Colorado GMU 81 elk: terrain, access and seasons
Unit 81's terrain, access, seasons and CPW elk figures, with Conditions rebuilt nightly.
Decide
The season's licenses, draw results and harvest figures.
At a glance
Late rifle (private land only) runs Sep 1–Jan 31, 2026.
Archery runs Sep 2–30, 2026; CPW's 2024 harvest survey put success at 18% for 1,182 hunters.
Muzzleloader runs Sep 12–20, 2026; CPW's 2024 harvest survey put success at 34% for 101 hunters.
First rifle runs Oct 14–18, 2026; CPW's 2024 harvest survey put success at 53% for 242 hunters.
Second rifle runs Oct 24–Nov 1, 2026; CPW's 2024 harvest survey put success at 17% for 1,411 hunters.
Third rifle runs Nov 7–15, 2026; CPW's 2024 harvest survey put success at 21% for 582 hunters.
Fourth rifle runs Nov 18–22, 2026; CPW's 2024 harvest survey put success at 58% for 95 hunters.
- Size
- 1,214 sq mi
- CPW unit boundary, 2025
- Counties
- Alamosa, Archuleta, Conejos, Rio Grande
- Elevation
- 7,380–13,300 ft
- USGS 3DEP, 2026-10-19
- Huntable public land
- 70%
- COMaP, 2026-10-12
- Late rifle, private land only license, 2026
- Draw cow
- CPW 2026 big game brochure
- Snow now
- 2 in
- Deepest at Elwood Pass SNOTEL, 2026-10-20
The Habitat Score grades huntable public ground, so a private-land-only license has none here.
- Archery license, 2026
- Draw either sex
- CPW 2026 big game brochure
- Success
- 18%
- CPW harvest survey, 2024
- Hunters
- 1,182
- CPW harvest survey, 2024
- Hunter-days per sq mi
- 7.9
- CPW, 2024
- Road miles, any vehicle
- 603 mi
- MVUM + CDOT, open on the Sep 2 opener
- Median Habitat Score
- 1.7 of 5
- Ranks 69th of 177 for archery. Glassline, v20, 2026-10-19
- Snow now
- 2 in
- Deepest at Elwood Pass SNOTEL, 2026-10-20
- Muzzleloader license, 2026
- Draw bull, cow
- CPW 2026 big game brochure
- Success
- 34%
- CPW harvest survey, 2024
- Hunters
- 101
- CPW harvest survey, 2024
- Hunter-days per sq mi
- 0.4
- CPW, 2024
- Road miles, any vehicle
- 600 mi
- MVUM + CDOT, open on the Sep 12 opener
- Median Habitat Score
- 1.7 of 5
- Ranks 70th of 131 for muzzleloader. Glassline, v20, 2026-10-19
- Snow now
- 2 in
- Deepest at Elwood Pass SNOTEL, 2026-10-20
- First rifle license, 2026
- Draw bull
- CPW 2026 big game brochure
- Success
- 53%
- CPW harvest survey, 2024
- Hunters
- 242
- CPW harvest survey, 2024
- Hunter-days per sq mi
- 0.7
- CPW, 2024
- Road miles, any vehicle
- 600 mi
- MVUM + CDOT, open on the Oct 14 opener
- Median Habitat Score
- 1.9 of 5
- Ranks 68th of 123 for first rifle. Glassline, v20, 2026-10-19
- Snow now
- 2 in
- Deepest at Elwood Pass SNOTEL, 2026-10-20
- Second rifle license, 2026
- OTC bull · Draw cow
- CPW 2026 big game brochure
- Success
- 17%
- CPW harvest survey, 2024
- Hunters
- 1,411
- CPW harvest survey, 2024
- Hunter-days per sq mi
- 5.6
- CPW, 2024
- Road miles, any vehicle
- 600 mi
- MVUM + CDOT, open on the Oct 24 opener
- Median Habitat Score
- 1.9 of 5
- Ranks 68th of 128 for second rifle. Glassline, v20, 2026-10-19
- Snow now
- 2 in
- Deepest at Elwood Pass SNOTEL, 2026-10-20
- Third rifle license, 2026
- OTC bull · Draw cow
- CPW 2026 big game brochure
- Success
- 21%
- CPW harvest survey, 2024
- Hunters
- 582
- CPW harvest survey, 2024
- Hunter-days per sq mi
- 2
- CPW, 2024
- Road miles, any vehicle
- 595 mi
- MVUM + CDOT, open on the Nov 7 opener
- Median Habitat Score
- 1.8 of 5
- Ranks 70th of 128 for third rifle. Glassline, v20, 2026-10-19
- Snow now
- 2 in
- Deepest at Elwood Pass SNOTEL, 2026-10-20
- Fourth rifle license, 2026
- Draw bull, cow
- CPW 2026 big game brochure
- Success
- 58%
- CPW harvest survey, 2024
- Hunters
- 95
- CPW harvest survey, 2024
- Hunter-days per sq mi
- 0.3
- CPW, 2024
- Road miles, any vehicle
- 595 mi
- MVUM + CDOT, open on the Nov 18 opener
- Median Habitat Score
- 1.8 of 5
- Ranks 65th of 127 for fourth rifle. Glassline, v20, 2026-10-19
- Snow now
- 2 in
- Deepest at Elwood Pass SNOTEL, 2026-10-20
In short
A mid-elevation, half-open OTC unit. Most of Unit 81 sits between 7,000 and 9,000 feet, with shrubland and conifer in roughly equal measure, then grass and meadow; about a tenth of it rises above 11,000 feet. Just over two-thirds of the unit is huntable public land, and just over a tenth of that ground is more than an hour and a half on foot from a drivable road. CPW's survey counted 3,726 hunters across all seasons in 2024, up from 3,462 in 2022. Second and third rifle sell over-the-counter bull licenses; the other seasons are draw only.
