Colorado elk unit · GMU 24
White River · Flat Tops
The flagship White River / Flat Tops unit — big public Wilderness on an OTC tag, and a hard, honest backcountry hunt.
About GMU 24
Colorado Game Management Unit 24 sits in the Northwest Colorado (Flat Tops), spanning Rio Blanco, Garfield counties near Meeker, Buford, Rifle. The terrain runs from 6,500 – 12,400 ft, with the primary big game being Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer.
Big vertical relief — White River bottomlands and aspen-oak benches near Buford climb to spruce-fir and alpine in a large block of the Flat Tops Wilderness. Classic, steep, early-season backcountry elk 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 | 12% |
| Muzzleloader | 16% |
| 1st rifle | 24% |
| 2nd rifle | 5% |
| 3rd rifle | 5% |
| 4th rifle | 20% |
| All seasons | 14% |
Tags & draw odds
Tag type: OTC bull (2nd & 3rd rifle) — back to OTC for 2026.
2nd/3rd-rifle bull returned to OTC for 2026 (public-land antlered was limited in 2024–25 after the winterkill); 1st/4th rifle limited. Nonresident archery draw-only; muzzleloader limited. Verify current-year status with CPW.
Access & crowding
Road access up the White River (CR 8) to the Forest, then foot or horseback into the roadless Flat Tops Wilderness. Steep public ground.
A famous, public, OTC Flat Tops unit — it draws hunters, and the mid-rifle seasons in particular get pressure; the Wilderness interior thins them out.
Who GMU 24 is for
Iconic White River / Flat Tops backcountry on a recovering herd — low overall success (14%, single digits in the crowded mid-rifle seasons) reflects steep, pressured Wilderness hunting. A go-high, earn-it unit.
In a line: The fit backcountry hunter who wants the classic Flat Tops Wilderness experience on an OTC tag and will hunt high and early.
Recent changes: 2026: 2nd/3rd rifle bull returned to OTC (public-land antlered limited in 2024–25); the White River herd was hit hard by the 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 24draw, 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.
