Colorado Unit 48 Elk Hunting Guide

Colorado Unit 48 sits high in the mountains, ranging from 8,803 feet up to 14,422 feet in elevation across nearly 192,000 acres, and it consistently draws attention from elk hunters looking for a legitimate wilderness experience on public land. With 92% of the unit in public ownership and 32% of that ground designated wilderness, Unit 48 offers the kind of rugged, high-country hunting that separates casual applicants from hunters willing to put in real effort — and real time in the draw line.

This unit has built a reputation among serious Colorado elk hunters as a long-term point investment rather than a quick-draw opportunity. Forum chatter consistently references multi-year point requirements to draw a tag here, and the harvest and survey data back up why: this is a unit with real elk, real terrain, and real demand. Below, we break down what the numbers actually say about Unit 48, using harvest statistics, herd survey data, and application details pulled directly from HuntPilot's Colorado database.

HuntPilot Analysis: Is Unit 48 Worth Applying For?

Unit 48 is a unit built for hunters who value terrain and opportunity over guaranteed tags. The 92% public land figure is exceptional — the vast majority of this unit's acreage is open to hunters without needing to negotiate private access, and the 32% wilderness designation confirms that a substantial chunk of that public ground is remote, foot-and-horseback country away from roads.

The harvest trend, however, is worth a hard look before applying. Success rates have moved from 37% in 2022 down to 25% in 2025, with hunter numbers also declining over that same window (539 hunters in 2022 down to 354 in 2025). That's a notable four-year slide. Fewer hunters are drawing tags here, and of those who do, a smaller percentage are tagging out. This could reflect tighter tag allocations, changing elk distribution, or increased pressure pushing elk into the more remote wilderness pockets — the data doesn't specify which, but the trend itself is unambiguous.

The bull:cow ratio, averaged at 24:100 across six survey years (2018–2024), is on the lower side for elk herds generally. This ratio suggests a herd with more cows relative to bulls, which can translate to lower bull encounter rates for hunters targeting mature animals, even in a unit with strong habitat and public access. Hunters should weigh this herd composition data seriously — it doesn't necessarily mean poor hunting, but it does mean bulls are a smaller percentage of the overall population than in units with higher ratios.

Given the long-point-investment reputation this unit carries in the Colorado hunting community, combined with a declining harvest success trend and a modest bull:cow ratio, Unit 48 is best suited to hunters who prioritize wilderness solitude, rugged terrain, and a genuine backcountry hunt over maximizing odds of filling a tag. Hunters chasing pure trophy potential or high success percentages should compare this unit carefully against alternatives on HuntPilot's Colorado unit pages before committing years of points to it.

Harvest Success Rates

Unit 48's harvest data over the past four years shows a clear downward trend in both hunter participation and success:

• 2022: 539 hunters, 200 harvested, 37% success
• 2023: 678 hunters, 194 harvested, 29% success
• 2024: 678 hunters, 186 harvested, 27% success
• 2025: 354 hunters, 89 harvested, 25% success

The drop from 37% success in 2022 to 25% in 2025 is significant, and it's compounded by a near-50% drop in total hunter numbers between 2024 and 2025 (678 down to 354). Fewer people are hunting the unit, and a smaller share of them are connecting on an elk. Hunters should treat the 2022 numbers as an outlier on the high end rather than the norm, and plan around the more recent 25-27% range as a realistic expectation for success in this unit.

Trophy Quality

Trophy record data for the counties overlapping Unit 48 shows a limited history of entries. This doesn't rule out mature bulls coming out of the unit, but it does mean hunters shouldn't count on Unit 48 as a unit with a deep or storied trophy pedigree based on the available record-book data. Combined with the below-average bull:cow ratio noted in the survey data, hunters focused primarily on chasing a record-class bull may want to treat trophy potential here as a secondary factor rather than the main draw. The primary appeal of Unit 48 is the quality of the public wilderness experience itself — abundant public acreage, big vertical relief, and a genuine backcountry hunt — rather than a proven trophy factory.

Herd Health & Population Trends

The six years of survey data available (2018–2024) show an average bull:cow ratio of 24:100. This is on the low end for elk herds and suggests a population structure skewed heavily toward cows. A lower bull:cow ratio generally means hunters will encounter more cows per bull while glassing and calling, which can make locating a shooter bull more time-intensive, even in good elk habitat. There's no single-year outlier flagged in this dataset suggesting a small sample artifact — the ratio appears consistent enough across six survey years to treat as a real reflection of herd composition rather than statistical noise. Hunters should factor this ratio into scouting strategy: expect a numbers game weighted toward cow encounters, with bulls requiring more patience and ground covered to locate.