In short
A mid-elevation, half-open OTC unit. Most of Unit 81 sits between 7,000 and 9,000 feet, with shrubland and conifer in roughly equal measure, then grass and meadow. Just over two-thirds of the unit is huntable public land, and just over a tenth of that ground is more than an hour and a half on foot from a drivable road. CPW's survey counted 3,726 hunters across all seasons in 2024, up from 3,462 in 2022, while archery success rose from 16% to 18%. Second and third rifle sell over-the-counter bull licenses; the other seasons are draw only.
In short
A mid-elevation, half-open OTC unit. Most of Unit 81 sits between 7,000 and 9,000 feet, with shrubland and conifer in roughly equal measure, then grass and meadow. Just over two-thirds of the unit is huntable public land, and just over a tenth of that ground is more than an hour and a half on foot from a drivable road. CPW's survey counted 3,726 hunters across all seasons in 2024, up from 3,462 in 2022, while muzzleloader success rose from 18% to 34%. Second and third rifle sell over-the-counter bull licenses; the other seasons are draw only.
In short
A mid-elevation, half-open OTC unit. Most of Unit 81 sits between 7,000 and 9,000 feet, with shrubland and conifer in roughly equal measure, then grass and meadow. Just over two-thirds of the unit is huntable public land, and just over a tenth of that ground is more than an hour and a half on foot from a drivable road. CPW's survey counted 3,726 hunters across all seasons in 2024, up from 3,462 in 2022, while first rifle success rose from 44% to 53%. Second and third rifle sell over-the-counter bull licenses; the other seasons are draw only.
In short
A mid-elevation, half-open OTC unit. Most of Unit 81 sits between 7,000 and 9,000 feet, with shrubland and conifer in roughly equal measure, then grass and meadow. Just over two-thirds of the unit is huntable public land, and just over a tenth of that ground is more than an hour and a half on foot from a drivable road. CPW's survey counted 3,726 hunters across all seasons in 2024, up from 3,462 in 2022, while second rifle success rose from 14% to 17%. Second and third rifle sell over-the-counter bull licenses; the other seasons are draw only.
In short
A mid-elevation, half-open OTC unit. Most of Unit 81 sits between 7,000 and 9,000 feet, with shrubland and conifer in roughly equal measure, then grass and meadow. Just over two-thirds of the unit is huntable public land, and just over a tenth of that ground is more than an hour and a half on foot from a drivable road. CPW's survey counted 3,726 hunters across all seasons in 2024, up from 3,462 in 2022, while third rifle success rose from 10% to 21%. Second and third rifle sell over-the-counter bull licenses; the other seasons are draw only.
In short
A mid-elevation, half-open OTC unit. Most of Unit 81 sits between 7,000 and 9,000 feet, with shrubland and conifer in roughly equal measure, then grass and meadow. Just over two-thirds of the unit is huntable public land, and just over a tenth of that ground is more than an hour and a half on foot from a drivable road. CPW's survey counted 3,726 hunters across all seasons in 2024, up from 3,462 in 2022, while fourth rifle success rose from 20% to 58%. Second and third rifle sell over-the-counter bull licenses; the other seasons are draw only.
Licenses and draw
Late rifle, private land only in Unit 81, 2026: a draw cow license (E-F-081-P5-R).
- E-F-081-P5-R cow, draw 2026 draw: residents drawn on choice 2; nonresidents drawn out at 1 point
Archery in Unit 81, 2026: a draw either sex license (E-E-080-O1-A).
- E-E-080-O1-A either sex, draw 2026 draw: drawn out at 0 points for residents and nonresidents
Muzzleloader in Unit 81, 2026: a draw bull license (E-M-080-O1-M) and a draw cow license (E-F-080-O1-M).
- E-M-080-O1-M bull, draw 2026 draw: residents drawn out at 1 point; nonresidents drawn out at 6 points
- E-F-080-O1-M cow, draw 2026 draw: residents drawn out at 0 points; nonresidents drawn out at 1 point
First rifle in Unit 81, 2026: a draw bull license (E-M-080-O1-R).
- E-M-080-O1-R bull, draw 2026 draw: residents drawn out at 1 point; nonresidents drawn out at 3 points
Second rifle in Unit 81, 2026: an over-the-counter bull license (E-M-000-U2-R) and a draw cow license (E-F-081-O2-R).
- E-M-000-U2-R bull, over the counter
- E-F-081-O2-R cow, draw 2026 draw: drawn out at 1 point for residents and nonresidents
Third rifle in Unit 81, 2026: an over-the-counter bull license (E-M-000-U3-R) and a draw cow license (E-F-081-O3-R).
- E-M-000-U3-R bull, over the counter
- E-F-081-O3-R cow, draw 2026 draw: drawn out at 1 point for residents and nonresidents
Fourth rifle in Unit 81, 2026: a draw bull license (E-M-080-O4-R) and a draw cow license (E-F-081-O4-R).
- E-M-080-O4-R bull, draw 2026 draw: drawn out at 1 point for residents and nonresidents
- E-F-081-O4-R cow, draw 2026 draw: drawn on choice 2 for residents and nonresidents
CPW 2026 big game brochure; CPW primary-draw recap and drawn-out-at reports, 2024–2026, adult licenses. Every year of draw results is under Hunt codes and draw results.
Plan
The map, Conditions, access, hunt codes and draw results for the season, and what the research says.
Map
Huntable public land (70% of the unit) by manager, with roads drawn as open on the late rifle opener, Sep 1; CPW's mapped ranges switch on from the layer chips.
Huntable public land (70% of the unit) by manager, with roads drawn as open on the archery opener, Sep 2; CPW's mapped ranges switch on from the layer chips.
Huntable public land (70% of the unit) by manager, with roads drawn as open on the muzzleloader opener, Sep 12; CPW's mapped ranges switch on from the layer chips.
