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COElkUnit 28July 2026

Colorado Unit 28 Elk Hunting Guide

Colorado Unit 28 sits in a broad elevation band ranging from 7,337 feet at its lower fringes to 13,525 feet at its alpine peaks — a vertical spread of more than 6,000 feet that creates a diverse landscape of sagebrush foothills, timbered slopes, and high-country basins. At 424,738 total acres with 71% public land, Unit 28 offers genuine DIY access across a large, huntable footprint. That public land percentage is meaningful: hunters can realistically build and execute a self-guided strategy here without relying on private land access or expensive outfitter arrangements. The unit also carries a 7% wilderness designation, which adds a backcountry option for hunters willing to go deeper on foot, though that percentage is low enough that most of the unit is accessible without wilderness-specific logistics.

This is not a secret unit. The harvest data from HuntPilot reveals a unit that draws significant hunter pressure, and understanding the relationship between effort and success is essential before committing points or building a trip. Unit 28 competes for elk tags in one of the most popular big game states in the West, and the numbers tell a story worth reading carefully before applying.

Harvest Success Rates

The harvest data for Colorado Unit 28 paints a clear picture of trends and expectations for elk hunters:

  • 2025: 1,837 hunters, 183 harvested — 10% success rate
  • 2024: 5,742 hunters, 354 harvested — 6% success rate
  • 2023: 7,743 hunters, 407 harvested — 5% success rate

The most striking pattern here is not the raw success rates — it's the dramatic shift in hunter numbers. From 2023 to 2025, total hunters in the unit dropped from 7,743 to 1,837, a reduction of nearly 76%. Meanwhile, success rates climbed from 5% to 10% over that same period. This is a meaningful signal: as pressure decreased, individual hunter success improved substantially.

The inverse relationship between hunter numbers and success rates is consistent with what most experienced western elk hunters already know — pressure matters enormously. Whether the 2025 drop in hunters reflects changes in tag allocation, draw tightening, or hunters selecting other units, the effect on per-hunter success is real and notable. A 10% success rate is still modest in absolute terms, but doubling the 2023 rate in just two years is a trend hunters should take seriously.

It's also worth noting the absolute harvest numbers remained in a relatively narrow range — 183 to 407 animals — even as hunter counts swung wildly. This suggests the unit's elk population supports a fairly consistent harvestable surplus regardless of the pressure applied, which speaks to underlying herd stability rather than a boom-bust dynamic.

Herd Health & Population Trends

Wildlife survey data across six surveys between 2018 and 2024 shows an average bull-to-cow ratio of 41:100 for Unit 28. That number sits in a healthy range for a western Colorado elk herd operating under standard management. A 41:100 bull-to-cow ratio indicates the unit is maintaining a functional adult bull component — mature bulls are present at meaningful numbers relative to the cow population.

For context, bull-to-cow ratios in the 30–45:100 range are typical of well-managed public land units across Colorado. A ratio substantially above or below that range would indicate either a trophy quality unit with exceptional age structure or a unit under heavy harvest pressure that has drawn down the bull population. Unit 28's average of 41:100 across six survey years lands squarely in the middle of the managed spectrum, suggesting consistent regulation and a herd that is neither overhunted nor carrying an unusual surplus of bulls.

Hunters should note that survey data represents snapshots, not census counts. Terrain complexity in a unit spanning multiple life zones from 7,337 to 13,525 feet means elk distribution shifts seasonally, and survey coverage varies. The six-year average is a more reliable indicator than any single survey year.

Trophy Quality

The counties overlapping Colorado Unit 28 carry a moderate trophy history based on available records. This is a unit where trophy-class bulls have been produced, but hunters should approach it with realistic expectations rather than targeting it as a premiere trophy destination. The unit's trophy pedigree is neither exceptional nor negligible — it falls in the middle ground that characterizes many of Colorado's broadly accessible public land units.

