Colorado GMU 27 Elk Hunting
Grand and Routt counties, northwest Colorado · 197 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 27 is like
Colorado GMU 27 spans 197 square miles across the northwestern corner of the state, covering parts of Grand and Routt counties. The terrain rolls gently, with some steeper breaks; 61 percent of the unit is gentle and 36 percent moderate, leaving only 4 percent steep or rugged. Elevations range from 7,000 feet to 10,800 feet, with typical hunting occurring around 8,600 feet. The country supports a mix of forest and open terrain across a range suitable for early-season through late-season elk hunting.
National Forest and BLM land open to public hunting comprise approximately 41 percent of the unit, or about 80 square miles. An additional 15 percent, roughly 29 square miles, is Colorado State Trust Land where access depends on CPW's Public Access Program enrollment—not all parcels are open. The remaining 45 percent of the unit is private. Public ownership overall represents about 55 percent of the unit, but the reliably huntable ground is limited to the open National Forest and BLM acreage.
Elk are mapped across the full extent of the unit during the year, though they concentrate on specific areas seasonally. Summer Range covers 69 percent of the unit, with concentrated use on about 10 percent. Winter Range encompasses 43 percent, with concentrated use on 19 percent. A small Resident Population layer covers 9 percent, indicating year-round use in parts of the unit, but most of the unit experiences seasonal movement. Hunters should expect elk to be present broadly in early fall and to shift toward winter concentration areas as the season progresses and weather conditions change.
The unit offers eight seasons total: Archery from September 2 to September 30 (either-sex), Muzzleloader September 12 to September 20 (either-sex or antlerless), four numbered rifle seasons running October 14 through November 22 (either-sex or antlerless options varying by period), and Late Rifle November 28 to December 6 (antlerless). Five of these are rifle seasons. Early archery overlaps rut onset and primary rut; muzzleloader occurs during primary rut; early rifle hunts (October) fall in late rut and early post-rut; mid-season rifle (late October into early November) follows post-rut; late November rifle seasons coincide with migration transition into early winter range occupancy. Weather cools substantially as the fall progresses, from September highs near 66°F to November highs near 40°F, with October averaging about 3.6 inches of snowfall and November averaging 12.1 inches. Draw difficulty for the easiest qualifying either-sex or bull code available to adult residents sits at the easy end of the range, often drawing at zero preference points; however, this unit experiences extreme hunter pressure, making it crowded despite the accessible draw.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 7,000–10,800 ft, typically around 8,600 ft
- Steepness
- Moderate — mean slope 9.8°
- Slope breakdown
- 61% gentle · 36% moderate · 3% steep · 1% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~80 sq mi, plus ~29 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About 41% of GMU 27 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest and BLM. A further 15% is State Trust Land, which is huntable only where CPW has enrolled it.
- National Forest34%
- BLM6%
- State Wildlife Area<1%
- State Trust Land15%
- Private45%
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 27 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 Range69%used in summer
- Winter Range43%used in winter
- Winter Concentration19%where elk bunch up in winter
- Summer Concentration10%where elk bunch up in summer
- Resident Population9%the only layer that means year-round use
Elk seasons & weapons (2026)
| Season | Dates | Tags offered |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | September 2 – September 30 | Either-sex |
| 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 |
| Late Rifle | November 28 – December 6 | Antlerless |
| Private-land only | September 1 – 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 66°F, lows around 35°F (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 53°F, lows around 25°F, about 3.6 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 40°F, lows around 15°F, about 12.1 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 27 elk hunting FAQ
Can someone with no preference points draw a tag here?
Yes. The easiest qualifying either-sex or bull hunts on this unit draw at zero preference points for adult Colorado residents, though the specific hunts and season timing vary. Nonresidents, other weapon choices, and tag codes beyond the easiest tier require substantially more points.
How much public ground can a hunter actually access here?
About 41 percent of the unit—roughly 80 square miles of National Forest and BLM land—is generally open to public hunting. An additional 15 percent is State Trust Land, but access there depends on CPW Public Access Program enrollment, which varies by parcel. Private land makes up the remaining 45 percent.
Is this unit better for early-season or late-season hunting?
The unit offers both. Archery runs September 2–30 during rut onset and primary rut, providing calling opportunities. Muzzleloader (September 12–20) also catches primary rut. Rifle seasons span October 14 through early December, with early rifle hunts (mid-October) coinciding with late rut and post-rut periods, while mid to late rifle seasons (November onward) align with migration and early winter range movement, when elk consolidate in concentration areas covering 19 percent of the unit.
Does the small Resident Population layer mean most elk leave this unit?
No. The Resident Population layer (9 percent) indicates year-round use in those specific areas, but seasonal range layers show that summer range covers 69 percent and winter range 43 percent. Most elk shift between these areas as the season advances, but this is normal seasonal movement, not abandonment. Summer and winter concentration layers mark where elk cluster during each period.
Why is this unit easy to draw but described as extremely crowded?
Draw difficulty and hunter pressure are separate factors. Easy-to-draw tags (often at zero preference points) attract many applicants, resulting in heavy hunting pressure on the ground once tags are issued. Many hunters pursuing the same accessible opportunity creates crowding despite the low barrier to entry.
What should a hunter expect from October weather here?
October temperatures range from highs around 53°F to lows around 25°F, with average snowfall of 3.6 inches. November is considerably colder and wetter, with highs near 40°F and average snowfall of 12.1 inches, substantially changing hunting conditions as the season progresses.
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.