Huntable public land (70% of the unit) by manager, with roads drawn as open on the first rifle opener, Oct 14; CPW's mapped ranges switch on from the layer chips.
Huntable public land (70% of the unit) by manager, with roads drawn as open on the second rifle opener, Oct 24; CPW's mapped ranges switch on from the layer chips.
Huntable public land (70% of the unit) by manager, with roads drawn as open on the third rifle opener, Nov 7; CPW's mapped ranges switch on from the layer chips.
Huntable public land (70% of the unit) by manager, with roads drawn as open on the fourth rifle opener, Nov 18; CPW's mapped ranges switch on from the layer chips.
The interactive map (public land by manager, roads by vehicle class, burns, trailheads, SNOTEL stations, terrain and CPW's mapped ranges) needs JavaScript. The outline shows where Unit 81 sits among its neighbors.
Click or tap the map to zoom and pan
Layers
Public land
Roads, open on the second rifle opener
Burns and stations
Terrain
CPW ranges
CPW Species Activity Mapping, 2025. These are the ranges CPW has mapped for elk, not animal locations.
Public data only. The plan lives in the app. Map sources
Conditions
As of Oct 21: 2 in of snow at Elwood Pass SNOTEL, the deepest reading near the unit; severe drought (D2) on the US Drought Monitor over 83.5% of the unit.
Rebuilt nightly; sources at the end of the page.
| Item | Value | Data |
|---|---|---|
| Snow (SNOTEL) | Cumbres Trestle (10,030 ft): 1 in deep, SWE 0.3 inLily Pond (11,070 ft): 0 in deep, SWE 0 inElwood Pass (11,680 ft, 0.2 mi out): 2 in deep, SWE 0.8 inGrayback (11,620 ft, 4.3 mi out): 0 in deep, SWE 0 in 2026-10-20 | 2026-10-20 |
| Drought | D2, Severe droughtShare of the unit: D0 or worse 100% · D1 or worse 100% · D2 or worse 83.5% USDM 2026-10-13 | USDM 2026-10-13 |
| Greenness vs normal, Sep 14–29 | 94% of the September normal (2014–2023), MODIS 16-day composite 2026-09-29 | 2026-09-29 |
| Item | Value | Data |
|---|---|---|
| Seasonal road gates in the season's dates | Aspen Glade Loop A (109.2B), 4x4: closes Nov 1Aspen Glade Loop A (109.2B), any vehicle: closes Nov 1Aspen Glade Loop A (109.2B), high clearance: closes Nov 1Aspen Glade Loop B (109.3B), 4x4: closes Nov 1Aspen Glade Loop B (109.3B), any vehicle: closes Nov 1Aspen Glade Loop B (109.3B), high clearance: closes Nov 1Los Mogote Cg Upper Loop (110.1B), 4x4: closes Nov 1Los Mogote Cg Upper Loop (110.1B), any vehicle: closes Nov 1Los Mogote Cg Upper Loop (110.1B), high clearance: closes Nov 1Los Mogote Cg Lower Loop (110.1C), 4x4: closes Nov 1Los Mogote Cg Lower Loop (110.1C), any vehicle: closes Nov 1Los Mogote Cg Lower Loop (110.1C), high clearance: closes Nov 1Los Mogote Cg Lower Loop 2 (110.1C1), 4x4: closes Nov 1Los Mogote Cg Lower Loop 2 (110.1C1), any vehicle: closes Nov 1Los Mogote Cg Lower Loop 2 (110.1C1), high clearance: closes Nov 1Trujillo Meadows Cg (118.1B1), 4x4: closes Nov 1Trujillo Meadows Cg (118.1B1), any vehicle: closes Nov 1Trujillo Meadows Cg (118.1B1), high clearance: closes Nov 1Trujillo Meadows Cg (118.1B2), 4x4: closes Nov 1Trujillo Meadows Cg (118.1B2), any vehicle: closes Nov 1Trujillo Meadows Cg (118.1B2), high clearance: closes Nov 1Trujillo Meadows Cg (118.1B3), 4x4: closes Nov 1Trujillo Meadows Cg (118.1B3), any vehicle: closes Nov 1Trujillo Meadows Cg (118.1B3), high clearance: closes Nov 1Trujillo Meadows Cg (118.1B4), 4x4: closes Nov 1Trujillo Meadows Cg (118.1B4), any vehicle: closes Nov 1Trujillo Meadows Cg (118.1B4), high clearance: closes Nov 1Trujillo Meadows Cg (118.1B5), 4x4: closes Nov 1Trujillo Meadows Cg (118.1B5), any vehicle: closes Nov 1Trujillo Meadows Cg (118.1B5), high clearance: closes Nov 1Old Highway (128), any vehicle: closes Nov 1Old Highway (128), high clearance: closes Nov 1Elk Cr Cg (128.2B), 4x4: closes Nov 1Elk Cr Cg (128.2B), any vehicle: closes Nov 1Elk Cr Cg (128.2B), high clearance: closes Nov 1Elk Cr Cg (128.3B), 4x4: closes Nov 1Elk Cr Cg (128.3B), any vehicle: closes Nov 1Elk Cr Cg (128.3B), high clearance: closes Nov 1Elk Cr Cg (128.4B), 4x4: closes Nov 1Elk Cr Cg (128.4B), any vehicle: closes Nov 1Elk Cr Cg (128.4B), high clearance: closes Nov 1Elk Cr Pit (128.5B), 4x4: closes Nov 1Elk Cr Pit (128.5B), high clearance: closes Nov 1Mix Lake Cg (250.6B), 4x4: closes Nov 1Mix Lake Cg (250.6B), any vehicle: closes Nov 1Mix Lake Cg (250.6B), high clearance: closes Nov 1Mix Lake Cg Spur (250.6B1), 4x4: closes Nov 1Mix Lake Cg Spur (250.6B1), any vehicle: closes Nov 1Mix Lake Cg Spur (250.6B1), high clearance: closes Nov 1Mix Lake Cg Loop (250.6B2), 4x4: closes Nov 1Mix Lake Cg Loop (250.6B2), any vehicle: closes Nov 1Mix Lake Cg Loop (250.6B2), high clearance: closes Nov 1Lake Fork Cg (250.6F), 4x4: closes Nov 1Lake Fork Cg (250.6F), any vehicle: closes Nov 1Lake Fork Cg (250.6F), high clearance: closes Nov 1Lake Fork Cg Spur (250.6F1), 4x4: closes Nov 1Lake Fork Cg Spur (250.6F1), any vehicle: closes Nov 1Lake Fork Cg Spur (250.6F1), high clearance: closes Nov 1Spectacle Lake 2Nd Cg Loop (250.7B1), 4x4: closes Nov 1Spectacle Lake 2Nd Cg Loop (250.7B1), any vehicle: closes Nov 1Spectacle Lake 2Nd Cg Loop (250.7B1), high clearance: closes Nov 1 MVUM | MVUM |
7-day forecast
NWS 7-day gridpoint forecast for 8,000–9,000 ft and 10,000–11,000 ft, issued Oct 21; late rifle is under way, and the front is shaded.
