Bears Ears · Upper Yampa

About GMU 4

Colorado Game Management Unit 4 sits in the Far Northwest Colorado (Bears Ears), spanning Moffat, Routt counties near Craig, Steamboat Springs, Hayden, Clark. The terrain runs from 6,200 – 10,900 ft, with the primary big game being Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Pronghorn Antelope.

Sage and oakbrush foothills climb into aspen and spruce-fir of the Routt National Forest, draining toward the Yampa and Little Snake. Good cover low, steep timber to the east toward the Continental Divide.

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.

Tags & draw odds

Tag type: OTC bull (2nd & 3rd rifle) — back to OTC for 2026.

Big news for 2026: after the historic 2022–23 winterkill, CPW limited the 2nd/3rd-rifle bull tag here for 2024–25, then RETURNED it to over-the-counter (no points) for 2026. 1st and 4th rifle are now either-sex limited draw (low-point). Nonresident archery is draw-only statewide (since 2025); muzzleloader is limited draw. Verify current-year status with CPW.

Access & crowding

Highway and Forest Service road access off US 40 and the Craig–Steamboat corridor; the lower country is largely private, so confirm land status to reach the public timber.

An OTC unit again for 2026 — expect renewed rifle pressure on the public Forest after two quieter limited-draw years, though the herd is still rebuilding from the winterkill.

Who GMU 4 is for

Part of CPW's Bears Ears herd, hammered by the 2022–23 winter and still recovering — an opportunity / numbers unit, not a trophy tag. Honest mid-20s success, with the late rifle the bright spot.

In a line: The DIY rifle hunter who wants an OTC Bears Ears bull tag and will hunt the public Forest as the herd rebuilds.

Recent changes: 2026: 2nd/3rd rifle bull returned to OTC (was limited in 2024–25 after the winterkill); 1st/4th rifle became either-sex limited. A Ranching-for-Wildlife antler-point restriction applies on enrolled properties.

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.