Access & Terrain

Unit 48 is defined by extreme elevation relief, running from 8,803 feet at the low end to 14,422 feet at the highest points in the unit. This is true high-alpine elk country, with hunters able to work everything from mid-elevation timber to above-treeline basins depending on how elk are distributed during the season. The 92% public land figure means access is rarely the limiting factor here — the vast majority of the unit's 191,931 acres is open to hunters without private land negotiations.

The 32% wilderness designation is a major factor for trip planning. Roughly a third of this unit falls under wilderness protection, meaning no mechanized or motorized access — hunters covering that ground should plan on foot or horseback travel, and likely multi-day backcountry setups to reach the more remote basins. This is consistent with forum discussion describing Unit 48 as classic backpack-in country for hunters willing to get away from roaded areas. Hunters who prefer day-hunting from a truck or ATV should focus scouting efforts on the non-wilderness portions of the unit, while those comfortable with pack-in logistics have a much larger playground to work with given how much of the unit sits in that wilderness designation. Given the elevation range, hunters should also plan for significant physical demands and be prepared for early-season snow at the highest basins.

How to Apply

Colorado's draw system for Unit 48 elk tags follows the state's standard preference point structure, with both resident and nonresident applications processed through the same annual cycle.

For 2028, the application window opens March 1, 2028, with a deadline of April 1, 2028, for all regular applications.

For 2026, more detailed fee breakdowns are available by residency:

• Nonresident applicants: $11 application fee, $845 tag fee, $117.62 license fee (required to apply, in addition to the application fee), and a $100 point fee if applying to bank a preference point instead of drawing a tag. The application window opens March 1, 2026, with a deadline of April 7, 2026.
• Resident applicants: $9 application fee, $70 tag fee, $53.19 license fee (required to apply), and a $50 point fee for banking a point. The same March 1, 2026 open date and April 7, 2026 deadline apply.

Note that Colorado requires hunters to hold a qualifying hunting license before they're eligible to apply for the draw — this license fee is a separate, mandatory cost on top of the application fee itself, and it applies whether or not a hunter ultimately draws a tag.

Given the multi-year point investment reputation this unit carries among Colorado elk hunters, nonresidents and residents alike should check current draw odds and point requirements on HuntPilot's Colorado unit pages before committing to an application strategy, since point costs accumulate over multiple seasons before a tag is likely to be drawn.

Dates and fees are subject to change. Always verify current application details at the state wildlife agency website before applying.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the terrain like in Colorado Unit 48? Unit 48 is high-elevation, rugged mountain country, spanning from 8,803 feet to 14,422 feet. With 92% public land and 32% wilderness designation, hunters have access to everything from mid-elevation timbered slopes to above-treeline alpine basins. The wilderness portion requires foot or horseback access, making this a physically demanding unit suited to hunters prepared for backcountry travel and significant elevation gain.

What is harvest success like in Unit 48? Recent harvest data shows success rates trending downward, from 37% in 2022 to 25% in 2025. Hunter numbers have also dropped significantly, from 678 hunters in 2023 and 2024 down to 354 in 2025. Hunters should plan around the more recent 25-27% success range rather than the higher 2022 figure when setting expectations.

How big are the elk in Unit 48? Trophy record data for the counties overlapping Unit 48 shows a limited history of entries, meaning the unit doesn't carry a deep trophy pedigree based on available record-book data. The average bull:cow ratio of 24:100 across six survey years (2018-2024) also suggests a cow-heavy herd structure, which can make locating mature bulls more time-intensive than in units with higher bull ratios.

Is Unit 48 worth applying for? Unit 48 is best suited to hunters prioritizing a genuine wilderness experience — high public land access (92%), substantial wilderness acreage (32%), and dramatic elevation relief — over hunters chasing the highest possible success rates or trophy potential. The declining harvest trend and modest bull:cow ratio mean this unit rewards patience and backcountry skill more than it guarantees a tag on the ground. Given its reputation for requiring multiple years of points to draw, hunters should weigh the long-term point investment against these harvest and herd trends before applying.

How many years of points does it take to draw Unit 48? Specific draw odds and point requirements change annually and aren't included in this dataset. Hunters should check HuntPilot's Colorado unit page or the state's published draw statistics for current point requirements, as this unit has a reputation in the hunting community for requiring a multi-year point strategy.