Colorado GMU 28 Pronghorn Hunting
Grand County, northwest Colorado · 664 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 28 is like
Colorado GMU 28 spans 664 square miles in Grand County in the northwest region, ranging from 7,300 feet to 13,500 feet in elevation. The terrain is rolling to moderately steep, with 32% gentle slopes, 49% moderate slopes, 18% steep slopes, and 1% rugged ground. The unit's mean slope is 15.9 degrees. Pronghorn hunting here takes place across a landscape of mixed-elevation country with varied topography suitable for pursuing does and bucks through the archery, muzzleloader, and rifle seasons.
Public land open to hunting makes up approximately 67% of the unit, or about 445 square miles, composed of National Forest, BLM, and State Wildlife Areas. The remaining land consists of private holdings at roughly 31% and unclassified ownership at roughly 1.7%. The National Forest comprises the largest public share at 60% of the unit, with BLM contributing 6.6% and State Wildlife Areas 0.6%. Access and approach vary by location and land ownership, and hunters should verify specific entry routes and seasonal restrictions before planning a hunt.
CPW's range mapping shows Overall Range covering 19% of the unit, representing the full mapped extent of pronghorn range. Migration Corridors cover an additional 1% of the unit. No Winter Range is mapped for pronghorn in GMU 28. Pronghorn are present across the mapped range during the seasons offered, and their distribution follows seasonal phenology tied to temperature, snow, and forage conditions across fall months.
The unit offers four pronghorn seasons in 2026. Archery runs August 15 through September 20 for either-sex or doe hunting. Muzzleloader is available September 21 through September 29 for either-sex or doe hunting. Rifle season runs October 3 through October 11 for either-sex or doe hunting. A private-land-only season runs September 26 through October 18 for either-sex or doe hunting. The archery season falls during the Pre-Rut and Primary Rut phases, muzzleloader during the Primary Rut and Late Rut phases, and rifle during the Late Rut phase. Overall hunter pressure is moderate. The draw is moderate in difficulty, with the easiest unit-wide buck or either-sex code drawing reliably at 1–2 preference points for adult Colorado residents; applicants with fewer points sometimes draw as well. Premium buck seasons in this unit require substantially higher preference points.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 7,300–13,500 ft, typically around 9,300 ft
- Steepness
- Steep — mean slope 15.9°
- Slope breakdown
- 32% gentle · 49% moderate · 18% steep · 1% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~445 sq mi, plus ~3 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 28.
Lower elevations
- Sagebrush48%
- Conifer22%
- Riparian14%
- Other cover10%
- Aspen4%
- Grass and meadow1%
Mid elevations
- Conifer79%
- Sagebrush8%
- Grass and meadow5%
- Aspen3%
- Riparian3%
- Other cover2%
Higher elevations
- Conifer62%
- Sagebrush18%
- Grass and meadow13%
- Other cover6%
- Riparian1%
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 67% of GMU 28 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest, BLM and State Wildlife Areas.
- National Forest60%
- BLM7%
- State Wildlife Area<1%
- State Trust Land<1%
- Unclassified ownership2%
- Private31%
“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 28 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 Range19%the full extent of range CPW maps for pronghorn — near 100% on most units, and not a statement about when pronghorn are present
- Migration Corridors1%movement between ranges, not residence
- Winter Range<1%used 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 |
| Private-land only | September 26 – October 18 | 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 63°F, lows around 35°F, about 0.2 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 51°F, lows around 25°F, about 4.7 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 38°F, lows around 15°F, about 14.9 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 28 pronghorn hunting FAQ
Can a pronghorn hunter with no preference points draw this unit?
Applicants with zero preference points sometimes draw the easiest unit-wide buck or either-sex codes from the primary draw, though the lowest tier that drew reliably in recent years sat at 1–2 points. The secondary draw in June and the leftover list after the primary draw are separate, points-free pathways available to all applicants.
Is the archery season worth entering for someone interested in the rut?
The archery season spans August 15 through September 20, which covers both the Pre-Rut (August 11–September 5) and Primary Rut (September 6–25) phases. The early portion of the archery season falls in Pre-Rut territory formation when bucks are establishing range; the later portion coincides with the Primary Rut peak.
How much public land can a hunter actually hunt in GMU 28?
Roughly 67% of the unit, or about 445 square miles, is open to public hunting through National Forest (60%), BLM (6.6%), and State Wildlife Areas (0.6%). The remaining land is private (31%) or unclassified in ownership (1.7%).
Does terrain in this unit favor hiking hunters, or is it mostly accessible by vehicle?
The unit is rolling to moderately steep, with 32% gentle slopes, 49% moderate slopes, 18% steep slopes, and 1% rugged ground. This mix allows for foot travel and hiking, though terrain and elevation changes vary across the 664-square-mile area.
What weather should a late-October or November hunter expect?
October mid-elevation averages highs near 51°F and lows near 25°F, with about 4.7 inches of monthly snowfall. By November, highs drop to near 38°F and lows to near 15°F, with approximately 14.9 inches of snowfall. Conditions cool significantly as the season progresses.
Does GMU 28 hold a premium buck season for hunters willing to invest preference points?
Yes, the unit holds at least one premium buck season that requires substantially more preference points than the easiest unit-wide buck code. Such seasons are separate draws with higher point requirements.
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.