Colorado GMU 581 Elk Hunting
Park, Teller and Fremont counties, central Colorado · 689 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 581 is like
GMU 581 spans 689 square miles across Park, Teller and Fremont counties in central Colorado. The unit rolls through elevations from a low of 5,300 feet to a high of 10,900 feet, with typical hunting occurring around 8,500 feet. Terrain is rolling to moderately steep overall, with 47% gentle slopes, 40% moderate, 13% steep, and 1% rugged. The country is mixed forest and open-park habitat typical of the central high plateau.
About 36% of the unit—roughly 245 square miles—is generally open to public hunting on BLM, National Forest and State Wildlife Areas. Colorado State Trust Land comprises 4.1% of the unit, where hunting is possible only on parcels enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program. Private land accounts for 56% of the unit. The National Park Service manages 1.4%, where hunting is prohibited. An additional 2.9% is unclassified in ownership. These land-ownership patterns mean that public hunters must identify and access open ground carefully, as nearly 57% of the unit is private.
Elk occupancy shifts with the seasons across this unit. CPW maps overall range across 91% of the unit, but year-round resident use covers only 3%. Summer Range spans 58% of the unit, with 5% marked as Summer Concentration where elk cluster. Winter Range covers 65% of the unit, with 25% as Winter Concentration. Migration Corridors account for 5%. As fall progresses from September through November, hunters should expect elk to shift toward winter-range ground, though the timing and extent of this movement vary with snow and weather. Early-season hunters in September encounter elk in the primary rut phase, while October and November hunts take place as the rut winds down and animals begin their transition to winter range.
The unit offers seven seasons total, six of which are open to public application. Archery runs September 2–30 for either-sex or antlerless; Muzzleloader is September 12–20 for antlerless or bull; 1st Rifle is October 14–18 for antlerless or bull; 2nd Rifle is October 24–November 1 for antlerless; 3rd Rifle is November 7–15 for antlerless; and 4th Rifle is November 18–22 for antlerless or bull. A seventh season on private land only runs September 1–January 31. Early fall temperatures average 68°F in September, cooling to 57°F by October and 45°F by November, with snowfall increasing from 0.1 inches in September to 3.1 inches by November. Draw difficulty for this unit is easy, typically requiring zero preference points for the lowest-tier adult resident bull or either-sex codes. Overall hunter pressure is moderate.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 5,300–10,900 ft, typically around 8,500 ft
- Steepness
- Steep — mean slope 13.2°
- Slope breakdown
- 47% gentle · 40% moderate · 13% steep · 1% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~245 sq mi, plus ~28 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About 36% of GMU 581 is public land a hunter can count on — BLM, National Forest and State Wildlife Areas. A further 4% is State Trust Land, which is huntable only where CPW has enrolled it. Another 1% is public but closed to hunting — National Park Service.
- BLM23%
- National Forest12%
- State Wildlife Area2%
- State Trust Land4%
- National Park Service1%
- Unclassified ownership3%
- Private56%
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.
“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 581 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 Range91%the full extent of range CPW maps for elk — near 100% on most units, and not a statement about when elk are present
- Winter Range65%used in winter
- Summer Range58%used in summer
- Winter Concentration25%where elk bunch up in winter
- Summer Concentration5%where elk bunch up in summer
- Migration Corridors5%movement between ranges, not residence
- Resident Population3%the only layer that means year-round use
Elk seasons & weapons (2026)
| Season | Dates | Tags offered |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | September 2 – September 30 | Either-sex, Antlerless |
| Muzzleloader | September 12 – September 20 | Antlerless, Bull |
| 1st Rifle | October 14 – October 18 | Antlerless, Bull |
| 2nd Rifle | October 24 – November 1 | Antlerless |
| 3rd Rifle | November 7 – November 15 | Antlerless |
| 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 68°F, lows around 36°F, about 0.1 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 57°F, lows around 25°F, about 2.1 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 45°F, lows around 15°F, about 3.1 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 581 elk hunting FAQ
Can someone with zero preference points draw this unit?
Yes. Draw difficulty is easy for the lowest-tier adult resident bull or either-sex hunts, meaning the easiest qualifying codes often draw at zero points. However, other seasons, weapon types and nonresident applicants can require substantially more points, and zero-point availability does not guarantee a specific season or hunt code.
Is the rut in full swing during the September archery season?
The September 2–30 archery season overlaps both Rut Onset (September 1–10) and Primary Rut (September 11–30). Early-season hunters will encounter the rut ramping up, while late September corresponds to peak rut activity and aggressive bull behavior.
How much ground can a public-land hunter actually count on?
About 36% of the unit—245 square miles—is generally open on BLM, National Forest and State Wildlife Areas. An additional 4.1% is State Trust Land accessible only where CPW has enrolled parcels in the Public Access Program. Since 56% is private, hunters need to verify access routes and identify open ground before hunting.
Is this a better archery or rifle unit?
Both have merit. Archery in September coincides with the rut when bulls are vocal and responsive. Rifle seasons span October through November as the rut winds down and elk shift toward winter range; 1st Rifle (October 14–18) still has post-rut recovery elk, while later rifle hunts occur during migration transition and winter-range movement.
Does terrain limit foot access for hunters on public ground?
The unit is mostly gentle to moderate (47% gentle, 40% moderate), making it manageable for most hunters on foot. Steep and rugged terrain comprises only 14% of the unit, so the rolling to moderately steep character should not restrict access to the 245 square miles of open ground.
Where should a hunter focus effort given the seasonal elk movement?
Winter Range covers 65% of the unit and Winter Concentration marks 25%, indicating where elk cluster during the fall and winter transition. Summer Range is 58% of the unit with only 5% Summer Concentration, so year-round Resident Population occupies just 3%. As the season advances from September through November, hunters should focus on ground mapped as winter range and winter concentration, though the exact timing of elk arrival depends on weather and snow.
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.