An important caveat applies to all county-level trophy data: record-book entries are catalogued by county, not by hunt unit. The same county-level records are shared by every neighboring unit that overlaps those counties, meaning animals could have been taken anywhere within that county boundary. This shared attribution makes it impossible to credit Unit 28 exclusively with the trophy production in its overlapping counties.

For hunters whose primary goal is a record-class bull, Unit 28's moderate trophy history suggests it is not the highest-percentage destination in Colorado. However, for hunters prioritizing solid bull quality with reasonable public access and DIY opportunity, the unit's profile is genuine. Mature bulls are present — the 41:100 bull-to-cow ratio confirms that — and in a unit with this much high country between 10,000 and 13,525 feet, late-summer and early-fall elk will be utilizing alpine basins and high timber where older bulls tend to concentrate.

Access & Terrain

Unit 28's 71% public land is its most compelling access feature. For a unit of 424,738 acres, that translates to roughly 301,000 acres of publicly accessible ground — enough for hunters to build genuine strategies without navigating the private land permission and trespass-fee maze that complicates many Colorado units. The remaining 29% private land exists but is not the dominant feature of the landscape.

The elevation range from 7,337 to 13,525 feet gives Unit 28 multiple distinct hunting environments within a single boundary. At lower elevations, hunters will encounter sagebrush parks, open foothills, and transitional terrain where elk move during midday and into the dark timber on adjacent slopes. As elevation increases, north-facing timbered drainages hold elk through warmer weather, and the unit's higher basins above 10,000 feet offer genuine glassing country where hunters can cover ground visually before committing to a stalk.

The 7% wilderness component adds a backcountry option. Unlike states such as Wyoming, Colorado does not require nonresident hunters to hire a licensed guide for wilderness access — Colorado residents and nonresidents alike can pursue elk in wilderness areas independently. At 7% wilderness coverage, the backcountry component is real but not dominant. Hunters willing to travel several miles from trailheads will find reduced competition compared to road-accessible terrain.

The terrain complexity of a unit stretching from sagebrush valleys to 13,500-foot peaks demands physical preparation. Elk hunting at altitude in this country is genuinely demanding. Hunters who are physically prepared to hunt at elevation — and who scout the high country where pressure is lower — will consistently outperform those who concentrate effort near roads and established access points.

HuntPilot Analysis: Is Colorado Unit 28 Worth Applying For?

Unit 28 is a legitimate elk unit with real strengths and real limitations. Here is an honest assessment:

Strengths:

  • 71% public land creates genuine DIY access across a large footprint
  • The 2025 10% success rate is the best recent performance and suggests the unit rewards hunters when pressure is lower
  • A 41:100 bull-to-cow ratio averaged across six survey years confirms a functional bull population
  • Moderate trophy history means mature bulls are present
  • Elevation diversity from foothills to alpine gives hunters multiple strategies depending on physical capability and hunting style

Limitations:

  • Success rates in 2023 and 2024 (5% and 6% respectively) were low by most standards when hunter numbers were much higher
  • Moderate trophy potential puts this unit below the top tier for hunters specifically chasing record-book caliber bulls
  • The dramatic year-to-year swings in hunter numbers (7,743 in 2023 vs. 1,837 in 2025) suggest tag structure or draw dynamics are shifting — hunters should verify current draw conditions before committing a point investment

Bottom line: Unit 28 is a good fit for hunters who want a large, accessible public land elk hunt in Colorado and are willing to accept the reality that success rates in this unit are tied to pressure. If the 2025 trend of reduced hunters and improved success holds, this unit becomes considerably more attractive. For hunters who are point-heavy and chasing a once-in-a-decade trophy bull, there are likely higher-upside units in Colorado — but for hunters who want a real, DIY elk hunt on public land with a functional herd, Unit 28 is worth evaluating. For current draw odds and applicant numbers, visit HuntPilot's Colorado unit pages before building your application strategy.

How to Apply

Colorado elk applications operate through a single annual draw managed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife. For the 2028 draw, applications for all regular elk hunts carry a deadline of April 1, 2028. Applications open March 1, 2028.

