Last verified
Elk in GMU 81
GMU 81's over-the-counter elk in 2026 is the 2nd and 3rd rifle season bull license; its archery, muzzleloader and 1st and 4th rifle bull codes are shared with GMU 80. 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 81 is
GMU 81 lies in Alamosa, Archuleta, Conejos and Rio Grande counties. CPW's boundary description: bounded on N by USFS 380 & 250, Alamosa River and La Jara Creek; on E by Rio Grande; on S by NM; on W by Continental Divide.
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 81
GMU 81 is on CPW's 2026 map for over-the-counter 2nd and 3rd rifle season bulls, but not on either archery map. 2026 brochure, OTC maps pp. 38–40 Archery is the limited either-sex code E-E-080-O1-A, valid in GMUs 80 and 81 together; it had 2,000 licenses and drew out at 0 preference points for resident adults. Its numbers are for both units. CPW 2026 Elk Draw Recap
The codes valid in GMU 81 alone are cow codes. The 2nd and 3rd rifle cow codes drew out at 1 preference point for resident adults, with 302 resident adult first-choice applicants for 150 licenses in 2nd season.
2026 elk hunt codes
Over-the-counter elk is available here through 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.
| Hunt code | Method / season | 2026 dates | Sex | License | Valid in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E-E-080-O1-A | Archery | Sept. 2–30 | Either-sex | Limited (draw) | 2 GMUs: 80, 81 |
| E-F-080-O1-M | Muzzleloader | Sept. 12–20 | Cow | Limited (draw) | 2 GMUs: 80, 81 |
| E-M-080-O1-M | Muzzleloader | Sept. 12–20 | Bull | Limited (draw) | 2 GMUs: 80, 81 |
| E-F-081-O2-R | Rifle, 2nd season | Oct. 24–Nov. 1 | Cow | Limited (draw) | GMU 81 only |
| E-F-081-O3-R | Rifle, 3rd season | Nov. 7–15 | Cow | Limited (draw) | GMU 81 only |
| E-F-081-O4-R | Rifle, 4th season | Nov. 18–22 | Cow | Limited (draw) | GMU 81 only |
| E-F-081-P5-R | Rifle | Sept. 1–Jan. 31 | Cow | Limited (draw), private land only | GMU 81 only |
| E-M-000-U2-R | Rifle, 2nd season | Oct. 24–Nov. 1 | Bull | Over the counter | 90 GMUs (full list below) |
| E-M-000-U3-R | Rifle, 3rd season | Nov. 7–15 | Bull | Over the counter | 90 GMUs (full list below) |
| E-M-080-O1-R | Rifle, 1st season | Oct. 14–18 | Bull | Limited (draw) | 2 GMUs: 80, 81 |
| E-M-080-O4-R | Rifle, 4th season | Nov. 18–22 | Bull | Limited (draw) | 2 GMUs: 80, 81 |
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
2026 draw results
These codes are valid in GMU 81 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 | 302 | 107 | 1 preference point; 44 of 111 drawn at that level |
| Nonresident adult | 37 | 19 | 1 preference point; 8 of 15 drawn at that level |
| Resident youth | 40 | 23 | 0 preference points; 11 of 28 drawn at that level |
| Nonresident youth | 4 | 1 | 0 preference points; 1 of 4 drawn at that level |
| Applicant group | Applicants, 1st choice | Drawn, all choices | Drawn out at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident adult | 192 | 76 | 1 preference point; 55 of 86 drawn at that level |
| Nonresident adult | 18 | 9 | 1 preference point; 3 of 5 drawn at that level |
| Resident youth | 34 | 14 | 0 preference points; 5 of 24 drawn at that level |
| Nonresident youth | 1 | 1 | 0 preference points; 1 of 1 drawn at that level |
| Applicant group | Applicants, 1st choice | Drawn, all choices | Drawn out at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident adult | 57 | 62 | 2nd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 5 of 53 drawn at that level |
| Nonresident adult | 5 | 7 | 2nd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 2 of 13 drawn at that level |
| Resident youth | 8 | 11 | 2nd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 3 of 11 drawn at that level |
| Applicant group | Applicants, 1st choice | Drawn, all choices | Drawn out at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident adult | 16 | 22 | 2nd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 6 of 17 drawn at that level |
| Nonresident adult | 1 | 1 | 1 preference point; 1 of 1 drawn at that level |
| Resident youth | 4 | 7 | 2nd choice (every earlier-choice applicant drew); 3 of 3 drawn at that level |
The codes below also include GMU 81, but they cover other units too. Their numbers are for the whole code.
