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Elk in GMU 51
GMU 51 has 12 2026 elk hunt codes (0 over the counter, 12 drawn), and the highest resident adult cutoff is E-E-051-O1-A at 1 preference point. 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 51 is
GMU 51 lies in Douglas County. CPW's boundary description: bounded on N by Colo. 470; on E by I-25; on S by Douglas-Teller Co. line; on W by South Platte River.
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 51
GMU 51 is not on CPW's 2026 map for the unlimited 2nd and 3rd season bull licenses. 2026 brochure, OTC maps pp. 38–40 No over-the-counter archery license is valid in GMU 51; archery elk here is drawn.
GMU 51 has 12 limited elk codes for 2026 (1 archery, 2 muzzleloader and 9 rifle), 12 of them valid in this GMU alone. Resident adult cutoffs, highest first: E-E-051-O1-A at 1 preference point, E-M-051-O1-M at 1 preference point, E-M-051-O1-R at 1 preference point, E-M-051-O3-R at 1 preference point and E-M-051-O2-R at 0 preference points. The code with the most licenses is E-F-051-P5-R (valid in this GMU alone): 280 licenses and 77 resident adult first-choice applicants. CPW 2026 Elk Draw Recap
Largest codes valid in GMU 51 alone: E-F-051-P5-R (280 licenses, drew out at leftover), E-E-051-O1-A (120 licenses, drew out at 1 preference point) and E-F-051-O1-M (50 licenses, drew out at 2nd choice).
The 2025 harvest row with the most hunters among codes that include GMU 51 is EF051P5R: 34.7% success among 219 hunters, for the whole code across 1 GMU, not GMU 51 alone. CPW 2025 Elk Harvest Estimates
2026 elk hunt codes
There is no over-the-counter elk license valid in GMU 51 in 2026: every elk code here is drawn. "Statewide framework" dates are the general season windows on the elk seasons page.
| Hunt code | Method / season | 2026 dates | Sex | License | Valid in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-E-051-O1-A | Archery | Sept. 2–30 | Either-sex | Limited (draw) | GMU 51 only |
| E-F-051-O1-M | Muzzleloader | Sept. 12–20 | Cow | Limited (draw) | GMU 51 only |
| E-M-051-O1-M | Muzzleloader | Sept. 12–20 | Bull | Limited (draw) | GMU 51 only |
| E-F-051-O1-R | Rifle, 1st season | Oct. 14–18 | Cow | Limited (draw) | GMU 51 only |
| E-F-051-O2-R | Rifle, 2nd season | Oct. 24–Nov. 1 | Cow | Limited (draw) | GMU 51 only |
| E-F-051-O3-R | Rifle, 3rd season | Nov. 7–15 | Cow | Limited (draw) | GMU 51 only |
| E-F-051-O4-R | Rifle, 4th season | Nov. 18–22 | Cow | Limited (draw) | GMU 51 only |
| E-F-051-P5-R | Rifle | Sept. 1–Jan. 31 | Cow | Limited (draw), private land only | GMU 51 only |
| E-M-051-O1-R | Rifle, 1st season | Oct. 14–18 | Bull | Limited (draw) | GMU 51 only |
| E-M-051-O2-R | Rifle, 2nd season | Oct. 24–Nov. 1 | Bull | Limited (draw) | GMU 51 only |
| E-M-051-O3-R | Rifle, 3rd season | Nov. 7–15 | Bull | Limited (draw) | GMU 51 only |
| E-M-051-O4-R | Rifle, 4th season | Nov. 18–22 | Bull | Limited (draw) | GMU 51 only |
2026 draw results
These codes are valid in GMU 51 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.
