Colorado GMU 2 Elk Hunting
Moffat County, northwest Colorado · 1,194 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 2 is like
Unit 2 covers 1,194 square miles of northwestern Colorado in Moffat County, stretching from 5,100 feet to 9,000 feet in elevation. The terrain is gentle and rolling, with 71% of the unit in gentle country, 23% moderate, 5% steep, and 1% rugged. This is elk country with seasonal range spread across the entire mapped area, though elk concentrate in specific zones during summer and winter rather than distributing evenly across the unit.
Public-land hunters can count on approximately 79% of the unit, managed by the Bureau of Land Management and State Wildlife Areas. An additional 4.6% is Colorado State Trust Land where hunting access depends on CPW enrollment in the Public Access Program; hunters should verify which parcels are open before planning. The National Park Service controls 8.1% where hunting is prohibited. Private land comprises 7.9% of the unit.
Elk occupy mapped range across the entire unit, but year-round resident use covers only 18% of it. Summer Range extends across 61% of the unit, with concentrated summer use on 35% of the unit's area. Winter Range covers 88% of the unit, concentrated on 24% of the area. Migration Corridors account for 8% of the unit. This pattern means elk are present during archery and early rifle seasons in late summer and early fall, shift during the rut and post-rut period, and continue migrating and settling into winter range through November and early December.
Eight seasons are offered to public applicants. Archery runs September 2 – September 30 for either-sex hunting during rut onset and primary rut. Muzzleloader runs September 12 – September 20 for antlerless and bull hunting in the primary rut. Early Rifle runs October 1 – October 11 for either-sex hunting as the rut transitions to post-rut. Four numbered rifle seasons follow: 1st Rifle October 14 – October 18, 2nd Rifle October 24 – November 1, 3rd Rifle November 7 – November 15, and 4th Rifle November 18 – November 22, all for antlerless hunting and spanning post-rut recovery and migration transition. Late Rifle runs December 1 – December 31 for antlerless hunting on winter range. The draw for this unit is elite, requiring 20 or more preference points for the easiest qualifying bull or either-sex code available to adult Colorado residents. Hunter pressure is low.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 5,100–9,000 ft, typically around 6,600 ft
- Steepness
- Gentle — mean slope 8.6°
- Slope breakdown
- 71% gentle · 23% moderate · 5% steep · 1% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~948 sq mi, plus ~55 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About 79% of GMU 2 is public land a hunter can count on — BLM and State Wildlife Areas. A further 5% is State Trust Land, which is huntable only where CPW has enrolled it. Another 8% is public but closed to hunting — National Park Service.
- BLM78%
- State Wildlife Area1%
- State Trust Land5%
- National Park Service8%
- Private8%
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 2 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
- Winter Range88%used in winter
- Summer Range61%used in summer
- Summer Concentration35%where elk bunch up in summer
- Winter Concentration24%where elk bunch up in winter
- Resident Population18%the only layer that means year-round use
- Migration Corridors8%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 | Antlerless, Bull |
| 1st Rifle | October 14 – October 18 | Antlerless |
| 2nd Rifle | October 24 – November 1 | Antlerless |
| 3rd Rifle | November 7 – November 15 | Antlerless |
| 4th Rifle | November 18 – November 22 | Antlerless |
| Early Rifle | October 1 – October 11 | Either-sex |
| Late Rifle | December 1 – December 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.
Fall weather
- September — highs around 73°F, lows around 43°F (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 59°F, lows around 32°F, about 0.8 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 44°F, lows around 21°F, about 4 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 2 elk hunting FAQ
How much public land can a hunter actually access and hunt in this unit?
Approximately 79% of the unit—roughly 948 square miles managed by the Bureau of Land Management and State Wildlife Areas—is generally open to public hunting. An additional 4.6% is State Trust Land where hunting depends on CPW Public Access Program enrollment; hunters should verify which parcels are enrolled before planning a hunt.
Is this unit realistic for someone with no preference points?
No. The draw is elite, meaning the easiest qualifying bull or either-sex hunt code requires 20 or more preference points for adult Colorado residents. Applicants without substantial preference-point accumulation will not draw a tag.
When are elk most concentrated and easiest to find in this unit?
Summer Concentration covers 35% of the unit during the June–August period, and Winter Concentration covers 24% during December–February, but the exact locations of these concentration zones are not specified by elevation, aspect, or geography. Elk during fall seasons spread across the broader Summer Range (61% of the unit) and Winter Range (88%), with migration occurring throughout November.
Does the terrain require technical mountaineering or is it manageable for a foot hunter?
The unit is gentle and rolling, with 71% gentle terrain, 23% moderate, 5% steep, and only 1% rugged. A hunter on foot can traverse the majority of the unit without extreme technical difficulty, though elevation ranges from 5,100 to 9,000 feet and exposure to weather will increase from September through December.
Which season offers the best chance of success—archery, early rifle, or the later rifle seasons?
Archery and Muzzleloader occur during the primary rut (September 2–20), when bulls are most vocal and active, making them historically productive for elk hunters. Early Rifle (October 1–11) overlaps late rut and early post-rut when bulls are still responsive. The four numbered rifle seasons (October 14–November 22) occur post-rut through migration, when elk are less predictable. Late Rifle (December 1–31) targets elk on established winter range.
Does the low hunter pressure mean tags are easier to draw?
No. Hunter pressure and draw difficulty are separate: this unit has low pressure but an elite draw difficulty of 20+ points. Few hunters compete for tags once drawn, but earning a tag requires substantial preference-point investment.
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 27, 2026.