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Elk rules
Colorado Elk Antler Point Restrictions
The 97 GMUs where Colorado bull elk need four points on a side or a 5-inch brow tine, with 2024 elk harvest by unit.
Photo: Christian Collins (CC BY-SA 2.0)
APR basics
97 APR GMUs and 29 exempt western GMUs, from the 2026 big game brochure.
- What counts: Bulls must have 4+ points on one antler or a 5 inches+ brow tine in APR GMUs (all seasons); no APR east of I-25 except GMU 140; RFW ranches follow the GMU rule (new).
- Second and third rifle: antler point restrictions apply in most GMUs valid for the OTC second and third rifle bull licenses.
From the 2026 Big Game brochure, elk, checked November 5, 2026.
APR units with 2024 elk harvest
| GMU | Counties | Elk harvest 2024 | Hunters | Success | CWD test GMU |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Moffat | 162 | 1,038 | 16% | Yes |
| 4 | Moffat, Routt | 379 | 1,541 | 25% | Yes |
| 5 | Moffat, Routt | 316 | 874 | 36% | Yes |
| 6 | Jackson | 321 | 3,161 | 10% | Yes |
| 7 | Larimer | 149 | 1,630 | 9% | Yes |
| 8 | Larimer | 208 | 2,219 | 9% | Yes |
| 9 | Larimer, Weld | 77 | 197 | 39% | Yes |
| 11 | Moffat, Rio Blanco | 623 | 2,467 | 25% | Yes |
| 12 | Garfield, Moffat and 2 more | 755 | 2,634 | 29% | Yes |
| 13 | Moffat, Routt | 496 | 1,219 | 41% | Yes |
| 14 | Grand, Routt | 151 | 1,293 | 12% | Yes |
| 15 | Eagle, Grand and 1 more | 407 | 3,738 | 11% | Yes |
| 16 | Jackson | 284 | 1,839 | 15% | Yes |
| 17 | Jackson | 319 | 1,994 | 16% | Yes |
| 18 | Grand | 662 | 4,997 | 13% | Yes |
| 19 | Larimer | 119 | 1,140 | 10% | Yes |
| 21 | Garfield, Rio Blanco | 324 | 1,992 | 16% | Yes |
| 22 | Garfield, Rio Blanco | 770 | 2,668 | 29% | Yes |
| 23 | Garfield, Rio Blanco | 423 | 1,870 | 23% | Yes |
| 24 | Garfield, Rio Blanco | 265 | 1,879 | 14% | Yes |
| 25 | Eagle, Garfield | 227 | 1,721 | 13% | Yes |
| 26 | Eagle, Garfield and 1 more | 142 | 1,174 | 12% | Yes |
| 27 | Grand, Jackson and 1 more | 113 | 1,523 | 7% | Yes |
| 28 | Grand | 177 | 2,871 | 6% | Yes |
| 30 | Garfield, Mesa | 250 | 994 | 25% | Yes |
| 31 | Garfield, Mesa and 1 more | 453 | 1,597 | 28% | Yes |
| 32 | Garfield | 165 | 823 | 20% | Yes |
| 33 | Garfield, Rio Blanco | 311 | 2,161 | 14% | Yes |
| 34 | Eagle, Garfield | 102 | 1,002 | 10% | Yes |
| 35 | Eagle | 168 | 1,008 | 17% | – |
| 36 | Eagle | 185 | 1,196 | 15% | – |
| 37 | Grand, Lake and 1 more | 200 | 1,955 | 10% | Yes |
| 38 | Adams, Boulder and 5 more | 88 | 1,096 | 8% | – |
| 41 | Mesa | 348 | 1,702 | 20% | Yes |
| 42 | Garfield, Mesa | 659 | 3,093 | 21% | Yes |
| 43 | Eagle, Garfield and 2 more | 477 | 2,693 | 18% | – |
| 44 | Eagle | 163 | 1,203 | 14% | – |
| 45 | Eagle, Pitkin | 134 | 867 | 15% | – |
| 47 | Eagle, Pitkin | 78 | 543 | 14% | – |
| 52 | Delta | 252 | 1,423 | 18% | Yes |
| 53 | Delta, Gunnison | 326 | 2,033 | 16% | – |
| 54 | Gunnison | 498 | 2,242 | 22% | – |
| 55 | Gunnison | 397 | 2,755 | 14% | – |
| 59 | El Paso, Fremont and 2 more | 135 | 704 | 19% | – |
| 60 | Mesa, Montrose | 140 | 564 | 25% | – |
| 62 | Delta, Mesa and 3 more | 1,024 | 5,669 | 18% | Yes |
| 63 | Delta, Gunnison and 1 more | 292 | 1,480 | 20% | – |
| 64 | Delta, Gunnison and 1 more | 189 | 877 | 22% | Yes |
| 65 | Gunnison, Hinsdale and 2 more | 755 | 3,000 | 25% | Yes |
| 66 | Gunnison, Hinsdale and 1 more | 503 | 1,196 | 42% | – |
| 67 | Gunnison, Hinsdale and 1 more | 345 | 1,061 | 33% | – |
| 68 | Saguache | 323 | 2,283 | 14% | – |
