Colorado GMU 74 Elk Hunting

Q: Can a hunter with no preference points draw a bull tag here?

Yes. The easiest qualifying unit-wide bull hunt draws at zero preference points for adult Colorado residents in most years, making it accessible to new applicants. Other bull hunts, nonresident applicants, and specific-weapon seasons may require more points.

Q: How much of this unit is actually huntable public land?

Approximately 86 percent, or 511 square miles, is generally open to public hunting across National Forest, BLM, and State Wildlife Areas. The remaining 14 percent is private. Actual access depends on specific roads, trailheads, and seasonal closures.

Q: When should a hunter expect elk to shift from summer to winter range?

Elk occupy the unit across all seasonal ranges, but Winter Range covers only 41 percent of the unit. As November arrives and snowfall increases sharply—averaging 12.9 inches that month—hunters should expect pressure on winter grounds to increase. The timing and extent of any shift depend on weather and snow, and both occur with variability year to year.

Q: Is this terrain manageable for a foot hunter?

The unit is steep and broken, with 42 percent steep and 6 percent rugged terrain. Elevation ranges from 6,500 to 13,900 feet. Hunters on foot should be prepared for significant elevation change and demanding country, especially at higher elevations.

Q: Which seasons offer the best chance at a rutting bull?

Archery (September 2–30) and Muzzleloader (September 12–20) overlap with rut onset and the primary rut phase, when bulls are most vocal and active. First Rifle (October 14–18) falls in late rut and early post-rut recovery. Later rifle seasons occur during migration transition when rut activity has ended.

Q: Does the draw difficulty mean tags are easy to come by?

Easy draw difficulty means the easiest qualifying hunt is accessible at zero points for adult Colorado residents, but it does not describe how many tags are available or how crowded the unit becomes. Hunter pressure here is low overall, so an applicant who draws will not necessarily face heavy competition in the field.

La Plata and San Juan counties, southwest Colorado · 595 sq mi

Draw difficulty

Easy — often 0 points

Elevation

6,500–13,900 ft

Terrain (avg slope)

Rugged · 23.3°

Open to hunting

86%

Hunter pressure

Low

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 74 is like

GMU 74 spans 595 square miles across La Plata and San Juan counties in the southwest region, rising from 6,500 feet to 13,900 feet with a typical elevation around 9,800 feet. The terrain is steep and broken: 42 percent of the unit is steep, 36 percent moderate, 16 percent gentle, and 6 percent rugged by area. Hunting here involves significant elevation change and demanding topography.

The unit is approximately 86 percent open to public hunting across National Forest, BLM, and State Wildlife Areas. The remaining 14 percent is private land. The National Forest comprises 77 percent of the unit, BLM accounts for 7 percent, and State Wildlife Areas cover 2.1 percent. Access depends on specific roads, trailheads, and seasonal conditions; public ownership does not guarantee straightforward entry.

Elk occupy the unit across all seasonal ranges, with Summer Range and Overall Range each covering 100 percent of the unit, indicating widespread distribution across the full calendar. Winter Range covers 41 percent of the unit. Summer Concentration and Winter Concentration layers mark 22 percent and 18 percent respectively, showing where elk cluster during those seasons. A small Resident Population layer covers 2 percent of the unit, representing year-round use. Migration Corridors, covering 5 percent, guide elk movement between seasonal grounds as fall transitions to winter. Hunters should expect elk concentrated in summer grounds early in the season and a shift toward winter grounds as November arrives and snow accumulates, though timing and extent vary with weather.

