Colorado Elk — GMU 4
Colorado GMU 4 covers 299,151 acres and lies 20 miles north-east of Craig and 37 miles north-west of Steamboat Springs. 47% of it is public land, mostly national forest (30%) and BLM (11%). In 2024, 1,541 people hunted elk here and took 379 — 25% of them killed something. The 2026 draw put up 1,051 tags here for 192 first-choice applicants.
Tags (2026):5,947
Nonresident share:capped at 25%
Applicants:2,472
Hunter success (2024):25%
Public land:47%
Size:299,151 acres
Your chance of drawing here
Every elk license type on offer in GMU 4, with the prior-draw chance for a first-choice nonresident applicant. Type your points in to see your own number.
Chances are from the 2026 draw (the most recent) for a first-choice nonresident. "Points needed" = the cut in the last draw.
Simple view Odds at every point level-
EE003O1R elk either-sex rifle season 1 GMU 3 [-Sex 3, 4, 5, 301, 441] 214 tags · 755 applicants · needed 3 pts · Standard0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
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EE003O1R elk either-sex rifle season 1 GMU 3 [-Sex 3, 4, 5, 301, 441] 14 tags · 46 applicants · needed 3 pts · Youth0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
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EE003P1A elk either-sex archery private-land-only GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 14, 214, 301, 441] 1,051 tags · 192 applicants · Standard100% Undersubscribed 45% as 2nd choice
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EE003P1A elk either-sex archery private-land-only GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 14, 214, 301, 441] 660 tags · 3 applicants · Youth100% Undersubscribed 100% as 2nd choice
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EE003P1R elk either-sex rifle private-land-only GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 214, 301, 441] 553 tags · 117 applicants · Standard100% Undersubscribed 62% as 2nd choice
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EE003P1R elk either-sex rifle private-land-only GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 214, 301, 441] 153 tags · 2 applicants · Youth100% Undersubscribed 100% as 2nd choice
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100% No first-choice applicants
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100% No first-choice applicants
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EE004O1A elk either-sex archery season 1 GMU 4 [Public and private lands in 4, 5, 441] 137 tags · 511 applicants · needed 4 pts · Standard0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
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EE004O1A elk either-sex archery season 1 GMU 4 [Public and private lands in 4, 5, 441] 12 tags · 14 applicants · Youth0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
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EE004O1M elk either-sex muzzleloader season 1 GMU 4 [4, 5, and 441] 39 tags · 178 applicants · needed 7 pts · Standard0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
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0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
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100% Undersubscribed 26% as 2nd choice
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100% Undersubscribed 33% as 2nd choice
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EE004P1M elk either-sex muzzleloader private-land-only GMU 4 [4, 5, 441] 51 tags · 29 applicants · Standard100% Undersubscribed 6% as 2nd choice
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EE004P1M elk either-sex muzzleloader private-land-only GMU 4 [4, 5, 441] 50 tags · 2 applicants · needed 0 pts · Youth100% Undersubscribed
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100% No first-choice applicants
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100% No first-choice applicants
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100% No first-choice applicants
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100% No first-choice applicants
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100% No first-choice applicants
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100% No first-choice applicants
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EF003O1R elk female rifle season 1 GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 214, 301, 441] 58 tags · 46 applicants · Standard85% Likely draw 32% as 2nd choice
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83% Likely draw 15% as 2nd choice
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100% Undersubscribed 27% as 2nd choice
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100% Undersubscribed 33% as 2nd choice
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EF003P5R elk female rifle private-land-only GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 301, 441] 733 tags · 267 applicants · Standard100% Undersubscribed 21% as 2nd choice
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EF003P5R elk female rifle private-land-only GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 301, 441] 33 tags · 13 applicants · Youth100% Undersubscribed 29% as 2nd choice
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100% No first-choice applicants
