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  3. Elk

Elk Hunting in Colorado GMU 60 - Mesa and Montrose Counties

The elk population is healthy, but success is dependent on the weather in Utah. Harvest success is better in the later seasons and away from roads, with animals being found near Carpenter Ridge, Buckeye Reservoir, and John Brown Canyon.

GMU 60 - Mesa and Montrose Counties

Scores

Scores
User Scores
Ease of Drawing
98
 
98
Success
30
 
30
Trophy Potential
15
 
15
Public Access
83
 
83
Ease of Terrain
69
 
69
Room to Breathe
6
 
6
Opportunity
17
 
17
Convenience
3
 
3
Ease of Effort
51
 
51
63
HuntScore

Access Notes

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Bounded on N and E by Dolores River; on S by County Highway 90; on W by Utah.

The GMU is primarily BLM land.

County

Mesa, Montrose

Size

238 Square Miles (152,047 Acres)

Land Ownership

18% Private, 82% Public, 18% USFS, 64% BLM, 13% Wilderness

Latitude/Longitude

38.4906, -108.9685

Wildfires

Check for current or recent wildfires in this area.

Amenities

There are 0 hospitals, 1 hotels, 1 campgrounds, and 0 grocery stores within a 20 mile radius.

Elk Notes

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The elk population is healthy, but success is dependent on the weather in Utah. Harvest success is better in the later seasons and away from roads, with animals being found near Carpenter Ridge, Buckeye Reservoir, and John Brown Canyon.

This unit along the Utah line is primarily winter range. Big game migrate in from Utah; harvest success depends on the weather. Because of migration patterns, population estimates for this GMU are not possible.

Chronic wasting disease has been found in deer and elk in Utah

HuntScore Tip

Public land and private land percentages can sometime be misleading. A unit may have 80% public land, but a particluar species may only occupy 20% on the entire area. And that 20% species distribution may lie 100% within private lands. Does that sound confusing? Just remember that there are always exceptions to the rule, and land ownership is just one piece of the puzzle.

State Agency Website

Visit Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Other Species in Unit

Deer, Black Bear, Mountain Lion, Turkey, Pronghorn,

Photos and Terrain Notes


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Elevations range from 4,500 feet along the Dolores River to 8,600 feet near the Utah line

Elk Over The Counter Hunts (2021)

There are 3 OTC hunts in this unit. Go Pro to view the details!

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    • Season Dates

Elk Drawing Stats (2021)

Total Quota
285
Licenses Drawn
238
Licenses Surplus
47
Resident Quota
157
Nonresident Quota
81
Landowner Quota
25
Youth Quota
25
100%
Overall Unit
1st Choice Draw Odds
Choose a hunt below to take a deeper dive into quotas, drawing odds, drawing trends, and harvest data.
Stats Apply For Sex Manner Season Type Draw Odds HuntScore Notes
EF060O1R
F
R
O1
LL
100%
75
EE060P1R
E
R
P1
LL
100%
75 private land only
EE060P4R
E
R
P4
LL
100%
75 private land only
EF060O1M
F
M
O1
LL
100%
76
EF060P5R
F
R
P5
LL
100%
80 private land only
EF060O2R
F
R
O2
LL
100%
75
EF060O3R
F
R
O3
LL
100%
77
EF060O4R
F
R
O4
LL
100%
77
EM060O1M
M
M
O1
LL
100%
76
EM060O1R
M
R
O1
LL
100%
79
EE060O4R
E
R
O4
LL
100%
80
HuntScore Tip: Always apply for the unit that is your first choice if your goal is to accumulate points for use toward a future quality hunt. Points needed can change significantly from year to year.

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  • Drawing trends across multiple years
  • Individual hunt quotas
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  • Draw odds for resident and nonresident applicants
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  • Point creep plots

Elk Harvest Stats (2020)

Total Hunters
375
Total Harvest
86
Harvest Male
67
Harvest Female
15
23%
Average Success
Manner Season Type Sex Hunters Harvest Male Female Youth
A
A
N/A 51 8
8
0
0
ALL
ALL
N/A 375 86
67
15
0
M
M
N/A 20 2
2
0
0
R
O3
N/A 101 34
34
0
0
R
PLO
PLO
N/A 31 12
0
8
0
R
PLO
N/A 43 12
0
8
0
R
O4
LL
E
26 3
0
3
0
R
O4
LL
F
3 3
0
3
0
R
O4
N/A 38 6
0
6
0
R
O2
N/A 82 9
8
1
0
R
O3
LL
F
9 0
0
0
0
R
O2
LL
F
10 1
0
1
0
R
O1
N/A 50 15
15
0
0
R
O1
LL
M
44 15
15
0
0
R
O1
LL
F
3 0
0
0
0
R
D
R
N/A 2 0
0
0
0
R
R
N/A 304 76
57
15
0
HuntScore Tip: Hunters who have GPS units are encouraged to mark the location of their harvest in the field. This is especially important for hunters who harvest a bear or moose. During mandatory inspections, hunters will be asked to give a location of their harvest. Having GPS coordinates makes reporting simple and precise.

Go Pro and get:

  • Harvest trends across multiple years
  • Harvest stats by hunt_code, manner, season, sex, type
  • Average harvest rates
  • Average days per hunter
  • Overall harvest trends

Weather Insights

Weather can vary by elevation. See how weather varies by elevation within a unit by selecting an elevation range. Elevation ranges are based on weather stations in or near the unit. Not all weather elements are available within the unit.

Average Temps

Use temperature ranges to plan and prepare for your hunt. Large swings indicate a good layering system should be used. Be sure to make note of the extreme temperatures as these often pose the greatest risk to hunters. If you plan on hunting in higher elevation, as a rule of thumb, expect the tempture to decrease roughly 5° for every 1000' in elevation gain.

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