| Applicant group | Applicants, 1st choice | Drawn, all choices | Drawn out at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident adult | 168 | 77 | 1 preference point; 36 of 62 drawn at that level |
| Nonresident adult | 33 | 15 | 1 preference point; 4 of 15 drawn at that level |
| Resident youth | 6 | 5 | 1 preference point; 1 of 1 drawn at that level |
| Landowner (unrestricted) | 5 | 12 | Leftover Choice 1; 6 of 12 drawn at that level |
| Landowner (restricted) | 5 | 11 | Leftover Choice 3; 2 of 2 drawn at that level |
| Applicant group | Applicants, 1st choice | Drawn, all choices | Drawn out at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident adult | 20 | 46 | 2nd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 27 of 63 drawn at that level |
| Nonresident adult | 1 | 1 | 0 preference points; 1 of 1 drawn at that level |
| Resident youth | 1 | 2 | 2nd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 1 of 2 drawn at that level |
| Landowner (unrestricted) | 1 | 1 | 0 preference points; 1 of 1 drawn at that level |
| Landowner (restricted) | 1 | 0 | None drawn |
| Applicant group | Applicants, 1st choice | Drawn, all choices | Drawn out at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident adult | 23 | 29 | 2nd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 6 of 33 drawn at that level |
| Nonresident adult | 0 | 2 | 2nd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 2 of 2 drawn at that level |
| Resident youth | 5 | 9 | 2nd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 4 of 5 drawn at that level |
| Applicant group | Applicants, 1st choice | Drawn, all choices | Drawn out at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident adult | 17 | 39 | 2nd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 22 of 49 drawn at that level |
| Resident youth | 3 | 7 | 2nd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 4 of 9 drawn at that level |
| Landowner (unrestricted) | 1 | 4 | Leftover Choice 3; 2 of 2 drawn at that level |
| Landowner (restricted) | 1 | 0 | None drawn |
| Applicant group | Applicants, 1st choice | Drawn, all choices | Drawn out at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident adult | 18 | 35 | 2nd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 17 of 36 drawn at that level |
| Nonresident adult | 1 | 3 | 2nd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 2 of 2 drawn at that level |
| Resident youth | 1 | 1 | 1 preference point; 1 of 1 drawn at that level |
| Landowner (unrestricted) | 0 | 1 | Leftover Choice 3; 1 of 1 drawn at that level |
| Applicant group | Applicants, 1st choice | Drawn, all choices | Drawn out at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident adult | 5 | 33 | 3rd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 7 of 17 drawn at that level |
| Landowner (unrestricted) | 0 | 2 | Leftover Choice 2; 2 of 2 drawn at that level |
| Applicant group | Applicants, 1st choice | Drawn, all choices | Drawn out at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident adult | 77 | 215 | Leftover (licenses remained after the draw) |
| Nonresident adult | 2 | 4 | Leftover (licenses remained after the draw) |
| Resident youth | 6 | 21 | Leftover (licenses remained after the draw) |
| Nonresident youth | 0 | 1 | Leftover (licenses remained after the draw) |
| Landowner (unrestricted) | 3 | 28 | Leftover Choice 3; 2 of 11 drawn at that level |
| Landowner (restricted) | 3 | 9 | Leftover Choice 3; 9 of 11 drawn at that level |
| Applicant group | Applicants, 1st choice | Drawn, all choices | Drawn out at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident adult | 72 | 29 | 1 preference point; 11 of 23 drawn at that level |
| Nonresident adult | 30 | 10 | 3 preference points; 2 of 7 drawn at that level |
| Resident youth | 1 | 1 | 3 preference points; 1 of 1 drawn at that level |