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100% No first-choice applicants
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100% No first-choice applicants
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100% Undersubscribed 20% as 2nd choice
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100% No first-choice applicants 0% as 2nd choice
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100% Undersubscribed 35% as 2nd choice
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100% Undersubscribed 60% as 2nd choice
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100% Undersubscribed 43% as 2nd choice
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100% Undersubscribed 30% as 2nd choice
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EF004P1M elk female muzzleloader private-land-only GMU 4 [4, 5, 441] 31 tags · 2 applicants · Standard100% Undersubscribed 17% as 2nd choice
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100% No first-choice applicants 0% as 2nd choice
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100% No first-choice applicants
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100% No first-choice applicants
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100% No first-choice applicants
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100% No first-choice applicants
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100% No first-choice applicants
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100% No first-choice applicants
-
100% No first-choice applicants
-
100% No first-choice applicants
-
100% No first-choice applicants
-
100% No first-choice applicants
-
100% No first-choice applicants
| Hunt | Your odds (0 pts) | As 2nd choice | Points needed | Tags / applicants | License | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EE003O1R ↗ elk either-sex rifle season 1 GMU 3 [-Sex 3, 4, 5, 301, 441] Rifle | 0% Point builder | 0% | 3 +2 since 2021 | 214 / 755 | Standard | Oct 14–18, 2026 |
| EE003O1R ↗ elk either-sex rifle season 1 GMU 3 [-Sex 3, 4, 5, 301, 441] Rifle | 0% Point builder | 0% | 3 +2 since 2021 | 14 / 46 | Youth | Oct 14–18, 2026 |
| EE003P1A ↗ elk either-sex archery private-land-only GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 14, 214, 301, 441] Archery | 100% Undersubscribed | 45% | — | 1,051 / 192 undersubscribed | Standard | Sep 2–30, 2026 |
| EE003P1A ↗ elk either-sex archery private-land-only GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 14, 214, 301, 441] Archery | 100% Undersubscribed | 100% | — | 660 / 3 undersubscribed | Youth | Sep 2–30, 2026 |
| EE003P1R ↗ elk either-sex rifle private-land-only GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 214, 301, 441] Rifle | 100% Undersubscribed | 62% | — | 553 / 117 undersubscribed | Standard | Oct 14–18, 2026 |
| EE003P1R ↗ elk either-sex rifle private-land-only GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 214, 301, 441] Rifle | 100% Undersubscribed | 100% | — | 153 / 2 undersubscribed | Youth | Oct 14–18, 2026 |
| EE003W1R ↗ elk either-sex rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 3 Rifle | 100% No first-choice applicants | — | — | 7 / 0 | Standard | Oct 7–11, 2026 |
| EE003W3R ↗ elk either-sex rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 3 Rifle | 100% No first-choice applicants | — | — | 4 / 0 | Standard | Dec 19–23, 2026 |
| EE004O1A ↗ elk either-sex archery season 1 GMU 4 [Public and private lands in 4, 5, 441] Archery | 0% Point builder | 0% | 4 +2 since 2021 | 137 / 511 | Standard | Sep 2–30, 2026 |
| EE004O1A ↗ elk either-sex archery season 1 GMU 4 [Public and private lands in 4, 5, 441] Archery | 0% Point builder | 0% | — +1 since 2021 | 12 / 14 | Youth | Sep 2–30, 2026 |
| EE004O1M ↗ elk either-sex muzzleloader season 1 GMU 4 [4, 5, and 441] Muzzleloader | 0% Point builder | 0% | 7 +1 since 2021 | 39 / 178 | Standard | Sep 12–20, 2026 |
| EE004O1M ↗ elk either-sex muzzleloader season 1 GMU 4 [4, 5, and 441] Muzzleloader | 0% Point builder | 0% | — | 7 / 8 | Youth | Sep 12–20, 2026 |
| EE004O4R ↗ elk either-sex rifle season 4 GMU 4 [-Sex] Rifle | 100% Undersubscribed | 26% | — | 120 / 76 undersubscribed | Standard | Nov 18–22, 2026 |
| EE004O4R ↗ elk either-sex rifle season 4 GMU 4 [-Sex] Rifle | 100% Undersubscribed | 33% | — | 36 / 8 undersubscribed | Youth | Nov 18–22, 2026 |
| EE004P1M ↗ elk either-sex muzzleloader private-land-only GMU 4 [4, 5, 441] Muzzleloader | 100% Undersubscribed | 6% | — steady since 2021 | 51 / 29 undersubscribed | Standard | Sep 12–20, 2026 |
| EE004P1M ↗ elk either-sex muzzleloader private-land-only GMU 4 [4, 5, 441] Muzzleloader | 100% Undersubscribed | — | 0 steady since 2021 | 50 / 2 undersubscribed | Youth | Sep 12–20, 2026 |
| EE004W1R ↗ elk either-sex rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 4 Rifle | 100% No first-choice applicants | — | — | 2 / 0 | Standard | Dec 18–22, 2026 |
| EE004W2R ↗ elk either-sex rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 4 Rifle | 100% No first-choice applicants | — | — | 12 / 0 | Standard | Jan 2–6, 2027 |
| EE004W3R ↗ elk either-sex rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 4 Rifle | 100% No first-choice applicants | — | — | 7 / 0 | Standard | Dec 12–21, 2026 |
| EE005W2R ↗ elk either-sex rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 5 Rifle | 100% No first-choice applicants | — | — | 13 / 0 | Standard | Oct 24–28, 2026 |
