Colorado Unit 851 Elk Hunting

Colorado Unit 851 represents one of the state's most exclusive elk hunting opportunities, spanning 280,395 acres across southeastern Colorado's diverse terrain. Ranging from 5,998 feet to over 14,000 feet in elevation, this unit encompasses dramatic elevation changes from prairie grasslands to high alpine basins. With only 19% public land access, Unit 851 presents significant access challenges for do-it-yourself hunters while offering limited but coveted hunting opportunities across multiple weapon types and seasons.

The unit's extreme competitiveness becomes clear when examining the draw data: resident rifle Either S1 tags required 30 preference points for a 100% draw rate in 2025, while the massive rifle Male S4 season attracted 38,958 resident applicants for zero allocated tags. This level of demand, combined with minimal tag allocations across most hunts, positions Unit 851 as a once-in-a-lifetime destination for hunters who do eventually draw.

HuntPilot Analysis

Unit 851 is not worth applying for unless hunters meet very specific criteria. The unit's 19% public land percentage severely limits access for DIY hunters, making it predominantly a private land hunting destination. Most hunts require 15-30+ preference points with minimal tag allocations, creating decades-long wait times for most applicants.

The few exceptions are female/cow seasons, particularly the rifle Female S3 hunt which offered 100% draw rates with leftover tags in 2025. However, even these "easier" draws typically require 5-6+ points and success rates vary significantly. The muzzleloader Male S1 hunt shows promise for residents with 67% draw rates, but nonresident odds drop to just 10%.

Trophy potential exists based on Las Animas County's record-book history, but the combination of limited access, extreme draw odds, and minimal tag allocations makes this unit impractical for most hunters. Applicants should only consider Unit 851 if they have 20+ preference points, access to private land, or are specifically targeting the limited cow/female seasons.

Draw Odds & Tag Availability

Unit 851's draw statistics reveal why this unit ranks among Colorado's most competitive elk destinations. The 2025 draw data shows the stark reality facing applicants across all weapon types and seasons.

Archery (Either S1) proved moderately accessible for residents with high point totals. Residents with 8+ points achieved 100% draw rates, while those with 6-7 points faced 25% odds. However, resident demand remained light with only 33 total applicants. Nonresidents encountered much tougher odds, with only 4% drawing overall and requiring 17 points for a 50% draw chance among the 24 nonresident applicants.

Muzzleloader Male S1 offered the unit's most reasonable draw odds for residents, posting a 67% overall draw rate. Residents with just 2-3 points achieved 100% success in 2025, making this potentially the best entry point into Unit 851. Nonresidents faced significantly worse odds at 10% overall, requiring 22 points for guaranteed success.

Rifle Either seasons demonstrated extreme competition. The Either S1 season required 30 preference points for residents to guarantee a tag, with overall draw rates of just 1% among 171 applicants. Even the Either S2 season managed only 2% draw rates despite attracting fewer applicants (141 residents).

Male rifle seasons across S1, S2, and S3 variants showed similarly tough odds. Male S1 required 13+ points for resident success, while Male S2 and S3 demanded 15-19+ points respectively. Nonresidents faced even steeper requirements, often needing 23-29 points for reasonable draw chances.

Female/cow seasons provided the unit's most accessible opportunities. Female S1 and S2 hunts offered some reasonable draw rates, with Female S1 requiring 5-6 points for good odds and Female S2 showing easier access. The Female S3 hunt stood out with 100% resident draw rates and 11 leftover tags, plus 100% nonresident success.

The notorious Male S4 season attracted 38,958 resident applicants for zero allocated tags, exemplifying Colorado's point creep phenomenon where demand far exceeds any realistic tag allocation.

Season Dates & Weapon Types

Unit 851 offers extensive season variety across September through January, providing options for different hunting conditions and elk behavior patterns.

Archery seasons run September 2-30 for both 2025 and 2026, coinciding with peak elk bugling activity. The either-sex archery seasons cover the prime rut period when bulls are most vocal and responsive to calling.

