Elbert County Hunting

Game management units in Elbert County

4 big game GMUs reach into Elbert County; the largest share belongs to GMU 105, which covers about 51% of the county. All of the units continue beyond Elbert County into other counties. Because units follow physical features rather than survey lines, check the brochure boundary text and the CPW map when hunting close to an edge. They are plains GMUs, so elk licenses follow the plains rules and most ground is private farm and ranch land.

No GMU in Elbert County carries the elk antler point restriction, so any antlered bull is legal on a bull license. Elk and deer from these units need no compulsory CWD test in 2026. The lion season (November 23 to March 31) closes group by group; here that means group 19 (limit 5) and group 20 (limit 22). For spring birds, GMUs 105, 111, 104, 106 are on the OTC list.

GMU shares from the CPW GMU boundary layer over Census county lines; boundaries in the 2026 Big Game brochure GMU descriptions; point rule from brochure p. 36; CWD units from brochure p. 41; lion groups from the 2026-2027 Mountain Lion brochure; turkey lists from the 2026 Turkey brochure; shed closure from brochure p. 12. Checked November 5, 2026.

Elbert County public hunting land

GIS layers map about 17,783 acres of public hunting ground in Elbert County, close to 1.5% of its land, with state wildlife area land the largest piece. Most State Land Board ground is leased to ranchers and closed; only CPW-leased trust parcels count as public here. Park, military and closed trust acres carry a star and are not in the total. The acre figures are measured from GIS polygons with large lakes removed.

Tracts the public can hunt in Elbert County

Beyond Elbert County, nearest first

• Ramah SWA16 miles, state wildlife area, El Paso County
• Big Springs STL33 miles, state trust land parcel, El Paso County
• Little Muddy STL38 miles, state trust land parcel, Adams County

Everyone 16 or older on a state wildlife area or a CPW-leased trust parcel needs a valid Colorado hunting or fishing license, or a State Wildlife Area Pass. Trust parcels are mostly open September 1 to the end of February, but each parcel page lists its own dates and restrictions.

Acres from the CPW managed properties layer (SWA and STL), USGS PAD-US 4.1 (Forest Service, BLM, refuges, parks, military) and the BLM field office layer; places from the CPW SWA finder, the STL finder and each land page; access rules from the CPW property pages. Checked November 5, 2026.

Elbert County CPW contacts, towns and services

The Area 5 team under Matt Martinez manages wildlife across most of the county. Bear and lion hunters present the animal at a CPW office within five working days for inspection, so keep these numbers handy.

Elbert County towns with their own guides

Remaining towns and CDPs, Elbert County:

• Elizabeth2,773
• Elbert
• Matheson
• Ponderosa Park

Elbert County has 2 game processors, 3 taxidermists, 3 gun and outdoor stores and 6 outfitters and guides in the directory. CPW publishes no processor or taxidermist list, so those rows are Yellow Pages listings; outfitters are from the state registration data.

Elbert County game processors

Elbert County taxidermists

Elbert County outdoor stores

Outfitting near Elbert County

Offices and area wildlife managers from the CPW Contact Us page and the CPW area layer; towns and places from the 2024 Census gazetteer; outfitters from the DORA licence data; other services from store locators and Yellow Pages listings. Checked November 5, 2026.

Elbert County hours on key season dates

Deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bear and lion may be hunted from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset; turkey, small game and waterfowl stop at sunset.

Furbearer night rules are in the CPW small game brochure.

Hours rules from the 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure and the Small Game and Waterfowl brochure; sunrise and sunset worked out for this location with the NOAA solar formula (Mountain Time); checked November 5, 2026. Legal hours for every county.

Elbert County and its nearest neighbours

Four counties nearby and three statewide references.

Elbert County checks before the truck leaves

Near a GMU boundary road or creek in Elbert County, the brochure boundary text decides which hunt code applies.

Sources: 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, CPW hunting, Census and the sources in each section. Checked November 5, 2026.