The Colorado Hunting Guide

Last verified

Elk in GMU 231

GMU 231 has 18 2026 elk hunt codes (3 over the counter, 15 drawn), and the highest resident adult cutoff is E-E-025-O1-M at 0 preference points. CPW 2026 Big Game Brochure

Everything below is 2026: the 2026 hunt codes, the 2026 draw and the 2025 harvest. 2027 hunt codes and quotas are not on this site yet (CPW had not published them as of October 17, 2026, when this site last checked). Codes do change between years, so confirm yours in the 2027 brochure before you apply.

Where GMU 231 is

GMU 231 lies in Routt,Rio Blanco & Garfield counties. CPW's boundary description: bounded on N by Routt CRs 29, 132A, 25, 132 & 15; on E by Colo. 131; on S by Bear River; on W by Williams Fork-Yampa River divide to Dunkley Pass, Rio Blanco CRs 8 & 19 and Routt CR 55. 2026 brochure, unit descriptions p. 69–72 Check the line on the ground and on private land in CPW's own Colorado Hunting Atlas; boundary roads and ridgelines are the legal edge, not a map shading. How GMUs work.

What is different about GMU 231

2026 brochure, OTC maps pp. 38–40 The unlimited 2nd and 3rd season bull licenses (E-M-000-U2-R and E-M-000-U3-R) are valid in GMU 231 in 2026; on the 2025 maps they were valid on private land only here, so the unit gained public land. 2025 brochure, OTC maps pp. 38–41 Residents can also buy over-the-counter archery here (E-E-000-U1-A); nonresidents cannot buy OTC archery elk west of I-25 and apply for a limited code.

GMU 231 has 15 limited elk codes for 2026 (2 archery, 2 muzzleloader and 11 rifle), 7 of them valid in this GMU alone. Resident adult cutoffs, highest first: E-E-025-O1-M at 0 preference points, E-M-011-O1-R at 2nd choice, E-F-011-O1-R at leftover, E-E-025-V1-A at leftover and E-E-011-P1-A at leftover. The code with the most licenses is E-M-011-O1-R (shared across 12 GMUs, so its numbers are for the whole code): 3,000 licenses and 664 resident adult first-choice applicants. CPW 2026 Elk Draw Recap

Largest codes valid in GMU 231 alone: E-F-231-O2-R (125 licenses, drew out at leftover), E-F-231-O3-R (100 licenses, drew out at leftover) and E-M-231-O4-R (60 licenses, drew out at leftover).

The 2025 harvest row with the most hunters among codes that include GMU 231 is EM000U2R (over the counter): 19.3% success among 23,668 hunters, for the whole code across 93 GMUs, not GMU 231 alone. CPW 2025 Elk Harvest Estimates

2026 elk hunt codes

Over-the-counter elk is available here through E-E-000-U1-A, E-M-000-U2-R, E-M-000-U3-R; how OTC units work. "Statewide framework" dates are the general season windows on the elk seasons page.

2026 elk hunt codes valid in GMU 231 (CPW 2026 Big Game Brochure)
Hunt codeMethod / season2026 datesSexLicenseValid in
E-E-000-U1-AArcherySept. 2–30Either-sexOver the counter
Resident only		115 GMUs (full list below)
E-E-011-P1-AArcherySept. 2–30Either-sexLimited (draw), private land only12 GMUs (full list below)
E-E-025-V1-AArcherySept. 2–30Either-sexLimited (draw)
Nonresident only		4 GMUs: 25, 26, 34, 231
E-E-025-O1-MMuzzleloaderSept. 12–20Either-sexLimited (draw)4 GMUs: 25, 26, 34, 231
E-F-025-O1-MMuzzleloaderSept. 12–20CowLimited (draw)4 GMUs: 25, 26, 34, 231
E-E-011-P1-RRifleOct. 14–18Either-sexLimited (draw), private land only12 GMUs (full list below)
E-E-231-P2-RRifleOct. 24–Nov. 1Either-sexLimited (draw), private land onlyGMU 231 only
E-E-231-P3-RRifleNov. 7–15Either-sexLimited (draw), private land onlyGMU 231 only
E-E-231-P4-RRifleNov. 18–22Either-sexLimited (draw), private land onlyGMU 231 only
E-F-011-O1-RRifle, 1st seasonOct. 14–18CowLimited (draw)9 GMUs (full list below)
E-F-025-P5-RRifleAug. 15– Jan. 15, 2027CowLimited (draw), private land only3 GMUs: 25, 26, 231
E-F-231-O2-RRifle, 2nd seasonOct. 24–Nov. 1CowLimited (draw)GMU 231 only
E-F-231-O3-RRifle, 3rd seasonNov. 7–15CowLimited (draw)GMU 231 only
E-F-231-O4-RRifle, 4th seasonNov. 18–22CowLimited (draw)GMU 231 only
E-M-000-U2-RRifle, 2nd seasonOct. 24–Nov. 1BullOver the counter90 GMUs (full list below)
E-M-000-U3-RRifle, 3rd seasonNov. 7–15BullOver the counter90 GMUs (full list below)
E-M-011-O1-RRifle, 1st seasonOct. 14–18BullLimited (draw)12 GMUs (full list below)
E-M-231-O4-RRifle, 4th seasonNov. 18–22BullLimited (draw)GMU 231 only
E-E-000-U1-A is valid in 115 GMUs in 2026

