Colorado GMU 142 Elk Hunting
Las Animas County, southeast Colorado · 368 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 142 is like
GMU 142 is a 368-square-mile unit in Las Animas County in the southeastern region of Colorado. The terrain is gentle and rolling, with 91 percent of the unit in gentle slopes, 7 percent moderate, and only 2 percent steep; mean slope across the unit is 3.9 degrees. Elevation ranges from 4,400 feet to 5,900 feet, with a typical elevation around 5,100 feet. This landscape is walkable and open in character, though that accessibility does not translate directly to hunting opportunity.
Nearly all of GMU 142—approximately 100 percent—is private land. Only about 0.1 percent is generally open to public hunting, and that ground is administered by the U.S. Forest Service. The extreme scarcity of open public ground means that a hunter's ability to access and hunt the unit depends almost entirely on permission from private landowners or participation in special-access programs. The publicly owned total in the unit is roughly 0.1 percent, but only that small Forest Service parcel is reliably open to hunting.
Elk occupy the unit year-round across 79 percent of it, according to CPW's mapping of resident-population range. Because resident-use range does not subdivide into seasonal components, the absence of a large winter-range designation does not indicate that elk move out of the unit as autumn advances. Elk are present across the majority of the unit throughout the fall and into winter. Concentrations of elk use—the portions of the unit where animals cluster most heavily—occur within the resident-population footprint, though the mapping does not specify their location by elevation, aspect, or drainage.
The unit offers three seasons in 2026: Muzzleloader (September 12–September 20, either-sex or antlerless), 4th Rifle (November 18–November 22, bull), and Late Rifle (October 24–January 31, antlerless). The muzzleloader season falls during the primary rut, when bulls are vocally active and responsive. The November rifle hunt occurs during the migration-transition window, as weather and snow may push elk toward winter ground. The late-rifle season extends through the post-rut period and winter. Draw difficulty for the easiest unit-wide bull or either-sex hunt available to adult Colorado residents is easy, often requiring zero preference points. Hunter pressure on the unit is extreme, reflecting its proximity to populated areas and the limited public access available.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 4,400–5,900 ft, typically around 5,100 ft
- Steepness
- Gentle — mean slope 3.9°
- Slope breakdown
- 91% gentle · 7% moderate · 2% steep · 0% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~0 sq mi
Land & access
About <1% of GMU 142 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest.
- National Forest<1%
- State Trust Land<1%
- Unclassified ownership<1%
- Private100%
Where elk live in the unit
Colorado Parks & Wildlife maps elk seasonal ranges statewide. This is how much of GMU 142 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%.
- Resident Population79%the only layer that means year-round use
- Overall Range79%the full extent of range CPW maps for elk — near 100% on most units, and not a statement about when elk are present
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 142 elk hunting FAQ
How much public ground can a hunter actually hunt in GMU 142?
Approximately 0.1 percent of the unit—roughly negligible in acreage—is generally open to public hunting, all of it administered by the U.S. Forest Service. The remaining 99.9 percent is private land. Legal access is the primary constraint on hunting opportunity in this unit, far more limiting than terrain or animal distribution.
Is GMU 142 realistic for a hunter with no preference points?
Yes, for the easiest unit-wide hunt code available to adult Colorado residents. The unit's draw difficulty is easy, and applicants often draw with zero preference points for the bull or either-sex hunts in the primary draw. However, other weapons, nonresident applicants, and specific season codes may require substantially more points.
Do elk leave GMU 142 as fall turns to winter?
No. CPW maps 79 percent of the unit as resident-population range, meaning elk use that ground year-round rather than vacating it. The seasonal designation of winter range does not mean most elk depart; it reflects the territory where year-round occupancy occurs. Elk presence and distribution should be expected throughout the fall and into winter across the core of the unit.
Is the muzzleloader season the best bet for a responsive bull?
The muzzleloader season (September 12–September 20) occurs during the primary rut, when bulls are vocally active and most responsive to calling and bugling. If rut timing and responsiveness are primary considerations, this is the optimal choice among the three seasons offered. The rifle hunts occur later in the fall, after the peak rut activity.
How much of the unit is concentrated with elk?
The facts provided do not specify the size of concentration-use areas within the unit. Concentration layers indicate where elk cluster, but they do not convey elevation, location, or other positional detail—only the share of total unit area affected. A hunter should scout or consult local sources to locate those zones.
What does 'extreme' hunter pressure mean for hunting success in GMU 142?
Extreme pressure indicates heavy hunting effort and many hunters in the field, not necessarily poor elk numbers or low success rates. An easy-to-draw unit near populated areas can attract many applicants and hunters despite abundant game. Crowding on public ground (though minimal here) and private-land pressure will shape the hunting experience; neither draw difficulty nor hunter-pressure ratings alone predict kill rates.
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.