Colorado GMU 37 Pronghorn Hunting
Summit and Grand counties, northwest Colorado · 528 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 37 is like
GMU 37 spans 528 square miles across Summit and Grand counties in northwest Colorado, ranging from 7,000 feet to 14,300 feet in elevation. The terrain is rolling to moderately steep, with 32 percent gentle slopes, 47 percent moderate slopes, 19 percent steep slopes, and 2 percent rugged terrain. Pronghorn hunting here encompasses the transition from high summer range into fall, moving across country that varies dramatically in aspect and steepness through the season's progression.
About 71 percent of the unit, roughly 374 square miles, is open to public hunting on National Forest, BLM, and State Wildlife Areas. The remaining acreage consists of private land (approximately 28 percent) and unclassified ownership (approximately 1.3 percent). The dominant public holder is the United States Forest Service, which accounts for the majority of the open ground. Access onto this publicly held ground depends on roads, trailheads, and seasonal closures that govern entry regardless of ownership.
Pronghorn occupy portions of this unit across the fall and into early winter. Overall Range mapping covers about 14 percent of the unit, indicating the mapped extent of where pronghorn may be present throughout the year. Winter Range covers approximately 5 percent, and Migration Corridors account for about 2 percent. These layers show that pronghorn use contracts through the season and that some movement occurs within the unit. A hunter entering in August will find animals distributed across pre-rut territory; by late October, herds begin grouping into winter-transition aggregations on seasonal range.
Four pronghorn seasons run in 2026: Archery from August 15 to September 20 on does or bucks; Muzzleloader from September 21 to September 29 on does or bucks; Rifle from October 3 to October 11 on does or bucks; and a private-land-only season from September 26 to October 18 on does or bucks. Archery season spans the pre-rut period and into the primary rut, when bucks hold territory. The muzzleloader season bridges the primary rut and early post-rut recovery. Rifle season sits in the late post-rut phase. September temperatures average highs around 58 degrees Fahrenheit and lows around 34 degrees. October brings cooling to highs near 47 degrees and lows around 25 degrees, with snowfall increasing from less than an inch to over 9 inches monthly. November highs drop to around 35 degrees with heavy snowfall averaging 22.5 inches. The draw for pronghorn here is rated Moderate, with the easiest unit-wide code requiring 1 to 2 preference points for an adult Colorado resident in the primary draw. Hunter pressure on the unit is moderate overall.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 7,000–14,300 ft, typically around 10,300 ft
- Steepness
- Steep — mean slope 16.2°
- Slope breakdown
- 32% gentle · 47% moderate · 19% steep · 2% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~374 sq mi
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 37.
Lower elevations
- Sagebrush48%
- Conifer25%
- Other cover13%
- Aspen6%
- Riparian5%
- Grass and meadow2%
Mid elevations
- Conifer79%
- Other cover7%
- Sagebrush6%
- Aspen3%
- Riparian3%
- Grass and meadow3%
Higher elevations
- Sagebrush34%
- Conifer33%
- Grass and meadow16%
- Other cover15%
- Riparian2%
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 71% of GMU 37 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest, BLM and State Wildlife Areas.
- National Forest65%
- BLM5%
- State Wildlife Area<1%
- Unclassified ownership1%
- Private28%
“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 37 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 Range14%the full extent of range CPW maps for pronghorn — near 100% on most units, and not a statement about when pronghorn are present
- Winter Range5%used in winter
- Migration Corridors2%movement between ranges, not residence
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 59°F, lows around 34°F, about 0.7 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 47°F, lows around 25°F, about 9.2 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 35°F, lows around 14°F, about 22.5 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 37 pronghorn hunting FAQ
Can a hunter with zero preference points draw pronghorn here?
The easiest unit-wide buck or either-sex code requires 1 to 2 points reliably in the primary draw. Applicants with zero points sometimes draw anyway, and the secondary draw and leftover list offer routes independent of the primary system, but neither is guaranteed. A hunter committed to pronghorn in this unit should plan to apply or check secondary and leftover options.
When in the season are pronghorn most active and visible?
The archery season (August 15–September 20) and muzzleloader season (September 21–29) bracket the primary rut, when bucks are engaged in territory formation and mating behavior, making them more visible and responsive. The rifle season (October 3–11) falls into post-rut recovery when animals are still active but less focused on territorial displays.
What percentage of this unit is actually huntable by the public?
About 71 percent—roughly 374 square miles—is open to public hunting on National Forest, BLM, and State Wildlife Areas. The remainder is private land (28 percent) and unclassified ownership (1.3 percent). Access still depends on specific roads, trailheads, and seasonal closures, which vary across the open ground.
Does this unit draw more applicants than tags available, or is it easy to get in?
The draw difficulty is rated Moderate with an easiest-code requirement of 1 to 2 preference points, meaning competition exists but is not extreme. However, draw difficulty and hunter pressure are separate: an easier draw does not guarantee solitude on the ground, which sees moderate pressure overall.
Are pronghorn present throughout the unit all season, or concentrated in specific areas?
Pronghorn occupy about 14 percent of the unit within Overall Range mapping and contract into about 5 percent as Winter Range takes shape. Migration Corridors cover about 2 percent, indicating some seasonal shifting occurs. Hunters should expect animals to be more dispersed early in the season and more concentrated on winter transition ground by late October and November.
What weather should a hunter expect by late season?
October brings significant cooling and snowfall, with highs near 47 degrees and average monthly snow over 9 inches. November is substantially colder, with highs around 35 degrees and heavy snowfall averaging 22.5 inches. The fall trend is consistently toward colder and snowier conditions from August through November.
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.