Colorado Elk — GMU 78

Colorado GMU 78 covers 488,682 acres and lies 56 miles east of Durango and 95 miles east of Cortez. 62% of it is public land, mostly national forest (61%) and BLM (1%). In 2024, 2,754 people hunted elk here and took 731 — 27% of them killed something. The 2026 draw put up 775 tags here for 694 first-choice applicants.

Tags (2026):2,409 Nonresident share:capped at 25% Applicants:2,670 Hunter success (2024):27% Public land:62% Size:488,682 acres

Your chance of drawing here

Every elk license type on offer in GMU 78, 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

EE077P1A elk either-sex archery private-land-only GMU 77 [77, 78, 771] 273 tags · 135 applicants · Standard

100% Undersubscribed 29% as 2nd choice
EE077P1A elk either-sex archery private-land-only GMU 77 [77, 78, 771] 48 tags · 1 applicants · Youth

100% Undersubscribed 0% as 2nd choice
EF077O1A elk female archery season 1 GMU 77 [77, 78, 771] 65 tags · 57 applicants · Standard

100% Undersubscribed 4% as 2nd choice
EF077O1A elk female archery season 1 GMU 77 [77, 78, 771] 4 tags · 3 applicants · Youth

100% Undersubscribed 25% as 2nd choice
EF077O1M elk female muzzleloader season 1 GMU 77 [77, 78, 771] 7 tags · 31 applicants · needed 4 pts · Standard

0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
EF077O1M elk female muzzleloader season 1 GMU 77 [77, 78, 771] 30 tags · 2 applicants · needed 0 pts · Youth

100% Undersubscribed 0% as 2nd choice
EF077O1R elk female rifle season 1 GMU 77 8 tags · 38 applicants · needed 3 pts · Standard

0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
EF077O1R elk female rifle season 1 GMU 77 35 tags · 4 applicants · needed 0 pts · Youth

50% Real chance 0% as 2nd choice
EF077O2R elk female rifle season 2 GMU 77 [77, 78, 771] 19 tags · 240 applicants · needed 6 pts · Standard

0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
EF077O2R elk female rifle season 2 GMU 77 [77, 78, 771] 2 tags · 16 applicants · needed 0 pts · Youth

14% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
EF077O3R elk female rifle season 3 GMU 77 [77, 78, 771] 11 tags · 167 applicants · needed 7 pts · Standard

0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
EF077O3R elk female rifle season 3 GMU 77 [77, 78, 771] 1 tags · 20 applicants · needed 1 pts · Youth

0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
EF077O4R elk female rifle season 4 GMU 77 3 tags · 14 applicants · needed 6 pts · Standard

0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
EF077O4R elk female rifle season 4 GMU 77 15 tags · 1 applicants · Youth

0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
EF077P1R elk female rifle private-land-only GMU 77 [77, 78, 771] 15 tags · 4 applicants · needed 0 pts · Standard

100% Undersubscribed 0% as 2nd choice
EF077P4R elk female rifle private-land-only GMU 77 20 tags · 11 applicants · needed 1 pts · Standard

0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
EM077O1A elk male archery season 1 GMU 77 [77, 78, 771] 775 tags · 694 applicants · Standard

100% Undersubscribed 9% as 2nd choice
EM077O1A elk male archery season 1 GMU 77 [77, 78, 771] 64 tags · 17 applicants · Youth

100% Undersubscribed 32% as 2nd choice
EM077O1M elk male muzzleloader season 1 GMU 77 [77, 78, 771] 212 tags · 278 applicants · needed 0 pts · Standard

23% Long shot 0% as 2nd choice
EM077O1M elk male muzzleloader season 1 GMU 77 [77, 78, 771] 10 tags · 16 applicants · needed 0 pts · Youth

33% Long shot 0% as 2nd choice
EM077O1R elk male rifle season 1 GMU 77 525 tags · 740 applicants · needed 0 pts · Standard

44% Real chance 0% as 2nd choice
EM077O1R elk male rifle season 1 GMU 77 29 tags · 34 applicants · needed 0 pts · Youth

50% Real chance 0% as 2nd choice
EM077O4R elk male rifle season 4 GMU 77 23 tags · 73 applicants · needed 2 pts · Standard

0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
EM077O4R elk male rifle season 4 GMU 77 3 tags · 3 applicants · needed 2 pts · Youth

0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
EM077P1R elk male rifle private-land-only GMU 77 76 tags · 56 applicants · Standard

100% Undersubscribed 7% as 2nd choice
EM077P1R elk male rifle private-land-only GMU 77 75 tags · 1 applicants · needed 2 pts · Youth

0% Undersubscribed 0% as 2nd choice
EM077P4R elk male rifle private-land-only GMU 77 [77, 78, 771] 31 tags · 12 applicants · Standard

100% Undersubscribed 23% as 2nd choice
EM077P4R elk male rifle private-land-only GMU 77 [77, 78, 771] 30 tags · 2 applicants · Youth

