Colorado GMU 71 Elk Hunting
Dolores and Montezuma counties, southwest Colorado · 520 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 71 is like
Colorado GMU 71 spans 520 square miles across southwestern Dolores and Montezuma counties in mixed terrain rising from 6,900 feet to 14,200 feet, with a typical elevation near 9,600 feet. The country is mixed, with substantial steep ground: 37 percent gentle terrain, 37 percent moderate, 25 percent steep, and 2 percent rugged. The mean slope across the unit is 16.5 degrees. Elevations and terrain features shift across the unit, creating varied country for hunters on foot.
The unit is approximately 85 percent open to public hunting on National Forest, State Wildlife Areas, and BLM land, encompassing roughly 441 square miles. The remaining 15 percent is private ground. The substantial public acreage gives a hunter many square miles to explore, though access routes, trailheads, and private inholdings will still govern where ground is actually reachable.
Elk occupy the unit across a broad seasonal range. Summer Range covers 100 percent of the unit, with 80 percent concentrated in Summer Concentration ground, meaning elk cluster heavily during that period. Winter Range covers only 40 percent of the unit, with just 9 percent in Winter Concentration, indicating a significant seasonal shift in elk distribution as fall advances into early winter. Migration Corridors cover 5 percent of the unit. A hunter should expect elk to move toward winter range as the season progresses, with timing and extent varying with weather and snow, particularly as November approaches.
The unit offers seven seasons total, six of which are open to public application. Archery runs September 2 to September 30 and takes antlerless elk or bulls. Muzzleloader is September 12 to September 20, also antlerless or bull. Four rifle seasons are offered: 1st Rifle October 14 to October 18 (antlerless or bull), 2nd Rifle October 24 to November 1 (antlerless only), 3rd Rifle November 7 to November 15 (antlerless only), and 4th Rifle November 18 to November 22 (antlerless or bull). A seventh season, private-land only, runs September 2 to November 22. Draw difficulty is easy, often requiring zero preference points for the easiest unit-wide bull or either-sex hunt available to adult Colorado residents. Overall hunter pressure is moderate.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 6,900–14,200 ft, typically around 9,600 ft
- Steepness
- Steep — mean slope 16.5°
- Slope breakdown
- 37% gentle · 37% moderate · 25% steep · 2% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~441 sq mi, plus ~2 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About 85% of GMU 71 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest, State Wildlife Areas and BLM.
- National Forest84%
- State Wildlife Area<1%
- BLM<1%
- State Trust Land<1%
- Private15%
Where elk live in the unit
Colorado Parks & Wildlife maps elk seasonal ranges statewide. This is how much of GMU 71 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 Range100%used in summer
- Summer Concentration80%where elk bunch up in summer
- Winter Range40%used in winter
- Winter Concentration9%where elk bunch up in winter
- Migration Corridors5%movement between ranges, not residence
Elk seasons & weapons (2026)
| Season | Dates | Tags offered |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | September 2 – September 30 | Antlerless, Bull |
| 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 2 – November 22 | Either-sex, 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 62°F, lows around 37°F, about 0.5 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 51°F, lows around 28°F, about 5.2 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 41°F, lows around 17°F, about 18.6 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 71 elk hunting FAQ
Is this a realistic unit for someone with no preference points?
Yes. The unit draws at easy difficulty, often requiring zero preference points for the easiest unit-wide bull or either-sex hunt available to adult Colorado residents. Applicants with no points should plan to research other weapons, seasons, and hunts beyond the easiest draw tier, as those can require substantially more points and greater competitiveness.
How much public ground can a hunter actually hunt?
Roughly 441 square miles of the 520-square-mile unit is open to public hunting on National Forest, State Wildlife Areas, and BLM land. Private ground makes up the remaining 15 percent, though roads, trailheads, seasonal closures, and private inholdings within the public acreage will govern which portions are actually reachable from any given approach.
When should hunters expect elk to shift toward winter range?
Winter Range covers only 40 percent of the unit, compared to Summer Range's full coverage, suggesting a significant seasonal shift as fall advances. Hunters should expect elk to move toward winter ground as October becomes November, with the 3rd and 4th rifle seasons (early to mid-November) likely encountering more animals on winter-range positions. Timing and extent of this shift vary with weather and snow.
Is this unit better suited to early or late season?
Early season (archery in early September and muzzleloader mid-September) falls during rut onset and the primary rut, when bulls are responsive. Late-season rifle hunts (2nd and 3rd rifles in late October and early November) occur during migration transition as elk shift toward winter ground. Each phase offers different elk behavior: rutting bulls in September and October, and migrating herds in November.
What terrain should hunters expect to cross?
The unit is split roughly evenly between gentle and moderate ground, with steep slopes making up about a quarter of the area. Terrain ranges from 6,900 to 14,200 feet elevation, so hunters will encounter variable conditions depending on where they hunt. Steep ground and elevation gain are substantial enough that foot travel will be a factor on much of the unit.
How cold does it get as the season progresses?
September temperatures at mid-elevation average highs around 62°F and lows near 37°F, with trace snowfall. October cools to highs around 51°F and lows around 28°F, with an average of 5.2 inches of snowfall. November is considerably colder, with highs around 41°F and lows around 17°F, and heavy average snowfall of 18.6 inches, creating wintry conditions for late-season hunts.
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.