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Elk Hunting in Colorado GMU 30 - Garfield and Mesa Counties

GMU 30 - Garfield and Mesa Counties

Scores

Ease of Drawing
76
 
76
Success
18
 
18
Trophy Potential
46
 
46
Public Access
74
 
74
Ease of Terrain
95
 
95
Room to Breathe
9
 
9
Opportunity
14
 
14
Convenience
100
 
100
Ease of Effort
42
 
42
73
HuntScore

Access Notes

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  • Public Landownership Layers
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Bounded on N by West Salt Creek-Bitter Creek divide, Evacuation Creek-Salt Creek divide and Douglas Creek-Salt Creek divide; on E by East Salt Creek-Roan Creek divide, Big Salt Wash-Roan Creek and Little Salt Wash-Roan Creek divides, and Bookcliffs; on S by Colorado River; on W by Utah.

Rains bring muddy roads. High elevation snows make roads impassible without chains.

75% of area is BLM land.

There are remote hunting areas accessible by foot, horseback or ATV. Get maps and study BLM access points.

County

Garfield, Mesa

Size

795 Square Miles (508,848 Acres)

Land Ownership

25% Private, 74% Public, 74% BLM

Latitude/Longitude

39.3332, -108.7710

Wildfires

Check for current or recent wildfires in this area.

Amenities

There are 0 hospitals, 3 hotels, 39 campgrounds, and 6 grocery stores within a 20 mile radius.

Elk Notes

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  • Toggle between terrain, satellite, and topographic views
  • Additional species-specific map layers

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


Add a Photo

Pinyon-juniper, with pockets of sagebrush, cover most of area at lower elevations. Higher elevations are characterized by sagebrush interspersed with aspen stands and some dark timber. Terrain varies from rolling sagebrush to steep-sided canyons. Some areas are steep & rugged, especially in southern portion.

Elk Over The Counter Hunts (2021)

There are 4 OTC hunts in this unit. Go Pro to view the details!

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  • The ability to filter OTC units by residency and manner/sex
  • Over the counter unit hunts listed with:
    • Residency Requirements
    • Season and Manner of Take Restrictions
    • Season Dates

Elk Drawing Stats (2020)

Total Quota
100
Licenses Drawn
100
Licenses Surplus
0
Resident Quota
100
Nonresident Quota
0
Landowner Quota
15
Youth Quota
15
77.5%
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
EF030L1R
F
R
L1
LL
83.3%
79
HuntScore Tip: While most Big Game licenses are allocated through the draw, over-the-counter bull elk licenses are available during 2nd and 3rd rifle seasons.

Go Pro and get:

  • Drawing trends across multiple years
  • Individual hunt quotas
  • 1st choice license applications and licenses drawn
  • Draw odds for resident and nonresident applicants
  • Minimum preference points to draw
  • Point creep plots

Elk Harvest Stats (2019)

Total Hunters
1,050
Total Harvest
127
Harvest Male
64
Harvest Female
63
12%
Average Success
Manner Season Type Sex Hunters Harvest Male Female Youth
A
A
N/A 168 7
7
0
0
ALL
ALL
N/A 1050 127
64
63
0
M
M
N/A 7 3
3
0
0
R
ALL
N/A 64 33
0
33
0
R
L0
N/A 64 33
0
33
0
R
O1
N/A 83 7
7
0
0
R
O1
LL
F
10 0
0
0
0
R
O1
LL
M
73 7
7
0
0
R
O2
N/A 263 25
18
7
0
R
O2
LL
F
88 7
0
7
0
R
O3
N/A 312 31
21
10
0
R
O3
LL
F
125 10
0
10
0
R
O4
N/A 153 21
8
13
0
R
O4
LL
F
81 13
0
13
0
R
O4
LL
M
72 8
8
0
0
R
R
N/A 875 117
54
63
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.

