Colorado GMU 16 Elk Hunting
Jackson County, northwest Colorado · 320 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 16 is like
Game Management Unit 16 covers 320 square miles of northwestern Colorado in Jackson County, spanning elevations from 8,000 feet to 11,900 feet with a typical hunting elevation around 8,500 feet. The terrain is gentle and rolling, with 72 percent of the unit classified as gentle slope, 23 percent moderate, and only 6 percent steep or rugged combined. This character makes the unit accessible to hunters on foot across most of its area, though the high-elevation portions present the most challenging walking.
The unit is roughly split between public and private ground. Approximately 47 percent—about 152 square miles—is generally open to public hunting, comprised of National Forest, BLM and State Wildlife Areas. An additional 4.4 percent is Colorado State Trust Land, huntable only where CPW has enrolled parcels in its Public Access Program; access to this ground varies by location. The remaining 48 percent is private land. Public ownership covers the north-central and eastern portions of the unit, while private ground dominates the south and west.
Elk distribution shifts with the seasons across the unit. Summer range covers 45 percent of the unit, with 24 percent concentrated in summer-use areas. Winter range is smaller, covering 27 percent with only 3 percent concentrated. Migration corridors thread through 6 percent of the unit. CPW maps no resident population layer for Unit 16, meaning the seasonal-range coverage reflects elk moving through rather than year-round occupation. As fall advances and temperatures drop from September highs near 66°F to November highs around 40°F, with November snowfall averaging 14.6 inches at mid-elevation, hunters should expect elk to shift toward winter range, though the timing and extent of that movement varies with weather patterns.
The unit offers seven total seasons across six public-hunting codes. Archery runs September 2–30 (either-sex and antlerless). Muzzleloader is September 12–20 (either-sex and antlerless). Four rifle seasons follow: 1st Rifle October 14–18 (either-sex and antlerless), 2nd Rifle October 24–November 1 (antlerless), 3rd Rifle November 7–15 (antlerless), and 4th Rifle November 18–22 (either-sex and antlerless). A private-land-only season runs August 15–January 31. The archery season spans the primary rut, while muzzleloader hunts during peak rut and early rifle seasons occur in the post-rut period. Unit 16 draws easily at zero points for the most accessible codes, reflecting its position as a high-pressure, accessible hunt near populated areas.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 8,000–11,900 ft, typically around 8,500 ft
- Steepness
- Gentle — mean slope 8.1°
- Slope breakdown
- 72% gentle · 23% moderate · 5% steep · 1% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~152 sq mi, plus ~14 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About 47% of GMU 16 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest, BLM and State Wildlife Areas. A further 4% is State Trust Land, which is huntable only where CPW has enrolled it.
- National Forest34%
- BLM12%
- State Wildlife Area1%
- State Trust Land4%
- Unclassified ownership<1%
- Private48%
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 16 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 Range100%the full extent of range CPW maps for elk — near 100% on most units, and not a statement about when elk are present
- Summer Range45%used in summer
- Winter Range27%used in winter
- Summer Concentration24%where elk bunch up in summer
- Migration Corridors6%movement between ranges, not residence
- Winter Concentration3%where elk bunch up in winter
Elk seasons & weapons (2026)
| Season | Dates | Tags offered |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | September 2 – September 30 | Either-sex, Antlerless |
| Muzzleloader | September 12 – September 20 | Either-sex, Antlerless |
| 1st Rifle | October 14 – October 18 | Either-sex, Antlerless |
| 2nd Rifle | October 24 – November 1 | Antlerless |
| 3rd Rifle | November 7 – November 15 | Antlerless |
| 4th Rifle | November 18 – November 22 | Either-sex, Antlerless |
| Private-land only | August 15 – January 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 66°F, lows around 36°F (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 53°F, lows around 27°F, about 3.8 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 40°F, lows around 17°F, about 14.6 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 16 elk hunting FAQ
How much public land can a hunter actually access and hunt in Unit 16?
Approximately 152 square miles of the unit—47 percent—is generally open to public hunting through National Forest, BLM, and State Wildlife Areas. An additional 4.4 percent is Colorado State Trust Land, but access depends on CPW enrollment in its Public Access Program, which varies parcel to parcel. Public ownership does not guarantee easy entry; road access, trailheads, and private inholdings will determine what ground a specific hunter can reach.
Is Unit 16 realistic for someone applying with zero preference points?
Yes. Unit 16 draws at zero points on its easiest unit-wide either-sex or antlerless codes for adult Colorado residents, making it accessible to first-time applicants. This easy draw reflects the unit's high hunter pressure and popularity as an accessible hunt rather than a surplus of tags, so expect crowded public ground regardless of draw success.
When should a hunter expect elk to shift toward winter range as the season progresses?
CPW maps winter range covering only 27 percent of the unit against 45 percent summer range, suggesting a significant seasonal shift. As temperatures cool from September highs near 66°F to November highs around 40°F, with November averaging 14.6 inches of snowfall at mid-elevation, elk should move toward lower winter ground. Timing and extent of that shift vary with weather and snow depth.
How does the terrain affect a public-land hunter's ability to cover ground on foot?
The unit is 72 percent gentle slope and only 6 percent steep or rugged, making it generally walkable across most public acreage. Elevation gains and distances are manageable for a hunter afoot, though the highest portions above 11,000 feet will still present physical challenge. The gentle character means more ground is reachable without extreme fitness demands.
What rut period do the early seasons target?
Archery (September 2–30) spans rut onset into the primary rut, making it the earliest opportunity to hunt actively responding bulls. Muzzleloader (September 12–20) falls within the primary rut window. The 1st Rifle season (October 14–18) arrives in the late rut and early post-rut recovery period, when bull activity begins to decline but bulls are still moving and vulnerable.
Does elk distribution remain even across the unit or do they concentrate in specific areas?
Elk concentrate heavily in summer, with 24 percent of the unit mapped as summer-concentration ground against 45 percent total summer range. Winter concentration is minimal at only 3 percent of the unit, suggesting elk spread more thinly across winter range. Hunters should not expect even distribution during either season; finding concentration areas early will improve success odds.
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.