Colorado Mule Deer Elk

Unit 741 (Cortez / Ute Mountain Foothills)

Colorado Hunting Guide — Mule Deer, Elk

Unit 741 covers Montezuma County in the far southwest of Colorado, including the McElmo Canyon and Ute Mountain foothills. Pinyon-juniper benches, sagebrush flats, and the Dolores River corridor support a solid mule deer population with reasonable public access on BLM ground.

View Draw Odds Colorado Hunting Guide

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 741

Where to Find Mule Deer in Unit 741

Unit 741 deer work the PJ-oakbrush benches and canyon rims.

Early Rifle

Bucks in PJ at 6,500-7,500 feet near McElmo rim. Water drives movement.

Late Rifle

Rut activity in oakbrush along the Dolores River corridor.

Ute Mountain Foothills

Glass the north slope of Ute Mountain — legal boundary is complex so verify with the CPW Atlas.

How to Hunt Mule Deer in Unit 741

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Mule Deer Success Rates

Archery18%

Muzzleloader22%

Rifle28%

Unit 741 mule deer success runs 28-38% rifle. Trophy potential above Colorado southwest-region average with 4x4 bucks regular.

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Archery— 1st Season	13	13	100.0%	0
Muzzleloader— 1st Season	0	1	0.0%	0
Muzzleloader— 1st Season	7	4	100.0%	0
Rifle— 2nd Season	12	9	100.0%	0
Rifle— 3rd Season	6	7	85.7%	0
Rifle— 4th Season	8	8	100.0%	0
Rifle— 2nd Season	31	17	100.0%	0
Rifle— 3rd Season	14	21	66.7%	0
Rifle— 4th Season	9	21	42.9%	1
Rifle— 2nd Season	28	22	100.0%	0
Rifle— 3rd Season	16	27	59.3%	0
Rifle— 4th Season	13	38	34.2%	1

Data from 2025 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Preference-point draw. Unit 741 buck rifle typically 2-5 resident points.

Elk Hunting in Unit 741

Unit 741 is part of the Uncompahgre Plateau complex in Montrose and Ouray Counties, a long-standing trophy elk area of aspen benches, spruce-fir ridges, and deep drainages. The unit produces mature bulls consistently and remains one of the most sought-after draw elk units in western Colorado.

Where to Find Elk in Unit 741

Unit 741 elk live in aspen-spruce country across the eastern Uncompahgre Plateau.

Aspen Benches

Aspen between 8,500 and 10,000 feet along the plateau edge holds bulls during archery and early rifle seasons.

Dark Timber

Spruce-fir ridges at 10,000-11,000 feet hold mature bulls once rifle pressure starts.

Canyon Edges

Deep drainages like Dry Creek, Spring Creek, and Roatcap Creek give escape terrain and corridors for migration.

How to Hunt Elk in Unit 741

Unit 741 is classic Uncompahgre elk hunting — work aspen benches and dark timber.

Bugle Aspen

Bulls respond to location bugles along aspen-park edges in September. Move frequently to find responsive bulls.

Still-Hunt Timber

Midday still-hunts through spruce-fir with the wind in your face can put you on bedded bulls.

Time the Migration

Late rifle seasons can intercept bulls moving off the plateau toward wintering country on the edges.

Access

Divide Road (FR 402) is the main artery; many spur roads branch off into the aspen benches.

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Elk Success Rates

Rifle19%

Unit 741 rifle bull success typically runs 25-40%. Archery hunters average 10-15%. Trophy quality is excellent — 300+ bulls come out of this unit every season.

Elk Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— 5th Season	33	90	36.7%	1
Rifle— 4th Season	3	0	100.0%	0
Rifle— 2nd Season	6	0	100.0%	0
Rifle— 3rd Season	5	2	100.0%	0
Rifle— 4th Season	4	2	100.0%	0

Data from 2025 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Unit 741 elk uses Colorado's pure preference-point draw. Resident rifle bull tags typically require 5-10 points depending on season. Archery bulls often draw with fewer points.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Planning Notes

🛻

Trailer Access

Yes — US 491, US 160 paved; BLM roads off McElmo Canyon handle rigs dry.

