1. Hunts
  2. Colorado
  3. Elk

Elk Hunting in Colorado GMU 33 - Garfield and Rio Blanco Counties

White River offers variety and extremes. Several peaks in the Flattop Wilderness are 12,200ft in elevation. Elevation drops to 5,300ft near Rifle. The lower elevation vegetation starts out with sage, progressing to oakbrush/mtn brush, aspen, and evergreen

GMU 33 - Garfield and Rio Blanco Counties

Scores

Scores
User Scores
Ease of Drawing
84
 
84
100
Success
28
 
28
5
Trophy Potential
6
 
6
5
Public Access
74
 
74
80
Ease of Terrain
78
 
78
35
Room to Breathe
1
 
1
42
Opportunity
59
 
59
6
Convenience
19
 
19
98
Ease of Effort
47
 
47
63
63
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Access Notes

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  • Satallite and Topo Layers
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Bounded on N by White-Colorado River divide; on E by Canyon Creek; on S by Colorado River; on W by County Highway 13/789.

Expect mild weather with light snow in the 1st season, with roads becoming impassable in the upper half of the area by the 3rd season. The high country in GMU 24 is prone to heavy snowstorms in lat... Create a free account to read the rest of this access note!

County

Garfield, Rio Blanco

Size

416 Square Miles (266,311 Acres)

Land Ownership

25% Private, 75% Public, 45% USFS, 28% BLM, 1% State, 1% NPS

Latitude/Longitude

39.6887, -107.6403

Wildfires

Check for current or recent wildfires in this area.

Amenities

There are 0 hospitals, 1 hotels, 7 campgrounds, and 1 grocery stores within a 20 mile radius.

Elk Notes

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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, Shiras Moose, Black Bear, Mountain Lion, Turkey, Pronghorn,

Businesses Serving Elk Hunters In GMU 33 - Garfield and Rio Blanco Counties

Advertise Your Business!

Category: Guide/Outfitter

: 555-555-5555

: [email protected]

: www.yourbusiness.com

About

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Photos and Terrain Notes


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White River offers variety and extremes. Several peaks in the Flattop Wilderness are 12,200ft in elevation. Elevation drops to 5,300ft near Rifle. The lower elevation vegetation starts out with sag... Create a free account to read the rest of this terrain note!

Elk Over The Counter Hunts (2021)

There are 4 OTC hunts in this unit. Get a free account to view the details!

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Elk Drawing Stats (2021)

Total Quota
14,340
Licenses Drawn
9,677
Licenses Surplus
4,663
Resident Quota
5,448
Nonresident Quota
4,229
Landowner Quota
1,104
Youth Quota
1,104
88.9%
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
EE033O1A
E
A
O1
LL
63.6%
72 Permit Type A; License Valid for Units: 33, 23, 24; 23 south of the White River, and 24 south of the North Fork of the White River
EF011O1R
F
R
O1
LL
100%
71 Permit Type B; License Valid for Units: 11, 12, 13, 23, 24, 25, 26, 33, 34, 131, 211, 231;
EF011O4R
F
R
O4
LL
100%
75 Permit Type B; License Valid for Units: 11, 12, 13, 23, 24, 33, 131, 211;
EM011O1R
M
R
O1
LL
100%
68 Permit Type A; License Valid for Units: 11, 12, 13, 23, 24, 25, 26, 33, 34, 131, 211, 231;
EE012P1M
E
M
P1
LL
94.3%
67 Permit Type A; License Valid for Units: 12, 13, 23, 24, 33;
EF012P1M
F
M
P1
LL
100%
70 Permit Type B; License Valid for Units: 12, 13, 23, 24, 33;
EF033O3R
F
R
O3
LL
100%
81
EE033O1M
E
M
O1
LL
30.6%
63 Permit Type A; License Valid for Units: 33, 23, 24; 23 south of the White River, and 24 south of the North Fork of the White River
EE033P4R
E
R
P4
LL
100%
74
EF033O1M
F
M
O1
LL
100%
74 Permit Type B; License Valid for Units: 33, 23, 24; 23 south of the White River, and 24 south of the North Fork of the White River
EF033O2R
F
R
O2
LL
100%
81
EF033O4R
F
R
O4
LL
100%
81
EF033P5R
F
R
P5
LL
100%
78
EM033O4R
M
R
O4
LL
100%
79
EE011P1R
E
R
P1
LL
100%
74 Permit Type A; License Valid for Units: 11, 12, 13, 23, 24, 25, 26, 33, 34, 131, 211, 231;
HuntScore Tip: Over-the-counter unlimited licenses are licenses that are unlimited in number and available in a range of units and seasons.

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Elk Harvest Stats (2021)

Total Hunters
2,694
Total Harvest
302
Harvest Male
132
Harvest Female
160
11%
Average Success
Manner Season Type Sex Hunters Harvest Male Female Youth
A
A
NA
N/A 552 61
35
26
0
ALL
ALL
NA
N/A 2694 302
132
160
0
M
M
NA
N/A 89 8
3
5
0
R
PLO
PLO
N/A 62 33
0
23
0
R
PLO
PLO
N/A 92 33
0
23
0
R
O4
LL
M
82 5
5
0
0
R
O4
NA
N/A 171 23
5
18
0
R
O4
LL
F
78 18
0
18
0
R
O3
LL
F
227 21
0
21
0
R
O2
NA
N/A 966 85
40
45
0
R
O3
NA
N/A 477 51
30
21
0
R
O2
LL
F
461 45
0
45
0
R
O1
NA
N/A 374 39
19
20
0
R
O1
LL
M
254 19
19
0
0
R
O1
LL
F
101 20
0
20
0
R
L0
NA
N/A 62 33
0
23
0
R
D
R
N/A 3 2
0
2
0
R
R
NA
N/A 2053 233
94
129
0
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.

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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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  • Probability of other weather events (thunder, hail, etc...) by by month

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