Colorado GMU 22 Elk Hunting
Rio Blanco and Garfield counties, northwest Colorado · 988 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 22 is like
Colorado GMU 22 spans 988 square miles across Rio Blanco and Garfield counties in the northwest region. The unit rolls from a low of 5,400 feet to a high of 8,900 feet, with typical elevations around 7,000 feet. Terrain is rolling to moderately steep across most of the unit: 44 percent is gentle, 43 percent moderate, and 13 percent steep. The country supports a mix of seasonal elk use through fall and winter.
Public ground dominates access here. Approximately 74 percent of the unit, about 733 square miles, is generally open to public hunting. That ground is managed by the Bureau of Land Management and State Wildlife Areas. Private land makes up the remaining 26 percent of the unit. The public acreage gives hunters substantial room to work, though roads, trailheads and private inholdings still determine what ground a hunter can actually reach.
Elk distribution shifts with the seasons. Winter Range covers 94 percent of the unit, indicating the unit supports elk through the cold months. Summer Range covers 48 percent. Within those broad seasonal ranges, elk concentrate in specific areas: 27 percent of the unit is mapped as Winter Concentration ground, while Summer Concentration covers 2 percent. A small Resident Population layer, covering 2 percent of the unit, indicates year-round use on limited acreage. Hunters should expect elk to cluster on winter-concentration ground as the season progresses into November and December, rather than spread evenly across available range.
The unit offers seven public seasons across bow, muzzleloader and rifle. Archery runs September 2 to September 30 and spans early rut phases. Muzzleloader runs September 12 to September 20 during peak rut. The five rifle seasons are structured as a numbered block from October 14 to November 22—first rifle October 14–18, second rifle October 24 to November 1, third rifle November 7–15, and fourth rifle November 18–22—followed separately by a Late Rifle season December 1–31. The bow and early rifle seasons track fall cooling from September highs near 72 degrees to November highs near 45 degrees. November brings average snowfall of 5.5 inches. The unit draws at easy difficulty for the easiest qualifying adult-resident bull or either-sex codes, often at zero preference points, though other weapon choices and nonresident applicants can require substantially more. Moderate overall hunter pressure reflects the size and public-ground availability.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 5,400–8,900 ft, typically around 7,000 ft
- Steepness
- Steep — mean slope 13.5°
- Slope breakdown
- 44% gentle · 43% moderate · 13% steep · 0% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~733 sq mi
Land & access
About 74% of GMU 22 is public land a hunter can count on — BLM and State Wildlife Areas.
- BLM70%
- State Wildlife Area4%
- Private26%
Where elk live in the unit
Colorado Parks & Wildlife maps elk seasonal ranges statewide. This is how much of GMU 22 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 Range94%used in winter
- Summer Range48%used in summer
- Winter Concentration27%where elk bunch up in winter
- Migration Corridors4%movement between ranges, not residence
- Resident Population2%the only layer that means year-round use
- Summer Concentration2%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, Bull |
| 2nd Rifle | October 24 – November 1 | Antlerless |
| 3rd Rifle | November 7 – November 15 | Antlerless |
| 4th Rifle | November 18 – November 22 | Either-sex, Antlerless, Bull |
| Late Rifle | December 1 – December 31 | Antlerless |
| Private-land only | September 2 – December 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 72°F, lows around 44°F (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 59°F, lows around 33°F, about 1.3 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 45°F, lows around 22°F, about 5.5 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 22 elk hunting FAQ
Can someone with no preference points draw an elk tag here?
Yes. The easiest qualifying adult-resident bull or either-sex hunts on the unit draw at easy difficulty, often at zero points, so a first-time applicant can draw with no preference history. However, specific season and weapon choices matter—other rifle seasons and nonresident applicants can require substantially more points.
When is the rut, and which season covers it?
Rut onset begins September 1, and the primary rut runs September 11–30. Archery spans September 2–30 and covers both early and peak rut phases. Muzzleloader overlaps the peak rut window (September 12–20). First rifle starts October 14, after the main rut has ended and shifted into post-rut recovery.
How much public ground can a hunter actually hunt?
About 74 percent of the unit, roughly 733 square miles, is generally open to public hunting on Bureau of Land Management and State Wildlife Areas. That scale allows significant room to roam, though roads, trailheads, and private inholdings interspersed through the unit will still affect how much ground a hunter can physically access.
Where do elk concentrate as the season advances?
Winter Concentration ground covers 27 percent of the unit, while Winter Range covers 94 percent overall. As fall progresses into November and December, hunters should expect elk to cluster on winter-concentration ground rather than remain spread across the broader winter range. Timing and intensity of that shift depend on weather and snow.
Is the terrain steep enough to challenge a hunter on foot?
The unit is rolling to moderately steep overall, with 44 percent gentle terrain and 43 percent moderate slope, balancing steeper 13 percent sections. Most of the unit is manageable for foot travel, though aspect, elevation and drainage structure will vary by location.
How do the November and December rifle seasons differ?
The numbered rifle block (first through fourth) runs October 14 to November 22 and targets post-rut and early migration phases. Late Rifle stands separate, running December 1–31, and falls entirely within the winter-range phenological period when snow and cold conditions dominate.
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.