64 Counties · 748 Public Areas · 124 Towns · 113 RangesColorado hunting records
States
AlabamaArizonaArkansasColoradoGeorgiaKentuckyLouisianaMichiganMinnesotaMissouriNew YorkNorth CarolinaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaTennesseeTexasWisconsin
ColoradoState Hunting Spots

Colorado › Hunting seasons › GMUs › GMU 77

45 hunt codes · 2026-27

What you can hunt in GMU 77, Colorado

45 hunt codes, 45 CPW season rows and 356,380 acres spread over Archuleta County, Hinsdale County and Mineral County.

Codes and datesHow hunters didHunting gear
557Square miles
45Hunt codes
683Elk taken 2024
3Counties

Photo: Derek Key (CC BY 2.0)

Counties inside GMU 77

At 557 square miles, GMU 77 is counted by CPW as a mountain unit. 55% of its ground is in Archuleta County; the CPW Southwest Region manages it.

Hunters in GMU 77 can be standing in any of 3 counties; the table gives each piece in square miles.

County pieceSq miUnit shareCounty share
Archuleta County305.055%23%
Hinsdale County180.732%16%
Mineral County70.813%8%

Herd units for GMU 77: deer D-30, elk E-31, moose M-4, bear B-18 and lion L-SW. Each DAU groups GMUs that share one population. CPW lists no pronghorn herd for GMU 77.

557Square miles
356,380Acres
D-30Deer DAU
E-31Elk DAU
M-4Moose DAU
B-18Bear DAU
L-SWLion DAU

Area, county overlap and DAU codes from the CPW GMU and DAU GIS layers (overlay with Census county lines); boundary text in the 2026 Big Game brochure GMU descriptions; checked November 5, 2026.

GMU 77 elk, lion and turkey rules

YesElk APR
VoluntaryElk CWD test
17Lion group
23Lion limit
OTCSpring turkey
OTCFall turkey
YesLynx area
MountainTerrain
2OTC elk rows
  • GMU 77 is on the antler point list, so a legal bull carries at least 4 points on a side or a 5-inch brow tine.
  • Chronic wasting disease samples from GMU 77 are welcome but not required in 2026.
  • Harvest-limit group 17 covers GMU 77; the group limit is 23.
  • GMU 77 turkey: spring turkey is OTC in 2026 and fall turkey is OTC.
  • GMU 77 is inside the lynx recovery area: trap-check and lure limits for cats apply to furbearer hunters.
  • Elk licenses sold over the counter are good here: Second rifle bull and Third rifle bull.

From the elk antler point list, the 2026 mandatory elk CWD GMUs, the 2026-2027 Mountain Lion brochure, the 2026 Turkey brochure and the Small Game brochure lynx rules (CPW); checked November 5, 2026. Guides: antler point GMUs, CWD testing, lion groups, turkey units.

Season windows for GMU 77

Season rows show the windows in one line each. GMU 77 appears in 45 of them, split 17 elk, 15 deer, 3 moose, 7 black bear, 1 mountain lion and 2 wild turkey.

