Colorado GMU 11 Pronghorn Hunting
Moffat and Rio Blanco counties, northwest Colorado · 610 sq mi
Based on the EASIEST unit-wide buck or either-sex hunt code available to adult Colorado residents in the 2026 primary draw — the lowest preference-point tier that drew reliably. Private-land-only and Ranching for Wildlife hunts are excluded because neither is a unit-wide public-land opportunity — NOT because the public cannot draw them. A private-land-only license requires the hunter's own permission to hunt private ground; a Ranching for Wildlife license is valid on the participating ranches enrolled in that program. They are separate systems. Other weapons, seasons and nonresident applicants can require substantially more points. The band is a floor, not a target: even the easiest qualifying hunt here sits in that range.
What hunting GMU 11 is like
GMU 11 spans 610 square miles across Moffat and Rio Blanco counties in Colorado's northwest region. The unit rolls across elevations from 5,500 feet to 8,300 feet, with typical hunting occurring around 6,300 feet. Terrain is rolling, with some steeper breaks: 62 percent of the unit is gentle, 29 percent moderate, and 9 percent steep. The country supports pronghorn hunting from mid-August through mid-October across four seasons.
Public hunting ground covers approximately 64 percent of the unit—roughly 387 square miles managed by the Bureau of Land Management and State Wildlife Areas. An additional 3.7 percent is Colorado State Trust Land; access to these parcels depends on their enrollment in CPW's Public Access Program. Private land makes up roughly 33 percent of the unit. Hunters have reliable access to BLM and State Wildlife Area ground, though roads, trailheads, and inholdings still govern approach to individual areas.
Pronghorn occupy winter range across 42 percent of the unit, with concentrated clustering on 19 percent during winter months. The broader overall range extends across 67 percent of the unit, reflecting the full extent of pronghorn movement throughout the fall and winter. As weather and snow advance through the season, pronghorn shift toward winter concentration areas, though timing and extent vary with conditions.
The unit offers four seasons: Archery from August 15–September 20, Muzzleloader from September 21–September 29, Rifle from October 3–October 11, and Ranching for Wildlife from August 22–August 26. All four hunt both does and bucks. Archery season spans the pre-rut and primary rut phases, when territories form and breeding activity peaks. Muzzleloader hunting occurs across the primary rut and into the late rut and post-rut recovery phase, while the single rifle season falls entirely in the late rut and post-rut recovery period. Ranching for Wildlife hunting takes place during the pre-rut territory formation phase. Overall hunter pressure on this unit is extreme, and the easiest unit-wide buck or either-sex hunt code for an adult Colorado resident draws at 6–9 preference points, placing the unit in the very hard category. Applicants with fewer points may still draw through the secondary draw or leftover list, which are separate systems from the primary draw.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 5,500–8,300 ft, typically around 6,300 ft
- Steepness
- Moderate — mean slope 10.5°
- Slope breakdown
- 62% gentle · 29% moderate · 9% steep · 0% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~387 sq mi, plus ~23 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Habitat & cover
What actually grows here, by elevation. Each band adds to 100% on its own — these are shares of that band, not of GMU 11.
Across the unit
- Sagebrush71%
- Conifer20%
- Other cover3%
- Grass and meadow3%
- Aspen3%
Cover classes from the USGS National Land Cover Database, split into elevation bands. “Other cover” is the remainder of the classification — bare ground, water, agriculture and developed land — and is left unnamed rather than guessed at.
Land & access
About 64% of GMU 11 is public land a hunter can count on — BLM and State Wildlife Areas. A further 4% is State Trust Land, which is huntable only where CPW has enrolled it.
- BLM61%
- State Wildlife Area2%
- State Trust Land4%
- National Park Service<1%
- Private33%
Colorado State Trust Land is open to public hunting only where it is enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program. Check current enrollment before planning around it.