| Wed 10/21 | Thu 10/22 | Fri 10/23 | Sat 10/24 Front | Sun 10/25 | Mon 10/26 | Tue 10/27 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High / low | 63° 33° | 61° 41° | 58° 40° | 56° 35° | 51° 34° | 53° 30° | 54° 29° |
| Precip | 0.1 in | 0.3 in | 0.1 in | 0.2 in | 0.2 in | 0 in | 0 in |
| Snow | 0 in | 0 in | 0 in | 0 in | 0 in | 0 in | 0 in |
| Gusts | 17 mph | 25 mph | 43 mph | 24 mph | 14 mph | 13 mph | 17 mph |
| Wed 10/21 | Thu 10/22 | Fri 10/23 | Sat 10/24 Front | Sun 10/25 | Mon 10/26 | Tue 10/27 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High / low | 57° 33° | 54° 40° | 50° 37° | 48° 32° | 43° 31° | 45° 28° | 46° 27° |
| Precip | 0.1 in | 0.3 in | 0.2 in | 0.3 in | 0.3 in | 0 in | 0 in |
| Snow | 0 in | 0 in | 0 in | 0 in | 0.2 in | 0 in | 0 in |
| Gusts | 15 mph | 25 mph | 37 mph | 23 mph | 14 mph | 12 mph | 15 mph |
The 2026 archery season ended Sep 30; no forecast is shown for it.
The 2026 muzzleloader season ended Sep 20; no forecast is shown for it.
The 2026 first rifle season ended Oct 18; no forecast is shown for it.
NWS 7-day gridpoint forecast for 8,000–9,000 ft and 10,000–11,000 ft, issued Oct 21; the second rifle opener, Oct 24, is marked, and the front is shaded.
| Wed 10/21 | Thu 10/22 | Fri 10/23 | Sat 10/24 Front Opener | Sun 10/25 | Mon 10/26 | Tue 10/27 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High / low | 63° 33° | 61° 41° | 58° 40° | 56° 35° | 51° 34° | 53° 30° | 54° 29° |
| Precip | 0.1 in | 0.3 in | 0.1 in | 0.2 in | 0.2 in | 0 in | 0 in |
| Snow | 0 in | 0 in | 0 in | 0 in | 0 in | 0 in | 0 in |
| Gusts | 17 mph | 25 mph | 43 mph | 24 mph | 14 mph | 13 mph | 17 mph |
| Wed 10/21 | Thu 10/22 | Fri 10/23 | Sat 10/24 Front Opener | Sun 10/25 | Mon 10/26 | Tue 10/27 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High / low | 57° 33° | 54° 40° | 50° 37° | 48° 32° | 43° 31° | 45° 28° | 46° 27° |
| Precip | 0.1 in | 0.3 in | 0.2 in | 0.3 in | 0.3 in | 0 in | 0 in |
| Snow | 0 in | 0 in | 0 in | 0 in | 0.2 in | 0 in | 0 in |
| Gusts | 15 mph | 25 mph | 37 mph | 23 mph | 14 mph | 12 mph | 15 mph |
The 7-day forecast for the third rifle opener, Nov 7, appears here from Nov 1.
The 7-day forecast for the fourth rifle opener, Nov 18, appears here from Nov 12.
Access
Unit 81 has 21 trailheads. About three-fifths of the huntable public ground is within a 30-minute walk of a drivable road, and just over a tenth is more than an hour and a half away. Road miles are counted on the main seasons' openers, so none show for this license's dates.
Unit 81 has 21 trailheads and about 603 miles of road any vehicle may drive on the archery opener, plus 230 more that need high clearance. About three-fifths of the huntable public ground is within a 30-minute walk of a drivable road, and just over a tenth is more than an hour and a half away.
Unit 81 has 21 trailheads and about 600 miles of road any vehicle may drive on the muzzleloader opener, plus 230 more that need high clearance. About three-fifths of the huntable public ground is within a 30-minute walk of a drivable road, and just over a tenth is more than an hour and a half away.
Unit 81 has 21 trailheads and about 600 miles of road any vehicle may drive on the first rifle opener, plus 230 more that need high clearance. About three-fifths of the huntable public ground is within a 30-minute walk of a drivable road, and just over a tenth is more than an hour and a half away.
Unit 81 has 21 trailheads and about 600 miles of road any vehicle may drive on the second rifle opener, plus 230 more that need high clearance. About three-fifths of the huntable public ground is within a 30-minute walk of a drivable road, and just over a tenth is more than an hour and a half away.
