Colorado GMU 201 Elk Hunting
Moffat County, northwest Colorado · 240 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 201 is like
GMU 201 spans 240 square miles in Moffat County in Colorado's northwest region. Elevation ranges from 5,300 feet to 9,700 feet, with typical terrain at 7,400 feet. The landscape is rolling, with some steeper breaks: 65 percent of the unit is gentle, 28 percent moderate, and 7 percent steep. The terrain is suited to hiking and horseback travel, though steeper sections require more deliberate routing.
Approximately 75 percent of the unit (180 square miles) is generally open to public hunting, comprised of Bureau of Land Management and State Wildlife Areas. An additional 14 percent (33 square miles) is Colorado State Trust Land; access to these parcels depends on enrollment in CPW's Public Access Program and cannot be assumed. Five percent of the unit is unclassified in ownership, and 6 percent is private land. Public ownership totals roughly 89 percent, though this figure does not reflect huntable acreage where access restrictions or private inholdings apply.
Elk Summer Range covers 73 percent of the unit and Summer Concentration covers 50 percent, indicating that summer elk cluster substantially rather than dispersing evenly. Winter Range extends across 86 percent of the unit, while Winter Concentration covers 55 percent. Elk move and concentrate seasonally in response to weather and forage, with the highest densities appearing on concentration grounds during their respective seasons. CPW maps Overall Range at 100 percent, which reflects the full extent of elk use but does not indicate year-round presence everywhere on the unit.
Eight seasons are offered, including Archery from September 2 to September 30 (either-sex), Muzzleloader from September 12 to September 20 (bull or antlerless), Early Rifle from October 1 to October 11 (either-sex), and six rifle seasons running through November and December: 1st Rifle October 14–18 (antlerless), 2nd Rifle October 24–November 1 (antlerless), 3rd Rifle November 7–15 (antlerless), 4th Rifle November 18–22 (antlerless), and Late Rifle December 1–31 (antlerless). Early rifle seasons coincide with the late rut and early post-rut period, while late-season hunts occur during winter range occupancy. Hunter pressure is low overall. Draw difficulty is elite, meaning the easiest unit-wide bull or either-sex code for an adult Colorado resident typically requires 20 or more preference points.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 5,300–9,700 ft, typically around 7,400 ft
- Steepness
- Moderate — mean slope 9.4°
- Slope breakdown
- 65% gentle · 28% moderate · 7% steep · 0% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~180 sq mi, plus ~33 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About 75% of GMU 201 is public land a hunter can count on — BLM and State Wildlife Areas. A further 14% is State Trust Land, which is huntable only where CPW has enrolled it.
- BLM71%
- State Wildlife Area4%
- State Trust Land14%
- National Park Service<1%
- Unclassified ownership5%
- Private6%
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 201 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 Range86%used in winter
- Summer Range73%used in summer
- Winter Concentration55%where elk bunch up in winter
- Summer Concentration50%where elk bunch up in summer
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 70°F, lows around 42°F (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 57°F, lows around 31°F, about 1.5 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 44°F, lows around 21°F, about 3.4 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 201 elk hunting FAQ
How much ground can a hunter actually count on hunting here?
Approximately 180 square miles (75 percent of the unit) is generally open to public hunting on BLM and State Wildlife Areas. An additional 33 square miles of State Trust Land may be huntable where CPW has enrolled parcels in its Public Access Program, but this cannot be assumed without checking current access status. Access still depends on roads, trailheads, and private inholdings.
Is this unit realistic for someone with no preference points?
No. The easiest unit-wide bull or either-sex code available to adult Colorado residents requires approximately 20 preference points or more. Applicants with substantially fewer points should consider whether building points for this unit or applying elsewhere aligns with their timeline.
When do elk concentrate in the unit?
Summer Concentration covers 50 percent of the unit and Winter Concentration covers 55 percent, meaning elk cluster heavily on these grounds during their respective seasons. Hunters should focus on concentration areas to encounter elk more reliably than on open range, though CPW maps do not specify exact locations.
Which season offers the best chance to hunt bulls?
Archery (September 2–30) and Early Rifle (October 1–11) are either-sex seasons; Early Rifle also overlaps the late-rut and early post-rut window (October 1–15), when bulls are still active. Muzzleloader (September 12–20) is bull or antlerless and falls during the primary rut (September 11–30), when bugling is at its peak.
What are the conditions like across the hunting seasons?
September highs average 70°F with minimal snowfall, cooling steadily through fall. October highs average 57°F with about 1.5 inches of snow possible; November highs average 44°F with 3.4 inches typical. Late rifle hunts in December occur on winter range with persistent cold and snow accumulation.
Can a hunter pursue both an early and late season here?
Yes, if drawn for multiple tags. Archery and Early Rifle span September through mid-October, while 1st through 4th Rifle seasons run October 14 through November 22, and Late Rifle continues December 1–31. A hunter could theoretically hunt multiple seasons in a single year, though draw odds for each tag are independent.
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.