Colorado Unit 23 Elk Hunting Guide

Colorado Unit 23 is a limited-quota elk hunting unit spanning 271,006 acres, with every elk hunt in the unit issued through the draw — there is no general season here. That structure matters for how hunters should think about this unit: instead of showing up with an over-the-counter tag and competing with unlimited hunter numbers, everyone hunting elk in Unit 23 has drawn a specific tag for a specific hunt, which shapes crowding, pressure, and how hunters should plan their season.

Elevations in the unit range from 6,093 to 10,096 feet, giving hunters a wide band of terrain to work with — from lower foothill and sagebrush country up into subalpine timber and high basins. Public land sits at 50% of the unit, meaning hunters have a real but not overwhelming amount of public ground to work with; the other half of the unit is private, so access planning matters as much as tag strategy. There is no designated wilderness in this unit, which means motorized and mechanized access options exist across more of the public land than in wilderness-heavy units elsewhere in Colorado.

HuntPilot Analysis: Is Unit 23 Worth Applying For?

Unit 23 is a legitimate option for elk hunters, but it comes with a mixed picture that hunters need to understand before investing points or planning a trip.

On the harvest side, the numbers tell a story worth paying attention to. In the 2025 season, 6,254 hunters pursued elk in Unit 23 and 1,612 harvested animals, a 26% success rate — a notable jump from 2024's 23% success (846 harvested out of 3,741 hunters) and 2023's 18% success (867 harvested out of 4,871 hunters). That three-year trend of climbing success rates, paired with a big increase in hunter numbers in 2025, suggests either more favorable hunt conditions, increased tag allocations creating more opportunity, or both. Whatever the driver, a unit-wide success rate in the mid-20s is solid for elk hunting and above what many limited-quota units produce.

The herd health picture is more cautionary. Wildlife surveys conducted across six years (2018-2024) show an average bull-to-cow ratio of just 21:100. That is a low ratio by elk management standards and points to a bull population that is getting worked over relative to the cow herd — fewer mature bulls surviving to breed relative to the number of cows on the landscape. This matters directly for hunters chasing bulls, since a low bull:cow ratio typically correlates with lower odds of encountering mature, older-age-class bulls and can mean more competition for the bulls that are present.

On trophy potential, the counties overlapping Unit 23 carry a moderate history of trophy-class elk in the record books. That's not a unit defined by exceptional trophy production, but it isn't devoid of history either — hunters have taken quality bulls from this landscape, and moderate trophy potential paired with mid-20s success rates suggests Unit 23 rewards hunters who understand the terrain and put in scouting time rather than a unit where trophy bulls are common on the ground.

Given the data, Unit 23 is worth applying for if a hunter's primary goal is a reasonable chance at harvesting an elk with all-limited-quota hunt structure and moderate crowding expectations, rather than a unit specifically targeted for trophy-class bulls. Hunters focused purely on chasing a top-end bull may want to weigh the low bull:cow ratio against their expectations before committing points here.

Harvest Success Rates

The three-year harvest trend in Unit 23 is worth digging into for anyone deciding whether to apply:

• 2025: 6,254 hunters, 1,612 harvested, 26% success
• 2024: 3,741 hunters, 846 harvested, 23% success
• 2023: 4,871 hunters, 867 harvested, 18% success

Two things stand out. First, success rates have trended upward across all three years, climbing from 18% to 23% to 26%. Second, hunter numbers jumped substantially in 2025 relative to the prior two years, yet success rate still improved rather than declining — which usually happens when more hunters compete for the same number of elk. That combination suggests conditions in 2025 were favorable, whether due to weather patterns pushing elk into more huntable positions, herd distribution, or other factors not captured in the harvest numbers alone.

For hunters weighing this unit, a mid-20s success rate compares favorably against many Colorado limited-quota units and is well above what most over-the-counter elk hunting produces statewide. This isn't a unit where hunters should expect an easy tag to fill, but the data shows a genuine, improving opportunity to punch a tag with sound scouting and hunt planning.

Trophy Quality

Trophy data for the counties overlapping Unit 23 shows a moderate history of record-book entries — not a blank slate, but not a unit with an exceptional trophy pedigree either. As with all Colorado units, it's important to understand that trophy records are logged by county, not by hunt unit boundary, so entries attributed to this area are shared with any neighboring units that overlap the same counties. A hunter shouldn't read "moderate trophy history" as evidence this unit consistently produces exceptional bulls, but it does confirm that mature, trophy-class bulls have come from this general area over time.

That trophy picture pairs logically with the herd survey data. A bull:cow ratio averaging 21:100 across six years of surveys is on the low end, and low bull:cow ratios generally indicate fewer bulls surviving multiple seasons to reach full maturity. Hunters chasing genuinely exceptional, record-class bulls should treat Unit 23 as a moderate-odds proposition rather than a marquee trophy destination. Hunters focused on a solid, representative mature bull — rather than chasing a top-tier score — will find the moderate trophy history and improving harvest trend more encouraging.

