Colorado elk unit · GMU 181
Kremmling Bench · Middle Park
The Divide-to-river bench above Kremmling — a mixed-ownership OTC unit in Middle Park.
About GMU 181
Colorado Game Management Unit 181 sits in the Middle Park, spanning Grand county near Kremmling, Hot Sulphur Springs, Parshall, Granby. The terrain runs from 7,400 – 11,300 ft, with the primary big game being Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer.
A drastic drop from the high Continental Divide to the Colorado River foothills — sage and shrub on the lower southern exposures, aspen and conifer mid-slope, alpine along the Divide. A smaller unit with decent county-road access.
Elk success rates (CPW 2024)
Published by Colorado Parks and Wildlife in the CPW 2024 Elk Harvest Estimates for the 2024 season — the percentage of hunters who harvested an elk. Success swings with weather and pressure year to year; this is the most recent published data.
| Season | Success |
|---|---|
| Archery | 3% |
| Muzzleloader | 0% |
| 1st rifle | 21% |
| 2nd rifle | 8% |
| 3rd rifle | 17% |
| 4th rifle | 20% |
| All seasons | 14% |
Tags & draw odds
Tag type: OTC bull (2nd & 3rd rifle).
OTC bull for 2nd & 3rd rifle (no points) — the bull license is the statewide pooled tag valid here (the unit's own codes are mostly cow/either-sex). Unchanged for 2026. 1st & 4th rifle limited; nonresident archery draw-only; muzzleloader limited (and historically near-zero harvest here). Verify with CPW.
Access & crowding
County and Forest roads give good access to the public pieces, but the lower western end is private — confirm boundaries before hunting there.
Moderate; the OTC tag draws hunters to the public ground while the private lower end stays quieter.
Who GMU 181 is for
A mixed-ownership Middle Park bench on an OTC tag — rifle is the workhorse season (archery and muzzleloader have been very poor here), with honest mid-teens overall success.
In a line: The DIY rifle hunter who wants an accessible Middle Park OTC tag and will work the public ground.
Recent changes: Shares the eastern edge of the 2020 East Troublesome Fire footprint with 18. Unaffected by the 2026 OTC changes — remains OTC bull for 2nd/3rd rifle.
Where Elk Glade fits in
Elk Glade Outfitters runs primarily in GMU 59, not this unit — but we know the surrounding country and the regional draw landscape. If you have a tag here or you’re building points toward one, get in touch and we’ll talk through the strategy. If you don’t draw, we may have a 59 slot.
Data sources: elk success rates from CPW Colorado Elk Harvest Estimates (year labeled above). Public-land percentages are approximate. Draw point requirements shift every year and are described as ranges only — always verify the current-year figures in the CPW big game brochure and draw recap before applying.
Plan a hunt
Need help with the 181draw, or want a 59 slot if it doesn’t come through?
Send us a note with what tag you’re applying for and your dates — we’ll walk through the draw strategy and let you know what’s open at Elk Glade.