3, 6, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 43, 53, 59, 60, 62, 63, 64, 65, 68, 79, 82, 83, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 105, 106, 107, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 161, 171, 181, 211, 214, 231, 301, 361, 371, 431, 471, 511, 581, 591, 681, 691, 851, 861, 951

E-M-000-U2-R is valid in 90 GMUs in 2026

3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 47, 52, 53, 59, 60, 62, 63, 64, 65, 68, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 77, 78, 80, 81, 82, 85, 86, 131, 133, 134, 140, 141, 142, 161, 171, 181, 211, 214, 231, 301, 361, 371, 411, 421, 431, 441, 444, 471, 511, 521, 581, 591, 681, 691, 711, 741, 751, 771, 851, 861

E-M-000-U3-R is valid in 90 GMUs in 2026

3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 47, 52, 53, 59, 60, 62, 63, 64, 65, 68, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 77, 78, 80, 81, 82, 85, 86, 131, 133, 134, 140, 141, 142, 161, 171, 181, 211, 214, 231, 301, 361, 371, 411, 421, 431, 441, 444, 471, 511, 521, 581, 591, 681, 691, 711, 741, 751, 771, 851, 861

E-E-011-P1-A is valid in 12 GMUs in 2026

11, 12, 13, 23, 24, 25, 26, 33, 34, 131, 211, 231

E-E-011-P1-R is valid in 12 GMUs in 2026

11, 12, 13, 23, 24, 25, 26, 33, 34, 131, 211, 231

E-F-011-O1-R is valid in 9 GMUs in 2026

11, 12, 13, 23, 24, 33, 131, 211, 231

E-M-011-O1-R is valid in 12 GMUs in 2026

11, 12, 13, 23, 24, 25, 26, 33, 34, 131, 211, 231

2026 draw results

These codes are valid in GMU 231 and nowhere else, so their draw numbers describe this unit. "Drawn out at" is the preference-point level of the last applicant drawn in that group, from CPW's Drawn Out At report; how to read it.

E-E-231-P2-R: 2026 primary draw, GMU 231 only, 40 licenses
Applicant groupApplicants, 1st choiceDrawn, all choicesDrawn out at
Resident adult34Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Nonresident adult34Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
E-E-231-P3-R: 2026 primary draw, GMU 231 only, 20 licenses
Applicant groupApplicants, 1st choiceDrawn, all choicesDrawn out at
Resident adult01Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Nonresident adult11Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
E-E-231-P4-R: 2026 primary draw, GMU 231 only, 15 licenses
Applicant groupApplicants, 1st choiceDrawn, all choicesDrawn out at
Resident adult01Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
E-F-231-O2-R: 2026 primary draw, GMU 231 only, 125 licenses
Applicant groupApplicants, 1st choiceDrawn, all choicesDrawn out at
Resident adult3462Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Nonresident adult22Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Resident youth12Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
E-F-231-O3-R: 2026 primary draw, GMU 231 only, 100 licenses
Applicant groupApplicants, 1st choiceDrawn, all choicesDrawn out at
Resident adult2146Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Nonresident adult44Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Resident youth03Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
E-F-231-O4-R: 2026 primary draw, GMU 231 only, 25 licenses
Applicant groupApplicants, 1st choiceDrawn, all choicesDrawn out at
Resident adult612Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
E-M-231-O4-R: 2026 primary draw, GMU 231 only, 60 licenses
Applicant groupApplicants, 1st choiceDrawn, all choicesDrawn out at
Resident adult510Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Nonresident adult24Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)

The codes below also include GMU 231, but they cover other units too. Their numbers are for the whole code.