| EE214W2R ↗ elk either-sex rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 214 Rifle | 100% No first-choice applicants | — | — | 14 / 0 | Standard | Nov 28 – Dec 2, 2026 |
| EE441W1R ↗ elk either-sex rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 441 Rifle | 100% No first-choice applicants | — | — | 12 / 0 | Standard | Nov 28 – Dec 7, 2026 |
| EF003O1R ↗ elk female rifle season 1 GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 214, 301, 441] Rifle | 85% Likely draw | 32% | — +1 since 2021 | 58 / 46 | Standard | Oct 14–18, 2026 |
| EF003O1R ↗ elk female rifle season 1 GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 214, 301, 441] Rifle | 83% Likely draw | 15% | — steady since 2022 | 12 / 9 | Youth | Oct 14–18, 2026 |
| EF003O4R ↗ elk female rifle season 4 GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 301, 441] Rifle | 100% Undersubscribed | 27% | — +1 since 2023 | 482 / 10 undersubscribed | Standard | Nov 18–22, 2026 |
| EF003O4R ↗ elk female rifle season 4 GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 301, 441] Rifle | 100% Undersubscribed | 33% | — | 463 / 8 undersubscribed | Youth | Nov 18–22, 2026 |
| EF003P5R ↗ elk female rifle private-land-only GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 301, 441] Rifle | 100% Undersubscribed | 21% | — +1 since 2023 | 733 / 267 undersubscribed | Standard | Oct 24 – Dec 31, 2026 |
| EF003P5R ↗ elk female rifle private-land-only GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 301, 441] Rifle | 100% Undersubscribed | 29% | — steady since 2023 | 33 / 13 undersubscribed | Youth | Oct 24 – Dec 31, 2026 |
| EF003W1R ↗ elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 3 Rifle | 100% No first-choice applicants | — | — | 20 / 0 | Standard | Dec 19–23, 2026 |
| EF003W3R ↗ elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 3 Rifle | 100% No first-choice applicants | — | — | 20 / 0 | Standard | Dec 26–30, 2026 |
| EF003W5R ↗ elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 3 Rifle | 100% No first-choice applicants | — | — | 22 / 0 | Standard | Jan 2–6, 2027 |
| EF004O1M ↗ elk female muzzleloader season 1 GMU 4 [4, 5, and 441] Muzzleloader | 100% Undersubscribed | 20% | — +3 since 2021 | 29 / 24 undersubscribed | Standard | Sep 12–20, 2026 |
| EF004O1M ↗ elk female muzzleloader season 1 GMU 4 [4, 5, and 441] Muzzleloader | 100% No first-choice applicants | 0% | — +2 since 2023 | 5 / 0 | Youth | Sep 12–20, 2026 |
| EF004O2R ↗ elk female rifle season 2 GMU 4 [4, 441] Rifle | 100% Undersubscribed | 35% | — −1 since 2023 | 119 / 96 undersubscribed | Standard | Oct 24 – Nov 1, 2026 |
| EF004O2R ↗ elk female rifle season 2 GMU 4 [4, 441] Rifle | 100% Undersubscribed | 60% | — | 17 / 5 undersubscribed | Youth | Oct 24 – Nov 1, 2026 |
| EF004O3R ↗ elk female rifle season 3 GMU 4 Rifle | 100% Undersubscribed | 43% | — +2 since 2023 | 235 / 44 undersubscribed | Standard | Nov 7–15, 2026 |
| EF004O3R ↗ elk female rifle season 3 GMU 4 Rifle | 100% Undersubscribed | 30% | — | 181 / 7 undersubscribed | Youth | Nov 7–15, 2026 |
| EF004P1M ↗ elk female muzzleloader private-land-only GMU 4 [4, 5, 441] Muzzleloader | 100% Undersubscribed | 17% | — | 31 / 2 undersubscribed | Standard | Sep 12–20, 2026 |
| EF004P1M ↗ elk female muzzleloader private-land-only GMU 4 [4, 5, 441] Muzzleloader | 100% No first-choice applicants | 0% | — | 25 / 0 | Youth | Sep 12–20, 2026 |
| EF004W1R ↗ elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 4 Rifle | 100% No first-choice applicants | — | — | 20 / 0 | Standard | Dec 12–16, 2026 |
| EF004W2R ↗ elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 4 Rifle | 100% No first-choice applicants | — | — | 26 / 0 | Standard | Dec 19–23, 2026 |
| EF004W3R ↗ elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 4 Rifle | 100% No first-choice applicants | — | — | 25 / 0 | Standard | Dec 18–22, 2026 |
| EF004W5R ↗ elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 4 Rifle | 100% No first-choice applicants | — | — | 5 / 0 | Standard | Oct 3–7, 2026 |
| EF005W2R ↗ elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 5 Rifle | 100% No first-choice applicants | — | — | 36 / 0 | Standard | Oct 24–28, 2026 |
| EF005W4R ↗ elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 5 Rifle | 100% No first-choice applicants | — | — | 37 / 0 | Standard | Dec 12–16, 2026 |
| EF214W2R ↗ elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 214 Rifle | 100% No first-choice applicants | — | — | 39 / 0 | Standard | Nov 28 – Dec 2, 2026 |
| EF214W4R ↗ elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 214 Rifle | 100% No first-choice applicants | — | — | 39 / 0 | Standard | Dec 5–9, 2026 |
| EF441W1R ↗ elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 441 Rifle | 100% No first-choice applicants | — | — | 22 / 0 | Standard | Dec 5–9, 2026 |
| EF441W2R ↗ elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 441 Rifle | 100% No first-choice applicants | — | — | 22 / 0 | Standard | Dec 12–16, 2026 |
| EF441W3R ↗ elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 441 Rifle | 100% No first-choice applicants | — | — | 23 / 0 | Standard | Dec 19–23, 2026 |
What these columns mean
- Your odds —
- the share of applicants at your point level who drew this tag in the 2026 draw. Not a forecast: quotas and demand move every year.