Unit 81 has 21 trailheads and about 595 miles of road any vehicle may drive on the third rifle opener, plus 229 more that need high clearance. About three-fifths of the huntable public ground is within a 30-minute walk of a drivable road, and just over a tenth is more than an hour and a half away.
Unit 81 has 21 trailheads and about 595 miles of road any vehicle may drive on the fourth rifle opener, plus 229 more that need high clearance. About three-fifths of the huntable public ground is within a 30-minute walk of a drivable road, and just over a tenth is more than an hour and a half away.
- Trailheads
- 21
- COTREX, computed 2026-10-19
Hunt codes and draw results
1 hunt code for late rifle, private land only, 2026, with CPW's primary-draw results for 2024–2026.
| Hunt code | Year | Licenses | Residents | Nonresidents | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st-choice applicants | Drawn | Drawn out at | 1st-choice applicants | Drawn | Drawn out at | |||
| E-F-081-P5-R cow | 2024 | 20 | 19 | 15 | 0 points | 3 | 2 | 0 points |
| 2025 | 20 | 21 | 14 | 0 points | 2 | 1 | 1 point | |
| 2026 | 30 | 16 | 22 | Choice 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 point | |
1 hunt code for archery, 2026, with CPW's primary-draw results for 2024–2026.
| Hunt code | Year | Licenses | Residents | Nonresidents | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st-choice applicants | Drawn | Drawn out at | 1st-choice applicants | Drawn | Drawn out at | |||
| E-E-080-O1-A either sex | 2024 | 2,000 | 380 | 456 | Choice 2 | 1,353 | 1,465 | Choice 2 |
| 2025 | 2,000 | 418 | 417 | 0 points | 1,507 | 1,501 | 0 points | |
| 2026 | 2,000 | 458 | 447 | 0 points | 1,706 | 1,461 | 0 points | |
2 hunt codes for muzzleloader, 2026, with CPW's primary-draw results for 2024–2026.
| Hunt code | Year | Licenses | Residents | Nonresidents | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st-choice applicants | Drawn | Drawn out at | 1st-choice applicants | Drawn | Drawn out at | |||
| E-M-080-O1-M bull | 2024 | 115 | 172 | 83 | 1 point | 216 | 28 | 4 points |
| 2025 | 115 | 175 | 82 | 1 point | 233 | 28 | 6 points | |
| 2026 | 115 | 167 | 76 | 1 point | 221 | 28 | 6 points | |
| E-F-080-O1-M cow | 2024 | 70 | 66 | 41 | 0 points | 30 | 16 | 0 points |
| 2025 | 70 | 64 | 45 | 0 points | 36 | 15 | 0 points | |
| 2026 | 70 | 71 | 50 | 0 points | 50 | 13 | 1 point | |
1 hunt code for first rifle, 2026, with CPW's primary-draw results for 2024–2026.
| Hunt code | Year | Licenses | Residents | Nonresidents | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st-choice applicants | Drawn | Drawn out at | 1st-choice applicants | Drawn | Drawn out at | |||
| E-M-080-O1-R bull | 2024 | 450 | 585 | 296 | 0 points | 563 | 111 | 2 points |
| 2025 | 450 | 614 | 294 | 0 points | 685 | 106 | 2 points | |
| 2026 | 450 | 707 | 292 | 1 point | 663 | 111 | 3 points | |
2 hunt codes for second rifle, 2026, with CPW's primary-draw results for 2024–2026.
| Hunt code | Year | Licenses | Residents | Nonresidents | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st-choice applicants | Drawn | Drawn out at | 1st-choice applicants | Drawn | Drawn out at | |||
| E-M-000-U2-R bull | Over the counter: no draw | |||||||
| E-F-081-O2-R cow | 2024 | 125 | 304 | 88 | 1 point | 51 | 18 | 1 point |
| 2025 | 150 | 339 | 109 | 1 point | 50 | 18 | 1 point | |
| 2026 | 150 | 302 | 107 | 1 point | 37 | 19 | 1 point | |
2 hunt codes for third rifle, 2026, with CPW's primary-draw results for 2024–2026.
| Hunt code | Year | Licenses | Residents | Nonresidents | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st-choice applicants | Drawn | Drawn out at | 1st-choice applicants | Drawn | Drawn out at | |||
| E-M-000-U3-R bull | Over the counter: no draw | |||||||
| E-F-081-O3-R cow | 2024 | 100 | 146 | 78 | 0 points | 13 | 7 | 0 points |
| 2025 | 100 | 154 | 68 | 1 point | 26 | 13 | 1 point | |
| 2026 | 100 | 192 | 76 | 1 point | 18 | 9 | 1 point | |
2 hunt codes for fourth rifle, 2026, with CPW's primary-draw results for 2024–2026.
| Hunt code | Year | Licenses | Residents | Nonresidents | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st-choice applicants | Drawn | Drawn out at | 1st-choice applicants | Drawn | Drawn out at | |||
| E-M-080-O4-R bull | 2024 | 40 | 59 | 25 | 0 points | 23 | 8 | 0 points |
| 2025 | 40 | 59 | 27 | 1 point | 23 | 8 | 1 point | |
| 2026 | 40 | 72 | 27 | 1 point | 34 | 9 | 1 point | |
| E-F-081-O4-R cow | 2024 | 80 | 43 | 65 | Choice 2 | 4 | 5 | Choice 2 |
| 2025 | 80 | 69 | 64 | 0 points | 4 | 4 | 0 points | |
| 2026 | 80 | 57 | 62 | Choice 2 | 5 | 7 | Choice 2 | |
Hunt codes from the CPW 2026 big game brochure. A code valid in several units counts every hunter in all of them.
Draw results are CPW's primary-draw recap and drawn-out-at reports, 2024–2026, adult licenses. "Drawn out at" is the lowest preference-point level that drew a license; "Leftover" means licenses remained after the draw. A code valid in several units counts every applicant for all of them. Source: CPW draw reports, 2024–2026.
