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Elk Hunting in Colorado GMU 86 - Fremont, Custer, and Chaffee Counties

Elk can be found throughout the unit during the regular fall seasons depending on the snow and weather. Elk hunting is best at higher elevations with pine, fir and meadows in the earlier seasons. Elk may move to lower elevations when heavy snows come.

GMU 86 - Fremont, Custer, and Chaffee Counties

Scores

Ease of Drawing
95
 
95
Success
0
N/A
Trophy Potential
25
 
25
Public Access
70
 
70
Ease of Terrain
40
 
40
Room to Breathe
72
 
72
Opportunity
77
 
77
Convenience
70
 
70
Ease of Effort
0
N/A
88
HuntScore

Access Notes

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Bounded on N by US Highway 50; on E by County Highway 69; on S by Huerfano-Custer County line; on W by Sangre De Cristo Divide and US Highway 285.

The access for this unit is fair to good for access for public lands. The access for this unit is fair to poor for on private lands.

County

Fremont, Custer, Chaffee

Size

494 Square Miles (315,885 Acres)

Land Ownership

30% Private, 70% Public, 25% USFS, 18% BLM, 3% State

Latitude/Longitude

38.2070, -105.7167

Wildfires

Check for current or recent wildfires in this area.

Amenities

There are 1 hospitals, 20 hotels, 14 campgrounds, and 3 grocery stores within a 20 mile radius.

Elk Notes

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Elk can be found throughout the unit during the regular fall seasons depending on the snow and weather. Elk hunting is best at higher elevations with pine, fir and meadows in the earlier seasons. Elk may move to lower elevations when heavy snows come.

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.

Management Plan

Elk Management Plan

State Agency Website

Visit Colorado Parks and Wildlife

Other Species in Unit

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

Photos and Terrain Notes


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The elevation in this area ranges from 14,064 feet on Humbolt Peak to 5,667 feet near Texas Creek. The terrain is Flat to gently rolling valley bottom climbing quickly to steep, rough mountains. The vegetation consists of Grassland to Grass to pine to spruce, firs and aspens to alpine meadows.

Elk Drawing Stats (2019)

Total Quota
1,010
Licenses Drawn
839
Licenses Surplus
171
Resident Quota
721
Nonresident Quota
118
Landowner Quota
0
Youth Quota
87
96.9%
Average 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
EE086O1M
E
M
O1
EE086O1R
E
R
O1
EE086O4R
E
R
O4
EE086P1R
E
R
P1
EF086O1M
F
M
O1
EF086O2R
F
R
O2
EF086P5R
F
R
P5
HuntScore Tip: Ninety to ninety-five percent of Colorado's GMUs require no preference points - or just a single preference point - in order to draw a limited license in those units.

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  • Drawing and harvest trends across multiple years
  • Individual hunt quotas
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  • Harvest by sex and manner (and season where applicable)
  • Average success odds
  • Days per hunter
  • Drawing and harvest tips

Elk Harvest Stats (2018)

Total Hunters
859
Total Harvest
124
Harvest Male
87
Harvest Female
35
18%
Average Success
Manner Season Hunters Harvest
R
O1
146 30
R
O4
97 16
M
M
130 25
R
O2
143 5
R
O3
129 10
R
O4
39 0
R
O1
111 19
R
O4
58 16
R
D
6 3
HuntScore Tip: Also keep in mind that past performance doesn't necessarily guide future success. Warm weather during the previous year may have limited harvest. Cold and snowy weather may have sent hunters home early the previous year, limiting the harvest. You may have better conditions. Look at the 3-5 year trends and not a specific year.