Colorado Elk — GMU 85

Colorado GMU 85 covers 751,835 acres and lies 54 miles east of Alamosa and 73 miles south of Cañon City. 18% of it is public land, mostly national forest (9%) and BLM (4%). In 2024, 2,875 people hunted elk here and took 614 — 21% of them killed something. The 2026 draw put up 499 tags here for 441 first-choice applicants.

Tags (2026):2,315 Nonresident share:capped at 25% Applicants:885 Hunter success (2024):21% Public land:18% Size:751,835 acres

Your chance of drawing here

Every elk license type on offer in GMU 85, 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

EE084W1R elk either-sex rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 84 1 tags · 0 applicants · Standard

100% No first-choice applicants
EE085O1M elk either-sex muzzleloader season 1 GMU 85 [85, 140, 851 Except Bosque del Oso SWA] 32 tags · 100 applicants · needed 2 pts · Standard

0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
EE085O1M elk either-sex muzzleloader season 1 GMU 85 [85, 140, 851 Except Bosque del Oso SWA] 120 tags · 2 applicants · needed 4 pts · Youth

0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
EE085O1R elk either-sex rifle season 1 GMU 85 25 tags · 69 applicants · needed 1 pts · Standard

0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
EE085O1R elk either-sex rifle season 1 GMU 85 4 tags · 9 applicants · needed 1 pts · Youth

0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
EE085O4R elk either-sex rifle season 4 GMU 85 62 tags · 59 applicants · needed 0 pts · Standard

70% Real chance 0% as 2nd choice
EE085O4R elk either-sex rifle season 4 GMU 85 10 tags · 5 applicants · needed 0 pts · Youth

100% Undersubscribed 0% as 2nd choice
EE085P1R elk either-sex rifle private-land-only GMU 85 229 tags · 113 applicants · needed 0 pts · Standard

100% Undersubscribed 0% as 2nd choice
EE085P1R elk either-sex rifle private-land-only GMU 85 225 tags · 7 applicants · needed 0 pts · Youth

100% Undersubscribed 0% as 2nd choice
EE085V1A elk either-sex archery nonresident-only GMU 85 [85, 140, 851 except Bosque del Oso SWA] 499 tags · 441 applicants · Standard

100% Undersubscribed 47% as 2nd choice
EE085V1A elk either-sex archery nonresident-only GMU 85 [85, 140, 851 except Bosque del Oso SWA] 50 tags · 8 applicants · Youth

100% Undersubscribed 0% as 2nd choice
EE085W1R elk either-sex rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 85 1 tags · 0 applicants · Standard

100% No first-choice applicants
EF084W1R elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 84 5 tags · 0 applicants · Standard

100% No first-choice applicants
EF084W3R elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 84 5 tags · 0 applicants · Standard

100% No first-choice applicants
EF084W5R elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 84 5 tags · 0 applicants · Standard

100% No first-choice applicants
EF085L1R elk female rifle late season GMU 85 [85, 140, 851, except the Bosque del Oso State Wildlife Area] 2 tags · 2 applicants · needed 1 pts · Standard

0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
EF085O1M elk female muzzleloader season 1 GMU 85 [85, 140, 851 Except Bosque del Oso SWA] 38 tags · 2 applicants · Standard

100% Undersubscribed 43% as 2nd choice
EF085O2R elk female rifle season 2 GMU 85 13 tags · 22 applicants · needed 0 pts · Standard

8% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
EF085O2R elk female rifle season 2 GMU 85 50 tags · 1 applicants · needed 0 pts · Youth

100% Undersubscribed
EF085O3R elk female rifle season 3 GMU 85 [85, 140, 851 except Bosque del Oso SWA] 7 tags · 4 applicants · Standard

100% Undersubscribed 4% as 2nd choice
EF085O4R elk female rifle season 4 GMU 85 11 tags · 5 applicants · Standard

100% Undersubscribed 7% as 2nd choice
EF085O4R elk female rifle season 4 GMU 85 50 tags · 1 applicants · needed 0 pts · Youth

100% Undersubscribed 0% as 2nd choice
EF085P5R elk female rifle private-land-only GMU 85 [85, 140, 851] 202 tags · 21 applicants · needed 0 pts · Standard

79% Likely draw 0% as 2nd choice
EF085P5R elk female rifle private-land-only GMU 85 [85, 140, 851] 200 tags · 1 applicants · needed 0 pts · Youth

100% Undersubscribed 0% as 2nd choice
EF085P6R elk female rifle private-land-only GMU 85 229 tags · 11 applicants · Standard

100% Undersubscribed 38% as 2nd choice
EF085P6R elk female rifle private-land-only GMU 85 225 tags · 2 applicants · needed 0 pts · Youth

100% Undersubscribed
EF085V1A elk female archery nonresident-only GMU 85 [85, 140, 851 except Bosque del Oso SWA] 8 tags · 0 applicants · Standard

— Undersubscribed
EF085W1R elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 85 7 tags · 0 applicants · Standard

