Best elk hunting units in Colorado
Ranked by 2020–2024 success rate · CPW harvest reports
For planning only. Seasons, license rules, and boundaries change, and this site can contain errors. Before you apply, buy a license, or hunt, confirm everything in the official CPW 2026 big game brochure. Published state regulations always control. Terms of use
- 63.4%
- GMU 2 ranks #1, 2020–2024
- 18.1%
- statewide elk average
- 135
- units with 100+ hunters a year
These are the Colorado game management units where elk hunters filled licenses most often from 2020 to 2024, ranked from CPW's harvest reports. Each rate is total elk harvest divided by total elk hunters across those five seasons, so one unusual year doesn't decide a unit's place. CPW's hunter and harvest numbers are estimates from its annual big game harvest survey, and its data for 2025 doesn't include a per-unit table, so the list ends with 2024.
CPW sells unlimited over-the-counter rifle licenses that allow a bull elk in many units, while in other units its rifle elk licenses are limited licenses issued through the draw, so a high rate doesn't always mean you can buy a license without applying. Open each unit's page to see its license rules, public land, and terrain. CPW doesn't split success rates by residency, so nonresidents should read the same list and check CPW's nonresident hunting page for how licenses are sold.
Top 15
| # | Unit | 2020–2024 rate | Latest year | Hunters / yr | Residents | Nonresidents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GMU 2 | 63.4% | 63.7% (2024) | 192 | Limited (draw) | Limited (draw) |
| 2 | GMU 40 | 55.4% | 59.5% (2024) | 492 | Limited (draw) | Limited (draw) |
| 3 | GMU 61 | 54.9% | 56.1% (2024) | 1,170 | Limited (draw) | Limited (draw) |
| 4 | GMU 10 | 51.5% | 57.7% (2024) | 442 | Limited (draw) | Limited (draw) |
| 5 | GMU 104 | 50.2% | 53.2% (2024) | 365 | Limited (draw) | Limited (draw) |
| 6 | GMU 110 | 46.5% | 45.3% (2024) | 119 | Over the counter | Over the counter |
| 7 | GMU 201 | 46.4% | 52.7% (2024) | 188 | Limited (draw) | Limited (draw) |
| 8 | GMU 20 | 41.9% | 40.6% (2024) | 901 | Limited (draw) | Limited (draw) |
| 9 | GMU 791 | 40.6% | 35.0% (2024) | 104 | Limited (draw) | Limited (draw) |
| 10 | GMU 66 | 40.3% | 42.1% (2024) | 1,199 | Limited (draw) | Limited (draw) |
| 11 | GMU 84 | 39.8% | 37.7% (2024) | 579 | Limited (draw) | Limited (draw) |
| 12 | GMU 9 | 39.5% | 39.1% (2024) | 205 | Limited (draw) | Limited (draw) |
| 13 | GMU 76 | 39.4% | 45.5% (2024) | 1,065 | Limited (draw) | Limited (draw) |
| 14 | GMU 391 | 38.7% | 36.5% (2024) | 176 | Limited (draw) | Limited (draw) |
| 15 | GMU 49 | 37.5% | 38.9% (2024) | 919 | Limited (draw) | Limited (draw) |
The top 5
- GMU 2 put 63.4% of elk hunters on an animal across 2020–2024. Residents and nonresidents both draw a limited license.
- GMU 40 put 55.4% of elk hunters on an animal across 2020–2024. Residents and nonresidents both draw a limited license.
- GMU 61 put 54.9% of elk hunters on an animal across 2020–2024. Residents and nonresidents both draw a limited license.
- GMU 10 put 51.5% of elk hunters on an animal across 2020–2024. Residents and nonresidents both draw a limited license.
- GMU 104 put 50.2% of elk hunters on an animal across 2020–2024. Residents and nonresidents both draw a limited license.
How we rank
Each rate is total harvest divided by total hunters across 2020–2024, counting only years the state surveyed hunters. A unit needs an average of 100 hunters a year to be listed. Ties go to the unit with more hunters.