
- Winter Concentration4%where elk bunch up in winter
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 141 elk hunting FAQ
How much of this unit can a public-land hunter actually access?
Approximately 0.2 percent of Unit 141 is generally open BLM land. An additional 7.5 percent is Colorado State Trust Land that may be accessible if enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program, but enrollment status is not publicly specified. Private land comprises 92 percent of the unit. Public-land hunters should expect minimal legal hunting opportunities and should verify access before applying.
Is Unit 141 realistic for a hunter with zero preference points?
Yes, for the easiest unit-wide bull or either-sex hunt code among adult Colorado residents. The draw is easy and often requires zero points. However, other seasons (notably Late Rifle, which is antlerless-only), other weapons, and nonresident applicants can require substantially more preference points, so the ease of drawing varies with the hunt selected.
What does the Resident Population layer mean for elk distribution?
The Resident Population layer covers 20 percent of the unit and indicates that CPW maps year-round elk use across that share. This does not guarantee elk are uniformly distributed—the Winter Concentration layer, covering 4 percent of the unit, shows where elk actually cluster during winter. Hunters should expect year-round presence on resident-use ground but should not assume even distribution.
When is the rut active during the hunting seasons?
The muzzleloader season (September 12–20) falls during the primary rut, when bulls are most vocal and responsive. The 4th Rifle season (November 18–22) occurs during the migration transition phase, after the rut has largely concluded. Late Rifle (October 24–January 31) spans the post-rut period into winter.
How does hunter pressure affect this unit?
Unit 141 experiences high overall hunter pressure. However, the draw for the easiest qualifying bull or either-sex code is easy, often requiring zero preference points—so high pressure and easy draw are independent conditions. Applicants should expect a crowded unit on public land, though the severity of crowding varies by season and weapon.
Is the terrain manageable for a hunter on foot?
Yes—98 percent of the unit is in gentle slopes, making it very walkable. The terrain itself does not present a barrier to hunters willing to cover ground. Access to the terrain is the real constraint: approximately 0.2 percent of the unit is guaranteed public land, so most terrain, however gentle, is off-limits without private permission or enrollment in a State Trust access program.
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.