E-E-011-P1-A: 2026 primary draw for the whole code (GMUs 11, 12, 13, 23, 24, 25, 26, 33, 34, 131, 211, 231), not GMU 231 alone, 1,000 licenses
Applicant groupApplicants, 1st choiceDrawn, all choicesDrawn out at
Resident adult3276Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Nonresident adult364494Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Resident youth02Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Nonresident youth511Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
E-E-011-P1-R: 2026 primary draw for the whole code (GMUs 11, 12, 13, 23, 24, 25, 26, 33, 34, 131, 211, 231), not GMU 231 alone, 700 licenses
Applicant groupApplicants, 1st choiceDrawn, all choicesDrawn out at
Resident adult55118Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Nonresident adult308355Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Resident youth712Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Nonresident youth77Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
E-E-025-O1-M: 2026 primary draw for the whole code (GMUs 25, 26, 34, 231), not GMU 231 alone, 150 licenses
Applicant groupApplicants, 1st choiceDrawn, all choicesDrawn out at
Resident adult73700 preference points; 49 of 51 drawn at that level
Nonresident adult123701 preference point; 16 of 26 drawn at that level
Resident youth880 preference points; 5 of 5 drawn at that level
Nonresident youth321 preference point; 1 of 1 drawn at that level
E-E-025-V1-A: 2026 primary draw for the whole code (GMUs 25, 26, 34, 231), not GMU 231 alone, 1,030 licenses
Applicant groupApplicants, 1st choiceDrawn, all choicesDrawn out at
Nonresident adult382796Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Nonresident youth813Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
E-F-011-O1-R: 2026 primary draw for the whole code (GMUs 11, 12, 13, 23, 24, 33, 131, 211, 231), not GMU 231 alone, 1,500 licenses
Applicant groupApplicants, 1st choiceDrawn, all choicesDrawn out at
Resident adult444744Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Nonresident adult230341Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Resident youth5395Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Nonresident youth2933Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
E-F-025-O1-M: 2026 primary draw for the whole code (GMUs 25, 26, 34, 231), not GMU 231 alone, 150 licenses
Applicant groupApplicants, 1st choiceDrawn, all choicesDrawn out at
Resident adult747Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Nonresident adult231Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Resident youth02Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
E-F-025-P5-R: 2026 primary draw for the whole code (GMUs 25, 26, 231), not GMU 231 alone, 300 licenses
Applicant groupApplicants, 1st choiceDrawn, all choicesDrawn out at
Resident adult115187Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Nonresident adult3038Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Resident youth717Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
Nonresident youth66Leftover (licenses remained after the draw)
E-M-011-O1-R: 2026 primary draw for the whole code (GMUs 11, 12, 13, 23, 24, 25, 26, 33, 34, 131, 211, 231), not GMU 231 alone, 3,000 licenses
Applicant groupApplicants, 1st choiceDrawn, all choicesDrawn out at
Resident adult6649662nd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 302 of 945 drawn at that level
Nonresident adult1,4851,8662nd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 381 of 1034 drawn at that level
Resident youth56872nd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 31 of 93 drawn at that level
Nonresident youth70812nd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 11 of 46 drawn at that level
CPW 2026 Elk Draw Recap CPW 2026 Elk Drawn Out At

2025 harvest, by hunt code

CPW reports harvest by hunt code and by herd area (DAU), not by GMU. A code that covers several units reports one number for all of them, so read those rows as the code, not as GMU 231. Why success rates mislead.

