Colorado elk unit · GMU 74
Hermosa · NW of Durango
Steep, ~86%-public San Juan backcountry above Durango — an OTC bull tag in big wilderness country.
About GMU 74
Colorado Game Management Unit 74 sits in the Southern San Juans, spanning La Plata, San Juan counties near Durango, Silverton, Bayfield, Hermosa. The terrain runs from 6,000 – 13,000 ft, with the primary big game being Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer.
Sage, oakbrush, and piñon foothills above Durango climb through steep aspen and spruce-fir to alpine rock and tundra toward Silverton. Steep, remote public country with roaded fringes.
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 | 18% |
| Muzzleloader | 32% |
| 1st rifle | 29% |
| 2nd rifle | 20% |
| 3rd rifle | 16% |
| 4th rifle | 17% |
| All seasons | 21% |
Tags & draw odds
Tag type: OTC bull (2nd & 3rd rifle).
OTC bull for 2nd & 3rd rifle (no points) — unchanged for 2026 (only the Gunnison Basin lost OTC). 1st & 4th rifle bull are limited draw; nonresident archery is draw-only (since 2025); muzzleloader is limited draw. Verify current-year status with CPW.
Access & crowding
Forest roads off US 550 and the Hermosa Creek corridor reach the lower country; the high Wilderness is foot or horseback. Steep public ground throughout.
A big, public OTC unit close to Durango, so the road-accessible country gets pressure; the Wilderness and high basins thin it out.
Who GMU 74 is for
Classic San Juan high country on an OTC tag — honest low-20s success, with elk holding high and in the timber. A fit-hunter's public-land unit, not a managed-trophy tag.
In a line: The fit DIY hunter who wants a high, public, OTC San Juan tag a short drive from Durango.
Recent changes: Unaffected by the 2026 OTC changes — remains OTC bull for 2nd/3rd rifle. Nonresident OTC archery ended statewide in 2025.
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 74draw, 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.
