Colorado GMU 38 Elk Hunting
Gilpin, Boulder, Clear Creek and Jefferson counties, northeast Colorado · 456 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 38 is like
GMU 38 spans 456 square miles across the northeastern foothills and mountains of Colorado, covering parts of Gilpin, Boulder, Clear Creek and Jefferson counties. Elevations range from 5,100 feet to 13,400 feet, with typical hunting occurring around 7,900 feet. The terrain is rolling to moderately steep overall, with 45 percent gentle slope, 40 percent moderate slope, and 15 percent steep slope by area. A mean slope of 13.5 degrees places the unit in the steep classification regionally, but the terrain remains walkable for most hunters across the majority of the ground.
Approximately 23 percent of the unit, or 104 square miles, is generally open to public hunting through a mix of National Forest, State Wildlife Areas and BLM land. Private land comprises about 54 percent of the unit, while roughly 23 percent is unclassified ownership. This configuration means legal access is the primary constraint on hunting opportunity, regardless of terrain walkability. A hunter planning to hunt here must verify specific access routes and seasonal restrictions before committing application points.
Elk occupy the unit across a range of elevations and seasonally shift as fall progresses. Winter Range covers 54 percent of the unit, with a Winter Concentration layer marking 25 percent where elk cluster during cold months. Summer Range extends across 73 percent of the unit, though a Summer Concentration layer of 11 percent shows where elk concentrate during warmer months. A Resident Population layer maps 8 percent of the unit as year-round occupied ground. These seasonal layers indicate that elk distribution narrows and shifts toward concentrated areas as the season advances from fall into winter, with timing and extent influenced by snowfall and temperature. Migration Corridors account for 5 percent of the unit as elk move between seasonal ranges.
The unit offers eight seasons across fall and winter. Seven are open to public application: Archery runs September 2 to September 30 for either-sex and antlerless; Muzzleloader runs September 12 to September 20 for antlerless and bull; the four numbered Rifle seasons span October 14 to November 22 (1st Rifle October 14–18 for antlerless and bull; 2nd Rifle October 24–November 1 for antlerless; 3rd Rifle November 7–15 for antlerless; 4th Rifle November 18–22 for antlerless and bull); and Late Rifle runs September 1 to January 31 for antlerless. A private-land-only season also runs September 1 to January 31. The Archery and Muzzleloader seasons overlap the primary rut, while numbered Rifle seasons bridge the transition into post-rut and early migration periods. The draw for this unit is easy, often drawing at zero preference points for the lowest-tier bull or either-sex code. Overall hunter pressure on the unit is extreme despite the easy draw, reflecting proximity to Denver and the Front Range population centers.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 5,100–13,400 ft, typically around 7,900 ft
- Steepness
- Steep — mean slope 13.5°
- Slope breakdown
- 45% gentle · 40% moderate · 15% steep · 1% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~104 sq mi, plus ~2 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About 23% of GMU 38 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest, State Wildlife Areas and BLM.
- National Forest22%
- State Wildlife Area<1%
- BLM<1%
- State Trust Land<1%
- Unclassified ownership23%
- Private54%
“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 38 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 Range75%the full extent of range CPW maps for elk — near 100% on most units, and not a statement about when elk are present
- Summer Range73%used in summer
- Winter Range54%used in winter
- Winter Concentration25%where elk bunch up in winter
- Summer Concentration11%where elk bunch up in summer
- Resident Population8%the only layer that means year-round use
- Migration Corridors5%movement between ranges, not residence
Elk seasons & weapons (2026)
| Season | Dates | Tags offered |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | September 2 – September 30 | Either-sex, Antlerless |
| Muzzleloader | September 12 – September 20 | Antlerless, Bull |
| 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 |
| Late Rifle | September 1 – January 31 | Antlerless |
| Private-land only | September 1 – January 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 43°F (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 58°F, lows around 32°F, about 2.5 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 47°F, lows around 24°F, about 4.4 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 38 elk hunting FAQ
Can a hunter with zero preference points draw a tag here?
Yes, the easiest qualifying bull or either-sex hunt code for an adult Colorado resident draws at zero preference points, though which specific season or weapon code that refers to can vary. Nonresident applicants, other weapon choices, and later-season codes require substantially more points.
Is there really huntable public land for someone with limited access?
Only about 23 percent of the unit is dependably open to public hunting, comprising roughly 104 square miles across National Forest, State Wildlife Areas and BLM. The remaining 77 percent is either private or unclassified ownership, so a hunter must identify and confirm legal access before the season begins. Proximity to Denver creates extreme pressure on the public ground that is available.
When is the rut happening, and which season catches the peak?
The primary rut runs September 11 to September 30, and the Muzzleloader season (September 12–20) and Archery season (September 2–30) both overlap that peak. The Rut Onset phase begins September 1, meaning Archery hunters can encounter bugling bulls from the opening day. By the time the first numbered Rifle season begins on October 14, the primary rut is finished and bulls are in the post-rut recovery phase.
Does the weather get cold fast, and does that change where elk are?
September averages highs near 70°F and lows near 43°F with minimal snowfall, while November averages highs near 47°F and lows near 24°F with roughly 4.4 inches of snowfall. That cooling trend pushes elk toward Winter Range and Winter Concentration areas as November progresses. A hunter should expect elk distribution to narrow and shift lower as the season advances and snow accumulates.
How much of the unit actually concentrates elk, and does that help find them?
Winter Concentration covers 25 percent of the unit and marks where elk cluster during the late season, while Summer Concentration covers 11 percent during early fall. The remaining portions of Summer and Winter Range are broader occupancy areas that do not show where elk densely congregate, making concentrated ground a valuable focus once hunters can identify and access it on the map.
If I draw this tag, how much ground can I realistically hunt?
Access, not terrain, is the constraint here. About 23 percent of the unit is open to public hunting, and extreme hunter pressure means that open ground will be crowded. Terrain walkability across 85 percent gentle-to-moderate slope is not the issue; finding legal access to unhunted ground is the challenge a public-land hunter faces in this unit.
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.