Colorado GMU 39 Elk Hunting
Jefferson, Clear Creek and Park counties, northwest Colorado · 369 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 39 is like
GMU 39 spans 369 square miles across Jefferson, Clear Creek, and Park counties in northwest Colorado, rising from 7,000 feet to 14,300 feet with a typical elevation around 10,100 feet. The terrain is mixed, with substantial steep ground: 16% gentle, 56% moderate, 26% steep, and 2% rugged by area. The landscape combines lower forested drainages with higher alpine country, offering varied hunting conditions across elevation bands.
The unit is roughly 63% open to public hunting on National Forest and State Wildlife Areas—approximately 234 square miles where a hunter can count on access. Private land covers about 31% of the unit, with another 4.9% in unclassified ownership. This mix means a public-land hunter has a substantial base to work from, but private inholdings and ownership patterns will shape which country is reachable without permission.
Elk distribution shifts with elevation and season through the fall. Summer Range covers 98% of the unit, with 44% concentrated in clustered areas at higher elevations. Winter Range covers 58% of the unit and concentrates on just 7%, likely at lower elevations where snow pressure and forage availability guide movement. A resident population occupies 10% year-round, meaning some elk remain on the same ground through the year. As temperatures cool from September highs near 62°F to November highs around 40°F, and as snowfall increases from 0.6 inches in September to 11.2 inches in November, elk shift toward lower winter ground and clustering intensifies.
The unit offers seven seasons total, six open to general public application. Archery runs September 2–30 and is either-sex. Four rifle seasons follow: 1st Rifle October 14–18, 2nd Rifle October 24–November 1, 3rd Rifle November 7–15, and 4th Rifle November 18–22, all offering antlerless or bull tags. A muzzleloader season runs September 12–20 with antlerless or bull options. Archery overlaps the primary rut (September 11–30) and opens during rut onset (September 1–10), while rifle seasons run through the post-rut recovery and early migration phases. Draw difficulty for the easiest qualifying unit-wide bull or either-sex tag is moderate, requiring 1–2 preference points for adult Colorado residents. Overall hunter pressure on the unit is moderate.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 7,000–14,300 ft, typically around 10,100 ft
- Steepness
- Rugged — mean slope 19.8°
- Slope breakdown
- 16% gentle · 56% moderate · 26% steep · 2% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~234 sq mi, plus ~2 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About 63% of GMU 39 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest and State Wildlife Areas.
- National Forest61%
- State Wildlife Area2%
- BLM<1%
- State Trust Land<1%
- Unclassified ownership5%
- Private31%
“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 39 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 Range98%used in summer
- Winter Range58%used in winter
- Summer Concentration44%where elk bunch up in summer
- Resident Population10%the only layer that means year-round use
- Winter Concentration7%where elk bunch up in winter
Elk seasons & weapons (2026)
| Season | Dates | Tags offered |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | September 2 – September 30 | Either-sex |
| Muzzleloader | September 12 – September 20 | Antlerless, Bull |
| 1st Rifle | October 14 – October 18 | Antlerless, Bull |
| 2nd Rifle | October 24 – November 1 | Antlerless, Bull |
| 3rd Rifle | November 7 – November 15 | Antlerless, Bull |
| 4th Rifle | November 18 – November 22 | Antlerless, Bull |
| 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 62°F, lows around 37°F, about 0.6 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 50°F, lows around 27°F, about 4.8 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 40°F, lows around 19°F, about 11.2 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 39 elk hunting FAQ
Can a hunter with zero preference points draw a tag here?
The easiest qualifying unit-wide bull or either-sex hunt for an adult Colorado resident sits in the moderate (1–2 points) draw-difficulty band. This means a hunter with zero points should not expect to draw; applicants with 1–2 points are more likely to succeed. Private-land-only and other weapon seasons may have different point requirements.
Is the unit better for early-season or late-season hunting?
Archery and muzzleloader run during rut onset and the primary rut (September 1–30), when bulls are actively calling and moving. Early rifle seasons (October 14–18) occur during late rut and early post-rut phases when bulls are still responsive but less vocal. Late rifle seasons (November 7–22) coincide with migration transition and early winter range movement as temperatures drop and snow pressure increases, when elk shift toward lower ground.
How much public ground can a hunter realistically hunt?
The unit is roughly 63% open to public hunting—about 234 square miles on National Forest and State Wildlife Areas. Private land covers 31% and is off-limits without permission. The remaining ground is unclassified in ownership. Road access, trailheads, seasonal closures, and private inholdings within or surrounding public parcels will determine how much of that open ground a foot traveler can actually reach.
Where do elk concentrate, and does that change as fall progresses?
Summer concentration covers 44% of the unit at higher elevations where elk cluster in summer. Winter concentration covers only 7% of the unit, implying a tighter group as elk move to lower winter range in response to snow and cold. Hunters should expect elk to shift from dispersed summer distribution toward concentrated winter areas as temperatures fall from September highs near 62°F to November highs around 40°F, with snowfall increasing from under 1 inch in September to over 11 inches in November.
Do some elk stay year-round, or do they all migrate out for winter?
A resident population occupies 10% of the unit year-round, meaning some elk remain on the same ground through all seasons. The majority are likely migratory, moving from summer range (98% of unit) to winter range (58% of unit), but the presence of year-round use shows that not all elk leave the unit when cold arrives.
Is the terrain steep enough to be a real barrier for a hunter on foot?
The unit is 26% steep and 2% rugged by area, with 56% moderate terrain and 16% gentle ground. While substantial steep ground exists, especially at higher elevations, nearly three-quarters of the unit is moderate or gentle, making much of it hikeable for an able-bodied hunter. Elevation gain from 7,000 to 14,300 feet is the bigger conditioning factor than the slope distribution alone.
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.