Colorado GMU 20 Elk Hunting
Larimer, Boulder and Weld counties, northeast Colorado · 1,207 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 20 is like
Colorado GMU 20 spans 1,207 square miles across parts of Larimer, Boulder and Weld counties in the northern Front Range. The unit occupies rolling to moderately steep country, with elevations ranging from 4,800 feet in the foothills to 14,200 feet in the high peaks. The terrain is 45% gentle and 37% moderate, with 16% steep and 2% rugged by area. Most of the unit sits near 7,500 feet typical elevation, a high-country setting that experiences substantial fall snowfall and cooling temperatures from September through November.
About 25% of GMU 20—roughly 305 square miles—is generally open to public hunting on National Forest, State Wildlife Areas, and BLM land. The remainder is split among closed public land (22% National Park Service), private property (43%), and unclassified ownership (9%). Legal public-hunting access is thus the primary constraint on where a hunter can actually operate in this unit, independent of terrain walkability.
Elk occupy much of the unit seasonally. Overall Range covers 86% of GMU 20, but CPW maps a Resident Population on only 12% of the unit, meaning most elk migrate through seasonal ranges rather than staying year-round. Summer Range covers 49% of the unit, while Winter Range covers 59%, reflecting a shift toward lower and mid-elevation ground as the season advances. Summer Concentration occupies 12% of the unit and Winter Concentration 24%, showing that elk cluster on specific areas rather than spread evenly across available range. Migration Corridors account for 5% of the unit. A hunter should expect elk to concentrate on and move through these mapped seasonal grounds, with timing and extent influenced by fall weather and snowfall.
GMU 20 offers seven archery and rifle seasons open to the public, plus a private-land-only hunt. Archery runs September 2–30 and falls during Rut Onset and Primary Rut. Muzzleloader hunts September 12–20 during Primary Rut. Four numbered rifle seasons are offered: 1st Rifle October 14–18 (Late Rut / Early Post-Rut into Post-Rut Recovery), 2nd Rifle October 24–November 1 (Post-Rut Recovery into Migration Transition), 3rd Rifle November 7–15 (Migration Transition), and 4th Rifle November 18–22 (Migration Transition). A separate Late Rifle season runs August 15–January 31. Archery carries either-sex, antlerless and bull tags; 1st Rifle is bull-only; Muzzleloader, the remaining rifle seasons and Late Rifle carry antlerless and bull tags. September temperatures average highs near 70°F, cooling to November highs near 45°F, with October and November snowfall averaging 2.3 and 3.5 inches respectively. The draw here is hard, requiring 3–5 preference points for the easiest unit-wide bull or either-sex code available to adult Colorado residents, and at least one premium bull season exists that requires substantially more points.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 4,800–14,200 ft, typically around 7,500 ft
- Steepness
- Steep — mean slope 13.8°
- Slope breakdown
- 45% gentle · 37% moderate · 16% steep · 2% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~305 sq mi, plus ~7 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About 25% of GMU 20 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest, State Wildlife Areas and BLM. Another 22% is public but closed to hunting — National Park Service.
- National Forest25%
- State Wildlife Area<1%
- BLM<1%
- State Trust Land<1%
- National Park Service22%
- Unclassified ownership9%
- Private43%
“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 20 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 Range86%the full extent of range CPW maps for elk — near 100% on most units, and not a statement about when elk are present
- Winter Range59%used in winter
- Summer Range49%used in summer
- Winter Concentration24%where elk bunch up in winter
- Summer Concentration12%where elk bunch up in summer
- Resident Population12%the only layer that means year-round use
- Migration Corridors5%movement between ranges, not residence
Elk seasons & weapons (2026)
| Season | Dates | Tags offered |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | September 2 – September 30 | Either-sex, Antlerless, Bull |
| Muzzleloader | September 12 – September 20 | Antlerless, Bull |
| 1st Rifle | October 14 – October 18 | Bull |
| 2nd Rifle | October 24 – November 1 | Antlerless, Bull |
| 3rd Rifle | November 7 – November 15 | Antlerless, Bull |
| 4th Rifle | November 18 – November 22 | Antlerless, Bull |
| Late Rifle | August 15 – January 31 | Antlerless, Bull |
| Private-land only | September 1 – 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.
Fall weather
- September — highs around 70°F, lows around 42°F (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 57°F, lows around 32°F, about 2.3 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 45°F, lows around 23°F, about 3.5 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 20 elk hunting FAQ
How much public land can a hunter actually access in GMU 20?
Only about 25% of the unit—roughly 305 square miles on National Forest, State Wildlife Areas and BLM—is generally open to public hunting. The rest is either private (43%), closed to hunting as National Park Service land (22%), or unclassified (9%). Public ownership is not the same as straightforward access; a hunter must still contend with roads, trailheads, seasonal closures and private inholdings that segment the open ground.
Does this unit hold year-round elk or do they migrate through it?
CPW maps a Resident Population on only 12% of GMU 20, meaning most elk migrate seasonally rather than stay year-round. Summer Range covers 49% of the unit and Winter Range covers 59%, so a hunter should expect the distribution to shift toward winter ground as the season advances, with timing and extent varying based on fall weather and snow.
When in the fall does the rut peak in GMU 20?
The Primary Rut runs September 11–30 and overlaps with both Archery (September 2–30) and Muzzleloader (September 12–20) seasons. By 1st Rifle (October 14–18), the rut has entered Late Rut / Early Post-Rut and Post-Rut Recovery phases. Later rifle seasons in November fall in Migration Transition, after the rut ends.
Is the terrain steep enough to be difficult to hunt on foot?
GMU 20 is rolling to moderately steep overall: 45% is gentle terrain and 37% is moderate, with steep and rugged ground comprising only 18% by area. Most of the unit should be walkable for a fit hunter, though the 7,500-foot typical elevation means higher-altitude demands regardless of slope. Steepness is less of a constraint than legal public-land access in this unit.
How hard is it to draw a tag in GMU 20?
The unit is hard to draw, requiring 3–5 preference points for the easiest unit-wide bull or either-sex code available to adult Colorado residents. This describes the lowest preference-point tier that drew reliably in the primary draw; other weapons, seasons and nonresident applicants require substantially more points, and at least one premium bull season exists with far higher thresholds.
Can a hunter with no preference points draw here?
An applicant with zero points is unlikely to draw any of the main rifle or archery tags in GMU 20, as the easiest code requires 3–5 points. A hunter with no preference points should apply elsewhere unless willing to build points for several years or pursue nontraditional seasons with lower point requirements.
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.