| 70 | Dolores, Montrose and 1 more | 1,275 | 3,448 | 37% | Yes |
| 71 | Dolores, Montezuma | 467 | 2,529 | 18% | Yes |
| 72 | Dolores, Montezuma | 83 | 467 | 18% | Yes |
| 73 | Montezuma | 105 | 639 | 16% | Yes |
| 74 | La Plata, San Juan | 329 | 1,537 | 21% | – |
| 75 | La Plata, San Juan | 308 | 1,337 | 23% | – |
| 77 | Archuleta, Hinsdale and 1 more | 683 | 3,299 | 21% | – |
| 78 | Archuleta, Conejos and 2 more | 731 | 2,754 | 27% | – |
| 79 | Mineral, Rio Grande and 1 more | 163 | 1,034 | 16% | – |
| 80 | Alamosa, Conejos and 2 more | 673 | 3,213 | 21% | – |
| 81 | Alamosa, Archuleta and 2 more | 882 | 3,726 | 24% | – |
| 83 | Alamosa, Costilla | 367 | 884 | 41% | – |
| 85 | Costilla, Huerfano and 1 more | 614 | 2,875 | 21% | – |
| 86 | Chaffee, Custer and 1 more | 292 | 1,934 | 15% | – |
| 131 | Routt | 198 | 872 | 23% | Yes |
| 140 | Las Animas | 109 | 265 | 41% | – |
| 161 | Jackson | 318 | 2,888 | 11% | Yes |
| 171 | Jackson | 152 | 1,818 | 8% | Yes |
| 181 | Grand | 205 | 1,462 | 14% | Yes |
| 191 | Larimer | 22 | 601 | 4% | Yes |
| 211 | Moffat, Rio Blanco | 460 | 1,821 | 25% | Yes |
| 214 | Routt | 265 | 1,016 | 26% | Yes |
| 231 | Garfield, Rio Blanco and 1 more | 211 | 1,497 | 14% | Yes |
| 301 | Moffat | 55 | 406 | 14% | Yes |
| 361 | Eagle, Grand | 57 | 440 | 13% | – |
| 371 | Summit | 113 | 1,031 | 11% | Yes |
| 411 | Delta, Mesa | 133 | 745 | 18% | Yes |
| 421 | Garfield, Mesa | 657 | 3,432 | 19% | Yes |
| 431 | Pitkin | 47 | 244 | 19% | – |
| 441 | Moffat, Routt | 270 | 740 | 37% | Yes |
| 444 | Eagle, Garfield and 1 more | 254 | 1,199 | 21% | – |
| 471 | Pitkin | 30 | 280 | 11% | – |
| 511 | El Paso, Park and 1 more | 95 | 1,425 | 7% | – |
| 521 | Delta, Gunnison | 407 | 2,197 | 19% | Yes |
| 551 | Gunnison, Saguache | 260 | 1,574 | 16% | – |
| 581 | Fremont, Park and 1 more | 196 | 1,521 | 13% | – |
| 591 | El Paso, Fremont and 1 more | 49 | 364 | 14% | – |
| 681 | Saguache | 153 | 1,519 | 10% | – |
| 691 | Custer, Fremont | 27 | 167 | 16% | – |
| 711 | Dolores, Montezuma and 1 more | 366 | 1,764 | 21% | Yes |
| 741 | La Plata | 96 | 317 | 30% | – |
| 751 | Archuleta, Hinsdale and 2 more | 234 | 1,165 | 20% | – |
| 771 | Archuleta, La Plata | 93 | 570 | 16% | – |
| 851 | Costilla, Las Animas | 175 | 579 | 30% | – |
| 861 | Huerfano | 133 | 608 | 22% | – |
Harvest figures are 2024 GMU totals (all manners of take), not county totals.
APR list from the 2026 Big Game brochure; harvest from the 2024 elk harvest by GMU; counties from CPW GIS; checked November 5, 2026.
Bull elk with cows in a golden meadow during the fall rut near Estes Park. Photo: mark byzewski (CC BY 2.0)
Bull elk and cows in a golden meadow at the forest edge during the fall rut. Photo: mark byzewski (CC BY 2.0)
Bull elk wading in the shallows of Lake Estes. Photo: mark byzewski (CC BY 2.0)
What hunters ask about colorado elk antler point restrictions
Does APR apply to Ranching for Wildlife?
Yes: RFW ranches now follow the GMU rule (new for 2026).
Legal bull definition?
Bulls must have 4+ points on one antler or a 5 inches+ brow tine in APR GMUs (all seasons); no APR east of I-25 except GMU 140; RFW ranches follow the GMU rule (new).
How many elk units have APR?
97 GMUs for 2026-27; 29 western GMUs are exempt.
Does APR apply to archery?
Yes, all seasons in the APR GMUs, per the brochure.
Busiest APR units?
By 2024 harvest: GMU 70 (1,275); GMU 62 (1,024); GMU 81 (882).
Other photos on this page: mark byzewski (CC BY 2.0); mark byzewski (CC BY 2.0); mark byzewski (CC BY 2.0).