Colorado Unit 38 Moose Hunting Guide

Colorado Unit 38 sits in the Front Range foothills and high country not far from the Denver metro area, spanning elevations from 5,140 feet up to 13,311 feet across 291,822 acres. For hunters chasing moose in this unit, the draw is the only path in — there is no general season here, and every moose hunt available in Unit 38 is a limited-quota tag allocated through Colorado's draw system. This is a classic once-in-a-lifetime species pursuit for most applicants, and Unit 38 has developed a reputation among Colorado moose hunters as a unit worth watching closely.

With 44% public land and 6% designated wilderness, Unit 38 offers a mix of accessible public ground and more remote high-country terrain, all within reach of the Front Range population centers. Because moose hunts here run entirely through limited-quota draw tags — including opportunities at antlered/either-sex animals — every hunter pursuing a bull in this unit needs to understand how competitive the draw is and what to expect once a tag is in hand.

HuntPilot Analysis: Is Unit 38 Worth Applying For?

Based on harvest data compiled by HuntPilot, Unit 38 has shown strong and improving success rates over the past several seasons. In the 2025 season, 17 hunters harvested 16 animals for a 94% success rate — an exceptional outcome for any moose hunt anywhere in the West. That follows a 2024 season where 10 hunters harvested 7 animals (70% success) and a multi-year run that includes 83% success in 2020, 80% in 2019, and more moderate years in between (57% in 2021, 50% in 2023, and 43% in 2022).

Taken together, this is a unit where hunters who draw a tag overwhelmingly get the job done. Success rates below 100% in most years, and none of the recent seasons dipping under 40%, tell a consistent story: moose density and huntability in Unit 38 are solid, and tag holders are finding and harvesting animals at a rate well above what most limited-entry big game hunts produce nationally.

The tradeoff, as with virtually every Colorado moose hunt, is the draw itself. These tags are extremely limited and heavily contested — this is not a unit hunters simply decide to hunt this year. It's a unit hunters build toward over a period of years, banking points and hoping to eventually cash in on an opportunity that, once drawn, is very likely to end in a harvested animal. For a Colorado resident willing to commit to years of preference point accumulation, or a nonresident willing to take on a long-term point strategy, Unit 38 represents a genuinely attractive target given its combination of accessible terrain and high on-the-ground success.

Trophy data for the counties overlapping this unit shows a limited history of record-book entries. That doesn't mean quality bulls aren't present — Colorado's moose herds statewide are relatively young compared to legacy populations in places like Wyoming or Utah, and record-book representation across most Colorado units remains thin. Hunters should treat Unit 38 as an opportunity-and-experience hunt first, with trophy potential as a bonus rather than the primary draw.

Herd Health & Harvest Trends

The seven years of harvest data available for Unit 38 show a herd that supports consistent, if modest, hunter numbers with high success. Hunter numbers have grown gradually — from 5-8 hunters annually in the 2019-2023 stretch up to 10 in 2024 and 17 in 2025 — while success rates have remained strong across that same window. This upward trend in both hunters afield and total harvest suggests wildlife managers have had room to issue more tags without success rates collapsing, which is typically a sign of a stable or growing moose population able to absorb modestly higher harvest pressure.

The 94% success rate posted in 2025 is worth flagging as an outlier on the high end even within this unit's own strong track record, but it fits the broader pattern rather than standing apart from it — six of the last seven years have posted success rates at or above 50%, and only one season (2022) dipped below that mark. For hunters evaluating whether a Unit 38 tag is likely to result in a harvested moose, the answer based on this data is a clear yes: this unit has consistently converted tags into animals on the ground.

Access & Terrain

Unit 38's elevation range — from 5,140 feet at the low end to 13,311 feet at its highest points — covers an enormous vertical spread, from foothill terrain near the Front Range communities up into alpine basins above treeline. Moose in Colorado are typically found in willow-lined riparian drainages, high mountain wetlands, and dense timber near water, and a unit with this much elevation range gives hunters multiple habitat zones to work depending on where tag holders draw and what time of year they're afield.

With 44% of the unit in public ownership, a substantial portion of Unit 38 is accessible to hunters without needing private land permission, though the majority-private balance means hunters should have a real plan for identifying which drainages and basins fall on public ground before the season. The 6% wilderness designation within the unit means most of the accessible terrain is not subject to Colorado's wilderness-specific restrictions, and — unlike Wyoming — Colorado places no state-mandated guide requirement on nonresidents hunting wilderness areas regardless of acreage. Hunters can plan a DIY approach to scouting and hunting wilderness portions of this unit if they choose to.