100% No first-choice applicants

Hunt	Your odds (0 pts)	As 2nd choice	Points needed	Tags / applicants	License	Season
EE084W1R ↗ elk either-sex rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 84 Rifle	100% No first-choice applicants	—	—	1 / 0	Standard	Oct 10–19, 2026
EE085O1M ↗ elk either-sex muzzleloader season 1 GMU 85 [85, 140, 851 Except Bosque del Oso SWA] Muzzleloader	0% Point builder	0%	2 +1 since 2021	32 / 100	Standard	Sep 12–20, 2026
EE085O1M ↗ elk either-sex muzzleloader season 1 GMU 85 [85, 140, 851 Except Bosque del Oso SWA] Muzzleloader	0% Point builder	0%	4 +3 since 2023	120 / 2	Youth	Sep 12–20, 2026
EE085O1R ↗ elk either-sex rifle season 1 GMU 85 Rifle	0% Point builder	0%	1 +1 since 2021	25 / 69	Standard	Oct 14–18, 2026
EE085O1R ↗ elk either-sex rifle season 1 GMU 85 Rifle	0% Point builder	0%	1 steady since 2022	4 / 9	Youth	Oct 14–18, 2026
EE085O4R ↗ elk either-sex rifle season 4 GMU 85 Rifle	70% Real chance	0%	0 steady since 2024	62 / 59	Standard	Nov 18–22, 2026
EE085O4R ↗ elk either-sex rifle season 4 GMU 85 Rifle	100% Undersubscribed	0%	0 steady since 2022	10 / 5 undersubscribed	Youth	Nov 18–22, 2026
EE085P1R ↗ elk either-sex rifle private-land-only GMU 85 Rifle	100% Undersubscribed	0%	0 steady since 2023	229 / 113 undersubscribed	Standard	Oct 14–18, 2026
EE085P1R ↗ elk either-sex rifle private-land-only GMU 85 Rifle	100% Undersubscribed	0%	0 steady since 2021	225 / 7 undersubscribed	Youth	Oct 14–18, 2026
EE085V1A ↗ elk either-sex archery nonresident-only GMU 85 [85, 140, 851 except Bosque del Oso SWA] Archery	100% Undersubscribed	47%	—	499 / 441 undersubscribed	Standard	Sep 2–30, 2026
EE085V1A ↗ elk either-sex archery nonresident-only GMU 85 [85, 140, 851 except Bosque del Oso SWA] Archery	100% Undersubscribed	0%	—	50 / 8 undersubscribed	Youth	Sep 2–30, 2026
EE085W1R ↗ elk either-sex rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 85 Rifle	100% No first-choice applicants	—	—	1 / 0	Standard	Dec 1–10, 2026
EF084W1R ↗ elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 84 Rifle	100% No first-choice applicants	—	—	5 / 0	Standard	Dec 11–20, 2026
EF084W3R ↗ elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 84 Rifle	100% No first-choice applicants	—	—	5 / 0	Standard	Jan 4–13, 2027
EF084W5R ↗ elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 84 Rifle	100% No first-choice applicants	—	—	5 / 0	Standard	Jan 17–26, 2027
EF085L1R ↗ elk female rifle late season GMU 85 [85, 140, 851, except the Bosque del Oso State Wildlife Area] Rifle	0% Point builder	0%	1 +1 since 2022	2 / 2	Standard	Dec 15–31, 2026
EF085O1M ↗ elk female muzzleloader season 1 GMU 85 [85, 140, 851 Except Bosque del Oso SWA] Muzzleloader	100% Undersubscribed	43%	—	38 / 2 undersubscribed	Standard	Sep 12–20, 2026
EF085O2R ↗ elk female rifle season 2 GMU 85 Rifle	8% Point builder	0%	0 −1 since 2021	13 / 22	Standard	Oct 24 – Nov 1, 2026
EF085O2R ↗ elk female rifle season 2 GMU 85 Rifle	100% Undersubscribed	—	0 steady since 2023	50 / 1 undersubscribed	Youth	Oct 24 – Nov 1, 2026
EF085O3R ↗ elk female rifle season 3 GMU 85 [85, 140, 851 except Bosque del Oso SWA] Rifle	100% Undersubscribed	4%	— steady since 2021	7 / 4 undersubscribed	Standard	Nov 7–15, 2026
EF085O4R ↗ elk female rifle season 4 GMU 85 Rifle	100% Undersubscribed	7%	—	11 / 5 undersubscribed	Standard	Nov 18–22, 2026
EF085O4R ↗ elk female rifle season 4 GMU 85 Rifle	100% Undersubscribed	0%	0	50 / 1 undersubscribed	Youth	Nov 18–22, 2026
EF085P5R ↗ elk female rifle private-land-only GMU 85 [85, 140, 851] Rifle	79% Likely draw	0%	0 steady since 2021	202 / 21	Standard	Oct 14 – Nov 30, 2026
EF085P5R ↗ elk female rifle private-land-only GMU 85 [85, 140, 851] Rifle	100% Undersubscribed	0%	0 steady since 2021	200 / 1 undersubscribed	Youth	Oct 14 – Nov 30, 2026
EF085P6R ↗ elk female rifle private-land-only GMU 85 Rifle	100% Undersubscribed	38%	— steady since 2021	229 / 11 undersubscribed	Standard	Dec 1–31, 2026
EF085P6R ↗ elk female rifle private-land-only GMU 85 Rifle	100% Undersubscribed	—	0 steady since 2021	225 / 2 undersubscribed	Youth	Dec 1–31, 2026
EF085V1A ↗ elk female archery nonresident-only GMU 85 [85, 140, 851 except Bosque del Oso SWA] Archery	— Undersubscribed	—	—	8 / 0 undersubscribed	Standard	Sep 2–30, 2026
EF085W1R ↗ elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 85 Rifle	100% No first-choice applicants	—	—	7 / 0	Standard	Dec 1–10, 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 85

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

EF085W2R — elk female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 85 Standard

The country

GMU 85 within Colorado

GMU 85 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

Private 617,225 ac · 82%
National Forest 67,645 ac · 9%
BLM 29,303 ac · 4%
State land 19,201 ac · 3%
County or city land 18,460 ac · 2%

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.