Colorado GMU 851 Elk Hunting
Costilla and Las Animas counties, southeast Colorado · 438 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 851 is like
GMU 851 spans 438 square miles across Costilla and Las Animas counties in southeastern Colorado, rising from 6,000 feet to 14,000 feet with a typical elevation near 7,900 feet. The terrain is rolling to moderately steep, with 27 percent gentle slopes, 56 percent moderate slopes, and 17 percent steep slopes. The unit sits on high-elevation rangeland and mixed terrain where elk move between summer and winter grounds as conditions change through the fall.
Approximately 12 percent of the unit—roughly 52 square miles—is generally open to public hunting on State Wildlife Areas, National Forest, and BLM land. The remaining 88 percent is private. This heavy private ownership means a hunter's access is sharply constrained; legal hunting ground is limited to the public lands listed, and a hunter should verify specific entry points and seasonal access before planning a hunt here.
CPW maps summer range across the entire unit and winter range across 90 percent of it. Summer concentration covers 72 percent of the unit, showing where elk cluster during warm months, while winter concentration covers 65 percent, indicating where elk concentrate during colder periods. As the fall progresses and weather cools—with temperatures dropping from September highs near 72 degrees to November highs near 51 degrees—elk shift toward winter ground. The timing and extent of that movement vary with snow and weather; a hunter should expect increasing elk presence on winter-concentration areas as November advances and into the late season.
The unit offers seven seasons open to the general public: Archery (September 2–30, either-sex or antlerless); Muzzleloader (September 12–20, either-sex, antlerless, or bull); four numbered rifle seasons spanning October 14 through November 22 (1st Rifle October 14–18, 2nd Rifle October 24–November 1, 3rd Rifle November 7–15, 4th Rifle November 18–22, each offering different tag types); and Late Rifle (November 28–January 3, antlerless only). Archery runs during rut onset and peak rut, while muzzleloader overlaps the primary rut. Rifle seasons span the post-rut period, migration transition, and into winter range use. The unit also offers a youth-only rifle season and private-land-only and Ranching for Wildlife seasons, which have restricted eligibility. Draw difficulty for the easiest qualifying unit-wide bull or either-sex hunt available to adult Colorado residents is easy, often at zero preference points, though premium bull seasons require substantially more points. Hunter pressure on this unit is extreme.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 6,000–14,000 ft, typically around 7,900 ft
- Steepness
- Steep — mean slope 16.3°
- Slope breakdown
- 27% gentle · 56% moderate · 17% steep · 0% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~52 sq mi
Land & access
About 12% of GMU 851 is public land a hunter can count on — State Wildlife Areas, National Forest and BLM.
- State Wildlife Area11%
- National Forest<1%
- BLM<1%
- Unclassified ownership<1%
- Private88%
Where elk live in the unit
Colorado Parks & Wildlife maps elk seasonal ranges statewide. This is how much of GMU 851 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 Range90%used in winter
- Summer Concentration72%where elk bunch up in summer
- Winter Concentration65%where elk bunch up in winter
- Migration Corridors<1%movement between ranges, not residence
Elk seasons & weapons (2026)
| Season | Dates | Tags offered |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | September 2 – September 30 | Either-sex, Antlerless |
| Muzzleloader | September 12 – September 20 | Either-sex, Antlerless, Bull |
| 1st Rifle | October 14 – October 18 | Either-sex, Bull |
| 2nd Rifle | October 24 – November 1 | Antlerless, Bull |
| 3rd Rifle | November 7 – November 15 | Antlerless, Bull |
| 4th Rifle | November 18 – November 22 | Either-sex, Antlerless, Bull |
| Late Rifle | November 28 – January 3 | Antlerless |
| Youth only (Rifle) | October 24 – November 15 | Either-sex |
| Private-land only | October 14 – December 31 | Either-sex, Antlerless |
| Ranching for Wildlife | October 10 – December 2 | 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.
Fall weather
- September — highs around 72°F, lows around 43°F (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 62°F, lows around 33°F, about 1.1 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 51°F, lows around 23°F, about 4.1 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 851 elk hunting FAQ
Can a hunter with zero preference points draw here?
Yes. The easiest qualifying unit-wide bull or either-sex hunt for an adult Colorado resident typically draws at zero preference points, making this an accessible option for first-time applicants. However, this refers specifically to the easiest hunt code; other weapons, seasons, and tag types may require more points, and premium bull seasons draw at substantially higher preference-point thresholds.
How much of this unit can a public-land hunter actually hunt?
Approximately 12 percent of the unit—roughly 52 square miles—is open to public hunting on State Wildlife Areas, National Forest, and BLM land. The remaining 88 percent is private, so legal access is the limiting factor even where terrain is walkable. A hunter should confirm specific access points and any seasonal closures before committing to this unit.
Is the terrain manageable for a hunter on foot?
The unit is rolling to moderately steep, with 27 percent gentle slopes and 56 percent moderate slopes, so much of the ground is walkable. However, 17 percent is steep, and elevation ranges from 6,000 to 14,000 feet, which means physical demands vary widely depending on where a hunter operates within the available public land.
When do elk move toward their winter grounds, and what should a hunter expect?
As November approaches and temperatures cool—dropping from September highs near 72 degrees to November highs near 51 degrees—elk shift toward winter-concentration areas. Timing and extent vary with snow and weather, so a hunter should expect increasing elk presence on winter ground as the season progresses, with migration transition running through November and into December.
Does the rut occur during the rifle seasons?
No. Archery runs during rut onset and peak rut (early September through late September), and muzzleloader overlaps peak rut (mid-September through September 20). Rifle seasons begin October 14, by which time the rut is largely finished and elk have entered post-rut recovery and migration transition periods.
Why is draw difficulty easy but hunter pressure extreme?
Draw difficulty describes the preference-point requirement to draw a tag; this unit's easiest hunts draw at zero points, making tags accessible. Hunter pressure describes the actual number of hunters afield once tags are distributed. An easy-to-draw unit near populated areas can attract large numbers of hunters despite low tag barriers.
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 31, 2026.