Colorado elk unit · GMU 50
Northern South Park
Classic South Park — open parks, big migrations, and a drawable tag close to the Front Range.
About GMU 50
Colorado Game Management Unit 50 sits in the South Park, spanning Park county near Fairplay, Hartsel, Jefferson, Alma. The terrain runs from 6,100 – 13,800 ft, with the primary big game being Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Pronghorn Antelope.
Wide-open South Park grass and sage on the valley floor, rising through ponderosa and oakbrush into spruce-fir, aspen, and alpine meadow on the Mosquito Range and Mount Silverheels. Rolling Puma Hills and cut creek canyons on the east.
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 | 7% |
| 2nd rifle | 30% |
| 3rd rifle | 25% |
| 4th rifle | 58% |
| All seasons | 32% |
Tags & draw odds
Tag type: Limited draw (all seasons).
Fully limited — not an OTC unit. Either-sex and bull codes have historically been attainable at low-to-moderate nonresident points, with some antlerless and late codes going to leftover. Verify current-year odds with CPW.
Access & crowding
Good highway and county-road access off US 285 and CO 9, with Forest Service roads into the high country; the valley is a checkerboard, so confirm land status before you cross a fence.
Moderate for a drawn unit — the open terrain concentrates glassing pressure, but limited tags keep it well below OTC-unit crowds.
Who GMU 50 is for
A classic migration unit — elk pour off the high timber into South Park as snow builds, which is what lifts the late-rifle and all-manner success. An opportunity unit with honest odds, not a manage-for-trophy tag.
In a line: The hunter who wants a drawable South Park tag within a couple hours of the Front Range and likes glassing open migration country.
Recent changes: No OTC status to lose — South Park has long been limited-entry. Nonresident OTC archery ended statewide in 2025 but did not affect 50 (already draw).
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 50draw, 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.
