Colorado elk unit · GMU 25
Flat Tops · South
Hard, high Flat Tops Wilderness near I-70 — a still-OTC tag and a go-high-or-go-home backcountry hunt.
About GMU 25
Colorado Game Management Unit 25 sits in the Northwest Colorado (Flat Tops), spanning Eagle, Garfield counties near Gypsum, Eagle, Edwards. The terrain runs from 6,300 – 12,200 ft, with the primary big game being Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer.
Deep pine and aspen, big alpine parks, and barren rocky slopes and avalanche chutes up high in the Flat Tops Wilderness, dropping to steep sandstone canyon country along the Colorado River. Physically demanding — go high, get off the roads.
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 | 6% |
| Muzzleloader | 0% |
| 1st rifle | 7% |
| 2nd rifle | 11% |
| 3rd rifle | 11% |
| 4th rifle | 30% |
| All seasons | 13% |
Tags & draw odds
Tag type: OTC bull (2nd & 3rd rifle).
OTC bull for 2nd & 3rd rifle. Unit 25 sits in the Flat Tops (E-07) herd, so — unlike the White River units to the north — it stayed OTC through the winterkill years rather than being limited. 1st rifle and muzzleloader are low-point draws. Nonresident archery draw-only. Verify with CPW.
Access & crowding
Forest roads from the I-70 corridor (Gypsum, Eagle) and from the north; the high country is roadless Wilderness, foot or horseback.
A public OTC Flat Tops unit near I-70 — accessible trailheads draw hunters, so the payoff is pushing high and away from the roads.
Who GMU 25 is for
High, hard, public Flat Tops country — low overall success (13%, single digits in archery and 1st rifle) reflects steep, pressured Wilderness hunting. The late rifle is the bright spot as elk move.
In a line: The fit backcountry hunter who wants big public Flat Tops Wilderness near I-70 on an OTC tag and will climb for it.
Recent changes: Stayed OTC through the winterkill years (Flat Tops E-07 herd, separate from the White River action). Cow tags shifted from List B to List A for many NW units, tightening antlerless flexibility.
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 25draw, 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.
