Colorado GMU 78 Elk Hunting
Archuleta, Conejos, Mineral and Rio Grande counties, southwest Colorado · 764 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 78 is like
GMU 78 covers 764 square miles across Archuleta, Conejos, Mineral and Rio Grande counties in the southwest region of Colorado. Elevation ranges from 6,200 feet to 13,300 feet, with typical elevation around 8,600 feet. The terrain is mixed, with substantial steep ground: 32% of the unit is gentle, 40% moderate, 24% steep, and 4% rugged. The mean slope across the unit is 17.9 degrees. Hunters here encounter a mix of open country and forested terrain across a broad elevation span.
About 62% of the unit, roughly 475 square miles, is open to public hunting on National Forest and BLM land. The remaining 38% is private. The public ground is dominated by U.S. Forest Service holdings (61% of the total unit), with a small amount of BLM (1.1%). This split means a hunter will find substantial public access, though private inholdings and boundary complexity remain normal constraints.
Elk occupy the entire unit according to overall range mapping, but distribution shifts seasonally. Summer Range covers 100% of the unit, and Summer Concentration marks 29% of it, indicating elk cluster on specific ground during the warm months. Winter Range covers 49% of the unit, with Winter Concentration on 31%, showing a significant portion of the unit holds concentrated elk in the cold months. Migration Corridors span 50% of the unit, reflecting movement between seasonal areas. A Resident Population layer covers 12% of the unit, marking areas with year-round use. As fall progresses from September through November, hunters should expect elk to shift toward winter range as temperature and snow accumulation increase, though the timing and extent of this movement vary with weather.
The unit offers seven total seasons in 2026. Six are open to public hunters: Archery (September 2–September 30) for antlerless or bull elk; Muzzleloader (September 12–September 20) for antlerless or bull; First Rifle (October 14–October 18) for antlerless or bull; Second Rifle (October 24–November 1) for antlerless; Third Rifle (November 7–November 15) for antlerless; and Fourth Rifle (November 18–November 22) for antlerless or bull. The unit also offers a private-land-only season (September 2–November 22). Archery overlaps the rut onset and primary rut phases. Muzzleloader occurs during the primary rut. The four rifle seasons span the late rut, post-rut recovery, and migration transition phases. Overall hunter pressure is high, and the draw is easy, often at zero points, describing the easiest unit-wide bull or either-sex hunt code available to an adult Colorado resident. Weather in September averages highs near 68 degrees Fahrenheit and lows near 38 degrees, with minimal snowfall. October sees highs near 57 degrees and lows near 29 degrees, with about 2.3 inches of snowfall. November brings highs near 45 degrees and lows near 18 degrees, with about 12.8 inches of snowfall, creating progressively colder conditions through the fall.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 6,200–13,300 ft, typically around 8,600 ft
- Steepness
- Steep — mean slope 17.9°
- Slope breakdown
- 32% gentle · 40% moderate · 24% steep · 4% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~475 sq mi, plus ~1 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About 62% of GMU 78 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest and BLM.
- National Forest61%
- BLM1%
- State Wildlife Area<1%
- State Trust Land<1%
- Unclassified ownership<1%
- Private38%
Where elk live in the unit
Colorado Parks & Wildlife maps elk seasonal ranges statewide. This is how much of GMU 78 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
- Migration Corridors50%movement between ranges, not residence
- Winter Range49%used in winter
- Winter Concentration31%where elk bunch up in winter
- Summer Concentration29%where elk bunch up in summer
- Resident Population12%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 68°F, lows around 38°F (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 57°F, lows around 29°F, about 2.3 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 45°F, lows around 18°F, about 12.8 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 78 elk hunting FAQ
Can a hunter with no preference points draw an archery or early-season hunt here?
Yes. The unit draws at zero points for the easiest qualifying unit-wide bull or either-sex code available to an adult Colorado resident, meaning entry-level applicants can draw without points. This applies to the easiest hunt tier; other seasons and weapons may require more points, and nonresident applicants face different constraints.
How much ground can a public-land hunter actually hunt in GMU 78?
About 475 square miles (62% of the unit) is National Forest and BLM land generally open to public hunting. The remaining 38% is private. Road access, trailheads, seasonal closures and private inholdings within the public area will determine what ground is realistically reachable; the ownership alone does not guarantee access to all mapped public land.
Is this unit better suited to early or late season?
Archery (September 2–September 30) and Muzzleloader (September 12–September 20) fall during the primary rut, when bulls are most vocal and active. Rifle seasons begin after the peak rut has passed. Early-season hunts align with the rut's highest-energy phases; late-season rifle hunts (November) occur as elk migrate toward winter range in progressively colder conditions, including substantial snowfall.
Where do elk concentrate in GMU 78 as the season progresses?
Summer Concentration marks 29% of the unit where elk cluster during warm months. Winter Concentration covers 31% and indicates where elk gather in cold weather. Migration Corridors span 50% of the unit, reflecting movement between seasonal ranges. As fall advances and snow accumulates, expect elk to shift toward winter concentration areas, though timing and extent vary with weather.
Does the terrain here suit a hunter on foot?
The unit has 32% gentle and 40% moderate terrain, but 28% is steep or rugged, meaning significant portions demand scrambling and careful footing. At elevations ranging from 6,200 to 13,300 feet, hunters should prepare for mixed conditions and substantial elevation gains on some approaches.
Why is this unit easy to draw but experiencing high hunter pressure?
Draw difficulty (how many preference points are needed to draw) is separate from hunter pressure (how crowded the ground becomes once you're hunting). GMU 78 draws at zero points, making it very accessible to applicants, which drives high use on the ground. An easy draw means many hunters can enter the lottery, not that the unit will be empty once they tag along.
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.