Colorado elk unit · GMU 43
Roaring Fork · Aspen high country
High, wild, and ~80% public near Aspen — wilderness solitude for hunters who'll earn it.
About GMU 43
Colorado Game Management Unit 43 sits in the Central Colorado (Roaring Fork), spanning Pitkin, Eagle, Garfield, Gunnison counties near Aspen, Carbondale, Glenwood Springs, Basalt. The terrain runs from 5,800 – 14,000+ ft, with the primary big game being Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer.
Rugged high country — high peaks over steep basins, with ~40% roadless Wilderness (Hunter–Fryingpan, Maroon Bells–Snowmass, Raggeds, Collegiate Peaks).
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 | 8% |
| Muzzleloader | 19% |
| 1st rifle | 18% |
| 2nd rifle | 19% |
| 3rd rifle | 28% |
| 4th rifle | 32% |
| All seasons | 18% |
Tags & draw odds
Tag type: Limited draw.
Limited/draw for elk (not an OTC rifle unit); recent nonresident demand has run in the low single-digit preference points. Verify current-year odds with CPW.
Access & crowding
Marked backcountry trails and primitive 4WD roads; the Wilderness core is pack-in on foot or horseback.
Quieter than OTC units but increasingly publicized; archery in particular sees heavy pressure (921 bow hunters in 2024 at just 8% success).
Who GMU 43 is for
A 'work for it' high-country unit with solid populations and good genetics, but no manage-for-trophy designation.
In a line: The fit, experienced backcountry hunter who'll trade a draw wait and a hard pack-in for high-public-land wilderness near Aspen.
Recent changes: Split in 2024 — GMU 431 was carved out, so 43 is now smaller; the 2024 figures above reflect the current (post-split) boundary. Nonresident OTC archery moved to draw statewide in 2025.
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 43draw, 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.