Herd Health & Population Trends

The six-year survey window (2018-2024) for Unit 23 shows an average bull:cow ratio of 21:100. This is a meaningful data point for hunters to understand before applying. Elk herds with healthy age structure and good bull survival typically run notably higher bull:cow ratios than this; a ratio in the low 20s per 100 cows suggests the bull segment of the herd is under more pressure relative to the cow population, whether from hunting pressure, natural mortality, or a combination of factors.

Without additional intervening years of data beyond what's provided, hunters shouldn't read too much into any single year — but the six-year average is the most reliable indicator available and it points to a herd where bulls are a limited resource relative to cows. This doesn't mean elk are scarce in Unit 23 — the harvest numbers show plenty of animals moving through hunter's crosshairs — but it does inform what hunters should expect when it comes to bull age structure and encounter rates with older, more mature bulls.

Hunters should weigh this herd health data alongside the improving harvest success trend: more hunters harvesting animals at higher rates is a positive sign for opportunity, even as the bull:cow ratio suggests the mature bull segment remains thin.

Access & Terrain

Unit 23 spans an elevation range of 6,093 to 10,096 feet, giving hunters access to a broad spread of habitat types from lower foothill and sagebrush transition zones up through mixed timber and into higher subalpine terrain near the top of that range. This kind of vertical relief typically means elk distribution shifts significantly across the season and across the range of hunt timing within the unit, with animals using lower elevations in early hunts and pushing higher as pressure and temperatures dictate — though hunters should scout current conditions each season rather than assume a fixed pattern.

Public land makes up 50% of the unit's 271,006 acres. That's a workable, though not abundant, base for DIY hunters — half the unit is accessible public ground, while the other half is private land that will require permission, lease access, or careful mapping to avoid trespass. Hunters planning a DIY approach in Unit 23 should invest time in mapping exactly where public and private boundaries fall before committing to a specific drainage or basin, since the checkerboard of ownership can significantly affect where a hunt is actually legal to pursue.

There is no designated wilderness in Unit 23 (0% wilderness), which means hunters aren't restricted to foot and stock travel across the unit's public land the way they would be in a wilderness-heavy unit. This generally translates to more road and trail access options for scouting and retrieval, though hunters should still expect rugged country in the higher-elevation portions of the unit given the terrain range extending to over 10,000 feet.

Hunters looking to scout Unit 23 in detail — identifying specific public land parcels, elevation bands, and potential access routes — can use HuntPilot's mapping tools, including public land overlays, to narrow down promising areas before the season.

How to Apply

Every elk hunt in Unit 23 is issued through Colorado's limited-quota draw system — there is no general season fallback here, so hunters must apply and draw a specific hunt code to hunt elk in this unit. This applies to both antlered and either-sex opportunities; there is no walk-in, over-the-counter option for this unit.

Colorado's draw system operates on true preference points, meaning hunters with the highest point totals for a given hunt draw first. Enough accumulated points can guarantee a tag on a given hunt, which makes Colorado meaningfully different from weighted-lottery states — it functions as a queue rather than a raffle. Residents and nonresidents apply through the same preference point system, though nonresidents should expect more competition for a limited allocation within each hunt code and should budget for a longer point-building timeline than residents pursuing the same hunt.

Because Unit 23 is entirely draw-based, hunters interested in this unit should check current point requirements and draw statistics before deciding how many hunt choices to spend applying here versus other options. Application structure, deadlines, and fees change every cycle, so for the current numbers, see HuntPilot's Colorado state page at /states/CO for up-to-date application windows, fees, and draw data specific to Unit 23's hunt codes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Colorado Unit 23 worth applying for? Based on the available data, yes — with realistic expectations. The unit's harvest success rate has climbed for three straight years, reaching 26% in 2025, which is a strong number for a limited-quota elk unit. However, the low average bull:cow ratio (21:100 across six survey years) means hunters should treat this as a solid opportunity unit rather than a guaranteed trophy destination.

What is harvest success like in Unit 23? Recent harvest data shows success rates of 26% in 2025 (1,612 harvested out of 6,254 hunters), 23% in 2024 (846 out of 3,741), and 18% in 2023 (867 out of 4,871). The clear upward trend across all three years, even as hunter numbers grew substantially in 2025, indicates improving conditions or opportunity in the unit.

How big are the elk in Unit 23? The counties overlapping Unit 23 have a moderate history of trophy-class elk in the record books, meaning quality bulls have come from this landscape but it isn't known as an exceptional trophy producer. Combined with a below-average bull:cow ratio from recent surveys, hunters should expect a realistic chance at a mature bull rather than betting on an exceptional, record-class animal.

What is the terrain like in Unit 23? The unit covers elevations from 6,093 to 10,096 feet across 271,006 acres, spanning lower foothill and sagebrush transition country up into higher timbered and subalpine terrain. With 50% of the unit in public ownership and no designated wilderness, hunters have solid road and trail access options but need to carefully map public-versus-private boundaries before planning a hunt.

Does Unit 23 have a general elk season? No. Every elk hunt in Unit 23 is issued through Colorado's limited-quota draw — there is no general season or over-the-counter option. Hunters must draw a specific hunt code, covering both antlered and either-sex opportunities, before they can hunt elk here.