What the research says for this season
Findings from published studies and agency work, as tendencies. They describe how elk have behaved where they were studied, not where they are in Unit 81.
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In an Oregon experiment with mature bulls in the herd, about half of all conceptions fell in the single week of September 15–21; breeding dates follow day length, not weather.
Noyes et al., 1996 Established finding
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In Montana GPS work, archery-season elk tended to hold about 1.7 miles or more from open motorized routes, and needed little canopy once they were that far out.
Ranglack et al., 2017 Established finding
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In Montana GPS work, rifle-season elk tended to hold about a mile or more from open motorized routes, in blocks of 5,000 acres or more.
Ranglack et al., 2017 Established finding
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At Oregon's Starkey Experimental Forest, bulls chose more canopy and kept away from open roads by day during hunts, and the shift was stronger in rifle seasons than in archery.
Smith et al., 2022 Single study
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At Oregon's Starkey Experimental Forest, bulls chose more canopy and kept away from open roads by day during hunts, and the shift was stronger in rifle seasons than in archery.
Smith et al., 2022 Single study
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In the Greater Yellowstone, collared elk timed their fall moves toward winter range with snow and hunting pressure rather than the calendar; arrival dates shifted by weeks between years.
Rickbeil et al., 2019 Single study
Read next: How to e-scout a Colorado elk unit
Read next: Colorado second rifle elk, 2026 · How to e-scout a Colorado elk unit
Build a plan for Unit 81, free.
Start freePOIs are terrain candidates — places worth checking, not animal locations.
Reference
Terrain, the multi-year numbers, neighbors and sources. Each opens in place.
Terrain and habitat
7,380–13,300 ft; shrubland 30.7% and conifer 30.2%; no mapped burns since 2020.
Unit-wide figures, computed 2026-10-19.
Table view
| Band | Acres |
|---|---|
| 7,000–8,000 ft | 249,400 ac |
| 8,000–9,000 ft | 152,360 ac |
| 9,000–10,000 ft | 145,030 ac |
| 10,000–11,000 ft | 131,920 ac |
| 11,000–12,000 ft | 83,350 ac |
| 12,000–13,000 ft | 10,960 ac |
Table view
| Slope class | Share |
|---|---|
| Flat (under 5°) | 51.2% |
| Gentle (5–15°) | 26.7% |
| Moderate (15–25°) | 12.7% |
| Steep (25–35°) | 6.9% |
| Very steep (35° and up) | 2.5% |
Table view
| Aspect | Share |
|---|---|
| North | 12.8% |
| Northeast | 16.4% |
| East | 15.9% |
| Southeast | 13.1% |
| South | 12.1% |
| Southwest | 11.4% |
| West | 9.3% |
| Northwest | 9% |
Table view
| Vegetation group | Share |
|---|---|
| Shrubland | 30.7% |
| Conifer | 30.2% |
| Grass & meadow | 10.7% |
| Riparian & wetland | 8.2% |
| Farmland | 7.1% |
| Aspen | 6.4% |
| Pinyon-juniper | 3% |
| Developed | 1.5% |
| Rock & scree | 1% |
| Item | Value | Data |
|---|---|---|
| Burns | No burned acres in the unit since 2020 NIFC | NIFC |
| Openings in timber | 3,228 openings of 1–40 ac, from lidar covering 99.9% of the unit 2026-10-19 | 2026-10-19 |
The Habitat Score grades huntable public ground, so a private-land-only license has no distribution here.
Table view
| Score | Share of scored ground |
|---|---|
| 0–0.5 | 28.2% |
| 0.5–1 | 9.8% |
| 1–1.5 | 6.7% |
| 1.5–2 | 13.1% |
| 2–2.5 | 15.5% |
| 2.5–3 | 13.2% |
| 3–3.5 | 8.8% |
| 3.5–4 | 4.4% |
| 4–4.5 | 0.2% |
| 4.5–5 | 0% |
Glassline's Habitat Score grades terrain and habitat for the season on food, water, breeding and shelter. Shown here as one distribution for the whole unit, never a map: it grades ground, not animal locations.
Table view
| Score | Share of scored ground |
|---|---|
| 0–0.5 | 26% |
| 0.5–1 | 11.3% |
| 1–1.5 | 7.1% |
| 1.5–2 | 13.3% |
| 2–2.5 | 13.8% |
| 2.5–3 | 14.9% |
| 3–3.5 | 10.2% |
| 3.5–4 | 3.3% |
| 4–4.5 | 0.1% |
| 4.5–5 | 0% |
Glassline's Habitat Score grades terrain and habitat for the season on food, water, breeding and shelter. Shown here as one distribution for the whole unit, never a map: it grades ground, not animal locations.
Table view
| Score | Share of scored ground |
|---|---|
| 0–0.5 | 3.4% |
| 0.5–1 | 13.5% |
| 1–1.5 | 18.5% |
| 1.5–2 | 16.7% |
| 2–2.5 | 11.1% |
| 2.5–3 | 13.1% |
| 3–3.5 | 16.2% |
| 3.5–4 | 7.2% |
| 4–4.5 | 0.2% |
| 4.5–5 | 0% |
Glassline's Habitat Score grades terrain and habitat for the season on food, water, breeding and shelter. Shown here as one distribution for the whole unit, never a map: it grades ground, not animal locations.
Table view
| Score | Share of scored ground |
|---|---|
| 0–0.5 | 3.4% |
| 0.5–1 | 13.5% |
| 1–1.5 | 18.5% |
| 1.5–2 | 16.7% |
| 2–2.5 | 11.1% |
| 2.5–3 | 13.1% |
| 3–3.5 | 16.2% |
| 3.5–4 | 7.2% |
| 4–4.5 | 0.2% |
| 4.5–5 | 0% |
Glassline's Habitat Score grades terrain and habitat for the season on food, water, breeding and shelter. Shown here as one distribution for the whole unit, never a map: it grades ground, not animal locations.
