Colorado GMU 391 Elk Hunting
Jefferson, Denver, Arapahoe and Douglas counties, northeast Colorado · 278 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 391 is like
Game Management Unit 391 spans 278 square miles across northeastern Colorado in Jefferson, Denver, Arapahoe and Douglas counties. Elevations range from 5,100 feet to 9,100 feet, with typical hunting occurring around 5,700 feet. The terrain is gentle and rolling, with 72% of the unit falling into the gentle category, 22% moderate, and 6% steep. The unit's mean slope of 7.7 degrees places it squarely in the gentle range, making it relatively accessible on foot.
Land access severely constrains hunting opportunity here. Approximately 76% of the unit is private, 24% is unclassified in ownership, and 0% is generally open to public hunting. This means hunters cannot count on any ground as dependably huntable. The absence of public-agency-managed land open to hunting makes legal access the dominant challenge regardless of terrain or elk presence.
Elk occupy seasonal ranges across the unit according to CPW mapping. Overall mapped range covers 39% of the unit, while the Resident Population layer—which indicates year-round use—covers 21%. Summer Range extends across 22% of the unit while Winter Range covers 35%. Within these seasonal ranges, elk concentrate on specific areas: 7% of the unit shows Summer Concentration and 15% shows Winter Concentration. Hunters should expect elk to cluster in these concentrated areas rather than distribute evenly across the broader seasonal ranges. As the fall progresses through November, elk can be expected to shift toward winter ground, though the timing and extent of that shift vary with weather and snow.
The unit offers seven elk seasons in the public and private draw. Public applicants can access six: Archery from September 2–30 (either-sex, during rut onset and primary rut), Muzzleloader September 12–20 (antlerless and bull, primary rut), and four rifle seasons—1st Rifle October 14–18 (bull, late rut and post-rut recovery), 2nd Rifle October 24–November 1 (bull, post-rut recovery and migration transition), 3rd Rifle November 7–15 (bull, migration transition), and 4th Rifle November 18–22 (bull, migration transition). A seventh season for private-land-only hunts runs September 1–January 31 (antlerless). September temperatures average highs near 79°F and lows near 48°F; October highs near 66°F and lows near 36°F; November highs near 54°F and lows near 26°F. Snowfall climbs from essentially zero in September to about 0.9 inches in October and 1.7 inches in November. The unit is noted as having extreme hunter pressure and draws at easy difficulty—often requiring zero preference points for the easiest unit-wide bull or either-sex hunt available to adult Colorado residents.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 5,100–9,100 ft, typically around 5,700 ft
- Steepness
- Gentle — mean slope 7.7°
- Slope breakdown
- 72% gentle · 22% moderate · 6% steep · 0% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~0 sq mi
Land & access
About 0% of GMU 391 is public land a hunter can count on.
- State Trust Land<1%
- Unclassified ownership24%
- Private76%
“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 391 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 Range39%the full extent of range CPW maps for elk — near 100% on most units, and not a statement about when elk are present
- Winter Range35%used in winter
- Summer Range22%used in summer
- Resident Population21%the only layer that means year-round use
- Winter Concentration15%where elk bunch up in winter
- Summer Concentration7%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 | Antlerless, Bull |
| 1st Rifle | October 14 – October 18 | Bull |
| 2nd Rifle | October 24 – November 1 | Bull |
| 3rd Rifle | November 7 – November 15 | Bull |
| 4th Rifle | November 18 – November 22 | 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 79°F, lows around 48°F (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 66°F, lows around 36°F, about 0.9 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 54°F, lows around 26°F, about 1.7 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 391 elk hunting FAQ
Is there any public land to hunt on in this unit?
No. Approximately 0% of the unit is generally open to public hunting through public agencies. About 76% is private and 24% is unclassified in ownership. This makes legal access the primary limitation regardless of terrain or elk presence.
Can a hunter with zero points draw an archery tag here?
An adult Colorado resident can draw one of the easiest unit-wide bull or either-sex hunts at zero preference points on average, and archery is offered during the rut (September 2–30). However, no public land is open to hunt, so drawing a tag does not solve the access problem.
When should a hunter expect to find elk concentrated in this unit?
Elk cluster across 7% of the unit in summer and 15% in winter according to CPW mapping. These concentrations shift seasonally, and hunters should expect elk to begin moving toward winter ground as fall progresses through November, though timing varies with weather and snow.
Is the terrain in this unit walkable for a hunter on foot?
Yes, the terrain is gentle and rolling—72% of the unit is gentle, 22% moderate, and only 6% steep. The mean slope of 7.7 degrees supports foot travel. However, legal access to walk that terrain is absent, since 0% of the unit is publicly open to hunting.
What does extreme hunter pressure mean for drawing and hunting here?
Extreme hunter pressure describes overall crowding on the unit, independent of draw difficulty. This unit draws easily (often zero points) but attracts many applicants. An applicant who draws should expect high numbers of other hunters in the field during the season.
Which seasons fall during the elk rut on this unit?
The archery season (September 2–30) spans the rut onset and primary rut phases when bulls are most active. The muzzleloader season (September 12–20) occurs during the primary rut. The four rifle seasons occur after the rut: 1st Rifle in late rut and early post-rut recovery, 2nd Rifle in post-rut recovery and migration transition, and 3rd and 4th Rifle in migration transition.
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 31, 2026.