Muzzleloader seasons offer mid-September opportunities from September 12-20 (2025) and September 13-21 (2026). These dates fall during the heart of the rut when bulls remain active but hunting pressure is typically lighter than during archery seasons.

Rifle seasons span October through January with multiple options:

• First rifle (S1): October 14-18 (2026) and October 15-19 (2025) for either-sex and male hunts
• Second rifle (S2): October 24-November 1 for male seasons, covering peak movement periods
• Third rifle (S3): November 7-16 across both male and either-sex variants
• Fourth rifle (S4): November 18-22 for male seasons
• Late seasons: November 23-December 3 for either-sex hunts, extending into December and January for female-only seasons

Female/cow seasons extend the hunting calendar significantly, with late rifle seasons running through December 31 and even into early January. These late seasons target cow elk when they're concentrated in winter ranges, though access becomes increasingly challenging with weather conditions.

The season structure allows hunters to target specific elk behavior patterns, from September bugling through late-season concentrated herds, though the extreme draw odds limit most hunters' ability to choose preferred timing.

Harvest Success Rates

The 2025 harvest data reveals highly variable success rates across Unit 851's different seasons and hunt types. Success rates ranged from 0% to 50%, showing the challenging nature of hunting in this unit despite its reputation.

Female/cow hunts generally produced the most consistent results. The rifle Female S6 season posted the highest success rate at 48% (68 harvested from 142 hunters), while rifle Female S1 achieved 40% success (15 of 37 hunters). Female S5 seasons also performed well at 37% success rates (49 harvested from 132 hunters). However, some female seasons struggled, with Female S3 and S4 posting 0% and 15% success respectively.

Either-sex hunts showed mixed results depending on weapon type and timing. The rifle Either S1 season during prime October dates achieved 48% success (101 harvested from 209 hunters), demonstrating the potential during peak periods. However, the later rifle Either S4 season dropped to 27% success, and earlier either-sex hunts struggled with the rifle Either S1 posting just 31% success.

Male-specific hunts faced significant challenges. Most male rifle seasons posted 0% success rates despite minimal tag allocations, including Male S1 and S4 seasons. The Male S2 season managed 25% success (1 of 4 hunters), while Male S3 achieved 50% success (2 of 4 hunters). The muzzleloader Male S1 season produced 33% success (1 of 3 hunters).

Archery seasons performed reasonably well given the challenging conditions, with archery Either S1 achieving 20% success (115 harvested from 568 hunters) and archery Female S1 posting an impressive 50% success rate (3 of 6 hunters).

Muzzleloader seasons showed moderate success, with the either-sex muzzleloader Either S1 achieving 36% success (43 of 119 hunters) and the muzzleloader Female S1 posting 17% success (16 of 96 hunters).

The data suggests that success correlates somewhat with season timing and weapon type, with October rifle seasons and female-focused hunts generally outperforming other combinations.

Trophy Quality

Unit 851 demonstrates strong trophy potential based on Las Animas County's consistent record-book production over multiple decades. The area has produced 17 all-time Boone and Crockett entries averaging 381.0 inches, indicating exceptional trophy quality when successful harvests occur.

Trophy production has remained consistent across recent decades, with the 2010s showing the strongest performance through 8 entries averaging 384.9 inches. The area's highest recorded entry of 400.2 inches came in 2014, demonstrating the unit's ability to produce world-class bulls. Recent entries through 2019 continue to show trophy-caliber production, though specific harvest locations within the broader county area cannot be pinpointed to exact unit boundaries.

The combination of diverse elevation ranges from prairie to alpine zones, along with the unit's limited hunting pressure due to extreme draw odds, likely contributes to trophy potential. However, the challenging access conditions with only 19% public land may concentrate trophy opportunities on private holdings where elk receive less pressure.

Given the decades-long commitment required to draw most tags in Unit 851, hunters should view any successful draw as a legitimate trophy opportunity rather than a meat hunting experience.

