Colorado Unit 38 Elk Hunting Guide

Colorado Unit 38 is a limited-quota elk unit in the foothills and mountains west of the Denver metro area, spanning 291,822 acres with elevations ranging from 5,140 feet up to 13,311 feet. Every elk hunt in this unit is draw-only — there is no general season here, which means hunters need to understand the application process before they can plan a season in this country. With 44% public land, hunters have a workable base of accessible ground, though the majority of the unit is a patchwork that requires careful attention to land ownership boundaries.

For hunters researching Colorado Unit 38 elk hunting, the unit offers a mix of accessible forest ground and rougher high country, with elevations climbing to over 13,000 feet in the unit's upper reaches. The proximity to the Front Range corridor means this unit sees real hunting pressure, and the terrain data along with recent harvest trends tell a story that's worth understanding before investing points or application dollars here.

HuntPilot Analysis: Is Unit 38 Worth Applying For?

Unit 38 is a mixed bag. On one hand, every hunt here is limited-quota, which means hunter density is managed rather than open to unlimited over-the-counter pressure — a meaningful advantage over general units in Colorado. On the other hand, recent harvest data shows success rates that hover in single digits to low double digits: 11% in 2025, 8% in 2024, and 10% in 2023. These numbers indicate that even with a draw tag in hand, hunters are working hard for their elk, and a majority of tag holders go home empty-handed in any given year.

The bull:cow ratio, averaged at 30:100 across six survey years from 2018-2024, is on the lower end for elk herds and suggests a bull population that has faced consistent hunting pressure and/or limited bull survival to older age classes. This ratio is important context — it doesn't scream "trophy factory," but it does align with a unit that produces harvest opportunity for hunters willing to put in the legwork, rather than a unit stacked with mature bulls.

Trophy potential here is best described as moderate. The counties overlapping Unit 38 carry a moderate history of trophy-class record-book entries, meaning quality bulls have come from this general area over time, but it's not a unit defined by consistent elite-class production. Hunters chasing a genuine trophy hunt should treat Unit 38 as a possibility rather than a primary destination, while hunters focused on a solid, challenging elk hunt with real opportunity at a mature bull in rugged, publicly accessible terrain will find the unit reasonable.

The verdict: Unit 38 is worth applying for if a hunter values proximity to the Front Range, is comfortable working hard for a modest success rate, and isn't betting the farm on record-book potential. It's not a unit to prioritize if the primary goal is trophy quality above all else.

Harvest Success Rates

Recent harvest data for Unit 38 shows a consistent pattern of modest success:

• 2025: 1,556 hunters, 171 elk harvested, 11% success
• 2024: 2,193 hunters, 175 elk harvested, 8% success
• 2023: 1,548 hunters, 154 elk harvested, 10% success

These are unit-wide totals across all hunt types, and the numbers show success rates bouncing between 8% and 11% over the three most recent years for which data is available. Notably, hunter numbers swelled to 2,193 in 2024 but success rate actually dropped to 8%, suggesting that more hunters afield didn't translate into more elk on the ground — likely a function of the herd's carrying capacity and pressure-sensitive elk behavior in this heavily-trafficked corridor. Hunters should plan for a real possibility of not filling their tag and build their expectations accordingly; this is a unit where preparation, scouting, and persistence matter more than luck.

Trophy Quality

Trophy data for Unit 38 points to moderate potential. The counties overlapping this unit hold a moderate history of trophy-class record-book entries — meaning some quality bulls have come from this broader area over the years, but production isn't concentrated or exceptional compared to Colorado's top-tier trophy units. It's worth noting that record-book entries are logged by county rather than by hunt unit, so these historical entries are shared with neighboring units that overlap the same counties — an animal counted toward this trophy history may well have been taken outside Unit 38's exact boundary.

Combined with a bull:cow ratio averaging 30:100, which suggests a bull segment that isn't holding a lot of mature age-class animals, hunters should calibrate expectations toward a solid, mature bull as a realistic goal rather than planning around taking home a record-book contender. Hunters serious about trophy potential should weigh Unit 38 against other Colorado units with stronger and more consistent trophy production before committing points here.

Herd Health & Population Trends

The wildlife survey data available for Unit 38 spans six survey years from 2018 to 2024, with an average bull:cow ratio of 30:100. This ratio is on the lower side for elk management and is consistent with a unit that experiences meaningful hunting pressure relative to its bull population. A 30:100 ratio doesn't indicate herd collapse, but it does suggest that bulls are being harvested at a rate that keeps the age structure skewed toward younger animals rather than allowing bulls to accumulate multiple years of growth.

