Colorado GMU 49 Elk Hunting
Lake, Park and Chaffee counties, central Colorado · 538 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 49 is like
Colorado GMU 49 spans 538 square miles across Lake, Park and Chaffee counties in the central region, rising from a low of 7,800 feet to a high of 14,300 feet with typical mid-elevation ground near 10,500 feet. Terrain is rolling to moderately steep: 42% of the unit is gentle, 46% moderate, and 11% steep or rugged. Elevation swings are substantial, and terrain varies widely from lower rolling country to high alpine terrain.
Approximately 69% of the unit (about 369 square miles) is generally open to public hunting, managed by the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and State Wildlife Areas. An additional 3.3% is Colorado State Trust Land, huntable only where parcels are enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program. Private land makes up 28% of the unit. The publicly owned ground provides hunters with meaningful opportunity to access the elk range.
Elk use this unit seasonally and by elevation. Summer Range and Summer Concentration together cover the unit broadly, with the concentration layer marking 49% where elk cluster during the warm months. Winter Range covers 54% of the unit, and Winter Concentration marks 22% of the unit where elk concentrate in the colder season. A small resident population occupies roughly 1% of the unit year-round. Migration Corridors span 4% of the unit in the transition periods. The seasonal-range pattern reflects elevation-driven movement: elk use higher ground in summer and shift to lower elevations as fall progresses and snow increases.
The unit offers seven seasons across three weapons. Archery runs September 2–30 for either-sex elk and overlaps the beginning of the rut. Muzzleloader runs September 12–20 for antlerless or bull, falling during the primary rut. Five rifle seasons follow: 1st Rifle October 14–18 for bull only; 2nd Rifle October 24–November 1 for antlerless or bull; 3rd Rifle November 7–15 for antlerless or bull; 4th Rifle November 18–22 for antlerless or bull; and Other Rifle October 24–November 22 for antlerless. The seasons span from early fall to late November as temperature drops from typical September highs near 59°F to November highs near 37°F, with October and November both receiving measurable snow. Draw difficulty for the easiest unit-wide bull or either-sex hunt code available to adult Colorado residents is rated Hard (3–5 preference points), and the unit also holds premium bull seasons requiring substantially more points. Overall hunter pressure is moderate.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 7,800–14,300 ft, typically around 10,500 ft
- Steepness
- Steep — mean slope 13.3°
- Slope breakdown
- 42% gentle · 46% moderate · 10% steep · 1% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~369 sq mi, plus ~18 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About 69% of GMU 49 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest, BLM and State Wildlife Areas. A further 3% is State Trust Land, which is huntable only where CPW has enrolled it.
- National Forest60%
- BLM9%
- State Wildlife Area<1%
- State Trust Land3%
- Unclassified ownership<1%
- Private28%
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 49 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 Range100%used in summer
- Winter Range54%used in winter
- Summer Concentration49%where elk bunch up in summer
- Winter Concentration22%where elk bunch up in winter
- Migration Corridors4%movement between ranges, not residence
- Resident Population1%the only layer that means year-round use
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 | Antlerless, Bull |
| 3rd Rifle | November 7 – November 15 | Antlerless, Bull |
| 4th Rifle | November 18 – November 22 | Antlerless, Bull |
| Other Rifle | October 24 – November 22 | 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 59°F, lows around 34°F, about 0.7 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 48°F, lows around 25°F, about 6 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 37°F, lows around 15°F, about 14.1 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 49 elk hunting FAQ
How much ground can a public-land hunter actually count on?
Approximately 69% of the unit (about 369 square miles) is generally open to public hunting through the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and State Wildlife Areas. An additional 3.3% is Colorado State Trust Land, huntable only where CPW has enrolled parcels in its Public Access Program; the status of specific parcels is not known from this data. Private land comprises 28% of the unit and is not open to general hunting.
Is this unit realistic for a hunter with no preference points?
The easiest unit-wide bull or either-sex code for adult Colorado residents requires 3–5 preference points in the primary draw, making it a hard draw. Applicants with zero points are unlikely to draw at that tier. Premium bull seasons on this unit require substantially more points and are even more competitive.
When should a hunter plan to be in the field?
Archery runs September 2–30 and Muzzleloader runs September 12–20, both falling during the rut onset and primary rut. Rifle seasons span October 14–November 22 across four numbered draws plus an additional rifle season, taking hunters through the late rut, post-rut recovery and migration transition phases. Conditions cool steadily from September highs near 59°F to November highs near 37°F, with October bringing about 6 inches of snow and November about 14 inches.
Where do elk concentrate in this unit?
Summer Concentration marks 49% of the unit where elk cluster during the warm months across the elevation range. Winter Concentration marks 22% of the unit where elk concentrate when conditions are cold and snow is present. The concentration layers show how much ground is concentrated-use, not where specifically that ground lies, and the data does not place these areas by elevation, aspect or location within the unit.
How steep is the terrain for a hunter on foot?
Terrain is rolling to moderately steep overall, with 42% gentle and 46% moderate ground; only 11% is steep or rugged. A hunter can expect significant elevation changes between 7,800 and 14,300 feet, but the majority of terrain is manageable for someone willing to climb.
Is there a resident population I can count on year-round?
Approximately 1% of the unit is mapped as Resident Population, meaning CPW identifies year-round elk use on that small share of ground. The remaining 99% is driven by seasonal migration linked to elevation and weather, with elk using higher summer ranges and moving to lower winter ranges as conditions change through the fall.
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 27, 2026.