Colorado GMU 58 Pronghorn Hunting
Fremont and Park counties, central Colorado · 872 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 58 is like
GMU 58 spans 872 square miles across Fremont and Park counties in the central region, with elevations ranging from 5,700 feet to 11,700 feet and a typical elevation around 9,100 feet. The terrain is rolling to moderately steep, with 50% gentle slopes, 40% moderate grades, and 10% steep terrain; no rugged areas are mapped. The unit sits at the interface between lower-elevation plains and the higher country to the west.
Public land comprises roughly 39% of the unit—about 343 square miles—divided among BLM, National Forest, and State Wildlife Areas. An additional 9.3% is Colorado State Trust Land, huntable only where CPW has enrolled parcels in the Public Access Program. About 50% of the unit is private land, 1.4% is unclassified in ownership, and the remainder is public. Access to public ground varies by location and ownership; hunters should verify specific routes and seasonal restrictions before planning.
Pronghorn occupy a broad range across the unit, with overall range mapping covering 72% of the area. A Winter Range covers 24% of the unit, with concentrated winter use clustered on 17% of the ground. Pronghorn in this unit concentrate during the winter months, and hunters should expect animals to shift toward wintering ground as temperatures decline through the fall. The pronghorn migration mapping does not show movement corridors through this unit.
The unit offers three seasons: Archery runs August 15 through September 20, with either-sex hunting available; Muzzleloader spans September 21 through September 29, also either-sex; and Rifle runs October 3 through October 11 with either-sex tags. Archery falls during the pre-rut phase in August and early September, shifting into the primary rut by mid-September. Muzzleloader overlaps the primary rut early in the season and extends into the late rut and post-rut recovery phase. Rifle hunting occurs entirely during the late rut and post-rut recovery window. September weather at mid-elevation averages highs near 67°F and lows near 37°F with minimal snowfall; October highs drop to about 56°F with lows near 27°F and occasional snow, while November brings highs around 44°F with lows near 17°F and increasing snow. Overall hunter pressure is low. The draw for this unit is hard, with the easiest unit-wide either-sex hunt code drawing dependably in the 3–5 preference-point band for adult Colorado residents; other seasons and premium hunts require substantially more points.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 5,700–11,700 ft, typically around 9,100 ft
- Steepness
- Moderate — mean slope 12°
- Slope breakdown
- 50% gentle · 40% moderate · 10% steep · 0% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~343 sq mi, plus ~81 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 58.
Lower elevations
- Conifer48%
- Sagebrush34%
- Grass and meadow13%
- Other cover3%
- Riparian2%
Mid elevations
- Grass and meadow51%
- Sagebrush31%
- Conifer14%
- Other cover2%
- Riparian1%
Higher elevations
- Grass and meadow36%
- Conifer29%
- Sagebrush26%
- Aspen8%
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 39% of GMU 58 is public land a hunter can count on — BLM, National Forest and State Wildlife Areas. A further 9% is State Trust Land, which is huntable only where CPW has enrolled it.
- BLM29%
- National Forest9%
- State Wildlife Area<1%
- State Trust Land9%
- Unclassified ownership1%
- Private50%
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 58 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 Range72%the full extent of range CPW maps for pronghorn — near 100% on most units, and not a statement about when pronghorn are present
- Winter Range24%used in winter
- Winter Concentration17%where pronghorn bunch up in winter
- Migration Corridors<1%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 |
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 67°F, lows around 37°F, about 0.1 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 56°F, lows around 27°F, about 2.8 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 44°F, lows around 17°F, about 4.6 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 58 pronghorn hunting FAQ
How much public ground can a pronghorn hunter actually access in this unit?
About 39% of the unit—roughly 343 square miles—is generally open to public hunting on BLM, National Forest, and State Wildlife Area lands. An additional 9.3% is Colorado State Trust Land, but only parcels enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program are huntable; access varies by parcel. Private land covers half the unit, so the reliably accessible public base is the 39% open share, though specific entry points depend on road access and trailhead locations.
Can a pronghorn hunter with no preference points draw a tag here?
The easiest unit-wide either-sex hunt code in the primary draw depends on holding 3–5 preference points. Applicants with fewer points sometimes draw this hunt or other seasons through the primary draw, but the 3–5 band is where it drew dependably. Colorado's secondary draw in June is pure random, open to all applicants regardless of points and with no points awarded or used, and the leftover list is first-come, first-served afterward if tags remain.
Is this unit better for early-season or late-season hunting?
Archery in August and early September hunts pronghorn in the pre-rut and early primary rut, when animals are often more dispersed and territorial. Rifle in early October falls entirely in the late rut and post-rut recovery phase, after peak breeding activity has passed. Muzzleloader in late September splits the difference, hunting through both the primary rut and early post-rut phases. The choice depends on whether a hunter prefers active rut behavior or post-rut conditions.
Where should a hunter expect to find pronghorn as the fall season progresses?
Pronghorn occupy a broad range across the unit early in the fall, but as winter approaches, animals are expected to shift toward the 24% of the unit mapped as Winter Range, where 17% of the ground is designated as winter concentration areas. This movement happens gradually through the season, with timing and extent varying based on weather and snow; the concentration mapping shows where animals cluster, not where they spread evenly.
What is the weather like during the hunting seasons?
September at mid-elevation averages highs near 67°F and lows near 37°F with minimal snowfall, providing mild early-season conditions. October cools noticeably, with highs dropping to about 56°F, lows near 27°F, and occasional snow around 2.8 inches. November brings highs around 44°F and lows near 17°F with more frequent snow, averaging 4.6 inches, so late-season hunters should expect cold and snow.
Does this unit have over-the-counter pronghorn tags, or must a hunter draw to hunt here?
This data does not specify whether this unit's archery season is sold over-the-counter or is limited and drawn. Hunters should check CPW's current hunt code tables to determine whether archery tags are unlimited or require drawing through the limited-draw system.
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.