Colorado Elk — GMU 5

Colorado GMU 5 covers 191,203 acres and lies 34 miles north-west of Steamboat Springs and 90 miles north of Gypsum. 61% of it is public land, mostly national forest (47%) and BLM (12%). In 2024, 874 people hunted elk here and took 316 — 36% of them killed something. The 2026 draw put up 1,051 tags here for 192 first-choice applicants.

Tags (2026):5,102 Nonresident share:capped at 25% Applicants:2,278 Hunter success (2024):36% Public land:61% Size:191,203 acres

Your chance of drawing here

Every elk license type on offer in GMU 5, 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 · Standard

0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
EE003O1R elk either-sex rifle season 1 GMU 3 [-Sex 3, 4, 5, 301, 441] 14 tags · 46 applicants · needed 3 pts · Youth

0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
EE003P1A elk either-sex archery private-land-only GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 14, 214, 301, 441] 1,051 tags · 192 applicants · Standard

100% Undersubscribed 45% as 2nd choice
EE003P1A elk either-sex archery private-land-only GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 14, 214, 301, 441] 660 tags · 3 applicants · Youth

100% Undersubscribed 100% as 2nd choice
EE003P1R elk either-sex rifle private-land-only GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 214, 301, 441] 553 tags · 117 applicants · Standard

100% Undersubscribed 62% as 2nd choice
EE003P1R elk either-sex rifle private-land-only GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 214, 301, 441] 153 tags · 2 applicants · Youth

100% Undersubscribed 100% as 2nd choice
EE004O1A elk either-sex archery season 1 GMU 4 [Public and private lands in 4, 5, 441] 137 tags · 511 applicants · needed 4 pts · Standard

0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
EE004O1A elk either-sex archery season 1 GMU 4 [Public and private lands in 4, 5, 441] 12 tags · 14 applicants · Youth

0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
EE004O1M elk either-sex muzzleloader season 1 GMU 4 [4, 5, and 441] 39 tags · 178 applicants · needed 7 pts · Standard

0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
EE004O1M elk either-sex muzzleloader season 1 GMU 4 [4, 5, and 441] 7 tags · 8 applicants · Youth

0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
EE004P1M elk either-sex muzzleloader private-land-only GMU 4 [4, 5, 441] 51 tags · 29 applicants · Standard

100% Undersubscribed 6% as 2nd choice
EE004P1M elk either-sex muzzleloader private-land-only GMU 4 [4, 5, 441] 50 tags · 2 applicants · needed 0 pts · Youth

100% Undersubscribed
EE005O4R elk either-sex rifle season 4 GMU 5 [-Sex] 2 tags · 4 applicants · needed 1 pts · Standard

0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
EE005O4R elk either-sex rifle season 4 GMU 5 [-Sex] 10 tags · 0 applicants · Youth

100% No first-choice applicants 0% as 2nd choice
EE005W1R elk either-sex rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 5 13 tags · 0 applicants · Standard

100% No first-choice applicants
EE005W2R elk either-sex rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 5 13 tags · 0 applicants · Standard

100% No first-choice applicants
EF003O1R elk female rifle season 1 GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 214, 301, 441] 58 tags · 46 applicants · Standard

85% Likely draw 32% as 2nd choice
EF003O1R elk female rifle season 1 GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 214, 301, 441] 12 tags · 9 applicants · Youth

83% Likely draw 15% as 2nd choice
EF003O4R elk female rifle season 4 GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 301, 441] 482 tags · 10 applicants · Standard

100% Undersubscribed 27% as 2nd choice
EF003O4R elk female rifle season 4 GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 301, 441] 463 tags · 8 applicants · Youth

100% Undersubscribed 33% as 2nd choice
EF003P5R elk female rifle private-land-only GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 301, 441] 733 tags · 267 applicants · Standard

100% Undersubscribed 21% as 2nd choice
EF003P5R elk female rifle private-land-only GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 301, 441] 33 tags · 13 applicants · Youth

100% Undersubscribed 29% as 2nd choice
EF004O1M elk female muzzleloader season 1 GMU 4 [4, 5, and 441] 29 tags · 24 applicants · Standard

100% Undersubscribed 20% as 2nd choice
EF004O1M elk female muzzleloader season 1 GMU 4 [4, 5, and 441] 5 tags · 0 applicants · Youth

