Colorado GMU 171 Pronghorn Hunting
Jackson County, northwest Colorado · 256 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 171 is like
Unit 171 is a 256-square-mile expanse in Jackson County in Colorado's northwest region, rolling terrain with some steeper breaks. Elevations range from 8,000 feet to 12,900 feet, with typical terrain sitting around 8,800 feet. The country is predominantly gentle to moderate; steep and rugged ground together make up only 8 percent of the unit by area. Pronghorn hunting here spans archery, muzzleloader, and two rifle seasons across late summer and fall.
About 52 percent of the unit—roughly 134 square miles—is generally open to public hunting across National Forest, BLM, and State Wildlife Areas. An additional 3.5 percent is Colorado State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment in the Public Access Program and cannot be counted on without verification. Private land covers 37 percent of the unit, and roughly 7.6 percent is unclassified in terms of ownership. Getting to the open ground requires the same scrutiny of roads, trailheads, and seasonal closures as on any mixed-ownership unit.
Pronghorn seasonal ranges are mapped across 41 percent of the unit's overall range extent. A Winter Concentration layer covers 2 percent, marking where pronghorn cluster as the season cools. The mapped ranges do not specify elevation or location and do not establish uniform distribution; pronghorn in this unit concentrate on winter ground rather than spreading evenly across available range. Expect pronghorn to shift toward concentration areas as conditions cool from September into fall.
Four seasons are offered in 2026: Archery from August 15 to September 20 for either sex or doe; Muzzleloader from September 21 to September 29 for either sex or doe; Rifle from October 3 to October 11 for either sex or doe; and a second Rifle season from October 17 to October 25 for doe. Archery falls during Pre-Rut and Primary Rut phases; Muzzleloader spans Primary Rut into Late Rut recovery; the first Rifle season sits in Late Rut recovery; the second Rifle season falls in Fall Grouping as pronghorn transition toward winter. September weather brings highs near 65 degrees and overnight lows near 35; October cools to highs near 52 and lows near 26, with early snowfall averaging 4.4 inches. By November the unit sees significant accumulation averaging 12.9 inches monthly. The draw is very hard, requiring 6 to 9 preference points for the easiest unit-wide buck or either-sex hunt code. Hunter pressure remains low overall.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 8,000–12,900 ft, typically around 8,800 ft
- Steepness
- Gentle — mean slope 8.4°
- Slope breakdown
- 69% gentle · 23% moderate · 7% steep · 1% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~134 sq mi, plus ~9 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 171.
Lower elevations
- Sagebrush69%
- Riparian22%
- Other cover7%
- Grass and meadow2%
Mid elevations
- Conifer34%
- Sagebrush29%
- Riparian26%
- Grass and meadow5%
- Aspen4%
- Other cover2%
Higher elevations
- Conifer77%
- Sagebrush11%
- Grass and meadow6%
- Other cover3%
- Riparian2%
- Aspen1%
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 52% of GMU 171 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest, BLM and State Wildlife Areas. A further 3% is State Trust Land, which is huntable only where CPW has enrolled it.
- National Forest38%
- BLM14%
- State Wildlife Area<1%
- State Trust Land3%
- National Park Service<1%
- Unclassified ownership8%
- Private37%
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.
“Ownership unclassified” means the source dataset does not record an owner for that acreage. It is not known to be public or private.
Where pronghorn live in the unit
Colorado Parks & Wildlife maps pronghorn seasonal ranges statewide. This is how much of GMU 171 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 Range41%the full extent of range CPW maps for pronghorn — near 100% on most units, and not a statement about when pronghorn are present
- Winter Range2%used in winter
- Winter Concentration2%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 |
| 2nd Rifle | October 17 – October 25 | Doe |
| Rifle | October 3 – October 11 | 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.
Fall weather
- September — highs around 65°F, lows around 35°F, about 0.3 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 52°F, lows around 26°F, about 4.4 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 39°F, lows around 16°F, about 12.9 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 171 pronghorn hunting FAQ
How much public ground can a hunter actually plan to access in this unit?
Roughly 52 percent of Unit 171—approximately 134 square miles—is generally open to public hunting on National Forest, BLM, and State Wildlife Areas. An additional 3.5 percent is State Trust Land, but hunting there depends on enrollment in CPW's Public Access Program; verify which parcels are enrolled before counting on that acreage. Roads, trailheads, and seasonal closures still govern actual entry.
Can someone with no preference points draw a pronghorn tag here?
The easiest unit-wide hunt code available to adult Colorado residents requires 6 to 9 preference points in the primary draw. Applicants with fewer points sometimes draw through the primary system despite being below that band, and additional tags may be available through the secondary draw or leftover list after the primary draw closes—both are random, preference-point-free systems separate from the primary draw.
Is this unit better for archery or rifle hunting?
Archery runs August 15 to September 20 during the Pre-Rut and Primary Rut, when pronghorn are actively territorial and responsive. Rifle seasons come later: October 3–11 (Late Rut recovery) and October 17–25 (Fall Grouping). Early rifle sits closer to the rut; late rifle hunts a cooler, post-rut transition with pronghorn beginning to cluster for winter. Neither season has a clear advantage; choice depends on the hunter's approach and preference for rut activity versus grouping behavior.
Where should a hunter expect to find pronghorn as the season progresses from September into November?
A Winter Concentration layer covers 2 percent of the unit, marking ground where pronghorn cluster as conditions cool. Mapped seasonal ranges span 41 percent of the unit overall and do not specify location by elevation or aspect. Pronghorn concentrate rather than spread evenly, so focus on concentration areas as temperatures drop and snowfall builds through October and November.
How steep is the terrain and does elevation make a real difference here?
The unit is rolling with some steeper breaks; steep and rugged terrain together account for only 8 percent of the area. Elevations span 8,000 to 12,900 feet with most terrain around 8,800 feet, and pronghorn occupy range across this spread. The unit's rolling character and moderate elevation changes mean a hunter on foot will not face extreme climbing, though seasonal snow in November—averaging nearly 13 inches monthly—affects travel and visibility.
Is the archery season realistic for someone who has never hunted pronghorn before?
Archery runs during the Pre-Rut and Primary Rut when pronghorn are responsive to calls and decoys, making this the traditional teaching season for pronghorn archery. Draw difficulty is very high at 6–9 points for the easiest unit-wide hunt, so a first-time applicant is unlikely to draw the primary season. However, the secondary draw and leftover list offer random chances regardless of points after the primary draw concludes.
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.