Colorado GMU 86 Elk Hunting
Fremont, Custer and Chaffee counties, southwest Colorado · 496 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 86 is like
GMU 86 spans 496 square miles across Fremont, Custer, and Chaffee counties in the southwest region, ranging from 6,200 feet to 14,300 feet with typical elevations near 8,500 feet. The terrain is rolling to moderately steep, with 45 percent gentle slopes, 32 percent moderate, 22 percent steep, and 2 percent rugged by area. The unit straddles mixed terrain from lower-elevation foothills to high-country parks and timbered ridges.
Approximately 55 percent of the unit (271 square miles) is generally open to public hunting on National Forest, BLM, and State Wildlife Areas. Colorado State Trust Land makes up approximately 1.2 percent (6 square miles), but hunting access there depends on enrollment in CPW's Public Access Program. Private land covers the remaining 44 percent. The public ownership split creates a landscape where a hunter must plan routes carefully and understand which parcels are accessible before committing time on the ground.
Elk occupy Overall Range across 97 percent of the unit, but seasonal distribution is more concentrated. Summer Range covers 72 percent and Summer Concentration 22 percent, while Winter Range covers 46 percent and Winter Concentration 18 percent. A small Resident Population layer at 2 percent indicates year-round use on a limited portion of the unit. Hunters should expect elk to shift toward winter range as fall advances, with timing and extent varying by weather and snow; the contraction from 72 percent summer range to 46 percent winter range suggests significant seasonal movement out of higher-elevation areas.
The unit offers six public seasons: Archery (September 2–30, either-sex or antlerless), Muzzleloader (September 12–20, either-sex or antlerless), First Rifle (October 14–18, either-sex), Second Rifle (October 24–November 1, antlerless), Third Rifle (November 7–15, antlerless), and Fourth Rifle (November 18–22, either-sex or antlerless). Early seasons coincide with the primary rut (September 11–30), while later rifle hunts fall in the migration transition (November 1–30). September temperatures at mid-elevation average highs near 69 degrees Fahrenheit and lows near 41 degrees; by November, highs drop to near 46 degrees with average snowfall increasing from zero inches in September to 6.4 inches in November. Overall hunter pressure on the unit is high, and tags draw at easy difficulty, often at zero points for the easiest unit-wide bull or either-sex code available to adult Colorado residents.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 6,200–14,300 ft, typically around 8,500 ft
- Steepness
- Steep — mean slope 15°
- Slope breakdown
- 45% gentle · 32% moderate · 22% steep · 2% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~271 sq mi, plus ~6 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About 55% of GMU 86 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest, BLM and State Wildlife Areas. A further 1% is State Trust Land, which is huntable only where CPW has enrolled it.
- National Forest43%
- BLM12%
- State Wildlife Area<1%
- State Trust Land1%
- Unclassified ownership<1%
- Private44%
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 86 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 Range97%the full extent of range CPW maps for elk — near 100% on most units, and not a statement about when elk are present
- Summer Range72%used in summer
- Winter Range46%used in winter
- Summer Concentration22%where elk bunch up in summer
- Winter Concentration18%where elk bunch up in winter
- Resident Population2%the only layer that means year-round use
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.
Fall weather
- September — highs around 69°F, lows around 41°F (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 58°F, lows around 31°F, about 4 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 46°F, lows around 22°F, about 6.4 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 86 elk hunting FAQ
Is this unit realistic for someone with no preference points?
Yes. The easiest unit-wide bull or either-sex hunt code draws at zero points, making this accessible to first-time applicants. Other hunts, weapons, and applicant categories may require more points, but an adult Colorado resident can draw the easiest qualifying tag without prior preference points.
When is the rut most active during the hunting seasons?
The primary rut runs September 11–30, which overlaps fully with the archery season (September 2–30) and the muzzleloader season (September 12–20). First Rifle (October 14–18) occurs during the tail end of rut recovery, when bull activity has declined significantly. Later seasons fall in the migration transition and will not coincide with active rut behavior.
How much public ground can a hunter actually count on hunting?
Approximately 55 percent of the unit (271 square miles) is generally open to public hunting on National Forest, BLM, and State Wildlife Areas. An additional 1.2 percent is State Trust Land, but hunting there requires enrollment in CPW's Public Access Program, which varies by parcel. A hunter should verify which State Trust parcels are enrolled before planning to hunt them.
Does the high hunter pressure mean tags are hard to draw?
No. High hunter pressure and easy draw difficulty are separate conditions; this unit draws at easy difficulty (often zero points) for the easiest qualifying hunt, but attracts many hunters despite the easy tag. A successful draw does not guarantee solitude or predictable elk encounters.
Is the terrain manageable for a hunter on foot?
Much of the unit is walkable; 45 percent has gentle slopes and 32 percent is moderate. However, 22 percent is steep and 2 percent is rugged, and the mean slope of 15 degrees falls in the steep category. Hunters should expect a mix of rolling country and steeper sections, with terrain difficulty varying by drainage and aspect.
What weather should a hunter prepare for?
September is mild, with highs near 69 degrees and no significant snowfall. October brings cooling (highs near 58 degrees) and average snowfall of 4 inches. By November, highs drop to 46 degrees with 6.4 inches of average monthly snowfall. Preparation should account for a steady progression from early-season warmth to late-season snow and cold.
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.