100% Undersubscribed 50% as 2nd choice

Hunt	Your odds (0 pts)	As 2nd choice	Points needed	Tags / applicants	License	Season
EE077P1A ↗ elk either-sex archery private-land-only GMU 77 [77, 78, 771] Archery	100% Undersubscribed	29%	—	273 / 135 undersubscribed	Standard	Sep 2–30, 2026
EE077P1A ↗ elk either-sex archery private-land-only GMU 77 [77, 78, 771] Archery	100% Undersubscribed	0%	—	48 / 1 undersubscribed	Youth	Sep 2–30, 2026
EF077O1A ↗ elk female archery season 1 GMU 77 [77, 78, 771] Archery	100% Undersubscribed	4%	—	65 / 57 undersubscribed	Standard	Sep 2–30, 2026
EF077O1A ↗ elk female archery season 1 GMU 77 [77, 78, 771] Archery	100% Undersubscribed	25%	— steady since 2023	4 / 3 undersubscribed	Youth	Sep 2–30, 2026
EF077O1M ↗ elk female muzzleloader season 1 GMU 77 [77, 78, 771] Muzzleloader	0% Point builder	0%	4 +3 since 2021	7 / 31	Standard	Sep 12–20, 2026
EF077O1M ↗ elk female muzzleloader season 1 GMU 77 [77, 78, 771] Muzzleloader	100% Undersubscribed	0%	0 steady since 2021	30 / 2 undersubscribed	Youth	Sep 12–20, 2026
EF077O1R ↗ elk female rifle season 1 GMU 77 Rifle	0% Point builder	0%	3 steady since 2021	8 / 38	Standard	Oct 14–18, 2026
EF077O1R ↗ elk female rifle season 1 GMU 77 Rifle	50% Real chance	0%	0 −1 since 2022	35 / 4	Youth	Oct 14–18, 2026
EF077O2R ↗ elk female rifle season 2 GMU 77 [77, 78, 771] Rifle	0% Point builder	0%	6 +3 since 2021	19 / 240	Standard	Oct 24 – Nov 1, 2026
EF077O2R ↗ elk female rifle season 2 GMU 77 [77, 78, 771] Rifle	14% Point builder	0%	0 −1 since 2021	2 / 16	Youth	Oct 24 – Nov 1, 2026
EF077O3R ↗ elk female rifle season 3 GMU 77 [77, 78, 771] Rifle	0% Point builder	0%	7 +2 since 2021	11 / 167	Standard	Nov 7–15, 2026
EF077O3R ↗ elk female rifle season 3 GMU 77 [77, 78, 771] Rifle	0% Point builder	0%	1 steady since 2021	1 / 20	Youth	Nov 7–15, 2026
EF077O4R ↗ elk female rifle season 4 GMU 77 Rifle	0% Point builder	0%	6 +3 since 2021	3 / 14	Standard	Nov 18–22, 2026
EF077O4R ↗ elk female rifle season 4 GMU 77 Rifle	0% Point builder	0%	—	15 / 1	Youth	Nov 18–22, 2026
EF077P1R ↗ elk female rifle private-land-only GMU 77 [77, 78, 771] Rifle	100% Undersubscribed	0%	0 steady since 2021	15 / 4 undersubscribed	Standard	Oct 14–18, 2026
EF077P4R ↗ elk female rifle private-land-only GMU 77 Rifle	0% Point builder	0%	1 steady since 2021	20 / 11	Standard	Nov 18–22, 2026
EM077O1A ↗ elk male archery season 1 GMU 77 [77, 78, 771] Archery	100% Undersubscribed	9%	—	775 / 694 undersubscribed	Standard	Sep 2–30, 2026
EM077O1A ↗ elk male archery season 1 GMU 77 [77, 78, 771] Archery	100% Undersubscribed	32%	—	64 / 17 undersubscribed	Youth	Sep 2–30, 2026
EM077O1M ↗ elk male muzzleloader season 1 GMU 77 [77, 78, 771] Muzzleloader	23% Long shot	0%	0 steady since 2021	212 / 278	Standard	Sep 12–20, 2026
EM077O1M ↗ elk male muzzleloader season 1 GMU 77 [77, 78, 771] Muzzleloader	33% Long shot	0%	0 steady since 2021	10 / 16	Youth	Sep 12–20, 2026
EM077O1R ↗ elk male rifle season 1 GMU 77 Rifle	44% Real chance	0%	0 steady since 2021	525 / 740	Standard	Oct 14–18, 2026
EM077O1R ↗ elk male rifle season 1 GMU 77 Rifle	50% Real chance	0%	0 steady since 2021	29 / 34	Youth	Oct 14–18, 2026
EM077O4R ↗ elk male rifle season 4 GMU 77 Rifle	0% Point builder	0%	2 +2 since 2021	23 / 73	Standard	Nov 18–22, 2026
EM077O4R ↗ elk male rifle season 4 GMU 77 Rifle	0% Point builder	0%	2 +2 since 2021	3 / 3	Youth	Nov 18–22, 2026
EM077P1R ↗ elk male rifle private-land-only GMU 77 Rifle	100% Undersubscribed	7%	—	76 / 56 undersubscribed	Standard	Oct 14–18, 2026
EM077P1R ↗ elk male rifle private-land-only GMU 77 Rifle	0% Undersubscribed	0%	2 +2 since 2021	75 / 1 undersubscribed	Youth	Oct 14–18, 2026
EM077P4R ↗ elk male rifle private-land-only GMU 77 [77, 78, 771] Rifle	100% Undersubscribed	23%	—	31 / 12 undersubscribed	Standard	Nov 18–22, 2026
EM077P4R ↗ elk male rifle private-land-only GMU 77 [77, 78, 771] Rifle	100% Undersubscribed	50%	— steady since 2021	30 / 2 undersubscribed	Youth	Nov 18–22, 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.

1 hunt not offered in 2026 is 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 78

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

EF077P5R — elk female rifle private-land-only GMU 77 [09/01/2021– 09/30/2021 Antlerless] Standard

The country

GMU 78 within Colorado

GMU 78 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 298,816 ac · 61%
Private 156,305 ac · 32%
Tribal 27,097 ac · 6%
BLM 5,186 ac · 1%
State land 856 ac · 0%
County or city land 414 ac · 0%

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.