Colorado GMU 33 Elk Hunting
Garfield and Rio Blanco counties, northwest Colorado · 416 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 33 is like
Unit 33 spans 416 square miles across Garfield and Rio Blanco counties in northwest Colorado, ranging from 5,300 feet to 11,500 feet elevation with a typical hunting elevation around 8,000 feet. The terrain is mixed, with substantial steep ground: 33 percent gentle, 39 percent moderate, 25 percent steep, and 3 percent rugged by area. The mean slope of 17.8 degrees places the unit in the steep category overall, meaning hunters should expect a significant portion of the ground to demand sustained climbing.
Approximately 74 percent of the unit—roughly 309 square miles—is generally open to public hunting, managed by the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and State Wildlife Areas. The remaining land is private (25 percent) or unclassified (0.6 percent). Access to the publicly managed ground depends on road networks and trailheads, which vary across the unit; public ownership does not guarantee straightforward entry everywhere.
Elk seasonal ranges cover the unit substantially but unevenly. Winter Range encompasses 71 percent of the unit, and Winter Concentration (ground where elk cluster) covers 47 percent. Summer Range covers 57 percent, with Summer Concentration on 18 percent. A very small Resident Population layer (1 percent) indicates minimal year-round use on mapped grounds; most elk follow seasonal movements, and hunters should expect significant shifts in elk distribution as fall advances. As temperatures drop from September highs near 71 degrees Fahrenheit through November highs near 45 degrees, and snowfall increases from nearly zero in September to over five inches in November, elk redistribute toward winter range, though timing and extent vary annually with weather and snow depth.
The unit offers six public seasons: Archery from September 2–30 for either-sex hunting during rut onset and primary rut; Muzzleloader September 12–20 for either-sex or antlerless hunting in the primary rut; and four rifle seasons spanning October 14 through November 22 (October 14–18 for antlerless and bull, October 24–November 1 for antlerless, November 7–15 for antlerless, and November 18–22 for antlerless and bull). Hunting pressure on this unit is high. The draw is easy—typically drawing at zero preference points for the easiest unit-wide bull or either-sex code available to adult Colorado residents—meaning applicants without preference points have a realistic chance at some hunts, though other seasons, weapons, and nonresident applications face steeper competition.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 5,300–11,500 ft, typically around 8,000 ft
- Steepness
- Steep — mean slope 17.8°
- Slope breakdown
- 33% gentle · 39% moderate · 25% steep · 3% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~309 sq mi
Land & access
About 74% of GMU 33 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest, BLM and State Wildlife Areas.
- National Forest45%
- BLM29%
- State Wildlife Area<1%
- Unclassified ownership<1%
- Private25%
Where elk live in the unit
Colorado Parks & Wildlife maps elk seasonal ranges statewide. This is how much of GMU 33 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 Range71%used in winter
- Summer Range57%used in summer
- Winter Concentration47%where elk bunch up in winter
- Summer Concentration18%where elk bunch up in summer
- Resident Population1%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 | Antlerless, Bull |
| 2nd Rifle | October 24 – November 1 | Antlerless |
| 3rd Rifle | November 7 – November 15 | Antlerless |
| 4th Rifle | November 18 – November 22 | Antlerless, Bull |
| Private-land only | September 2 – 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 71°F, lows around 43°F (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 58°F, lows around 32°F, about 0.9 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 45°F, lows around 22°F, about 5.4 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 33 elk hunting FAQ
Can a hunter with zero preference points draw a tag here?
Yes. The unit draws easily for the easiest unit-wide bull or either-sex code available to adult Colorado residents, typically at zero points. However, other seasons, rifles, nonresident applicants, and antlerless-only draws may require more points and should be checked against individual draw statistics.
How much public land can a hunter actually count on hunting?
Roughly 74 percent of the unit—about 309 square miles—is generally open to public hunting via National Forest, Bureau of Land Management, and State Wildlife Areas. Access depends on existing roads and trailheads; public ownership does not guarantee access everywhere on the ground.
When should a hunter expect elk to shift toward winter ground?
As November approaches and temperatures drop, elk redistribute from summer range (57 percent coverage) toward winter range (71 percent coverage). Migration Transition runs November 1–30, but exact timing depends on annual snowfall and weather. Hunters in early October may still find elk scattered across broader range, while late-season applicants should expect them concentrated on winter ground.
Is this unit suited to foot traffic, or does the terrain favor those with stock or vehicles?
The terrain is mixed with substantial steep ground, meaning 28 percent is gentle or very gentle, but 28 percent is steep or rugged. Hunters on foot should anticipate sustained elevation changes and demanding country, especially in the steeper thirds of the unit; how much of the unit a given hunter can practically access depends on the specific trailhead or road entry chosen.
Which season offers the best rut hunting?
Archery (September 2–30) spans both Rut Onset and Primary Rut and offers either-sex hunting during peak elk activity. Muzzleloader (September 12–20) hunts entirely within Primary Rut and is also either-sex, though the season is shorter. The first rifle season (October 14–18) enters Late Rut into Post-Rut Recovery and offers either-sex and bull tags, but rut intensity is declining.
How much of the unit has elk that stay year-round?
Only 1 percent of the unit is mapped as Resident Population, meaning CPW identifies year-round use on a very small share. The overwhelming majority of elk follow seasonal migrations, with winter concentration (47 percent of the unit) suggesting significant clustering on lower or more protected ground as the season advances.
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.