GMU 102 GMU 102 — Washington/Yuma Co.
Strong plains deer and higher-success pronghorn on private ground near Wray
Northeast Colorado plains — Arikaree River farm and sandsage country · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
740
sq mi
Public land
2%
approx.
Elevation
3,700–4,300
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
GMU 102 covers a big block of Washington/Yuma County plains straddling the Arikaree River, a patchwork of irrigated and dryland crops, CRP, and sandsage prairie. It's a productive deer unit — mule deer on the grass breaks and crop edges, whitetails in the cottonwood bottoms — paired with pronghorn that post notably good success on the open shortgrass. Elk are only rare plains drifters. As with the rest of the northeast corner, the country holds game but is almost entirely private, so access defines the hunt.
Terrain
Rolling high plains with the shallow Arikaree River corridor cutting through; broad open horizons and sandy soils.
Cover: Sandsage and shortgrass prairie, dryland wheat/corn/milo, center-pivot irrigation, CRP grass, and cottonwood/willow bottoms along the Arikaree.
Landmarks: Arikaree River · Wray · Vernon · Kirk
Access
Predominantly private agricultural and ranch land. Colorado State Trust Lands are NOT huntable unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program, so the trust checkerboard should not be counted as open. Practical public access is limited to CPW Walk-In Access leases and any small State Wildlife Areas; otherwise landowner permission or a lease is required.
Managers: private ranch, private farm, Colorado State Trust Land (access-restricted), CPW Walk-In Access
Access points: County road grid off US 34 and US 385 near Wray · CPW Walk-In Access parcels (annual atlas) · Public roads bordering river bottoms and CRP
Species notes
Mule Deer
common qualityThe unit's headline tag with the highest deer harvest of this cluster. Bucks work sandsage draws, grass breaks, and the edges of crop circles; limited-draw with good-quality mature deer available on the right ground.
- →Glass sandsage and CRP draws at dawn and dusk
- →Pattern deer moving between grass bedding and crop fields
- →Concentrate on secured private or Walk-In ground
Whitetail Deer
common qualityWhitetails hold the Arikaree bottoms, shelterbelts, and riparian brush, mixing with mule deer at field edges — a true eastern-plains whitetail hunt.
- →Hunt cottonwood bottoms and shelterbelt travel corridors
- →Set on field-to-cover routes at first/last light
- →Rut hunts in the river bottoms pay off
Pronghorn
common qualityAntelope success here runs higher than most of the cluster. They range the open sandsage and shortgrass; tags are limited-draw and access-dependent.
- →Glass big open flats and fallow ground
- →Use draws, windmills, and terrain folds to stalk
- →Ambush water in hot early seasons
Rocky Mountain Elk
transient lowElk are incidental — the occasional plains wanderer, not a resident herd. Minimal harvest.
- →Not a target species; treat encounters as opportunistic
Pro tips
- →Nail down landowner permission or a lease well ahead — access is everything here
- →Check the current Walk-In Access atlas each year; parcels rotate
- →Whitetails in the Arikaree bottoms; mule deer and antelope on the open sandsage breaks
- →Skip State Trust sections unless they're enrolled in the Public Access Program
Watch out for
- !Almost entirely private — verify boundaries and avoid trespass
- !State Trust Lands closed to hunting unless in CPW's Public Access Program
- !Clay roads become impassable when wet
- !Standing crops conceal deer until harvest
Logistics
Wray is the main hub for fuel, lodging, and supplies, with Yuma to the northwest. Travel is on a graded county-road grid, 2WD-friendly outside of wet weather when clay roads slick up. Cell service is reasonable along highways and near town.
Nearest towns: Wray, Yuma, Vernon, Idalia
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Colorado sources:
Research sources: Colorado Parks & Wildlife — GMU boundary descriptions · CPW Big Game Harvest Statistics
FAQ
- How big is GMU 102 in Colorado?
- GMU 102 (GMU 102 — Washington/Yuma Co.) covers about 740 square miles, ranging from roughly 3,700 to 4,300 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 102?
- Approximately 2% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: private ranch, private farm, Colorado State Trust Land (access-restricted), CPW Walk-In Access. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 102?
- Mule Deer, Whitetail Deer, Pronghorn, Rocky Mountain Elk. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Colorado agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put GMU 102 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.