- The badge —
- plain language for that number. Likely draw 75% or better · Real chance 40%+ · Long shot 15%+ · Point builder below that, so you are applying mainly to bank a point · Undersubscribed means fewer first-choice applicants than tags, so everyone who applied drew.
- As 2nd choice —
- Colorado lets you name more than one hunt on the application. Miss on your first choice and you go into the pot for whatever tags are left, alongside everyone else's second choices. Points never help a lower choice, so this number is the same whatever you have banked — it is usually worth naming a hunt that goes undersubscribed.
- Points needed —
- the lowest point total that still got a tag in the 2026 draw, and how that cut has moved since the earliest draw we hold.
- Tags / applicants —
- tags on offer and first-choice applicants for them, as the agency published them. Under five tags we print counts instead of a percentage, because one applicant either way swings it.
15 hunts not offered in 2026 are hidden — show discontinued hunts.
What it costs to apply (2026 nonresident fees)
| License | Up front | Gone if you miss | If you draw |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard license | $129.11 | $129.11 | $974.27 |
| Youth license | $129.11 | $129.11 | $974.27 |
Application window: opens Mar 1, closes Apr 7, 2027 (expected). Full fee breakdown.
Other licenses valid in GMU 4
Not in the table above because they had no result in the 2026 draw.
EE004W4R — elk either-sex rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 4
Standard
EE441W3R — elk either-sex rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 441
Standard
EF004W4R — elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 4
Standard
EF004W6R — elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 4
Standard
EF005W6R — elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 5
Standard
EF214W6R — elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 214
Standard
EF441W4R — elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 441
Standard
EF441W5R — elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 441
Standard
EF441W6R — elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 441
Standard
EF441W7R — elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 441
Standard
EF441W9R — elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 441
Standard
EM003O1R — elk male rifle season 1 GMU 3 [Antlered 3, 4, 5, 301, 441]
Youth
EM003O2R — elk male rifle season 2 GMU 3 [Antlered 3, 4, 5, 14, 214, 301, 441]
Youth
EM003O3R — elk male rifle season 3 GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 14, 214, 301, 441 Antlered]
Youth
EM004O4R — elk male rifle season 4 GMU 4 [Antlered]
Youth
The country
Zoomable USGS topo, aerial imagery and shaded relief, with the neighboring areas drawn on.
Boundaries are drawn for orientation only — the written boundary description in the regulations governs.
How the hunting has gone
What Colorado Parks and Wildlife publishes for this area after each season — harvest statistics for everyone who hunted it, not draw odds and not a forecast. Colorado's figures come from CPW's post-season hunter survey. CPW's 2025 report dropped the per-GMU table in favour of hunt-code rows, so the newest year shown here is 2024.
| Season | Hunters | Harvest | Success |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1,541 | 379 | 25% |
| 2023 | 2,235 | 473 | 21% |
| 2022 | 4,724 | 1,362 | 29% |
| 2021 | 4,950 | 1,231 | 25% |
What people carried (2024 harvest)
- Rifle 314 · 83% · 1,265 hunters, 25% success
- Archery 51 · 13% · 223 hunters, 23% success
- Muzzleloader 14 · 4% · 52 hunters, 27% success
Boundary: CPW GMU Boundary (Big Game)
Harvest: 2024 Statewide Elk Harvest
Harvest: 2023 Statewide Elk Hunting Harvest Estimates
Harvest: 2022 Statewide Elk Harvest