Colorado elk unit · GMU 214
Wolf Mountain · Elkhead
Open, glassable Elkhead country — an OTC tag that hunts best with private access.
About GMU 214
Colorado Game Management Unit 214 sits in the Far Northwest Colorado (Bears Ears), spanning Routt, Moffat counties near Craig, Hayden, Steamboat Springs, Clark. The terrain runs from 6,400 – 9,600 ft, with the primary big game being Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Pronghorn Antelope.
Lower, more open and glassable than its neighbors — aspen and scrub-oak draws, sage, and pasture/hay ground on the Wolf Mountain and Elkhead divide between Craig and Steamboat, with mountain pockets but modest relief.
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 | 13% |
| 1st rifle | 30% |
| 2nd rifle | 8% |
| 3rd rifle | 32% |
| All seasons | 26% |
Tags & draw odds
Tag type: OTC bull (2nd & 3rd rifle) — back to OTC for 2026.
2nd/3rd-rifle bull returned to OTC for 2026 (limited 2024–25 after the winterkill); 1st/4th rifle now either-sex limited. But with ~77% of the unit private, the OTC tag is most useful with private-land access. Nonresident archery is draw-only; muzzleloader limited. Verify with CPW.
Access & crowding
Easy road access off US 40, but the public pieces are scattered islands in private — the productive open country is largely private or Ranching-for-Wildlife.
Light on public (there isn't much of it); the real story is private / RFW access. The OTC return adds pressure to the limited public ground.
Who GMU 214 is for
An opportunity unit whose decent 26% all-manner success leans on private-land access — open, glassable country that hunts well with permission and is tough on public alone.
In a line: The hunter with private or RFW access who wants open, glassable Bears Ears country on an OTC tag.
Recent changes: 2026: 2nd/3rd rifle bull back to OTC (limited 2024–25); 1st/4th rifle now either-sex limited; RFW antler-point restriction 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.
Plan a hunt
Need help with the 214draw, 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.
