Colorado GMU 4 Elk Hunting
Moffat and Routt counties, northwest Colorado · 467 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 4 is like
Unit 4 covers 467 square miles in Moffat and Routt counties in northwestern Colorado, spanning from 6,200 feet to 10,800 feet in elevation. The terrain is rolling, with some steeper breaks: 60% of the unit is gentle, 37% is moderate slope, and 2% is steep. The landscape transitions through multiple elevation bands from lower foothills to higher country, offering a mix of forest, sagebrush and aspen.
Roughly 41% of the unit—about 191 square miles—is generally open to public hunting on National Forest and BLM lands. An additional 6.3% is Colorado State Trust Land where hunting access depends on CPW's Public Access Program enrollment; the status of individual parcels varies. The remaining 52% is private land. As a result, a hunter applying for this unit must identify and plan around available public ground and any accessible state trust parcels before the season begins.
Elk in this unit occupy summer range across 67% of the unit and winter range across 57%, indicating a seasonal shift in distribution through the fall. Summer concentration occurs on 38% of the unit, while winter concentration covers 41%, so elk cluster on roughly two-fifths of the unit's area in each season. A hunter should expect elk distribution to shift toward winter range as temperatures drop and snow accumulates through November, though timing and extent of that movement vary with weather. Migration corridors cover 63% of the unit, reflecting the substantial movement through the fall months.
The unit offers eight seasons total: Archery from September 2–30 (either-sex), Muzzleloader September 12–20 (either-sex or antlerless), and four rifle seasons spanning October 14 through November 22, with varying codes. The rut phases through the archery and early muzzleloader seasons, then transitions into post-rut and migration phases during the rifle seasons. September highs average near 70°F with minimal snowfall; October sees highs drop to around 56°F with an average of 2.4 inches of snow; by November, highs fall to the low 40s and snowfall averages 11.4 inches. Applicants draw at low preference-point tiers for the easiest unit-wide bull or either-sex hunts available to adult Colorado residents. Hunter pressure on the unit is high.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 6,200–10,800 ft, typically around 7,500 ft
- Steepness
- Moderate — mean slope 9.6°
- Slope breakdown
- 60% gentle · 37% moderate · 2% steep · 0% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~191 sq mi, plus ~29 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About 41% of GMU 4 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest and BLM. A further 6% is State Trust Land, which is huntable only where CPW has enrolled it.
- National Forest30%
- BLM11%
- State Trust Land6%
- Unclassified ownership<1%
- Private52%
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 4 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 Range67%used in summer
- Migration Corridors63%movement between ranges, not residence
- Winter Range57%used in winter
- Winter Concentration41%where elk bunch up in winter
- Summer Concentration38%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 |
| 3rd Rifle | November 7 – November 15 | Antlerless |
| 4th Rifle | November 18 – November 22 | Either-sex, Antlerless, Bull |
| Private-land only | September 2 – December 31 | Either-sex, Antlerless |
| Ranching for Wildlife | October 3 – December 23 | 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 70°F, lows around 40°F (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 56°F, lows around 30°F, about 2.4 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 42°F, lows around 20°F, about 11.4 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 4 elk hunting FAQ
How much public ground can a hunter actually access here?
Roughly 41% of the unit—191 square miles—is open on National Forest and BLM. An additional 6.3% is Colorado State Trust Land, but access there requires enrollment in CPW's Public Access Program and hunters must verify which parcels participate before planning a hunt. The remaining 52% is private. Public hunters must scout and confirm access to specific tracts before applying.
Is this unit realistic for someone with no preference points?
Yes. The easiest unit-wide bull or either-sex hunts for adult Colorado residents draw at zero points reliably, making this an accessible option for first-time or low-point applicants. However, other weapon types, seasons, and nonresident hunts may require substantially more points, and the stated easy-draw tier describes only that specific group of tags.
When is the rut active during the seasons offered?
The rut begins September 1 and peaks during September 11–30, so both the archery season and muzzleloader hunt occur during rut. The first rifle season (October 14–18) opens in late rut and post-rut recovery phases. Later rifle seasons fall during migration and early winter range occupation, after the primary rut has ended.
Does terrain here require backpacking, or can a hunter cover ground on foot from roadside?
With 60% gentle terrain and 37% moderate slope, much of the unit is hikeable from a vehicle or base camp. Two percent of the unit is steep, so a hunter can access substantial acreage without extreme climbing, though specific approach routes depend on road access and private inholdings that vary across the public land available.
Where do elk concentrate in this unit, and when?
The mapping shows summer concentration covering 38% of the unit and winter concentration covering 41%, but the data does not specify the location of those areas by elevation, aspect, or drainage. A hunter must consult CPW maps and local knowledge to identify where elk cluster during the intended season and plan access accordingly.
What weather should a hunter expect across the fall season?
September averages highs near 70°F with little snow. October cools to an average high around 56°F with roughly 2.4 inches of monthly snowfall. By November, highs drop to the low 40s and snowfall increases to an average 11.4 inches per month, dramatically changing hiking conditions and elk movement.
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.