Colorado GMU 691 Elk Hunting
Custer and Fremont counties, southeast Colorado · 253 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 691 is like
GMU 691 occupies 253 square miles across Custer and Fremont counties in Colorado's southeast region, with elevations ranging from 5,400 feet to 8,700 feet and a typical elevation around 7,500 feet. The terrain is rolling to moderately steep, with 41 percent gentle ground, 38 percent moderate slopes, 19 percent steep terrain, and 2 percent rugged country. The unit spans a transition zone between foothills and mountains, offering a mix of open parkland, aspen, and coniferous forest across varying aspects and elevations.
Public hunting opportunity totals approximately 108 square miles or 43 percent of the unit, distributed across BLM lands, Colorado State Wildlife Areas, and National Forest. The remainder is split between private land at 54 percent, Colorado State Trust Land at 3.3 percent (huntable only where CPW has enrolled parcels in the Public Access Program), and a small amount of state-wildlife-area and Forest Service acreage. Private inholdings are scattered throughout the unit, so hunters should verify access conditions before planning a trip.
Elk occupy the unit across multiple seasonal ranges. CPW maps Overall Range across 92 percent of the unit and Summer Range across 89 percent, with Winter Range covering 83 percent. A Resident Population layer covers just 4 percent of the unit, indicating limited year-round use; most elk shift seasonally with snow and forage availability. Winter Concentration covers 7 percent of the unit, marking the areas where elk cluster during deep-snow periods, while Summer Concentration accounts for just 1 percent. Hunters should anticipate that elk distribution shifts through the fall as temperatures drop and winter approaches, with concentration intensifying on mapped winter-use areas later in the season.
The unit offers six public elk hunts plus a private-land-only season. Archery runs September 2–30 with either-sex or antlerless tags, spanning rut onset and primary rut. Muzzleloader hunts occur September 12–20, covering the primary rut. Four rifle seasons follow: 1st Rifle (October 14–18, either-sex) and 2nd Rifle (October 24–November 1, antlerless) during the post-rut period, 3rd Rifle (November 7–15, antlerless) during the migration transition, and 4th Rifle (November 18–22, either-sex or antlerless) also during migration transition. Draw difficulty for the easiest qualifying unit-wide bull or either-sex code is easy, often available at zero preference points for adult Colorado residents. Overall hunter pressure on the unit is low.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 5,400–8,700 ft, typically around 7,500 ft
- Steepness
- Steep — mean slope 15.3°
- Slope breakdown
- 41% gentle · 38% moderate · 19% steep · 2% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~108 sq mi, plus ~8 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About 43% of GMU 691 is public land a hunter can count on — BLM, State Wildlife Areas and National Forest. A further 3% is State Trust Land, which is huntable only where CPW has enrolled it.
- BLM42%
- State Wildlife Area<1%
- National Forest<1%
- State Trust Land3%
- Unclassified ownership<1%
- Private54%
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.
Where elk live in the unit
Colorado Parks & Wildlife maps elk seasonal ranges statewide. This is how much of GMU 691 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 Range92%the full extent of range CPW maps for elk — near 100% on most units, and not a statement about when elk are present
- Summer Range89%used in summer
- Winter Range83%used in winter
- Winter Concentration7%where elk bunch up in winter
- Resident Population4%the only layer that means year-round use
- Summer Concentration1%where elk bunch up in summer
Elk seasons & weapons (2026)
| Season | Dates | Tags offered |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | September 2 – September 30 | Either-sex, Antlerless |
| Muzzleloader | September 12 – September 20 | Either-sex, Antlerless |
| 1st Rifle | October 14 – October 18 | Either-sex |
| 2nd Rifle | October 24 – November 1 | Antlerless |
| 3rd Rifle | November 7 – November 15 | Antlerless |
| 4th Rifle | November 18 – November 22 | Either-sex, Antlerless |
| Private-land only | September 1 – January 31 | Either-sex, 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.
GMU 691 elk hunting FAQ
How much of GMU 691 can a public-land hunter actually hunt?
Approximately 108 square miles, or 43 percent of the unit, is generally open to public hunting via BLM, State Wildlife Areas, and National Forest lands. An additional 8 square miles of Colorado State Trust Land may be huntable where CPW has enrolled it in the Public Access Program, though specific enrolled parcels are not listed here and must be verified with CPW. The remainder is private land or mixed ownership, so access planning depends on securing permission or confirming public-access enrollment.
Is this unit realistic for an applicant with zero or few preference points?
Yes. The easiest unit-wide bull or either-sex hunt code available to adult Colorado residents typically draws at zero preference points, making this an accessible option for new applicants. Nonresident applicants, those pursuing specific hunts like muzzleloader, and applicants targeting later rifle seasons may require substantially more points.
When does the rut occur, and which seasons catch elk actively calling?
The primary rut runs September 11–30. Archery season (September 2–30) spans both rut onset and the full primary rut, offering the best window for calling activity. Muzzleloader (September 12–20) covers the heart of the primary rut. The 1st Rifle season (October 14–18) falls in the late rut and early post-rut period, after peak calling activity has declined.
How do elk shift through the fall, and when should a hunter expect them to concentrate?
Summer Range covers 89 percent of the unit; Winter Range covers 83 percent, indicating substantial seasonal shift as conditions deteriorate. Winter Concentration, covering 7 percent of the unit, marks the areas where elk cluster during winter. Hunters should anticipate that elk density on these concentration zones increases as the season advances into late fall, with the extent and timing of the shift depending on snowfall and temperature patterns.
Is the terrain steep enough to be difficult on foot?
No. The unit is predominantly gentle to moderate, with 79 percent in those categories combined. The steep and rugged terrain accounts for only 21 percent of the unit's total area, leaving substantial ground accessible to hunters on foot without extreme elevation gain or technical scrambling. The 15.3-degree mean slope reflects a rolling to moderately steep overall character.
When should a hunter apply for this unit?
An applicant with zero or few preference points should apply immediately, as the easiest qualifying hunts often draw at zero points. This avoids waiting years to build preference points. Applicants seeking specific weapons or seasons other than the easiest bull or either-sex code should assess their points against historical draw patterns for those particular hunts before deciding whether to apply.
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.