Colorado GMU 500 Elk Hunting
Park County, central Colorado · 162 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 500 is like
Colorado GMU 500 spans 162 square miles of rolling to moderately steep country in Park County's central mountains. The unit runs from about 9,000 feet at its low points to 13,800 feet at its high points, with typical elevations around 10,600 feet. Terrain divides into 44 percent gentle slopes, 43 percent moderate slopes, 12 percent steep slopes, and 1 percent rugged terrain. Elk hunting here ranges across summer and fall seasons, with September archery coinciding with early autumn conditions—highs near 60°F and minimal snowfall—while rifle seasons push into late fall and early winter as temperatures drop from October highs near 49°F to November highs near 38°F, with November bringing substantial snowfall averaging 15.3 inches.
About 68 percent of the unit (roughly 110 square miles) is open to public hunting on National Forest, BLM, and State Wildlife Area lands. The remaining 32 percent is private. Public access depends on roads, trails, and seasonal conditions; the mix of public and private ground requires checking specific approaches before planning a hunt.
Elk range across the full unit in summer, concentrated on 88 percent of it. Winter Range covers 42 percent of the unit; Winter Concentration covers 17 percent. Migration Corridors span 13 percent. As fall progresses and weather cools, hunters should expect elk to shift toward Winter Range ground, though timing and extent vary with snow and temperature. Early seasons—Archery from September 2–30 and Muzzleloader from September 12–20—fall during Rut Onset and Primary Rut phases when bulls are calling and moving. The 1st Rifle season (October 14–18) opens as the Primary Rut transitions into Late Rut and Post-Rut Recovery. Four numbered rifle seasons run through November 22, followed by a separate Late Rifle season from December 12–20.
The unit offers eight seasons total: Archery (Either-sex), Muzzleloader (Antlerless/Bull), four numbered Rifle seasons (1st through 4th: October 14 – November 22, each offering either Antlerless or Bull options), Late Rifle (Antlerless only), and a Private-land-only season. Five of those are rifle hunts. Overall hunter pressure is high. Draw difficulty runs Moderate—applications requiring 1–2 preference points drew reliably for the easiest qualifying bull or either-sex code, though premium bull hunts demand substantially more points.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 9,000–13,800 ft, typically around 10,600 ft
- Steepness
- Steep — mean slope 13.1°
- Slope breakdown
- 44% gentle · 43% moderate · 12% steep · 1% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~110 sq mi
Land & access
About 68% of GMU 500 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest, BLM and State Wildlife Areas.
- National Forest66%
- BLM1%
- State Wildlife Area1%
- State Trust Land<1%
- Private32%
Where elk live in the unit
Colorado Parks & Wildlife maps elk seasonal ranges statewide. This is how much of GMU 500 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%.
- Summer Range100%used in summer
- 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 Concentration88%where elk bunch up in summer
- Winter Range42%used in winter
- Winter Concentration17%where elk bunch up in winter
- Migration Corridors13%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 | 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 |
| Late Rifle | December 12 – December 20 | Antlerless |
| 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 60°F, lows around 35°F, about 0.4 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 49°F, lows around 26°F, about 5.3 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 38°F, lows around 17°F, about 15.3 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 500 elk hunting FAQ
Is this unit realistic for a hunter with no preference points?
An applicant with zero points can draw an Archery or Muzzleloader tag in the primary draw, since those seasons include either-sex or antlerless codes that do not require preference points. Rifle seasons, including 1st through 4th and Late Rifle, are more competitive; the easiest unit-wide bull or either-sex rifle code draws in the 1–2 point range for adult Colorado residents.
When is the rut in GMU 500?
Rut Onset runs September 1–10, overlapping the opening of Archery season. Primary Rut runs September 11–30, covering the full Archery season and the bulk of Muzzleloader (September 12–20). Bulls remain active into the 1st Rifle season (October 14–18), which falls in Late Rut and Post-Rut Recovery. By 2nd Rifle (October 24 – November 1), bulls are in Post-Rut Recovery and beginning Migration Transition.
How much of this unit can a public-land hunter actually access?
About 68 percent of the unit is open to public hunting—roughly 110 square miles split among National Forest (66% of the unit), BLM (1.1%), and State Wildlife Areas (1.1%). Private land makes up the remaining 32 percent. Roads, trailheads, and seasonal restrictions still control whether a hunter can reach any given piece of public ground, so scouting specific entry points is essential.
Does terrain difficulty change across the unit?
The unit averages rolling to moderately steep slopes overall. About 44 percent is gentle terrain and 43 percent is moderate; steep and rugged slopes comprise 13 percent combined. Elevation ranges from 9,000 to 13,800 feet, so hunters should expect mixed terrain and be prepared for varied hiking difficulty depending on where they focus.
Should a hunter focus on early September or later in the fall?
Early seasons (Archery through Muzzleloader) occur during Rut Onset and Primary Rut when bulls call actively and move predictably. By 2nd and 3rd Rifle seasons (late October through November), elk transition to Migration Transition phases and conditions cool—October snowfall averages 5.3 inches, November averages 15.3 inches. Early-season hunters encounter warmer weather and rutting opportunity; late-season hunters face snow and tougher conditions but may find elk responding to weather-driven movements.
What should a hunter expect about where to find elk as fall progresses?
Elk range across the full unit in summer and concentrate on 88 percent of it. Winter Range covers 42 percent of the unit, and Winter Concentration covers 17 percent. As temperatures drop and snow increases through fall, hunters should expect elk to shift toward Winter Range ground, with timing and distribution varying based on weather and snowfall.
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.