Colorado GMU 551 Elk Hunting
Gunnison and Saguache counties, central Colorado · 546 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 551 is like
GMU 551 spans 546 square miles of the central Colorado high country, straddling Gunnison and Saguache counties at elevations ranging from 7,800 feet to 13,400 feet, with typical terrain around 9,500 feet. The country is rolling to moderately steep, with 35 percent gentle terrain, 52 percent moderate slopes, and 13 percent steep ground. This terrain mix makes for varied hunting across the unit, with country that ranges from accessible ridges to more demanding slopes.
Approximately 86 percent of the unit—roughly 470 square miles—is open to public hunting on National Forest and BLM land. The remaining ground is split between private land at approximately 13 percent and state trust land at less than one percent. National Forest comprises 67 percent of the total unit, while BLM makes up 19 percent. Access to the open ground depends on location and existing road and trailhead infrastructure; neither public ownership nor the elk-range data determines whether any particular area is easily reached.
Elk occupy the unit's summer range across the entire mapped area but concentrate heavily in about 55 percent of the unit during the summer season. Winter range covers 48 percent of the unit, with winter concentration on about 14 percent of that ground. Migration corridors cross 42 percent of the unit. As fall progresses through September and October, hunters should expect elk to shift from summer concentration areas toward winter range, though the timing and extent of that movement varies with snow and weather. By early November, when migration-transition season begins, elk distribution is actively shifting.
The unit offers six elk seasons across archery, muzzleloader, and rifle arms. Archery runs September 2–30 for either-sex hunting during the rut onset and primary rut phases. Muzzleloader runs September 12–20 for antlerless and bull hunting during the primary rut. Four rifle seasons follow: October 14–18 (antlerless and bull), October 24–November 1 (antlerless and bull), November 7–15 (antlerless and bull), and November 18–22 (antlerless and bull). The unit draws with easy difficulty for the lowest-point-tier bull and either-sex hunts available to adult Colorado residents, though other weapons, seasons, and nonresident applicants may require substantially more preference points. Overall hunter pressure here is moderate.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 7,800–13,400 ft, typically around 9,500 ft
- Steepness
- Steep — mean slope 14.6°
- Slope breakdown
- 35% gentle · 52% moderate · 13% steep · 0% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~470 sq mi, plus ~4 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About 86% of GMU 551 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest and BLM.
- National Forest67%
- BLM19%
- State Wildlife Area<1%
- State Trust Land<1%
- Private13%
Where elk live in the unit
Colorado Parks & Wildlife maps elk seasonal ranges statewide. This is how much of GMU 551 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 Concentration55%where elk bunch up in summer
- Winter Range48%used in winter
- Migration Corridors42%movement between ranges, not residence
- Winter Concentration14%where elk bunch up in winter
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 |
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 66°F, lows around 36°F (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 55°F, lows around 26°F, about 1.7 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 42°F, lows around 15°F, about 7.6 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 551 elk hunting FAQ
Is 551 a realistic draw for someone with no preference points?
Yes. The unit's easiest bull or either-sex hunt code for adult Colorado residents draws at zero points consistently, making it accessible to first-time applicants. Nonresident hunters and applicants targeting specific later-season rifle codes may face higher point requirements.
How much of this unit can a public-land hunter actually count on hunting?
About 470 square miles out of 546 square miles total—roughly 86 percent—is open National Forest and BLM ground. The remaining 14 percent is private or state trust land. Reaching and hunting any portion of that public ground depends on existing roads, trailheads, and access routes in each drainage and region of the unit.
When does the archery season fall relative to the rut?
Archery (September 2–30) overlaps both rut onset (September 1–10) and the primary rut phase (September 11–30), offering hunting during the most vocal and aggressive period of the fall. This timing makes archery one of the most active seasons on the unit.
Does the terrain here require advanced fitness or backcountry skills?
The unit is rolling to moderately steep overall, with more than half its area in gentle or moderate terrain. Steep ground makes up about 13 percent. A hunter on foot can find manageable country, but terrain difficulty varies by specific drainage and location within the 546 square miles.
Why are there four rifle seasons instead of one long hunt?
Four separate rifle seasons allow CPW to distribute harvest across different rut and post-rut phases from mid-October through late November. Early seasons (October 14–18, 24–November 1) occur during post-rut recovery; later seasons (November 7–15, 18–22) coincide with migration transition as elk shift toward winter range. This structure helps manage hunting impact across the fall.
Is moderate hunter pressure here a crowding issue?
Moderate pressure does not mean the unit is crowded—it is a qualitative description of typical use. An easy-to-draw unit can still see moderate pressure from applicants who draw tags. Actual crowding on the ground depends on where hunters concentrate and how dispersed the open ground is across the 546 square miles.
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.