Colorado GMU 171 Elk Hunting
Jackson County, northwest Colorado · 256 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 171 is like
GMU 171 spans 256 square miles across the northern Colorado high country, rising from 8,000 feet to 12,900 feet with typical elevations near 8,800 feet. The terrain is rolling, with some steeper breaks: 69 percent of the unit is gentle, 23 percent moderate, and only 8 percent steep or rugged combined. The landscape transitions from lower-elevation valleys into gradually steepening country at higher elevations, with rolling sage and aspen giving way to conifer forests and alpine terrain.
About 52 percent of the unit is open to public hunting, split between National Forest (38 percent of total area), BLM (14 percent), and State Wildlife Areas (0.5 percent). Colorado State Trust Land covers 3.5 percent of the unit; access on these parcels depends on enrollment in CPW's Public Access Program. Private land comprises 37 percent of the unit, and 7.6 percent is classified as unclassified ownership, meaning the source data does not identify the landowner as public or private.
Elk in GMU 171 are not uniformly distributed. Summer Range covers 61 percent of the unit, with concentrated use on 3 percent of the area. Winter Range extends across 50 percent, with 11 percent showing concentrated use in that season. A small Resident Population layer—4 percent of the unit—reflects CPW's mapping of year-round use. Migration Corridors cover 8 percent, indicating movement between seasonal ranges. As fall advances and snow accumulates through November, hunters should expect elk to shift toward winter ground, though the timing and extent of that shift vary with weather and snow.
The unit offers seven seasons across four rifle windows plus archery and muzzleloader hunts. Archery runs September 2–30 for either-sex or antlerless elk. Muzzleloader follows September 12–20 for either-sex or antlerless. Four rifle seasons span October through November: the 1st Rifle October 14–18 (either-sex or antlerless), 2nd Rifle October 24–November 1 (antlerless), 3rd Rifle November 7–15 (antlerless), and 4th Rifle November 18–22 (either-sex or antlerless). A private-land-only season runs August 15–January 31. The archery season coincides with rut onset and the primary rut, while muzzleloader hunting falls during peak rut activity. The early rifle hunt overlaps the tail end of the rut, and later rifle seasons occur as elk move toward winter range. Hunter pressure here is extreme, and the draw for the easiest qualifying unit-wide bull or either-sex hunt available to adult Colorado residents is rated easy, often drawing at zero preference points—though other seasons, weapons and nonresident applicants face substantially different competition.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 8,000–12,900 ft, typically around 8,800 ft
- Steepness
- Gentle — mean slope 8.4°
- Slope breakdown
- 69% gentle · 23% moderate · 7% steep · 1% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~134 sq mi, plus ~9 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About 52% of GMU 171 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest, BLM and State Wildlife Areas. A further 3% is State Trust Land, which is huntable only where CPW has enrolled it.
- National Forest38%
- BLM14%
- State Wildlife Area<1%
- State Trust Land3%
- National Park Service<1%
- Unclassified ownership8%
- Private37%
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 171 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 Range61%used in summer
- Winter Range50%used in winter
- Winter Concentration11%where elk bunch up in winter
- Migration Corridors8%movement between ranges, not residence
- Resident Population4%the only layer that means year-round use
- Summer Concentration3%where elk bunch up in summer
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 65°F, lows around 35°F, about 0.3 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 52°F, lows around 26°F, about 4.4 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 39°F, lows around 16°F, about 12.9 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 171 elk hunting FAQ
Can I hunt this unit with no preference points?
The easiest qualifying unit-wide bull or either-sex hunt for an adult Colorado resident often draws at zero points. However, the specific season, weapon and hunt code matter: other rifle seasons, the muzzleloader hunt, and nonresident applications can require substantially more points.
When does the rut happen here?
CPW maps rut onset from September 1–10 and the primary rut from September 11–30. Archery season (September 2–30) spans both phases. The rut begins to wind down in early October, and by the time the 1st Rifle season opens (October 14–18), most bulls are entering post-rut recovery.
How much public ground can actually be hunted?
About 52 percent of the unit (roughly 134 square miles) is generally open to public hunting on National Forest, BLM, and State Wildlife Area land. Colorado State Trust Land makes up another 3.5 percent but is only huntable where CPW has enrolled it in the Public Access Program; check with CPW before relying on it.
Is this a realistic draw for someone with no points or few points?
The easiest qualifying unit-wide hunt draws easily—often at zero points for adult Colorado residents. However, the extreme hunter pressure here means that while tags are not scarce, the ground will be crowded; the ease of the draw and the intensity of use are separate issues.
Where should I expect elk to be as the season progresses?
Early-season hunting (archery and muzzleloader in early September) finds elk across the broader summer range, where they concentrate on about 3 percent of the unit. As fall cools and snow accumulates through October and November, elk shift toward winter ground covering 50 percent of the unit, with the heaviest use on about 11 percent. Timing depends on weather and snow.
What is the weather like during the seasons?
September sees highs around 65°F and lows near 35°F with minimal snow. October cools to highs around 52°F and lows near 26°F, with about 4.4 inches of snowfall on average. November is cold—highs around 39°F, lows near 16°F—and receives about 13 inches of snow, making late-season hunting progressively colder and wetter.
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.