| Nonresident youth | 1 | 0 | None drawn |
| Landowner (unrestricted) | 7 | 5 | 0 preference points; 1 of 3 drawn at that level |
| Landowner (restricted) | 7 | 5 | Leftover Choice 1; 1 of 1 drawn at that level |
| Applicant group | Applicants, 1st choice | Drawn, all choices | Drawn out at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident adult | 60 | 28 | 1 preference point; 17 of 24 drawn at that level |
| Nonresident adult | 12 | 8 | 1 preference point; 3 of 3 drawn at that level |
| Resident youth | 11 | 4 | 1 preference point; 1 of 3 drawn at that level |
| Landowner (unrestricted) | 9 | 5 | 0 preference points; 4 of 8 drawn at that level |
| Landowner (restricted) | 8 | 5 | 2nd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 1 of 6 drawn at that level |
| Applicant group | Applicants, 1st choice | Drawn, all choices | Drawn out at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident adult | 51 | 32 | 0 preference points; 19 of 38 drawn at that level |
| Nonresident adult | 4 | 3 | 0 preference points; 1 of 2 drawn at that level |
| Resident youth | 4 | 4 | 0 preference points; 1 of 1 drawn at that level |
| Nonresident youth | 1 | 1 | 0 preference points; 1 of 1 drawn at that level |
| Landowner (unrestricted) | 5 | 5 | 0 preference points; 4 of 4 drawn at that level |
| Landowner (restricted) | 5 | 5 | Leftover Choice 2; 4 of 8 drawn at that level |
| Applicant group | Applicants, 1st choice | Drawn, all choices | Drawn out at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident adult | 35 | 16 | 1 preference point; 11 of 17 drawn at that level |
| Nonresident adult | 8 | 6 | 1 preference point; 2 of 2 drawn at that level |
| Resident youth | 4 | 2 | 2 preference points; 1 of 1 drawn at that level |
| Landowner (unrestricted) | 6 | 3 | 0 preference points; 1 of 4 drawn at that level |
| Landowner (restricted) | 4 | 3 | 0 preference points; 3 of 3 drawn at that level |
| Applicant group | Applicants, 1st choice | Drawn, all choices | Drawn out at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident adult | 26 | 14 | 0 preference points; 1 of 13 drawn at that level |
| Nonresident adult | 3 | 1 | 2 preference points; 1 of 1 drawn at that level |
| Resident youth | 1 | 1 | 3 preference points; 1 of 1 drawn at that level |
| Landowner (unrestricted) | 5 | 2 | 0 preference points; 1 of 4 drawn at that level |
| Landowner (restricted) | 5 | 2 | 0 preference points; 2 of 4 drawn at that level |
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 51. Why success rates mislead.
| 2025 hunt code | Valid in (2025) | Hunters | Elk harvested | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EE051O1A | GMU 51 only | 110 | 30 | 27.3% |
| EF051O1M | GMU 51 only | 44 | 1 | 2.3% |
| EM051O1M | GMU 51 only | 44 | 23 | 52.3% |
| EF051O1R | GMU 51 only | 31 | 5 | 16.1% |
| EF051O2R | GMU 51 only | 49 | 10 | 20.4% |
| EF051O3R | GMU 51 only | 27 | 2 | 7.4% |
| EF051O4R | GMU 51 only | 28 | 5 | 17.9% |
| EF051P5R | GMU 51 only | 219 | 76 | 34.7% |
| EM051O1R | GMU 51 only | 44 | 26 | 59.1% |
| EM051O2R | GMU 51 only | 44 | 21 | 47.7% |
| EM051O3R | GMU 51 only | 29 | 12 | 41.4% |
| EM051O4R | GMU 51 only | 19 | 9 | 47.4% |
Outfitters
- Turner Guide Service OUT.1653: GMU 51 is among its registered GMUs in the state record (a self-report on the registration: 38, 39, 46, 461, 50, 501, 51, plus sheep and goat units). own site
Listings come only from this site's verified outfitter directory (this unit's region: Central), 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 51?
No. GMU 51 is on none of CPW's 2026 over-the-counter elk maps, so every elk license here is drawn.
What does it take to draw elk in GMU 51?
The highest-cutoff 2026 code that includes GMU 51, E-E-051-O1-A, drew out at 1 preference point for resident adults and 1 preference point for nonresident adults; it covers this GMU alone.