Colorado GMU 3 Elk Hunting
Moffat County, northwest Colorado · 848 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 3 is like
GMU 3 spans 848 square miles of northwestern Colorado in Moffat County, covering an elevation range from 5,700 feet to 7,400 feet with a typical elevation around 6,500 feet. The unit's terrain is gentle and rolling, with 90 percent of the area falling into the gentle slope category, 10 percent moderate, and only 1 percent steep—meaning a hunter on foot can traverse most of the unit without steep scrambling. The country transitions from lower-elevation basin and plateau terrain to rolling ridges and upland parks as elevation increases.
About 46 percent of the unit is generally open to public hunting on BLM land and State Wildlife Areas, totaling roughly 387 square miles. An additional 8.5 percent (about 72 square miles) is Colorado State Trust Land, which may be hunted only where parcels are enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program; access to that ground is enrollment-dependent and cannot be counted on. The remaining roughly 46 percent is private land. Public ownership in the unit is split roughly equally between BLM and private holdings, with state lands forming a smaller share.
Elk occupy the unit year-round in scattered distribution, with CPW mapping a 12 percent Resident Population share indicating year-round use across that portion. Winter Range coverage is extensive at 100 percent, and 59 percent of the unit is mapped as Winter Concentration where elk cluster during cold months. Summer Range covers only 8 percent, with 6 percent designated as Summer Concentration. Migration Corridors span 57 percent, indicating that seasonal movement through the unit is substantial—a hunter should expect elk distribution to shift as the fall progresses and animals move toward winter ground, though timing and extent vary with weather and snow.
The unit offers seven seasons open to public applicants: Archery from September 2 to September 30, Muzzleloader from September 12 to September 20, five rifle seasons (1st Rifle October 14–18, 2nd Rifle October 24–November 1, 3rd Rifle November 7–15, 4th Rifle November 18–22, and Late Rifle December 1–31), spanning rut and post-rut into winter. Draw difficulty is easy, often drawing at zero preference points for the qualifying either-sex or bull hunts available to adult Colorado residents. Hunter pressure across the unit is moderate.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 5,700–7,400 ft, typically around 6,500 ft
- Steepness
- Gentle — mean slope 5.5°
- Slope breakdown
- 90% gentle · 10% moderate · 1% steep · 0% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~387 sq mi, plus ~72 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About 46% of GMU 3 is public land a hunter can count on — BLM and State Wildlife Areas. A further 9% is State Trust Land, which is huntable only where CPW has enrolled it.
- BLM45%
- State Wildlife Area1%
- State Trust Land9%
- Private46%
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 3 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%.
- Winter Range100%used in winter
- 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 Concentration59%where elk bunch up in winter
- Migration Corridors57%movement between ranges, not residence
- Resident Population12%the only layer that means year-round use
- Summer Range8%used in summer
- Summer Concentration6%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 | Either-sex, Antlerless |
| 1st Rifle | October 14 – October 18 | Either-sex, Antlerless, Bull |
| 2nd Rifle | October 24 – November 1 | Antlerless, Bull |
| 3rd Rifle | November 7 – November 15 | Antlerless, Bull |
| 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 |
| Ranching for Wildlife | October 7 – December 30 | 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.
GMU 3 elk hunting FAQ
How much ground can a hunter actually hunt without worrying about private land or enrollment status?
Roughly 46 percent of the unit, or about 387 square miles, is generally open BLM and State Wildlife Area ground. An additional 8.5 percent is State Trust Land, but access there depends on CPW enrollment, so it cannot be counted on for planning. The remaining 46 percent is private.
Is this unit realistic for someone with no preference points?
Yes. The easiest qualifying either-sex or bull hunts for adult Colorado residents draw at zero preference points in the primary draw. Other weapons, seasons, and nonresident applicants require substantially more points, but the fundamental opportunity is accessible without points.
Does this terrain work for a hunter on foot?
Yes. Ninety percent of the unit is gentle slope and 10 percent is moderate, with only 1 percent steep. A hunter without scrambling skills can hunt most of the unit effectively, though rolling terrain and elevation gain still require fitness and map work.
When should a hunter expect the rut, and which season catches it best?
CPW maps rut onset beginning September 1 and primary rut running September 11–30. Archery (September 2–30) spans both phases and is the primary rut opportunity. Muzzleloader (September 12–20) falls entirely in primary rut. The first rifle season begins October 14, after the peak rut has passed and bulls are in early post-rut recovery.
Does elk distribution stay the same from September through December?
No. Summer Range covers only 8 percent of the unit, but Winter Range coverage is 100 percent and 59 percent is Winter Concentration, meaning elk cluster on winter ground as the season advances. Migration Corridors span 57 percent, indicating substantial movement—a hunter should expect distribution to shift significantly as fall progresses, though timing depends on weather and snow.
Is moderate hunter pressure the same as a hard draw?
No. Draw difficulty describes how many preference points are needed to draw—this unit is easy, often zero points. Moderate hunter pressure means the unit will have a reasonable number of other hunters in the field once tags are distributed. An easy draw and moderate pressure can coexist.
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.