For 2026, the application window runs from March 1 to April 7, 2026, with the following fees:

Resident (2026):

  • Application fee: $9
  • Tag fee: $70
  • License fee: $117.62 (required to apply)
  • Point fee: $50

Wait — correction per the structured data:

  • Resident license fee: $53.19 (required to apply)
  • Nonresident license fee: $117.62 (required to apply)

Resident (2026):

  • Application fee: $9
  • Tag fee: $70
  • License fee: $53.19 (required to apply)
  • Point fee: $50

Nonresident (2026):

  • Application fee: $11
  • Tag fee: $845
  • License fee: $117.62 (required to apply)
  • Point fee: $100

The license fee is a required pre-condition for applying — hunters must hold a valid Colorado hunting license before their application is processed. This is a real cost that many applicants overlook when budgeting for the draw. For nonresidents, the all-in cost of a successful draw includes the $11 application fee, $117.62 license, and $845 tag fee — totaling over $970 before any trip expenses.

Colorado uses a preference point system. Points accumulate for each unsuccessful application year and are consumed on a successful draw. Hunters should understand that drawing a tag resets their point total.

Dates and fees are subject to change. Always verify current application details at the Colorado Parks and Wildlife website before applying.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the terrain like in Colorado Unit 28? Unit 28 spans a massive elevation range from approximately 7,300 feet to over 13,500 feet, creating multiple distinct terrain types within the same unit boundary. Hunters can expect sagebrush and open foothills at lower elevations transitioning to dense timber and north-facing drainages in the mid-elevation bands, and then to open alpine basins and rocky high country above timberline. The diversity of terrain means hunters can choose their style — glassing open country, calling through timber, or packing into high basins — depending on physical capability and preference. At 424,738 acres with 71% public land, there is significant ground to hunt across all of these terrain types.

What is the harvest success rate in Colorado Unit 28? Recent harvest data shows meaningful year-to-year variation tied closely to hunter numbers. In 2023, 7,743 hunters produced a 5% success rate. In 2024, 5,742 hunters achieved 6% success. In 2025, 1,837 hunters achieved a 10% success rate — the best recent performance. The pattern is clear: as hunter pressure dropped, individual success rates improved substantially. Hunters evaluating this unit should monitor current draw conditions to understand whether the reduced-pressure environment of 2025 persists.

How big are the elk in Colorado Unit 28? The counties overlapping Unit 28 carry a moderate trophy history based on available records. Mature bulls are present — the unit's six-year average bull-to-cow ratio of 41:100 confirms a functional adult bull population — but Unit 28 is not consistently ranked among Colorado's top trophy units. Hunters whose primary goal is a record-class bull will find higher-upside options in the state. That said, any mature 6×6 bull from high-country public land is a genuine achievement, and the unit's elk herd is healthy enough to produce quality animals for hunters who put in the work.

Is Colorado Unit 28 worth applying for? For DIY-oriented hunters who want a large, accessible public land elk hunt with a real bull population, Unit 28 is worth serious consideration. Its 71% public land, manageable wilderness component (which nonresidents can access without a guide in Colorado), and improving success rate trend in 2025 make it a credible option. The unit is not a top-tier trophy destination, but it is a legitimate elk hunt on proven ground. For hunters with substantial point investment looking to maximize trophy potential, other Colorado units may offer better returns. For current draw odds specific to your point level and hunt preference, visit HuntPilot's Colorado elk pages — that data changes annually and should inform any final application decision.

What is the bull-to-cow ratio in Colorado Unit 28? Wildlife survey data spanning six survey years between 2018 and 2024 shows an average bull-to-cow ratio of 41:100. This places the unit in a healthy management range, indicating that adult bulls are present at meaningful numbers relative to the cow population. A ratio in this range reflects consistent harvest regulation and a herd that is neither significantly overhunted nor carrying an unusual surplus of bulls. Hunters can expect mature bulls to be present across the unit, though finding and harvesting one is a different equation that depends heavily on timing, pressure, and hunter effort.

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