GMU 105 GMU 105 — Adams/Arapahoe/Elbert Co.
One of the state's best plains pronghorn units — and effectively all private ground
Eastern Colorado plains — shortgrass pronghorn country · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
1,143
sq mi
Public land
3%
approx.
Elevation
5,000–6,300
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
GMU 105 covers open High Plains southeast of Denver across Adams, Arapahoe and Elbert counties, a mosaic of shortgrass prairie, dryland wheat and CRP with shallow creek drainages. It is a top-tier plains pronghorn unit, posting the highest antelope harvest of the southeast metro cluster with strong 5-year success. Mule deer add a solid limited-draw hunt; elk are a small, limited-draw afterthought. The defining reality is access — the unit is almost entirely private, so success depends on permission or an outfitter, not public land.
Terrain
Open, gently rolling shortgrass plains with long sightlines, broken only by shallow creek bottoms and sandy draws. Ideal spot-and-stalk pronghorn terrain.
Cover: Shortgrass and mixed-grass prairie, dryland wheat stubble and CRP grass, sagebrush and yucca flats, with sparse cottonwoods lining the creek bottoms.
Landmarks: Bijou Creek · Comanche Creek · West Bijou Creek · town of Deer Trail · open prairie tables toward Agate
Access
This is essentially a 100% private unit — there is virtually no federal or open public land. The only realistic public opportunity is CPW Walk-In Access / Public Access Program parcels enrolled for the season, which require a valid GMU 105 big-game license to hunt. State Trust Lands are NOT open to general hunting unless enrolled in the Public Access Program. The practical path is securing rancher permission well in advance or booking a private-land outfitter; several operate across GMUs 104/105/106.
Managers: private ranch, private cropland, Colorado State Trust (generally closed unless enrolled in CPW Public Access Program)
Access points: County road grid off I-70 near Deer Trail and Agate · CPW Walk-In Access parcels (check the annual atlas) · Ranch access by permission only
Species notes
Pronghorn
abundant qualityThe star of GMU 105 and one of the stronger plains pronghorn units in the southeast metro cluster, with the highest antelope harvest of the three units and excellent 5-year success. The wide-open tables of wheat, CRP and shortgrass hold good numbers of goats.
- →Glass the open tables early and late, then use rolls and draws to close the distance
- →Hunt water tanks and windmills in dry early seasons — pronghorn tie to reliable water
- →Decoy or bait-the-rut for preoccupied bucks in the rut window
- →Prioritize CRP/wheat mosaics on ground you have permission to hunt
Mule Deer
common qualityLimited-draw only. Mule deer concentrate in the creek bottoms, brushy draws and cropland edges, using riparian cover to escape the open country. A dependable secondary hunt behind pronghorn.
- →Work the Bijou and Comanche creek corridors at first and last light
- →Watch cropland edges and CRP-to-draw transitions in the evening
- →Still-hunt and glass the sandy draws and yucca pockets where bucks bed
- →Plan around the same private ground you use for pronghorn
Rocky Mountain Elk
limited opportunityA very small, limited-draw plains elk resource — NOT OTC and the lowest elk harvest of the three southeast units. Elk here are localized on larger ranches and hard to hunt without private access.
- →Focus on the biggest contiguous private ranches
- →Glass ag fields and creek bottoms at dawn and dusk
- →Permission and a drawn tag are the whole game — public options are minimal
Pro tips
- →Assume this is a private-land unit and secure written permission months ahead — public ground is nearly nonexistent
- →Antelope success is high here; hunt the open wheat and CRP tables and let terrain hide your stalk
- →State Trust Lands are closed unless enrolled in the Public Access Program — never assume access from a map color
- →Creek bottoms (Bijou, Comanche) are where the mule deer live in this otherwise open unit
- →In dry years, glass windmills and stock tanks — pronghorn revolve around water
Watch out for
- !Effectively all private — trespass and boundary risk is high
- !State Trust Land closures
- !Very limited-to-no open public land for DIY hunters
- !Hot, dry early seasons and fire danger
- !Posted cropland and pivots throughout
Logistics
I-70 bisects the unit's north end, putting fuel, food and basic lodging at Deer Trail, Byers and Strasburg, with fuller services in metro Denver to the west and Limon to the east. This is a comfortable day-drive or one-night unit for Front Range hunters; the real prep work is locking down access before the season.
Nearest towns: Deer Trail, Agate, Byers, Strasburg, Limon
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Colorado sources:
Research sources: CPW Big Game Hunting Statistics · HuntScore — Pronghorn Hunting in Colorado's GMU 105 · Colorado Outdoors — Hunting Pronghorn on the Eastern Plains
FAQ
- How big is GMU 105 in Colorado?
- GMU 105 (GMU 105 — Adams/Arapahoe/Elbert Co.) covers about 1,143 square miles, ranging from roughly 5,000 to 6,300 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 105?
- Approximately 3% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: private ranch, private cropland, Colorado State Trust (generally closed unless enrolled in CPW Public Access Program). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 105?
- Pronghorn, Mule Deer, 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 105 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.