Colorado elk unit · GMU 23
White River · east of Meeker
Elk-rich White River country going back to OTC — bring your land-status app to hunt the public pieces.
About GMU 23
Colorado Game Management Unit 23 sits in the Northwest Colorado (White River), spanning Rio Blanco, Garfield counties near Meeker, Rifle. The terrain runs from 6,000 – 10,000+ ft, with the primary big game being Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer.
Three tiers — rolling ag land, sage hills and creek bottoms near Meeker, steepening foothills, then 10,000-ft Flat Tops-edge country.
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 | 26% |
| Muzzleloader | 20% |
| 1st rifle | 32% |
| 2nd rifle | 6% |
| 3rd rifle | 13% |
| 4th rifle | 22% |
| All seasons | 23% |
Tags & draw odds
Tag type: Returning to OTC bull (2nd & 3rd rifle) for 2026.
Historically a low-point limited draw on the bull side; 2nd/3rd rifle bull is returning to OTC for 2026. Verify current-year odds and OTC status with CPW.
Access & crowding
Good Forest Service road access on the public end; the heavy private checkerboard concentrates public hunters onto limited ground.
The rifle seasons get hit hard (321 bull hunters in 2nd rifle, 2024) and the private ownership funnels everyone onto the public pieces.
Who GMU 23 is for
An opportunity / numbers unit — part of the big White River herd, with a low ~17:100 bull-to-cow ratio and a younger bull age structure.
In a line: The budget-minded DIY rifle hunter who wants an OTC tag in elk-rich White River country and will do the land-status homework.
Recent changes: 2nd/3rd rifle bull returning to OTC for 2026 after being pulled to limited following the hard 2022–23 winter.
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 23draw, 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.
