Colorado GMU 67 Elk Hunting
Gunnison, Hinsdale and Saguache counties, southwest Colorado · 674 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 67 is like
Game Management Unit 67 encompasses 674 square miles across portions of Gunnison, Hinsdale and Saguache counties in Colorado's southwest region. The terrain is rolling, with some steeper breaks—55% gentle, 39% moderate and 6% steep by area. Elevation spans from 7,500 feet to 14,000 feet, with typical hunting occurring around 9,500 feet. The unit's size and elevation range make it accessible to hunters with varying tolerance for terrain and distance.
Approximately 82% of the unit—about 549 square miles—is generally open to public hunting. This ground is managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and State Wildlife Areas. The remaining 18% is private land, which may create access challenges in portions of the unit, though public holdings are substantial enough to offer meaningful hunting opportunity.
Elk distribution across the unit is driven by seasonal range. Summer Range covers 96% of the unit, while Summer Concentration—where elk cluster—is mapped on 54%. As fall advances into winter, elk shift toward Winter Range, which covers 72% of the unit, with Winter Concentration at 21%. Migration Corridors are mapped across 45% of the unit. This pattern indicates that while summer elk are spread across most of the unit, they concentrate in portions of it and gradually shift to lower and more defined winter grounds as the season progresses into November and beyond. Timing and extent of any seasonal movement vary with weather and snow.
The unit offers six seasons. Archery runs September 2–September 30 for either-sex hunting, occurring during rut onset and the primary rut. Muzzleloader season is September 12–September 20 for antlerless or bull, during the primary rut. Four rifle seasons follow: 1st Rifle October 14–October 18, 2nd Rifle October 24–November 1, 3rd Rifle November 7–November 15, and 4th Rifle November 18–November 22, all for antlerless or bull. Early-season hunts coincide with warmer weather and active rutting elk; rifle seasons span the late rut, post-rut recovery and migration transition phases. Fall weather cools significantly across the season, from September highs near 66°F to November highs near 42°F, with snowfall averaging 7.8 inches in November.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 7,500–14,000 ft, typically around 9,500 ft
- Steepness
- Moderate — mean slope 10.7°
- Slope breakdown
- 55% gentle · 39% moderate · 6% steep · 0% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~549 sq mi
Land & access
About 82% of GMU 67 is public land a hunter can count on — BLM, National Forest and State Wildlife Areas.
- BLM42%
- National Forest40%
- State Wildlife Area<1%
- State Trust Land<1%
- Private18%
Where elk live in the unit
Colorado Parks & Wildlife maps elk seasonal ranges statewide. This is how much of GMU 67 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 Range96%used in summer
- Winter Range72%used in winter
- Summer Concentration54%where elk bunch up in summer
- Migration Corridors45%movement between ranges, not residence
- Winter Concentration21%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 1.6 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 42°F, lows around 16°F, about 7.8 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 67 elk hunting FAQ
How much ground can a public-land hunter actually hunt here?
Approximately 82% of the unit—about 549 square miles—is generally open to public hunting on BLM, U.S. Forest Service and State Wildlife Areas. The remaining 18% is private land. Actual access depends on roads, trailheads and private inholdings; public ownership alone does not guarantee entry to all of that ground.
Is this a good unit for someone with no preference points?
Yes. The unit carries Moderate draw difficulty at 1–2 points, meaning an applicant with zero points can draw the easiest unit-wide bull or either-sex hunts available to adult Colorado residents. Other seasons and nonresident applicants may require substantially more points.
Do elk stay in this unit year-round?
CPW maps no Resident Population layer for this unit, meaning there is no substantial year-round use area mapped here. Summer Range covers 96% of the unit, but Winter Range covers only 72%, indicating that elk shift to winter grounds as the season advances. Timing and extent of movement vary with weather and snow.
Is the archery season during the rut?
Yes. Archery runs September 2–September 30, spanning rut onset and the primary rut. This is typically the most active period for bull elk vocalizing and responding to calls, though early September may still find some bulls in velvet transitioning into rut behavior.
How steep is the terrain, really?
The unit is predominantly rolling to moderate: 55% gentle, 39% moderate and only 6% steep. Most of the unit is walkable, though steeper sections exist and elevation gain to higher hunting areas is significant given the 6,500-foot span from lowest to highest point.
Which rifle season is best for this unit?
1st Rifle (October 14–18) occurs during late rut and early post-rut, when bulls are still active but beginning to recover. 2nd Rifle (October 24–November 1) spans post-rut recovery into early migration transition. Later seasons (3rd and 4th Rifle in November) occur during migration transition with colder temperatures and increasing snow, which may push elk toward winter grounds or make hunting more challenging depending on conditions.
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.