Herd Health & Population Trends

Wildlife survey data from 2018-2024 shows Unit 851 maintaining a bull-to-cow ratio averaging 27:100 across six survey years. This ratio falls within typical ranges for heavily hunted elk populations, suggesting adequate bull recruitment despite the unit's reputation and hunting pressure.

The consistent survey data over multiple years indicates stable population monitoring, though the specific herd size and trend direction are not available in the provided data. The maintained bull ratios suggest the limited tag allocations are appropriate for sustaining breeding populations while providing hunting opportunities.

Access & Terrain

Unit 851's 19% public land percentage creates significant access challenges for do-it-yourself hunters. With over 80% of the unit consisting of private land, hunters must either secure private land access or compete for limited opportunities on the small public land portions available.

The unit's dramatic elevation range from 5,998 feet to 14,016 feet encompasses diverse terrain types from prairie grasslands and sagebrush flats at lower elevations to timbered slopes and alpine basins above treeline. This elevation diversity provides habitat for elk year-round but also creates seasonal access challenges, particularly during late seasons when weather can limit access to higher elevations.

No designated wilderness areas exist within Unit 851 (0% wilderness), meaning no outfitter requirements apply for nonresidents. However, the limited public access makes wilderness restrictions a minor consideration compared to the broader access challenges posed by extensive private land ownership.

Hunters who do draw tags should prioritize securing private land access or identifying the specific public land parcels within the unit. The challenging access combined with limited tag numbers means successful applicants cannot rely on abundant public hunting opportunities.

How to Apply

For 2026, Colorado elk applications open March 1 with a deadline of April 7. Residents pay a $9 application fee plus $70 tag fee if drawn, while nonresidents face an $11 application fee and $845 tag fee. Both residents and nonresidents must purchase a hunting license before applying ($53.19 for residents, $117.62 for nonresidents).

Colorado's preference point system allows hunters to purchase points for $50 (residents) or $100 (nonresidents) annually. The system operates as a true preference point system where highest point holders receive tags first, making point accumulation essential for high-demand units like 851. Current maximum point levels show residents with up to 39 points and nonresidents with 35 points.

Given Unit 851's extreme competitiveness, first-time applicants should expect decades-long waits for premium seasons. The female/cow seasons offer the most realistic entry points, particularly the Female S3 hunt which showed leftover tags in 2025. Hunters should carefully evaluate whether the 20-30 year commitment required for premium tags justifies avoiding other available hunting opportunities.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

How hard is it to draw Unit 851 elk tags? Unit 851 ranks among Colorado's most difficult elk draws. Most premium either-sex and male seasons require 15-30+ preference points with some seasons like Male S4 receiving zero tag allocations despite massive applicant numbers. Only the female/cow seasons offer reasonable draw odds, with Female S3 showing 100% draw rates and leftover tags in 2025.

What are the draw odds for nonresidents in Unit 851? Nonresident odds are significantly worse than resident odds across all seasons. The archery Either S1 season shows 4% nonresident draw rates compared to 21% for residents. Most male rifle seasons require 20+ points for nonresidents versus 15+ for residents. The Female S3 season offers 100% draw rates for both resident and nonresident applicants.

Is Unit 851 good for DIY hunters? Unit 851 is challenging for DIY hunters due to only 19% public land access. Most of the unit consists of private land, requiring hunters to secure access permissions or focus hunting efforts on limited public parcels. The extreme draw odds also make this unit impractical unless hunters have accumulated significant preference points.

When is the best time to hunt elk in Unit 851? Season timing varies significantly from September archery during the rut through January late seasons. October rifle seasons typically show the highest success rates based on harvest data, with the rifle Either S1 season achieving 48% success in 2025. Late-season female hunts extend opportunities into winter but face weather and access challenges.

Should I apply for Unit 851 as my first choice? Only apply for Unit 851 as a first choice if you have 15+ preference points and realistic access to private land or if you're specifically targeting the easier female seasons. Most hunters should consider Unit 851 a long-term goal rather than an immediate opportunity, using preference points on more accessible units while building points for eventual Unit 851 applications.