SpeciesMethod and sexDatesTypeCodes
Elk
Archery bull
limited
Sep 2–30Limited6
Elk
Archery cow
limited
Sep 2–30Limited6
Elk
Archery either sex
private land only
Sep 2–30Private only13
Elk
Muzzleloader bull
limited
Sep 12–20Limited50
Elk
Muzzleloader cow
limited
Sep 12–20Limited69
Elk
Rifle bull
limited
Oct 14–18Limited50
Elk
Rifle bull
private land only
Oct 14–18Private only3
Elk
Rifle cow
limited
Oct 14–18Limited48
Elk
Rifle cow
private land only
Oct 14–18Private only3
Elk
Rifle cow
limited
Oct 24–Nov 1Limited89
Elk
Second rifle bull
OTC
Oct 24–Nov 1OTC—
Elk
Rifle cow
limited
Nov 7–15Limited93
Elk
Third rifle bull
OTC
Nov 7–15OTC—
Elk
Rifle bull
limited
Nov 18–22Limited57
Elk
Rifle bull
private land only
Nov 18–22Private only4
Elk
Rifle cow
limited
Nov 18–22Limited90
Elk
Rifle cow
private land only
Nov 18–22Private only6
Deer
Archery either sex
limited
Sep 2–30Limited29
Deer
Muzzleloader buck
limited
Sep 12–20Limited62
Deer
Muzzleloader doe
limited
Sep 12–20Limited34
Deer
Rifle buck
limited
Oct 14–18Limited13
Deer
Rifle buck
limited
Oct 24–Nov 1Limited71
Deer
Rifle buck
private land only
Oct 24–Nov 1Private only17
Deer
Rifle doe
limited
Oct 24–Nov 1Limited34
Deer
Rifle buck
limited
Nov 7–15Limited71
Deer
Rifle doe
limited
Nov 7–15Limited35
Deer
Rifle buck
limited
Nov 18–22Limited59
Deer
Rifle buck
private land only
Nov 18–22Private only6
Deer
Rifle doe
limited
Nov 18–22Limited6
Deer
Rifle doe
limited
late season
Nov 18–22Limited1
Deer
Rifle buck
limited
late season
Dec 1–14Limited33
Deer
Rifle doe
limited
late season
Dec 1–14Limited44
Moose
Muzzleloader cow
limited
special/split season
Sep 12–20Limited9
Moose
Season choice (archery/muzzleloader/rifle) bull
limited
special/split season
Sep 12–Oct 14Limited6
Moose
Rifle cow
limited
special/split season
Oct 1–14Limited8
Black bear
Archery either sex
limited
Sep 2–30Limited35
Black bear
Archery either sex
OTC
Sep 2–30OTC15
Black bear
Rifle either sex
limited
Sep 2–30Limited34
Black bear
Rifle either sex
private land only
Sep 2–30Private only20
Black bear
Muzzleloader either sex
limited
Sep 12–20Limited35
Black bear
Muzzleloader either sex
OTC
Sep 12–20OTC15
Black bear
Rifle either sex
OTC
Oct 14–Nov 22OTC12
Mountain lion
Lion season
Nov 23–Mar 31Limited—
Wild turkey
Spring
OTC (2026)
Apr 11–May 31OTC—
Wild turkey
Fall
OTC
Sep 1–Oct 4OTC—

Season rows from the 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure (deer p. 30, elk p. 45, pronghorn p. 63, moose p. 68, bear p. 72), the Turkey brochure and the Mountain Lion brochure; checked November 5, 2026.

Every GMU 77 hunt code

Apply with the code, not the unit number. GMU 77 turns up in 45 codes: 17 elk, 18 deer, 3 moose and 7 black bear.

40 are limited (draw or leftover), 10 are private-land-only and 0 are Ranching for Wildlife codes; 0 need six or more preference points in the last draw.

Elk archery, 3

CodeSexSold asOpenListNote
E-E-077-P1-AEither sexPrivate land only
Sep 2–30
A
56 of 165
E-F-077-O1-ACowLimited
Sep 2–30
A
10 of 130
E-M-077-O1-ABullLimited
Sep 2–30
A
134 of 1,098

Elk muzzleloader, 2

CodeSexSold asOpenListNote
E-F-077-O1-MCowLimited
Sep 12–20
A
6 of 27
E-M-077-O1-MBullLimited
Sep 12–20
A
72 of 300

Elk rifle, 12

CodeSexSold asOpenListNote
E-F-077-O1-RCowLimited
Oct 14–18
A
16 of 32
E-F-077-P1-RCowPrivate land only
Oct 14–18
B
2 of 7
E-M-077-O1-RBullLimited
Oct 14–18
A
257 of 796
E-M-077-P1-RBullPrivate land only
Oct 14–18
A
50 of 70
E-F-077-O2-RCowLimited
Oct 24–Nov 1
A
14 of 62
E-M-000-U2-RBullOTC
Oct 24–Nov 1
A
4,558 of 23,668
E-F-077-O3-RCowLimited
Nov 7–15
A
13 of 37
E-M-000-U3-RBullOTC
Nov 7–15
A
2,096 of 17,371
E-F-077-O4-RCowLimited
Nov 18–22
A
8 of 10
E-F-077-P4-RCowPrivate land only
Nov 18–22
B
5 of 10
E-M-077-O4-RBullLimited
Nov 18–22
A
18 of 80
E-M-077-P4-RBullPrivate land only
Nov 18–22
A
0 of 20

Deer archery, 1

CodeSexSold asOpenListNote
D-E-077-O1-AEither sexLimited
Sep 2–30
A
175 of 431

Deer muzzleloader, 2

CodeSexSold asOpenListNote
D-F-077-O1-MDoeLimited
Sep 12–20
A
20 of 34
D-M-077-O1-MBuckLimited
Sep 12–20
A
132 of 253