Hunters should read this ratio as confirmation of what the harvest data already shows: Unit 38 is a working-class elk unit where tags convert to elk at modest rates, and the herd's bull segment isn't stockpiling mature animals in large numbers. There isn't additional multi-year survey data to break out trend direction year by year, but the six-year average is the most reliable indicator available and should be weighted more heavily than any single year's snapshot.

Access & Terrain

Unit 38 spans a dramatic elevation range from 5,140 feet at its lowest to 13,311 feet at its highest points, meaning hunters can find everything from lower foothill terrain to true high-alpine country within the same unit boundary. This elevation spread gives hunters options to hunt lower, more accessible ground early or push into higher country depending on conditions and elk movement.

Public land accounts for 44% of the unit's 291,822 acres. Because this falls below the 45% threshold, hunters need to recognize that the majority of Unit 38 is privately held. DIY hunters relying solely on public ground will find real but limited opportunity, and successful hunts in this unit typically require careful map study to identify public parcels and access points, along with respect for the mixed ownership pattern that defines much of the terrain. Forum accounts from hunters who've hunted the unit describe forested country with numerous small private inholdings scattered through public forest ground, particularly in the western portions of the unit — a pattern hunters should expect and plan around rather than assume large contiguous public blocks.

Wilderness makes up just 6% of the unit, so this is not a unit defined by expansive wilderness backcountry. Most of the public hunting ground here is accessible national forest land rather than designated wilderness, which keeps logistics more approachable for hunters without pack-in experience, though it can also mean more competition for accessible spots given the unit's proximity to the Front Range population centers.

Given the below-45% public land figure, hunters should prioritize thorough e-scouting and use mapping tools — including HuntPilot's public land overlays — to identify exactly where public access exists before committing to a hunt plan. Blindly heading into the unit without confirming boundaries is a recipe for trespassing issues or wasted days.

How to Apply

Every elk hunt in Colorado Unit 38 is a limited-quota draw hunt — there is no general season here. This means hunters, whether resident or nonresident, must apply through Colorado's draw system to receive a tag for this unit; walk-up over-the-counter tags are not an option in Unit 38.

Colorado's elk draw operates on a preference point system where the highest point holders draw first, and a sufficient point level can guarantee a tag on many hunts — Colorado is a true preference system, not a weighted lottery. Residents and nonresidents apply through separate pools, and nonresidents should expect to need a competitive point total for the more sought-after either-sex hunts in a unit like this, while lower-demand hunts may be more approachable for lower-point applicants.

Hunters should decide early whether they're targeting an antlered/either-sex tag or another hunt type available in the unit, since demand and required point levels vary significantly between hunt types even within the same unit. Application dates, fees, and current draw odds change every cycle, so for accurate, up-to-date numbers hunters should consult HuntPilot's Colorado state page for Unit 38, which reflects the current draw cycle's requirements and historical odds by point level.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the terrain like in Colorado Unit 38? Unit 38 covers a wide elevation range from 5,140 feet to 13,311 feet, offering everything from lower foothill and forest terrain to high alpine country. The unit sits close to the Front Range corridor west of Denver, with a mix of national forest public land and numerous small private inholdings, particularly in its western reaches. Wilderness accounts for only 6% of the unit, so most hunting occurs on accessible forest ground rather than deep backcountry.

What is harvest success like in Colorado Unit 38? Recent harvest success in Unit 38 has ranged from 8% to 11% over the 2023-2025 seasons, with 1,556 to 2,193 hunters afield each year. These are modest success rates that reflect a unit where tags are limited but converting a tag into a harvested elk still requires significant effort and some luck.

How big are the elk in Colorado Unit 38? Trophy quality in Unit 38 is moderate. The broader county area overlapping this unit has a history of producing trophy-class bulls, but production isn't concentrated or exceptional. A bull:cow ratio averaging 30:100 across recent survey years suggests the bull segment doesn't hold large numbers of mature, older-age-class bulls, so hunters should set realistic expectations around a mature bull rather than counting on a record-book animal.

Is Colorado Unit 38 worth applying for? It depends on priorities. Unit 38 offers limited-quota hunting (no general season overcrowding), a workable public land base at 44%, and reasonable access given its low wilderness percentage. However, single-digit-to-low-double-digit harvest success rates and a moderate trophy history mean it's better suited to hunters prioritizing a challenging, accessible hunt over hunters chasing top-tier trophy potential.

Is Colorado Unit 38 a good unit for DIY hunters? DIY hunters can hunt Unit 38, but with only 44% public land, careful pre-season map work is essential to identify accessible parcels amid the unit's mixed ownership pattern. Hunters should use detailed land ownership maps — such as HuntPilot's public land overlays — to avoid trespass issues, since much of the unit's private ground is interspersed directly among public forest land rather than segregated into large separate blocks.