Table view
| Score | Share of scored ground |
|---|---|
| 0–0.5 | 6.3% |
| 0.5–1 | 18.7% |
| 1–1.5 | 18.4% |
| 1.5–2 | 11.2% |
| 2–2.5 | 13.1% |
| 2.5–3 | 20.1% |
| 3–3.5 | 10.4% |
| 3.5–4 | 1.7% |
| 4–4.5 | 0.1% |
| 4.5–5 | 0% |
Glassline's Habitat Score grades terrain and habitat for the season on food, water, breeding and shelter. Shown here as one distribution for the whole unit, never a map: it grades ground, not animal locations.
Table view
| Score | Share of scored ground |
|---|---|
| 0–0.5 | 5.1% |
| 0.5–1 | 16.3% |
| 1–1.5 | 21% |
| 1.5–2 | 13.6% |
| 2–2.5 | 19.3% |
| 2.5–3 | 19.5% |
| 3–3.5 | 5.1% |
| 3.5–4 | 0.1% |
| 4–4.5 | 0% |
| 4.5–5 | 0% |
Glassline's Habitat Score grades terrain and habitat for the season on food, water, breeding and shelter. Shown here as one distribution for the whole unit, never a map: it grades ground, not animal locations.
The numbers
CPW harvest estimates 2022–2024 for the chosen season and all seasons, the Lower Rio Grande herd (E-32) estimate for 2025 and hunter density, 2024.
CPW reports no late rifle harvest figures for the unit. Across all seasons, hunters held about steady between 2022 and 2024. Unit 81 is one of 2 units in CPW's Lower Rio Grande herd unit (E-32), estimated at about 15,000 elk after the 2025 hunt, with 20 bulls per 100 cows.
Archery success rose from 16% to 18% between 2022 and 2024, while the season's hunters held about steady. Across all seasons, hunters held about steady between 2022 and 2024. Unit 81 is one of 2 units in CPW's Lower Rio Grande herd unit (E-32), estimated at about 15,000 elk after the 2025 hunt, with 20 bulls per 100 cows.
Muzzleloader success rose from 18% to 34% between 2022 and 2024, while the season's hunters rose by just under a third. Across all seasons, hunters held about steady between 2022 and 2024. Unit 81 is one of 2 units in CPW's Lower Rio Grande herd unit (E-32), estimated at about 15,000 elk after the 2025 hunt, with 20 bulls per 100 cows.
First rifle success rose from 44% to 53% between 2022 and 2024, while the season's hunters held about steady. Across all seasons, hunters held about steady between 2022 and 2024. Unit 81 is one of 2 units in CPW's Lower Rio Grande herd unit (E-32), estimated at about 15,000 elk after the 2025 hunt, with 20 bulls per 100 cows.
Second rifle success rose from 14% to 17% between 2022 and 2024, while the season's hunters rose by about a fifth. Across all seasons, hunters held about steady between 2022 and 2024. Unit 81 is one of 2 units in CPW's Lower Rio Grande herd unit (E-32), estimated at about 15,000 elk after the 2025 hunt, with 20 bulls per 100 cows.
Third rifle success rose from 10% to 21% between 2022 and 2024, while the season's hunters held about steady. Across all seasons, hunters held about steady between 2022 and 2024. Unit 81 is one of 2 units in CPW's Lower Rio Grande herd unit (E-32), estimated at about 15,000 elk after the 2025 hunt, with 20 bulls per 100 cows.
Fourth rifle success rose from 20% to 58% between 2022 and 2024, while the season's hunters rose by just under a third. Across all seasons, hunters held about steady between 2022 and 2024. Unit 81 is one of 2 units in CPW's Lower Rio Grande herd unit (E-32), estimated at about 15,000 elk after the 2025 hunt, with 20 bulls per 100 cows.
| Season | Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All seasons | 2022 | 3,462 | 610 | 18% |
| 2023 | 3,780 | 669 | 18% | |
| 2024 | 3,726 | 882 | 24% |
CPW elk harvest reports, 2022–2024. A dash: not reported.
| Season | Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | 2022 | 1,198 | 194 | 16% |
| 2023 | 1,243 | 168 | 14% | |
| 2024 | 1,182 | 218 | 18% | |
| All seasons | 2022 | 3,462 | 610 | 18% |
| 2023 | 3,780 | 669 | 18% | |
| 2024 | 3,726 | 882 | 24% |
CPW elk harvest reports, 2022–2024. A dash: not reported.
| Season | Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muzzleloader | 2022 | 78 | 14 | 18% |
| 2023 | 92 | 36 | 39% | |
| 2024 | 101 | 35 | 34% | |
| All seasons | 2022 | 3,462 | 610 | 18% |
| 2023 | 3,780 | 669 | 18% | |
| 2024 | 3,726 | 882 | 24% |
CPW elk harvest reports, 2022–2024. A dash: not reported.
| Season | Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First rifle | 2022 | 259 | 113 | 44% |
| 2023 | 289 | 116 | 40% | |
| 2024 | 242 | 129 | 53% | |
| All seasons | 2022 | 3,462 | 610 | 18% |
| 2023 | 3,780 | 669 | 18% | |
| 2024 | 3,726 | 882 | 24% |
CPW elk harvest reports, 2022–2024. A dash: not reported.
| Season | Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Second rifle | 2022 | 1,166 | 166 | 14% |
| 2023 | 1,373 | 205 | 15% | |
| 2024 | 1,411 | 243 | 17% | |
| All seasons | 2022 | 3,462 | 610 | 18% |
| 2023 | 3,780 | 669 | 18% | |
| 2024 | 3,726 | 882 | 24% |
CPW elk harvest reports, 2022–2024. A dash: not reported.