Deer rifle, 15

CodeSexSold asOpenListNote
D-M-077-O1-RBuckLimited
Oct 14–18
A—
D-F-077-O2-RDoeLimited
Oct 24–Nov 1
A
29 of 66
D-M-077-O2-RBuckLimited
Oct 24–Nov 1
A
598 of 1,127
D-M-077-P2-RBuckPrivate land only
Oct 24–Nov 1
A
56 of 94
D-F-077-O3-RDoeLimited
Nov 7–15
A
32 of 70
D-M-077-O3-RBuckLimited
Nov 7–15
A
296 of 697
D-F-077-O4-RDoeLimited
Nov 18–22
A
30 of 48
D-F-104-L1-RDoeLimited, late
Nov 18–22
A
29 of 57
D-M-077-O4-RBuckLimited
Nov 18–22
A
99 of 148
D-M-077-P3-RBuckPrivate land only
Nov 18–22
—
62 of 93
D-M-077-P4-RBuckPrivate land only
Nov 18–22
A
47 of 61
D-F-103-L1-RDoeLimited, late
Dec 1–14
A
9 of 26
D-M-103-L1-RBuckLimited, late
Dec 1–14
A
8 of 17
D-M-104-L1-RBuckLimited, late
Dec 1–14
A
50 of 98
D-F-077-P5-RDoePrivate land only—B
37 of 59

Moose muzzleloader, 1

CodeSexSold asOpenListNote
M-F-076-S1-MCowLimited, split
Sep 12–20
A
0 taken

Moose rifle, 1

CodeSexSold asOpenListNote
M-F-076-S1-RCowLimited, split
Oct 1–14
A
1 of 1

Moose season choice, 1

CodeSexSold asOpenListNote
M-M-076-S1-XBullLimited, split
Sep 12–20
Sep 12–30
Oct 1–14
A
6 of 7

Black bear archery, 2

CodeSexSold asOpenListNote
B-E-075-O1-AEither sexLimited
Sep 2–30
B
7 taken
B-E-075-U1-AEither sexOTC
Sep 2–30
B
19 taken

Black bear muzzleloader, 2

CodeSexSold asOpenListNote
B-E-075-O1-MEither sexLimited
Sep 12–20
B
4 taken
B-E-075-U1-MEither sexOTC
Sep 12–20
B
12 taken

Black bear rifle, 3

CodeSexSold asOpenListNote
B-E-075-O1-REither sexLimited
Sep 2–30
B
63 taken
B-E-075-P1-REither sexPrivate land only
Sep 2–30
C
12 taken
B-E-075-U5-REither sexOTC
Oct 14–18
Oct 24–Nov 1
Nov 7–15
Nov 18–22
B
20 taken

Harvest numbers in the right-hand column are 2025 survey estimates for the code as a whole.

Hunt codes from the 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure tables (PDF pp. 29-77) and the 2026 Turkey brochure; List A/B/C rules on p. 26; 2025 code estimates from CPW harvest reports (elk, deer, pronghorn, bear, moose); checked November 5, 2026. How the draw works.

GMU 77 harvest and success

Elk hunters in GMU 77 took 683 elk in 2024 (647 bulls, 37 cows), 21% success for 3,299 hunters.

Deer success in GMU 77 ran 45% in 2024, with 612 taken.

The bear take in 2024 was 32.

CPW puts the 2025 post-hunt elk herd that includes GMU 77 (units 75, 751, 77, 771, 78) at 32,320, with 13 males per 100 females.

2,844 hunters held elk codes numbered 77 in 2025 and took 661.

For lions, the 2025-26 group total was 20.

Animals taken in GMU 77 during 20240200400600800Deer taken: 612612Deer takenElk taken: 683683Elk takenBears taken: 3232Bears taken
SpeciesHarvestMale / female / youngHuntersSuccessHunter days
Deer612538/74/01,35645%6,261
Elk683647/37/03,29921%17,662
Black bear3220/12——86

DAU estimates, 2025

GameDAUTakeHuntersSuccessPopulationMales/100 F
DeerD-302,7225,54249%25,29031
ElkE-311,8689,64919%32,32013

2024 “All Manners of Take” tables by GMU: deer, elk, pronghorn, bear; 2025 DAU estimates and 2025 post-hunt populations (elk, deer, pronghorn); 2025 lion harvest (CPW). Survey estimates; checked November 5, 2026.

GMU 77 land open to hunting

2 SWAs, 0 STL parcels and 4 other units make up the 6 public lands that list GMU 77.

Large federal records span many units, so read each land page for the part that falls in this GMU.

