Colorado GMU 46 Elk Hunting
Jefferson, Clear Creek and Park counties, central Colorado · 213 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 46 is like
GMU 46 spans 213 square miles across Jefferson, Clear Creek, and Park counties in the central region, ranging from 7,700 feet to 14,200 feet in elevation with a typical elevation near 10,100 feet. The terrain is rolling to moderately steep, with 23 percent gentle slopes, 58 percent moderate slopes, 18 percent steep slopes, and 1 percent rugged terrain. Hunting here involves a mix of lower and mid-elevation country with substantial elevation gain.
National Forest and BLM lands comprise roughly 73 percent of the unit, or about 156 square miles, and are generally open to public hunting. Private land covers roughly 23 percent, and roughly 3.8 percent is unclassified ownership. State Trust Land comprises 0.3 percent and is available only where CPW has enrolled it. A hunter applying for this unit will need to plan access carefully, as public ground is interspersed with private holdings.
CPW maps year-round elk use across 11 percent of the unit as Resident Population ground, indicating some elk remain through the fall and winter. Summer Range covers 98 percent of the unit, with Summer Concentration marking 15 percent. Winter Range covers 49 percent of the unit, with Winter Concentration marking 13 percent. Elk concentrate in specific areas rather than spreading evenly across available range, and as temperatures drop and snow accumulates from October onward, hunters should expect elk to shift toward winter ground, though the timing and extent of that movement varies with weather.
The unit offers six seasons open to public applicants: Archery from September 2–September 30 (either-sex), Muzzleloader September 12–September 20 (antlerless and bull), and four rifle seasons—1st Rifle October 14–October 18, 2nd Rifle October 24–November 1, 3rd Rifle November 7–November 15, and 4th Rifle November 18–November 22 (all antlerless and bull). Early archery coincides with Rut Onset and Primary Rut. Muzzleloader occurs during Primary Rut. First Rifle straddles Late Rut and Post-Rut Recovery. Later rifle seasons occur during Migration Transition and early winter movement. September temperatures average highs of 62°F; October cools to around 51°F with snowfall averaging 5.2 inches; November averages highs of 41°F with 11.4 inches of snow. Draw difficulty is easy—often requiring zero preference points for the lowest-tier bull or either-sex hunt. Hunter pressure on the unit is moderate overall.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 7,700–14,200 ft, typically around 10,100 ft
- Steepness
- Steep — mean slope 17.2°
- Slope breakdown
- 23% gentle · 58% moderate · 18% steep · 1% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~156 sq mi
Land & access
About 73% of GMU 46 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest and BLM.
- National Forest73%
- BLM<1%
- State Trust Land<1%
- Unclassified ownership4%
- Private23%
“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 46 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 Range49%used in winter
- Summer Concentration15%where elk bunch up in summer
- Winter Concentration13%where elk bunch up in winter
- Resident Population11%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 |
| 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 38°F, about 0.5 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 51°F, lows around 28°F, about 5.2 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 41°F, lows around 19°F, about 11.4 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 46 elk hunting FAQ
Is this unit realistic for someone with no preference points?
Yes. The easiest qualifying bull or either-sex hunt in the unit draws at zero preference points on average, making it accessible to any first-time applicant for the 2026 primary draw. This applies to adult Colorado residents only; nonresidents and other season types may require more points.
How much ground can a public-land hunter actually hunt here?
Roughly 156 square miles, or 73 percent of the unit, is National Forest and BLM land open to public hunting. The remaining area is private land (roughly 23 percent), unclassified ownership (roughly 3.8 percent), and state trust land. Access depends on road and trailhead availability and private-land inholdings, which vary across the unit.
Is the terrain manageable for a hunter on foot?
The unit is rolling to moderately steep overall. Fifty-eight percent of the terrain is moderate slope and 23 percent is gentle, but 18 percent is steep and the mean slope of 17.2 degrees falls in the steep band. Elevation gain is substantial, ranging from 7,700 to 14,200 feet, so fitness and acclimatization matter.
Does this unit suit early or late season better?
Archery (September 2–30) and Muzzleloader (September 12–20) both hunt during Rut Onset and Primary Rut when bulls are most vocal and concentrated. First Rifle (October 14–18) occurs in Late Rut and Post-Rut Recovery. Late-season rifle hunts (3rd and 4th Rifle, November 7–22) coincide with Migration Transition and winter movement, when elk shift toward Winter Range as snow deepens.
Where do elk concentrate as the season progresses?
Summer Concentration covers 15 percent of the unit during early months. Winter Concentration marks 13 percent and indicates where elk cluster during winter months. CPW maps do not specify the location of these areas, only that concentrated use occurs there. As November advances and snow accumulates (averaging 11.4 inches in November), hunters should expect movement toward Winter Range, which covers 49 percent of the unit.
Is this an easy draw or a crowded unit?
Draw difficulty is easy—zero preference points often suffice for the lowest-tier bull or either-sex hunt. Hunter pressure on the unit is moderate overall. These are separate measures: an easy draw does not guarantee light crowding on the ground, and applicants should plan accordingly.
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.