💧

Water

Limited. Dolores River, McElmo Creek, scattered stock tanks.

🛣️

Road Conditions

Paved main routes; BLM roads gumbo when wet. 4WD for two-tracks.

🥾

Terrain Difficulty

Moderate. Elevations 5,500-8,500 feet with canyon breaks.

👥

Hunting Pressure

Moderate.

🌦️

Weather

Warm early-season, cold nights late. Snow possible late November.

📱

Cell Service

Good near Cortez; drops in canyons.

🏘️

Nearest Town

Cortez (population ~8,700) for full services.

📋

Permit Notes

Unit 741 limited draw. Ute Mountain Tribal land closed — verify boundaries on CPW Atlas.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hunt Ute Mountain in Unit 741?

No — Ute Mountain Ute Reservation is closed to non-tribal hunting. The GMU boundary wraps around the reservation; always verify on the CPW Hunting Atlas.

Best season for Unit 741 mule deer?

Late rifle catches the rut window and produces the largest bucks. Early rifle offers more tags but fewer mature animals in the open.

How many points for Unit 741 elk?

Unit 741 rifle bull elk tags typically draw with 5-10 preference points for residents through Colorado's pure preference-point system, depending on season date.

Is Unit 741 a trophy unit?

Yes. The Uncompahgre Plateau consistently produces 300+ inch bulls and is one of Colorado's better-known trophy draw units for elk.

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Sources & Verification

Every fact on this page is tied to a primary source below. Last fact-checked 2026-04-17.

CPW Big Game Statistics — Colorado Parks and Wildlife · supports: Unit 741 mule deer harvest, Success rates, Trend data · accessed 2026-04-17
BLM Tres Rios Field Office — Bureau of Land Management · supports: BLM parcels in Unit 741, McElmo Canyon access, Road network · accessed 2026-04-17
San Juan National Forest — USDA Forest Service · supports: SJNF edges in Unit 741, Dispersed camping rules, Trailhead list · accessed 2026-04-17
Colorado Big Game Hunting Brochure (Current Cycle) — Colorado Parks and Wildlife · supports: Elk season dates, Unit 741 boundary, Limited-license structure · accessed 2026-04-17
CPW Elk Hunt Statistics — Colorado Parks and Wildlife · supports: Unit 741 harvest totals, Uncompahgre DAU population · accessed 2026-04-17
CPW Hunting Atlas — GMU 741 — Colorado Parks and Wildlife / CSU NREL · supports: Unit 741 boundary, Uncompahgre NF layer, Migration corridors · accessed 2026-04-17

Unit 741 (Cortez / Ute Mountain Foothills)

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 741

Where to Find Mule Deer in Unit 741

Early Rifle

Late Rifle

Ute Mountain Foothills

How to Hunt Mule Deer in Unit 741

Waterhole Strategy

PJ Still-Hunt

Rut Hunts

Mule Deer Success Rates

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Elk Hunting in Unit 741

Where to Find Elk in Unit 741

Aspen Benches

Dark Timber

Canyon Edges

How to Hunt Elk in Unit 741

Bugle Aspen

Still-Hunt Timber

Time the Migration

Access

Elk Success Rates

Elk Draw Odds

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Planning Notes

Trailer Access

Water

Road Conditions

Terrain Difficulty

Hunting Pressure

Weather

Cell Service

Nearest Town

Permit Notes

Frequently Asked Questions

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Sources & Verification

Unit 741 (Cortez / Ute Mountain Foothills)

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 741

Where to Find Mule Deer in Unit 741

Early Rifle

Late Rifle

Ute Mountain Foothills

How to Hunt Mule Deer in Unit 741

Mule Deer Success Rates

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Elk Hunting in Unit 741

Where to Find Elk in Unit 741

Aspen Benches

Dark Timber

Canyon Edges

How to Hunt Elk in Unit 741

Elk Success Rates

Elk Draw Odds

Unit Logistics & Expectations

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Sources & Verification