WITH A FREE ACCOUNT GET:

  • Precip totals by month
  • Snow depth by month
  • Min/Max precip and snow depth
  • Average # of days between precip or snow event

Gear Recommendations for Elk Hunting From logo

Camping

Black Diamond Moji 250 Lumen Charging Station Lantern

Black Diamond Moji 250 Lumen Charging Station Lantern

A multi-functional, ultra-bright lantern for basecamps, campgrounds and off-grid situations, the Black Diamond Moji Power Station not only provides 250 lumens of power, but it also charges handheld electronics via USB. The Moji Power Station's super-simple design features multi-power charging capabilities and runs off of direct AC (with adapter, not included), an enclosed rechargeable battery or standard AA alkalines. The Moji Power Station's portable power functionality also charges out via USB to keep cameras, phones and other small handheld electronics going strong while roaming far from home. A single power switch dims the light for optimal brightness, and a collapsible double-hook loop allows for easy hanging.One QuadPower LED emits 250 lumens (max setting)Frosted globe produces bright, ambient lightUnique dimming switch provides adjustable brightnessUSB port charges handheld electronicsCollapsible double-hook hang loopRuns on AC (with adapter, not included), rechargeable sealed lithium ion battery or standard AA batteriesVideo -Moji Charging Station

Clothing

Badlands Ascend Jacket

Badlands Ascend Jacket

Whether climbing a mountain or scaling a tree, there's something about the ascent that gets the blood and adrenaline flowing. Comfort is key at those higher, cooler elevations so we designed the ultimate heavyweight fleece for such occasions. Ascend to greatness and take your hunt to another level...a higher level.Features:Heavyweight, Wind-Resistant Badlands Approach FX FleeceWater Repellent TechnologyNano C6 DWR Coated Outer (Trust us, that's good)Tree Stand Tether Exit Port

Food

MTN OPS Biotics - Probiotics & Enzymes

MTN OPS Biotics - Probiotics & Enzymes

BIOTICS is an advanced Pre and Probiotic blend specifically formulated to increase healthy gut bacteria, while decreasing the bad gut bacteria at the same time. Properly balancing these bacterias aids in improved digestive health, stronger gut lining and combating symptoms such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea and irregular stool frequency. Improve your gut health, comfort and overall well-being with BIOTICS.USAGE: For best results take 1 serving (2 capsules) 20-30 min before any meal. Take on a daily consistent basis for best results. 80% of your immune system is stored right in your gut and that is why MTN OPS BIOTICS(TM) is so important for your daily health and wellness.

Footwear

Banded RedZone Elite 2.0 Breathable Insulated Wader

Banded RedZone Elite 2.0 Breathable Insulated Wader

Introducing Banded(R) RedZone ELITE 2.0 Breathable Waders. Years of hunting experience coupled with first-to-market product innovation led us to raise the standard in breathable hunting waders. We forever changed the game with the launch of our line of Banded RedZone(TM) Breathable Waders in 2012. Heralded for superior comfort and trusted for all-conditions performance. Now, through our relentless pursuit of perfection, we've raised the bar even higher. From RedZone(TM) to RedZone(TM) 2.0, we've made the best wader even better. More comfort, more performance, more feature-packed details and more durable than ever. The RedZone(TM) 2.0 line of waders are the most technologically advanced waders in waterfowl. And, it's not even close. Featuring the latest in cutting-edge fabric and seam technologies and improvements from top-to-bottom. You're in for the best wading experience of your life.

Optics

Leupold Compact Aluminum Tripod

Leupold Compact Aluminum Tripod

Small and lightweight enough to pack, tough enough to take anywhere. This semi full-size tripod extends to 53.5 inches, folds to just 20 inches, and weighs only 2.4 pounds. Includes a compact ball head for easy traversing.Key Features:1/4" - 1/2" Socket Mount AdapterMax Length: 53.5 in3 Section LegsAluminum legsBall HeadTwist-lock adjustment

Packs

Badlands Sacrifice LS Backpack

Badlands Sacrifice LS Backpack

Packed and ready for action, the Badlands Sacrifice LS is ready for your adventure. Compared to the previous design, the new Sacrifice LS has an updated Hypervent Frame, Wrapped Frame, and integrated Pistol Holder. This pack has a capacity of about 2100 - 3200 cubic inches making this perfect for multi-day hunts and offers 7 pockets that you can compartmentalize your gear in. If you're a gear freak and always pack WAY more than you need, the Sacrifice LS is the pack for you!Features:Updated Hypervent FrameRifle Boot IncludedPistol HolderMultiple Lash PointsUpdated Wrapped FrameQuick-Release Drawstring PocketEliminated the Squeaking issue w/ previous modelVideo -Badlands Sacrifice LS Backpack

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