Ranger districts, 2

State wildlife areas, 2

BLM offices, 1

National forests, 1

Land records from CPW, State Land Board, USFS, BLM and other agency sources (each land page cites its own); GMU tags from those records; checked November 5, 2026. All Colorado public land.

Towns and units around GMU 77

Inside GMU 77: 0 towns; near it: 2.

If the draw goes against you, the neighbouring units below share counties with GMU 77.

NeighbourSame countySq miElkDeerCodes
GMU 771
Archuleta
3669335431
GMU 78
Archuleta
Mineral
76473156731
GMU 751
Hinsdale
Archuleta
46323443129
GMU 76
Mineral
Hinsdale
9715184626
GMU 79
Mineral
42616318326
GMU 66
Hinsdale
89950334633
GMU 80
Mineral
88767330431
GMU 81
Archuleta
1,21488229525

Towns from Census places with their GMU and GMUs within 10 miles; neighbours from the CPW GMU layer county overlay; checked November 5, 2026. All town pages · all GMUs.

GMU 77 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.

DateSeason pointSunriseSunsetBig gameBirds and small game
Aug 15, 2026Pronghorn archery opens6:24 a.m.8:02 p.m.5:54 a.m. to 8:32 p.m.5:54 a.m. to 8:02 p.m.
Sep 2, 2026Bowhunting starts6:39 a.m.7:38 p.m.6:09 a.m. to 8:08 p.m.6:09 a.m. to 7:38 p.m.
Sep 12, 2026Muzzleloader opens6:47 a.m.7:23 p.m.6:17 a.m. to 7:53 p.m.6:17 a.m. to 7:23 p.m.
Oct 3, 2026Duck season opens7:04 a.m.6:50 p.m.6:34 a.m. to 7:20 p.m.6:34 a.m. to 6:50 p.m.
Oct 24, 2026Second rifle opens7:23 a.m.6:21 p.m.6:53 a.m. to 6:51 p.m.6:53 a.m. to 6:21 p.m.
Nov 23, 2026Lion season opens6:55 a.m.4:55 p.m.6:25 a.m. to 5:25 p.m.6:25 a.m. to 4:55 p.m.
Dec 21, 2026Shortest day7:18 a.m.4:54 p.m.6:48 a.m. to 5:24 p.m.6:48 a.m. to 4:54 p.m.

Turkey hours end at sunset.

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.

Beside GMU 77

Nearest units first; three hub pages follow.

GMU 771

31 hunt codes

GMU 78

31 hunt codes

GMU 751

29 hunt codes

GMU 76

26 hunt codes

All GMUsArchuleta CountyOTC licenses
Snowy peaks of the Rocky Mountains beyond pines and a valley in central Colorado
Snowy peaks of the Rocky Mountains beyond pines and a valley in central ColoradoPhoto: U.S. Department of Agriculture (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Snow-covered Rocky Mountain peaks rising above a line of pines in Colorado
Snow-covered Rocky Mountain peaks rising above a line of pines in ColoradoPhoto: Bob Denaro (CC BY 2.0)
Green meadow below a snowy mountain range under sweeping clouds in Colorado
Green meadow below a snowy mountain range under sweeping clouds in ColoradoPhoto: Max and Dee Bernt (CC BY 2.0)

GMU 77 FAQ

How many SWAs are in GMU 77?

2 state wildlife areas list GMU 77.

What is the elk success rate in GMU 77?

21% in 2024 (683 from 3,299 hunters).

What towns are near GMU 77?

Bayfield and Pagosa Springs.

Which herd DAUs take in GMU 77?

D-30 (deer), E-31 (elk), M-4 (moose), B-18 (bear) and L-SW (lion).

Can I hunt GMU 77 without a draw?

Yes for 5 OTC codes and 5 OTC season rows; the other 40 codes are limited.

What counties are in GMU 77?

Archuleta (55%), Hinsdale (32%) and Mineral (13%), for 557 square miles in all.

Must elk heads from GMU 77 go to CPW?

No mandatory submission applies here.

Are GMU 77 bulls under APR?

Yes, including RFW ranches in the unit.

Is GMU 77 open for spring turkey?

Spring turkey is OTC; spring 2026 rows here ran April 11 to May 31, 2026, and spring 2027 dates are not published yet.

When does lion season close in GMU 77?

March 31, 2027, or sooner if group 17 hits 23 lions.

Answers drawn from the CPW sources cited on this page; checked November 5, 2026.