Colorado GMU 561 Elk Hunting
Chaffee and Saguache counties, central Colorado · 128 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 561 is like
GMU 561 spans 128 square miles across Chaffee and Saguache counties in central Colorado, ranging from 7,400 feet to 14,000 feet elevation with a typical mid-elevation around 10,000 feet. The terrain is mixed, with substantial steep ground: 18% of the unit is gentle, 53% moderate, 27% steep, and 1% rugged. The unit sits at the transition between lower-elevation foothills and higher alpine country, offering a diversity of slopes and aspects across its span.
Approximately 90% of the unit—116 square miles—is open to public hunting on National Forest and BLM land. The remaining acreage splits between private land (8.8%) and state trust land (0.9%). National Forest comprises 84% of the unit, BLM 6.2%, making these the primary public resources available to hunters. The scattered private acreage and small state trust holdings mean that route-finding and boundary awareness matter on the ground.
CPW maps Summer Range across the entire unit and Winter Range across 44% of it. Summer Concentration, where elk cluster, covers 51% of the unit, while Winter Concentration covers 33%. Hunters should expect elk to concentrate in these marked areas during their respective seasons rather than spread evenly across available ground. As fall progresses from September through November, cooling temperatures—from highs near 65°F in September to 42°F in November, with increasing snowfall from 0.1 inches to 7.5 inches monthly—create conditions that favor movement toward lower elevations. The unit experiences the full arc of the rut, from Rut Onset in early September through the Primary Rut in mid-September and into the Post-Rut phases by mid-October.
Six seasons are available to public applicants. Archery runs September 2–30 for either-sex elk, overlapping Rut Onset and Primary Rut. Muzzleloader hunts September 12–20 for bull or antlerless elk during the Primary Rut. Four rifle seasons follow: 1st Rifle October 14–18 for bulls in the Late Rut and Post-Rut phases; 2nd Rifle October 24–November 1 for antlerless or bull elk as the Migration Transition begins; 3rd Rifle November 7–15 during Migration Transition; and 4th Rifle November 18–22 in the final migration window. Draw difficulty is easy, often drawing at zero preference points for the most-available bull or either-sex codes. Hunter pressure on the unit is moderate.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 7,400–14,000 ft, typically around 10,000 ft
- Steepness
- Rugged — mean slope 19.4°
- Slope breakdown
- 18% gentle · 53% moderate · 27% steep · 1% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~116 sq mi, plus ~1 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About 90% of GMU 561 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest and BLM.
- National Forest84%
- BLM6%
- State Trust Land<1%
- Private9%
Where elk live in the unit
Colorado Parks & Wildlife maps elk seasonal ranges statewide. This is how much of GMU 561 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 Concentration51%where elk bunch up in summer
- Winter Range44%used in winter
- Winter Concentration33%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 | 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 65°F, lows around 37°F, about 0.1 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 54°F, lows around 27°F, about 2.7 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 42°F, lows around 17°F, about 7.5 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 561 elk hunting FAQ
Can a hunter with zero points realistically draw this unit?
Yes. The easiest qualifying unit-wide bull or either-sex hunts for adult Colorado residents draw at easy difficulty, often requiring zero preference points. Other seasons, weapons, and applicant categories may require substantially more points, so the specific hunt matters.
Is this a unit where elk are around year-round?
CPW maps no year-round resident population in this unit. Summer Range covers the entire unit and Winter Range covers 44%, meaning elk are present across the unit in summer but shift toward winter ground as fall progresses. Timing and extent of that movement vary with weather and snow.
When does the rut happen in this unit, and which seasons overlap it?
Rut Onset occurs September 1–10 and the Primary Rut runs September 11–30. Archery (September 2–30) covers both phases; Muzzleloader (September 12–20) falls entirely in the Primary Rut. The 1st Rifle season (October 14–18) enters the Late Rut and Post-Rut phases, after peak calling activity.
How much of this unit can a public-land hunter actually hunt?
Approximately 90% of the unit—116 square miles on National Forest (84%) and BLM (6.2%)—is generally open to hunting. Private land (8.8%) and state trust land (0.9%) occupy the remainder. Access depends on roads, trailheads, and seasonal closures on those public acres.
Does the terrain make this unit manageable for a hunter on foot?
The unit is mixed: 53% is moderate terrain, but 28% is steep or rugged. A foot-hunter will encounter substantial climbs and descents, particularly in the steep portions, though moderate ground offers more-accessible options.
What should a hunter expect from weather and snow during the fall seasons?
September is mild, with highs near 65°F and minimal snowfall (~0.1 inches monthly). October cools to highs near 54°F with ~2.7 inches of snow. November is cold, with highs near 42°F and ~7.5 inches of snowfall, creating conditions that push elk toward lower elevations and winter ground.
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.