100% No first-choice applicants 0% as 2nd choice
EF004P1M elk female muzzleloader private-land-only GMU 4 [4, 5, 441] 31 tags · 2 applicants · Standard

100% Undersubscribed 17% as 2nd choice
EF004P1M elk female muzzleloader private-land-only GMU 4 [4, 5, 441] 25 tags · 0 applicants · Youth

100% No first-choice applicants 0% as 2nd choice
EF005O2R elk female rifle season 2 GMU 5 [5] 37 tags · 26 applicants · Standard

100% Undersubscribed 3% as 2nd choice
EF005O2R elk female rifle season 2 GMU 5 [5] 9 tags · 2 applicants · needed 0 pts · Youth

100% Undersubscribed 0% as 2nd choice
EF005O3R elk female rifle season 3 GMU 5 12 tags · 10 applicants · Standard

100% Undersubscribed 25% as 2nd choice
EF005O3R elk female rifle season 3 GMU 5 50 tags · 0 applicants · Youth

100% No first-choice applicants 100% as 2nd choice
EF005W1R elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 5 6 tags · 0 applicants · Standard

100% No first-choice applicants
EF005W2R elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 5 36 tags · 0 applicants · Standard

100% No first-choice applicants
EF005W3R elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 5 15 tags · 0 applicants · Standard

100% No first-choice applicants
EF005W4R elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 5 37 tags · 0 applicants · Standard

100% No first-choice applicants
EF005W5R elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 5 50 tags · 0 applicants · Standard

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
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
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
EE005O4R ↗ elk either-sex rifle season 4 GMU 5 [-Sex] Rifle	0% Point builder	0%	1 +1 since 2022	2 / 4	Standard	Nov 18–22, 2026
EE005O4R ↗ elk either-sex rifle season 4 GMU 5 [-Sex] Rifle	100% No first-choice applicants	0%	—	10 / 0	Youth	Nov 18–22, 2026
EE005W1R ↗ elk either-sex rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 5 Rifle	100% No first-choice applicants	—	—	13 / 0	Standard	Oct 25 – Nov 15, 2026
EE005W2R ↗ elk either-sex rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 5 Rifle	100% No first-choice applicants	—	—	13 / 0	Standard	Oct 24–28, 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
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
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
EF005O2R ↗ elk female rifle season 2 GMU 5 [5] Rifle	100% Undersubscribed	3%	— −1 since 2023	37 / 26 undersubscribed	Standard	Oct 24 – Nov 1, 2026
EF005O2R ↗ elk female rifle season 2 GMU 5 [5] Rifle	100% Undersubscribed	0%	0 steady since 2025	9 / 2 undersubscribed	Youth	Oct 24 – Nov 1, 2026
EF005O3R ↗ elk female rifle season 3 GMU 5 Rifle	100% Undersubscribed	25%	— steady since 2023	12 / 10 undersubscribed	Standard	Nov 7–15, 2026
EF005O3R ↗ elk female rifle season 3 GMU 5 Rifle	100% No first-choice applicants	100%	—	50 / 0	Youth	Nov 7–15, 2026
EF005W1R ↗ elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 5 Rifle	100% No first-choice applicants	—	—	6 / 0	Standard	Sep 2–20, 2026
EF005W2R ↗ elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 5 Rifle	100% No first-choice applicants	—	—	36 / 0	Standard	Oct 24–28, 2026
EF005W3R ↗ elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 5 Rifle	100% No first-choice applicants	—	—	15 / 0	Standard	Oct 13–24, 2026
EF005W4R ↗ elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 5 Rifle	100% No first-choice applicants	—	—	37 / 0	Standard	Dec 12–16, 2026
EF005W5R ↗ elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 5 Rifle	100% No first-choice applicants	—	—	50 / 0	Standard	Oct 25 – Nov 15, 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.

5 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 5

Not in the table above because they had no result in the 2026 draw.

EF005W6R — elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 5 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 EM005O4R — elk male rifle season 4 GMU 5 [Antlered] Standard

The country

GMU 5 within Colorado

GMU 5 and its neighbours

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.

Who owns the ground

National Forest 89,201 ac · 47%
Private 74,402 ac · 39%
BLM 22,950 ac · 12%
County or city land 2,514 ac · 1%
State land 2,086 ac · 1%

Source: BLM Colorado Surface Management Agency

Nearby areas

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.