2025 elk harvest by hunt code (CPW 2025 Elk Harvest Estimates). Each row is the whole hunt code, wherever it was valid in 2025 (2025 brochure unit lists).
2025 hunt codeValid in (2025)HuntersElk harvestedSuccess
EE000U1A (OTC)115 GMUs (full list below)9,5411,07611.3%
EM000U2R (OTC)93 GMUs (full list below) (GMU 231: private land only)23,6684,55819.3%
EM000U3R (OTC)93 GMUs (full list below) (GMU 231: private land only)17,3712,09612.1%
EE011P1A12 GMUs (full list below)63820632.3%
EE025V1A4 GMUs: 25, 26, 34, 231711537.5%
EE025O1M4 GMUs: 25, 26, 34, 2311402719.3%
EF025O1M4 GMUs: 25, 26, 34, 23110376.8%
EE011P1R12 GMUs (full list below)60935157.6%
EE231P2RGMU 231 only55100%*
EE231P3RGMU 231 only8337.5%*
EE231P4RGMU 231 only300%*
EF011O1R9 GMUs (full list below)7367410.1%
EF025P5R3 GMUs: 25, 26, 231221209%
EF231O2RGMU 231 only941617%
EF231O3RGMU 231 only39615.4%
EF231O4RGMU 231 only19315.8%
EM011O1R12 GMUs (full list below)2,97470123.6%
EM011O2R8 GMUs: 11, 12, 13, 23, 24, 131, 211, 2311,62732920.2%
EM011O3R8 GMUs: 11, 12, 13, 23, 24, 131, 211, 2311,14123020.2%
EM231O4RGMU 231 only22940.9%

* CPW flags this estimate: few hunters responded.

EE000U1A was valid in 115 GMUs in 2025

3, 6, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 43, 53, 59, 60, 62, 63, 64, 65, 68, 79, 82, 83, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 105, 106, 107, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 161, 171, 181, 211, 214, 231, 301, 361, 371, 431, 471, 511, 581, 591, 681, 691, 851, 861, 951

EM000U2R was valid in 93 GMUs in 2025

3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 47, 52, 53, 54, 55, 59, 60, 62, 63, 64, 65, 68, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 77, 78, 80, 81, 82, 85, 86, 131, 133, 134, 140, 141, 142, 161, 171, 181, 211, 214, 231, 301, 361, 371, 411, 421, 431, 441, 444, 471, 511, 521, 551, 581, 591, 681, 691, 711, 741, 751, 771, 851, 861

EM000U3R was valid in 93 GMUs in 2025

3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 47, 52, 53, 54, 55, 59, 60, 62, 63, 64, 65, 68, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 77, 78, 80, 81, 82, 85, 86, 131, 133, 134, 140, 141, 142, 161, 171, 181, 211, 214, 231, 301, 361, 371, 411, 421, 431, 441, 444, 471, 511, 521, 551, 581, 591, 681, 691, 711, 741, 751, 771, 851, 861

EM011O1R was valid in 12 GMUs in 2025

11, 12, 13, 23, 24, 25, 26, 33, 34, 131, 211, 231

EF011O1R was valid in 9 GMUs in 2025

11, 12, 13, 23, 24, 33, 131, 211, 231

EE011P1A was valid in 12 GMUs in 2025

11, 12, 13, 23, 24, 25, 26, 33, 34, 131, 211, 231

EE011P1R was valid in 12 GMUs in 2025

11, 12, 13, 23, 24, 25, 26, 33, 34, 131, 211, 231

CPW 2025 Elk Harvest Estimates

Outfitters

  • Colorado Outfitters LLC OUT.773: GMU 231 is among its registered GMUs in the state record (a self-report on the registration: 1, 2, 5, 14, 201, 214, 231). own site

Listings come only from this site's verified outfitter directory (this unit's region: Northwest), where every record is an Active state registration with guided hunting confirmed on the outfitter's own site. Check any outfitter's registration yourself before you book (how).

Common questions

Is there over-the-counter elk in GMU 231?

Yes: E-E-000-U1-A, E-M-000-U2-R, E-M-000-U3-R are valid in GMU 231 for 2026.

What does it take to draw elk in GMU 231?

The highest-cutoff 2026 code that includes GMU 231, E-E-025-O1-M, drew out at 0 preference points for resident adults and 1 preference point for nonresident adults; it covers 4 GMUs.

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