Colorado GMU 69 Pronghorn Hunting
Custer and Fremont counties, southeast Colorado · 292 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 69 is like
Unit 69 spans 292 square miles across Custer and Fremont counties in the southeastern Colorado mountains. Elevation ranges from 5,200 feet to 10,400 feet, with typical hunting occurring around 7,800 feet. The terrain is rolling to moderately steep, with 48 percent of the unit in gentle slopes, 31 percent in moderate terrain, 19 percent steep, and 2 percent rugged by area. This mix of slopes makes much of the ground walkable for hunters willing to cover distance, though steeper sections require deliberate route-finding.
Public hunting ground here is limited. National Forest, BLM land, and State Wildlife Areas comprise roughly 33 percent of the unit, or about 96 square miles. Colorado State Trust Land makes up an additional 2.5 percent, though access depends on CPW's Public Access Program enrollment and is not guaranteed. Private land covers the remaining 65 percent of the unit, which significantly constrains where hunters can legally pursue pronghorn. The fragmented ownership pattern means that even on walkable terrain, legal access becomes the primary limiting factor.
Pronghorn on this unit occupy the full range CPW has mapped, covering 26 percent of the unit overall. Within that, 8 percent falls in Winter Range and 4 percent in Winter Concentration areas, which mark the clusters where pronghorn gather during the cold months. No Migration Corridors are mapped here. Pronghorn occupy the unit most reliably in the low and mid-elevation zones where winter conditions are less severe, with clustering becoming more pronounced as fall transitions into winter. The extent of mapped range does not indicate year-round occupancy; the distribution is concentrated seasonally rather than evenly spread.
Three pronghorn seasons are offered in 2026, two open to the general public. The Muzzleloader season runs September 21–29, taking place during the Primary Rut and early Late Rut phases when bucks are highly active. The Rifle season follows October 3–11, spanning the Late Rut and early Fall Grouping period as animals move toward winter grounds. A private-land-only season runs October 3–25. September temperatures average highs around 72°F and lows around 42°F with minimal snowfall, while October highs drop to 60°F, lows to 31°F, and snowfall increases to 2.5 inches on average. The unit draws at 1–2 preference points for the easiest either-sex opportunity, reflecting moderate competition in the primary draw. Hunter pressure here is extreme.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 5,200–10,400 ft, typically around 7,800 ft
- Steepness
- Steep — mean slope 14.2°
- Slope breakdown
- 48% gentle · 31% moderate · 19% steep · 2% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~96 sq mi, plus ~7 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 69.
Lower elevations
- Sagebrush37%
- Conifer27%
- Grass and meadow21%
- Other cover13%
- Riparian1%
Mid elevations
- Conifer51%
- Sagebrush33%
- Grass and meadow13%
- Aspen2%
- Other cover2%
Higher elevations
- Conifer56%
- Sagebrush34%
- Grass and meadow6%
- Aspen4%
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 33% of GMU 69 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest, BLM and State Wildlife Areas. A further 2% is State Trust Land, which is huntable only where CPW has enrolled it.
- National Forest26%
- BLM7%
- State Wildlife Area<1%
- State Trust Land2%
- Unclassified ownership<1%
- Private65%
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 69 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 Range26%the full extent of range CPW maps for pronghorn — near 100% on most units, and not a statement about when pronghorn are present
- Winter Range8%used in winter
- Winter Concentration4%where pronghorn bunch up in winter
- Migration Corridors<1%movement between ranges, not residence
Pronghorn seasons & weapons (2026)
| Season | Dates | Tags offered |
|---|---|---|
| Muzzleloader | September 21 – September 29 | Doe, Buck |
| Rifle | October 3 – October 11 | Doe, Buck |
| Private-land only | October 3 – October 25 | 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 72°F, lows around 42°F, about 0.1 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 60°F, lows around 31°F, about 2.5 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 49°F, lows around 21°F, about 3.9 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 69 pronghorn hunting FAQ
Is this unit realistic for someone with no preference points?
An applicant with zero points can draw the easiest either-sex hunt code reliably, as the draw band sits at 1–2 points. However, the secondary draw (a separate June pure-random draw open to anyone) and the leftover list offer additional routes to a tag outside the preference-point system. These are separate systems from the primary draw, so applicants without points have paths to hunt here.
How much public-land hunting ground can actually be accessed here?
Roughly 33 percent of the unit—about 96 square miles—is dependably open on National Forest, BLM, and State Wildlife Areas. Another 2.5 percent is Colorado State Trust Land, but hunting access there depends on CPW enrollment and cannot be assumed. The remaining 65 percent is private, so legal access is the major constraint even where terrain is walkable.
Is the muzzleloader season a good choice for this unit?
The September 21–29 muzzleloader season falls during the Primary Rut and early Late Rut, when bucks are active and dispersed rather than in concentrated groups. Conditions are mild with typical highs around 72°F and virtually no snow. The rifle season later in October coincides with the Late Rut phase and cooler temperatures as pronghorn begin moving toward winter ground, which may concentrate animals more visibly.
Does terrain limit hunters more than access here?
Access is the limiting factor. While 48 percent of the unit is in gentle slopes and another 31 percent is moderately steep—both reasonably walkable—only 33 percent of that public-friendly terrain is legally huntable. Private land fragmentation means many accessible slopes are off-limits, and the State Trust Land acreage adds uncertainty. A hunter should verify legal routes into the open ground before planning.
Where do pronghorn concentrate on this unit through the fall?
Winter Concentration areas, making up 4 percent of the unit's mapped range, are where pronghorn cluster during the cold months. These clusters become more pronounced as the season progresses from the rut phases in September and October into the Fall Grouping and Winter Transition periods. Pronghorn occupy low and mid-elevation ground most reliably, where winter conditions are less severe.
What draws more pressure: the early muzzleloader season or the rifle hunt?
Overall hunter pressure on this unit is extreme, and the draw difficulty of 1–2 points reflects moderate competitiveness at the primary-draw level. The muzzleloader season earlier in fall may see more applicants as a first opportunity to hunt, but both seasons serve the rut or post-rut phases when pronghorn behavior differs. The rifle season's later dates offer cooler conditions and animals beginning to concentrate for winter.
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.