| Season | Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Third rifle | 2022 | 613 | 64 | 10% |
| 2023 | 608 | 60 | 10% | |
| 2024 | 582 | 122 | 21% | |
| All seasons | 2022 | 3,462 | 610 | 18% |
| 2023 | 3,780 | 669 | 18% | |
| 2024 | 3,726 | 882 | 24% |
CPW elk harvest reports, 2022–2024. A dash: not reported.
| Season | Year | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fourth rifle | 2022 | 73 | 14 | 20% |
| 2023 | 88 | 34 | 39% | |
| 2024 | 95 | 55 | 58% | |
| All seasons | 2022 | 3,462 | 610 | 18% |
| 2023 | 3,780 | 669 | 18% | |
| 2024 | 3,726 | 882 | 24% |
CPW elk harvest reports, 2022–2024. A dash: not reported.
| Item | Value | Data |
|---|---|---|
| Hunter density | 17 hunter-days per sq mi, all seasons CPW 2024 | CPW 2024 |
| Herd estimate (Lower Rio Grande, E-32) | 14,860 post-hunt · 11,210 in 2019 CPW 2025 | CPW 2025 |
| Bull:cow ratio | 20 bulls per 100 cows CPW 2025 | CPW 2025 |
CPW harvest figures are survey estimates, not counts, and they cover the whole unit, private land included. Source: CPW harvest reports, 2022–2024.
Herd numbers cover the whole Lower Rio Grande herd unit (E-32), which also takes in Unit 80: CPW manages herds, not units. Source: CPW post-hunt population estimate, 2025.
Neighbors
Units 80, 791, 78, 83 and 79, nearest first.
- Unit 80 → All seasons success 21% (2024)56% huntable public landOTC second rifle and third rifle
- Unit 791 → All seasons success 35% (2024)1% huntable public landOTC archery
- Unit 78 → All seasons success 27% (2024)62% huntable public landOTC second rifle and third rifle
- Unit 83 → All seasons success 41% (2024)3% huntable public landOTC archery
- Unit 79 → All seasons success 16% (2024)72% huntable public landOTC archery
From each unit's own page; dates there.
What this page can't tell you
Closures, private ground, this year's pressure and animal locations.
- Closures. Forest, fire and road closure orders change through the season and aren't checked here. The managing agency's current order governs.
- Private ground. Land with no public hunting access is hunted only with the owner's permission, and the public-land share above leaves it out.
- This year's pressure. CPW's hunter numbers run a year or more behind the season you're planning.
- Animal locations. These are terrain, access, harvest and herd figures, and CPW's mapped ranges are range lines; none of them places an animal. Finding elk is still your job.
Sources
22 datasets and studies, dated where the source dates them.
- Elk statistics: population estimates and harvest reports — Colorado Parks and Wildlife
- Colorado big game hunting: brochure, seasons and hunt codes — Colorado Parks and Wildlife
- Game Management Unit boundaries (Hunting Atlas) — Colorado Parks and Wildlife On the map: unit boundaries, 2025.
- COMaP: Colorado Ownership, Management and Protection — Colorado Natural Heritage Program, 2026-10-12 On the map: public land by manager, mapped 2026-07-29.
- 3D Elevation Program (3DEP), 1/3 arc-second — U.S. Geological Survey On the map: shaded relief from 5 m and 10 m lidar elevation, mapped 2026-10-04; elevation bands and slope, mapped 2026-10-04.
- LANDFIRE Existing Vegetation Type (LF 2024) — U.S. Geological Survey / USDA Forest Service, LF2024
- 3DEP lidar point clouds (canopy height model) — U.S. Geological Survey
- COTREX: Colorado Trail Explorer — Colorado Parks and Wildlife On the map: trailheads, 2024.
- Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUM) — USDA Forest Service On the map: roads by vehicle class, drawn as open on the selected season's opener, mapped 2026-08-22.
- Highways and major roads — Colorado Department of Transportation On the map: highways, mapped 2026-07-31.
- SNOTEL network: daily snow depth and snow water equivalent — USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, 2026-10-20 On the map: SNOTEL stations.
- U.S. Drought Monitor — National Drought Mitigation Center, 2026-10-13
- MOD13Q1 vegetation indices (NDVI), 250 m 16-day — NASA LP DAAC, 2026-09-29
- National Weather Service 7-day gridpoint forecast — National Weather Service, 2026-10-21
- National Weather Service Area Forecast Discussion (BOU, GJT, PUB) — National Weather Service, 2026-10-21
- Effects of bull age on conception dates and pregnancy rates of cow elk — Noyes, Johnson, Bryant, Findholt and Thomas, Journal of Wildlife Management 60(3), 1996
- Security areas for elk during archery and rifle hunting seasons — Ranglack, Proffitt, Canfield, Gude, Rotella and Garrott, Journal of Wildlife Management 81(5), 2017
- Behavioral responses of male elk to hunting risk — Smith, Spitz, Brown, Wisdom, Rowland, Forrester, Johnson and Clark, Journal of Wildlife Management 86, 2022
- Plasticity in elk migration timing is a response to changing environmental conditions — Rickbeil, Merkle, Anderson, Atwood, Beckmann, Cole, Courtemanch, Dewey, Gustine, Kauffman, McWhirter, Mong, Proffitt, White and Middleton, Global Change Biology 25, 2019
- Wildland Fire Interagency Geospatial Services (WFIGS) fire perimeters — National Interagency Fire Center On the map: burns over 100 acres since 2020, mapped 2026-06-29.
- Gazetteer files, places — U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 On the map: towns, 2024.
- Species Activity Mapping: elk seasonal ranges — Colorado Parks and Wildlife, 2025 On the map: CPW mapped ranges, 2025.
Build a plan for Unit 81, free.
Start freePOIs are terrain candidates — places worth checking, not animal locations.