Colorado elk unit · GMU 78
South San Juan Wilderness · E of Pagosa
South San Juan Wilderness on the Divide — the highest-odds OTC unit in the Pagosa country.
About GMU 78
Colorado Game Management Unit 78 sits in the Southern San Juans, spanning Archuleta, Conejos, Mineral, Rio Grande counties near Pagosa Springs, Platoro, South Fork. The terrain runs from 6,500 – 13,150 ft, with the primary big game being Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer.
Oakbrush foothills climb through steep spruce-fir to alpine tundra and willow thickets above timberline under Montezuma Peak, straddling the Continental Divide and the South San Juan Wilderness.
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 | 20% |
| Muzzleloader | 29% |
| 1st rifle | 32% |
| 2nd rifle | 28% |
| 3rd rifle | 29% |
| 4th rifle | 28% |
| All seasons | 27% |
Tags & draw odds
Tag type: OTC bull (2nd & 3rd rifle).
OTC bull for 2nd & 3rd rifle (no points) — unchanged for 2026; the bull tag is valid across 77, 78, and 771. 1st & 4th rifle bull limited; nonresident archery draw-only (since 2025); muzzleloader limited. Verify current-year status with CPW.
Access & crowding
Forest roads and trailheads off US 160 (Pagosa side) and the Platoro / Conejos side to the east; the Wilderness core is foot or horseback. 4WD helps.
The best-odds OTC unit in the Pagosa country, so it draws hunters — but the Wilderness and Divide high country reward those who climb.
Who GMU 78 is for
The strongest of the Pagosa-area OTC units — a consistent high-20s success across the rifle seasons on big public Wilderness ground. Opportunity hunting at its better end.
In a line: The fit DIY hunter who wants the best-odds OTC tag in the Pagosa San Juans and will hunt the high Wilderness.
Recent changes: Unaffected by the 2026 OTC changes — remains OTC bull for 2nd/3rd rifle. A new 1st-rifle deer hunt was added for 77/78/771 in 2026 (deer, not elk).
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 78draw, 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.
