Colorado GMU 43 Elk Hunting
Garfield, Pitkin, Eagle and Gunnison counties, northwest Colorado · 525 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 43 is like
Unit 43 spans 525 square miles across Garfield, Pitkin, Eagle and Gunnison counties in Colorado's northwest region. The terrain is mixed, with substantial steep ground: 25% of the unit is gentle, 43% moderate, 27% steep and 5% rugged by area. Elevation ranges from 5,700 feet to 14,100 feet, with typical terrain near 9,000 feet. The unit offers hunting across a broad elevation band with varied topography that rewards both ridge-and-valley travel and lower-elevation approaches.
Public land open to hunting comprises approximately 73% of the unit, or about 385 square miles. The U.S. Forest Service manages 62% of the unit, BLM manages 11%, and State Wildlife Areas cover 0.1%, together providing the huntable public base. The remaining 27% of the unit is private land, with a small unclassified portion. Access and travel depend on the specific approach route; hunters should verify road and trailhead conditions and seasonal restrictions before planning.
Elk occupy the unit across seasonal ranges. Summer Range covers 90% of the unit, while Winter Range covers 38%, with elk concentrating on roughly 8% in summer and 9% in winter. A Resident Population layer maps approximately 2% of the unit, indicating some year-round use, though most elk shift between seasonal ranges as fall advances. Summer Range dominance and lower Winter Range coverage suggest hunters should anticipate elk movement toward winter ground as conditions cool and the season progresses, though timing and extent vary with weather and snow.
The unit offers seven seasons: Archery (September 2–September 30, Either-sex/Antlerless), Muzzleloader (September 12–September 20, Antlerless/Bull), four Rifle seasons (1st Rifle October 14–October 18 Either-sex/Antlerless; 2nd Rifle October 24–November 1 Antlerless; 3rd Rifle November 7–November 15 Antlerless; 4th Rifle November 18–November 22 Either-sex/Antlerless), and a private-land-only season. The Archery and Muzzleloader seasons overlap the rut transition and primary rut, while Rifle seasons span the late rut, post-rut recovery and migration transition. September brings mild conditions with highs near 67°F and no snow; October cools to highs near 55°F with 3.3 inches of snowfall; November temperatures drop to highs near 42°F with 13 inches of snowfall on average. The unit experiences high overall hunter pressure. Draw difficulty is Easy for the most accessible unit-wide bull or either-sex hunts available to adult Colorado residents, often at zero preference points, though other weapons, seasons and applicant categories may require substantially more.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 5,700–14,100 ft, typically around 9,000 ft
- Steepness
- Rugged — mean slope 19.6°
- Slope breakdown
- 25% gentle · 43% moderate · 27% steep · 5% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~385 sq mi
Land & access
About 73% of GMU 43 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest, BLM and State Wildlife Areas.
- National Forest62%
- BLM11%
- State Wildlife Area<1%
- Unclassified ownership<1%
- Private26%
Where elk live in the unit
Colorado Parks & Wildlife maps elk seasonal ranges statewide. This is how much of GMU 43 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 Range90%used in summer
- Winter Range38%used in winter
- Winter Concentration9%where elk bunch up in winter
- Summer Concentration8%where elk bunch up in summer
- Resident Population2%the only layer that means year-round use
- Migration Corridors<1%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 | Either-sex, Antlerless |
| 2nd Rifle | October 24 – November 1 | Antlerless |
| 3rd Rifle | November 7 – November 15 | Antlerless |
| 4th Rifle | November 18 – November 22 | Either-sex, Antlerless |
| Private-land only | August 15 – January 15 | 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 67°F, lows around 41°F (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 55°F, lows around 31°F, about 3.3 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 42°F, lows around 21°F, about 13 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 43 elk hunting FAQ
How much ground can a public-land hunter actually hunt here?
About 385 square miles of the unit's 525 total are open to public hunting, managed by the U.S. Forest Service (62%), BLM (11%), and State Wildlife Areas (0.1%). Access depends on specific roads and trailheads and their seasonal status, which hunters should verify before planning; public ownership does not guarantee straightforward entry.
When should a hunter expect to find elk at different elevations?
Summer Range covers 90% of the unit, suggesting elk are widely distributed across the elevation band in early season. Winter Range covers only 38%, indicating a substantial shift toward lower or more concentrated ground as fall advances and conditions cool. Elk concentrate on about 8% of the unit in summer and 9% in winter, so hunters should plan for progressive movement toward concentration areas rather than assuming even distribution.
Is this unit realistic for someone with no preference points?
Yes, for the easiest unit-wide bull or either-sex hunts available to adult Colorado residents. Draw difficulty is classified as Easy, and these hunts often draw at zero points, making the unit accessible to new applicants in a primary draw. Other weapons, seasons and nonresident applicants may face substantially higher point requirements.
How does the rut timing align with the season options?
Archery occurs during Rut Onset and Primary Rut (September 2–30), when bulls are beginning to call and pursuing cows. Muzzleloader falls during Primary Rut (September 12–20). The first Rifle season overlaps Late Rut and Post-Rut Recovery, while later Rifle seasons cover Post-Rut Recovery and Migration Transition as bulls lose condition and elk begin shifting toward winter ground.
What weather changes should a hunter prepare for?
September is mild with highs near 67°F and no snow, making early-season travel comfortable. October cools to highs near 55°F with 3.3 inches of average snowfall, bringing conditions where weather becomes more variable. November brings a sharp drop to highs near 42°F with 13 inches of average snowfall, requiring winter clothing and potentially limiting high-elevation access late in the season.
How does high hunter pressure affect hunting strategy here?
The unit carries high overall hunter pressure, meaning hunters should expect crowding on popular routes and concentration areas, particularly during early Rifle seasons and September hunts. The terrain's mix of steep and moderate ground provides options for avoiding pressure by traveling farther from roads and established access points, though success depends on matching terrain difficulty to available fitness and experience.
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.