Where pronghorn live in the unit
Colorado Parks & Wildlife maps pronghorn seasonal ranges statewide. This is how much of GMU 11 each range covers — the single best clue to whether pronghorn are here in September, in November, or only passing through. The layers overlap, so they do not add to 100%.
- Overall Range67%the full extent of range CPW maps for pronghorn — near 100% on most units, and not a statement about when pronghorn are present
- Winter Range42%used in winter
- Winter Concentration19%where pronghorn bunch up in winter
Pronghorn seasons & weapons (2026)
| Season | Dates | Tags offered |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | August 15 – September 20 | Doe, Buck |
| Muzzleloader | September 21 – September 29 | Doe, Buck |
| Rifle | October 3 – October 11 | Doe, Buck |
| Ranching for Wildlife | August 22 – August 26 | Doe, Buck |
Dates span every hunt code of that type in this unit and can differ by code. Confirm the current brochure with Colorado Parks & Wildlife before applying.
GMU 11 pronghorn hunting FAQ
How much public ground can a hunter actually access here?
Approximately 64 percent of the unit—roughly 387 square miles—is open to public hunting on Bureau of Land Management and State Wildlife Area ground. An additional 3.7 percent is Colorado State Trust Land, but access depends on whether specific parcels are enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program. Roads, trailheads, and private inholdings still control whether a hunter can reach individual public areas.
Is this unit realistic without preference points?
The easiest unit-wide buck or either-sex hunt reliably requires 6–9 preference points in the primary draw. Applicants with zero points can still draw through the secondary draw held in June (a random, points-free lottery open to anyone) or through the leftover list after the primary draw closes, but these are separate systems and cannot be counted on.
When is the rut, and which season hunts it?
Colorado pronghorn rut from early September through mid-October. Archery season spans the pre-rut and primary rut phases, making it the prime rut hunt; Muzzleloader overlaps the primary and late rut phases; and Rifle falls entirely in the late rut and post-rut recovery period, when breeding activity is winding down.
How does pronghorn distribution change through the fall?
Pronghorn occupy winter range across 42 percent of the unit, with 19 percent designated as winter concentration areas where animals cluster as the season progresses. As weather and snow drive conditions, hunters should expect pronghorn to shift toward these concentration zones, though timing and extent vary with snowfall and temperatures.
What terrain should a hunter expect?
The unit is rolling country with some steeper breaks. Most of the ground is gentle to moderate slope, making foot travel manageable across much of the unit, though 9 percent of the terrain is steep and can slow hunting. Elevation ranges from 5,500 to 8,300 feet, with typical hunting around 6,300 feet.
Is there an over-the-counter archery option if a hunter doesn't draw?
The data confirm that this unit's archery season is limited and must be drawn; it is not sold over the counter. Other routes to a tag are the secondary draw in June or the leftover list after the primary draw closes, both of which are open to any applicant regardless of preference points.
Data sources & methodology
- Colorado Parks & Wildlife — Big Game hunting — seasons, weapons, hunt codes and license types
- CPW — Primary Draw rules — how preference points and the hybrid draw work
- CPW — Pronghorn statistics, draw recap and Drawn Out At reports — the point levels behind the draw-difficulty bands
- CPW — Secondary Draw — licenses remaining after the primary draw
- USGS / MRLC — National Land Cover Database — habitat and cover classes by elevation band
- CPW — Maps and GIS (Species Activity Mapping) — pronghorn seasonal range
- CPW — State Trust Land Finder — which State Trust acreage is enrolled and open to public hunting
- USGS PAD-US — Protected Areas Database of the United States — land ownership and access
- Daymet daily climate, 1991–2020 (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) — fall weather
Draw difficulty is a qualitative band, not published odds — the note under the summary above states exactly which hunt code it describes. Land shares are separate, non-overlapping categories: publicly owned is not the same as open to hunting, and State Trust Land is huntable only where CPW has enrolled it. Unit data last updated September 24, 2026.