Given the terrain's vertical range, hunters should expect variable conditions depending on where within the unit their tag applies — lower-elevation riparian corridors will hunt very differently than high alpine basins near 13,000 feet. Scouting efforts should focus on identifying willow flats, beaver pond complexes, and dense timber pockets near water sources, which are the classic sign-holding habitat for moose throughout Colorado's Front Range units. HuntPilot's mapping tools, including public land overlays, can help hunters narrow down which accessible drainages within Unit 38 are worth prioritizing before boots hit the ground.

Trophy Quality

Trophy record data for the counties overlapping Unit 38 shows a limited history of entries, which points to limited trophy potential rather than a unit known for producing record-class bulls. This assessment aligns with the broader reality of Colorado moose hunting — the state's moose population is a relatively recent transplant success story rather than a decades-old trophy-producing herd, and most Colorado units, Unit 38 included, simply haven't built up the trophy pedigree seen in longer-established moose country elsewhere in the Rockies.

That said, a limited trophy record does not mean an absence of mature bulls. It means record-book-caliber animals have been rare to document in this area historically. Hunters drawing a Unit 38 tag should set expectations around a quality, memorable moose hunt with strong odds of connecting on an animal — as reflected in the harvest data — rather than banking on record-book potential.

How to Apply

All moose hunting opportunity in Colorado Unit 38 comes through Colorado Parks and Wildlife's limited-quota draw system — there is no over-the-counter or general-season option for moose anywhere in Colorado, and Unit 38 is no exception. Every hunt available in this unit, including those targeting antlered and either-sex animals, is allocated exclusively through the annual draw.

Colorado's moose draw uses a preference point system, meaning residents and nonresidents alike accumulate points in years they apply but don't draw, improving their position in future draws. Colorado residents and nonresidents apply through separate pools, with nonresidents generally facing a longer point-building timeline given the smaller allocation set aside for out-of-state applicants. Because moose points do not carry over into other species' point systems, hunters serious about eventually drawing Unit 38 should apply consistently, understanding this is a multi-year — potentially decade-plus for nonresidents — commitment.

Given the strength of Unit 38's harvest data, hunters weighing whether to point-only or apply for this specific unit each year should compare it against other Colorado moose units using current draw statistics, since demand fluctuates unit to unit. Application dates, fees, and current draw odds change every cycle. For the most current deadlines, license costs, and draw statistics, hunters should consult HuntPilot's Colorado state page at /states/CO or Unit 38's dedicated unit page for up-to-date figures before applying.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Colorado Unit 38 worth applying for as a moose hunter? Based on the harvest data available, yes — Unit 38 has posted success rates at or above 50% in six of the last seven recorded seasons, including a 94% success rate in 2025. For hunters willing to commit to the multi-year point-building process required to draw a Colorado moose tag, Unit 38's consistent conversion of tags into harvested animals makes it a strong candidate among Colorado moose units.

What is harvest success like in Unit 38 for moose? Recent data shows success rates of 94% in 2025, 70% in 2024, 50% in 2023, 43% in 2022, 57% in 2021, 83% in 2020, and 80% in 2019. Across this seven-year window, hunter numbers have grown from single digits to 17 in the most recent season, while success has remained strong throughout, indicating a herd that reliably supports harvest once a tag is drawn.

How big are the moose in Unit 38? Trophy record data for the counties overlapping this unit shows a limited history of record-book entries, suggesting limited documented trophy potential rather than a unit known for producing record-class bulls. Hunters should approach a Unit 38 tag expecting a quality, high-success hunt rather than targeting trophy-book-caliber animals specifically.

What is the terrain like in Unit 38, and is it accessible for DIY hunters? Unit 38 spans a dramatic elevation range from 5,140 to 13,311 feet, with 44% of the unit in public ownership and 6% designated wilderness. This mix gives hunters access to both accessible foothill terrain and remote high-country basins. Because Colorado does not require nonresidents to hire a guide for wilderness hunting, DIY hunters can pursue any portion of this unit's public and wilderness land on their own, though the majority-private balance of land ownership means careful attention to land boundaries is essential when scouting.

Are there general-season moose hunting opportunities in Unit 38? No. Every moose hunt in Unit 38 is allocated through Colorado's limited-quota draw system — there is no general or over-the-counter season for moose in this unit or anywhere else in Colorado. Hunters must apply through the draw, and antlered/either-sex opportunities are included among the unit's limited-quota hunts.