Colorado OTC Elk Units
Updated 2026-07-16 · Tags on sale Aug 4

Best Colorado OTC Elk Units for 2026

The draw closed April 7. If you didn't draw, you're not done. Colorado still sells unlimited over-the-counter antlered elk licenses for 2nd and 3rd rifle season in a large set of units. They go on sale August 4, 2026 at 9 a.m. MDT.

What changed for 2026

Non-resident OTC archery elk west of I-25 is gone under the 2025 to 2029 season structure. Units 54, 55, and 551 in the northern Gunnison Basin moved to limited draw for 2nd and 3rd rifle. Units 11, 12, 13, 23, 24, 131, 211, and 231 moved back to unlimited antlered bull. Confirm every unit against the current CPW brochure before you buy.

How to pick an OTC unit

Skip the trophy-unit chase. The famous units also draw the most trucks. Rank on four things instead: hunting pressure, terrain difficulty, access, and elk security cover. The steeper and farther from the road, the fewer people and the more elk hold.

Colorado elk units by area

Unit 4Elkhead Mountains, Northwest Colorado · Verify 2026 status
Unit 5North of Steamboat Springs, Northwest Colorado · Verify 2026 status
Unit 11Yampa River / Maybell, Northwest Colorado · OTC 2nd & 3rd rifle
Unit 12White River, Northwest Colorado · OTC 2nd & 3rd rifle
Unit 13Williams Fork Mountains, Northwest Colorado · OTC 2nd & 3rd rifle
Unit 14Mount Zirkel country, Northwest Colorado · Verify 2026 status
Unit 22Roan Plateau, Northwest Colorado · Verify 2026 status
Unit 23White River, Northwest Colorado · OTC 2nd & 3rd rifle
Unit 24Flat Tops, Northwest Colorado · OTC 2nd & 3rd rifle
Unit 25Flat Tops south, West-Central Colorado · Verify 2026 status
Unit 32Parachute / Roan Creek, West-Central Colorado · Verify 2026 status
Unit 33White River, Northwest Colorado · Verify 2026 status
Unit 34North of Glenwood Springs, West-Central Colorado · Verify 2026 status
Unit 35Castle Peak, Eagle County, Central Colorado · Verify 2026 status
Unit 43Elk Mountains near Aspen, Central Colorado · Verify 2026 status
Unit 44Eagle County, Central Colorado · Verify 2026 status
Unit 52Grand Mesa, Western Colorado · Verify 2026 status
Unit 61Western Uncompahgre Plateau, Southwest Colorado · Verify 2026 status
Unit 62Uncompahgre Plateau, West-Central Colorado · Verify 2026 status
Unit 66Lake City / La Garita, Southwest Colorado · Verify 2026 status
Unit 71Southwest Colorado (Uncompahgre country) · Verify 2026 status
Unit 74San Juans north of Durango, Southwest Colorado · Verify 2026 status
Unit 76Upper Rio Grande, Southwest Colorado · Verify 2026 status
Unit 77San Juans north of Pagosa, Southwest Colorado · Verify 2026 status
Unit 131Upper Yampa / Steamboat, Northwest Colorado · OTC 2nd & 3rd rifle
Unit 421West of I-70, Northwest Colorado · Verify 2026 status

Know the unit. Now find where the elk move.

ScoutIQ forecasts daily elk movement inside your unit, with a confidence score on every call.

Get early access before Aug 4 → Try the OTC Unit Matcher
Terrain, forest, and elevation details are drawn from public land and habitat sources. License types change year to year, so always confirm a unit's current status and boundaries on the official Colorado Parks and Wildlife big game brochure before you buy. ScoutIQ forecasts are confidence-weighted, not guarantees.

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