The unit offers seven seasons total: four rifle hunts plus archery and muzzleloader on public land. Archery runs September 2–30 for either antlerless or bull elk. Muzzleloader is September 12–20, also for antlerless or bull. First Rifle spans October 14–18 for antlerless or bull; Second Rifle runs October 24–November 1 for antlerless only; Third Rifle is November 7–15 for antlerless only; Fourth Rifle runs November 18–22 for antlerless or bull. A private-land-only season runs September 2–November 22 for either-sex, antlerless, or bull elk. Archery hunts occur during rut onset and primary rut phases. Muzzleloader coincides with primary rut. First Rifle straddles late rut and post-rut recovery. Later rifle seasons fall in migration transition. September temperatures average highs near 64 degrees Fahrenheit and lows around 40 degrees. October cools to highs near 54 degrees and lows near 31 degrees. November temperatures drop further to highs near 43 degrees and lows near 21 degrees, with October snowfall averaging 2.7 inches and November averaging 12.9 inches. Draw difficulty for the easiest qualifying unit-wide bull or either-sex hunt is Easy, often available at zero preference points for adult Colorado residents. Hunter pressure on the unit is low overall.

Terrain & elevation

Elevation: 6,500–13,900 ft, typically around 9,800 ft
Steepness: Rugged — mean slope 23.3°
Slope breakdown: 16% gentle · 36% moderate · 42% steep · 6% rugged
Ground you can count on: ~511 sq mi, plus ~2 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment

Land & access

About 86% of GMU 74 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest, BLM and State Wildlife Areas.

Generally open to public hunting

National Forest77%
BLM7%
State Wildlife Area2%

Public land, access depends on enrollment

State Trust Land<1%

Ownership unclassified

Unclassified ownership<1%

Private

Private14%

Where elk live in the unit

Colorado Parks & Wildlife maps elk seasonal ranges statewide. This is how much of GMU 74 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
Winter Range41%
used in winter
Summer Concentration22%
where elk bunch up in summer
Winter Concentration18%
where elk bunch up in winter
Migration Corridors5%
movement between ranges, not residence
Resident Population2%
the only layer that means year-round use

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 64°F, lows around 40°F, about 0.2 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
October — highs around 54°F, lows around 31°F, about 2.7 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
November — highs around 43°F, lows around 21°F, about 12.9 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)

GMU 74 elk hunting FAQ

Can a hunter with no preference points draw a bull tag here?

Yes. The easiest qualifying unit-wide bull hunt draws at zero preference points for adult Colorado residents in most years, making it accessible to new applicants. Other bull hunts, nonresident applicants, and specific-weapon seasons may require more points.

How much of this unit is actually huntable public land?

Approximately 86 percent, or 511 square miles, is generally open to public hunting across National Forest, BLM, and State Wildlife Areas. The remaining 14 percent is private. Actual access depends on specific roads, trailheads, and seasonal closures.

When should a hunter expect elk to shift from summer to winter range?

Elk occupy the unit across all seasonal ranges, but Winter Range covers only 41 percent of the unit. As November arrives and snowfall increases sharply—averaging 12.9 inches that month—hunters should expect pressure on winter grounds to increase. The timing and extent of any shift depend on weather and snow, and both occur with variability year to year.

Is this terrain manageable for a foot hunter?

The unit is steep and broken, with 42 percent steep and 6 percent rugged terrain. Elevation ranges from 6,500 to 13,900 feet. Hunters on foot should be prepared for significant elevation change and demanding country, especially at higher elevations.

Which seasons offer the best chance at a rutting bull?

Archery (September 2–30) and Muzzleloader (September 12–20) overlap with rut onset and the primary rut phase, when bulls are most vocal and active. First Rifle (October 14–18) falls in late rut and early post-rut recovery. Later rifle seasons occur during migration transition when rut activity has ended.

Does the draw difficulty mean tags are easy to come by?

Easy draw difficulty means the easiest qualifying hunt is accessible at zero points for adult Colorado residents, but it does not describe how many tags are available or how crowded the unit becomes. Hunter pressure here is low overall, so an applicant who draws will not necessarily face heavy competition in the field.

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.

Nearest Colorado elk units

GMU 75 GMU 71 GMU 751 GMU 741 GMU 77 GMU 73

← All Colorado elk units