| Applicant group | Applicants, 1st choice | Drawn, all choices | Drawn out at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident adult | 458 | 447 | 0 preference points; 366 of 375 drawn at that level |
| Nonresident adult | 1,706 | 1,461 | 0 preference points; 1200 of 1439 drawn at that level |
| Resident youth | 57 | 57 | 0 preference points; 49 of 49 drawn at that level |
| Nonresident youth | 47 | 35 | 0 preference points; 29 of 41 drawn at that level |
| Applicant group | Applicants, 1st choice | Drawn, all choices | Drawn out at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident adult | 71 | 50 | 0 preference points; 21 of 41 drawn at that level |
| Nonresident adult | 50 | 13 | 1 preference point; 6 of 23 drawn at that level |
| Resident youth | 4 | 3 | 0 preference points; 3 of 4 drawn at that level |
| Nonresident youth | 5 | 4 | 0 preference points; 4 of 5 drawn at that level |
| Applicant group | Applicants, 1st choice | Drawn, all choices | Drawn out at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident adult | 167 | 76 | 1 preference point; 45 of 73 drawn at that level |
| Nonresident adult | 221 | 28 | 6 preference points; 11 of 20 drawn at that level |
| Resident youth | 23 | 11 | 1 preference point; 5 of 11 drawn at that level |
| Nonresident youth | 7 | 0 | None drawn |
| Applicant group | Applicants, 1st choice | Drawn, all choices | Drawn out at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident adult | 707 | 292 | 1 preference point; 224 of 280 drawn at that level |
| Nonresident adult | 663 | 111 | 3 preference points; 60 of 176 drawn at that level |
| Resident youth | 131 | 46 | 1 preference point; 38 of 44 drawn at that level |
| Nonresident youth | 39 | 1 | 3 preference points; 1 of 4 drawn at that level |
| Applicant group | Applicants, 1st choice | Drawn, all choices | Drawn out at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident adult | 72 | 27 | 1 preference point; 16 of 26 drawn at that level |
| Nonresident adult | 34 | 9 | 1 preference point; 5 of 19 drawn at that level |
| Resident youth | 18 | 3 | 1 preference point; 2 of 3 drawn at that level |
| Nonresident youth | 5 | 1 | 1 preference point; 1 of 2 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 81. Why success rates mislead.
| 2025 hunt code | Valid in (2025) | Hunters | Elk harvested | Success |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EM000U2R (OTC) | 93 GMUs (full list below) | 23,668 | 4,558 | 19.3% |
| EM000U3R (OTC) | 93 GMUs (full list below) | 17,371 | 2,096 | 12.1% |
| EE080O1A | 2 GMUs: 80, 81 | 1,997 | 346 | 17.3% |
| EF080O1M | 2 GMUs: 80, 81 | 69 | 18 | 26.1% |
| EM080O1M | 2 GMUs: 80, 81 | 114 | 37 | 32.5% |
| EF081O2R | GMU 81 only | 139 | 45 | 32.4% |
| EF081O3R | GMU 81 only | 99 | 26 | 26.3% |
| EF081O4R | GMU 81 only | 68 | 18 | 26.5% |
| EF081P5R | GMU 81 only | 10 | 6 | 60% |
| EM080O1R | 2 GMUs: 80, 81 | 414 | 144 | 34.8% |
| EM080O4R | 2 GMUs: 80, 81 | 40 | 6 | 15% |
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
Outfitters
No outfitter in this site's verified directory sells hunts in GMU 81 on its own website or lists it among its registered GMUs, so none is named here. We do not place outfitters on a unit page by mailing address.
Listings come only from this site's verified outfitter directory (this unit's region: Southwest), 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 GMU 81 over the counter for elk?
Only for 2nd and 3rd rifle season bulls (E-M-000-U2-R, E-M-000-U3-R) in 2026. Archery in GMU 81 is drawn, through a code shared with GMU 80.
What does it take to draw GMU 81 1st rifle bull?
The 1st rifle bull code E-M-080-O1-R is valid in GMUs 80 and 81. In 2026 it drew out at 1 preference point for resident adults and 3 preference points for nonresident adults. That describes both units together.
Are GMU 81 cow tags hard to draw?
They took 1 preference point for resident adults in 2nd and 3rd season in 2026, and the 4th season code drew to the 2nd choice.