GMU 106 GMU 106 — Arapahoe/Elbert/Washington/Lincoln Co.
Farther-east prairie unit where pronghorn rule and river-bottom whitetails appear
Eastern Colorado plains — shortgrass and sandhills pronghorn · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
599
sq mi
Public land
5%
approx.
Elevation
4,600–5,600
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
GMU 106 sits east of the Denver metro across Arapahoe, Elbert, Washington and Lincoln counties — the smallest and most eastward of the southeast plains cluster. It is classic shortgrass and sandhill prairie broken by the Big Sandy Creek drainage, with dryland wheat, CRP and cattle country dominating. Pronghorn are the standout, carrying solid 5-year success and the bulk of the harvest. Mule deer are a modest limited-draw hunt, whitetails turn up along the creek bottoms, and elk are essentially incidental. As with its neighbors, the unit is almost entirely private and access is the whole challenge.
Terrain
Open, gently rolling High Plains and sandhills with long sightlines, cut by the Big Sandy Creek drainage. Prime spot-and-stalk pronghorn ground.
Cover: Shortgrass and sandsage prairie, dryland wheat stubble and CRP, sandhill grasslands, with cottonwood and willow along Big Sandy Creek providing the unit's only real timber.
Landmarks: Big Sandy Creek · sandhills toward Lincoln County · town of Limon area · open wheat and CRP tables
Access
Overwhelmingly private ranch and farm ground with essentially no federal public land. Public opportunity is limited to CPW Walk-In Access / Public Access Program parcels enrolled for the season, which require a valid GMU 106 big-game license. State Trust Lands are NOT open to general hunting unless enrolled in the Public Access Program — do not count them as open. Secure rancher permission well ahead of season or hunt with a private-land outfitter operating the eastern plains.
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/US-24 near Limon and Hugo · CPW Walk-In Access parcels (check the annual atlas) · Ranch access by permission only
Species notes
Pronghorn
common qualityThe premier species of GMU 106, with strong 5-year success across the open wheat, CRP and sandsage tables. Antelope are well distributed on the prairie away from the creek timber.
- →Glass the open tables at first and last light, then stalk using terrain rolls and draws
- →Key on water tanks and windmills during hot, dry early seasons
- →Decoy rutting bucks or use terrain to intercept moving groups
- →Concentrate on permission ground with a wheat/CRP mosaic
Mule Deer
limited opportunityLimited-draw, with a modest harvest reflecting the sparse cover of this far-eastern unit. Muleys hold in the Big Sandy Creek bottom, sandhill draws and cropland edges.
- →Still-hunt and glass the Big Sandy Creek corridor at dawn and dusk
- →Watch CRP-to-draw and cropland transitions in the evenings
- →Check sandhill pockets and yucca draws where bucks bed in the open country
Whitetail Deer
limited opportunityThis far-eastern unit holds whitetails along the wetter Big Sandy Creek bottom and cottonwood corridors, sharing riparian cover with mule deer. A secondary, opportunistic hunt tied tightly to the creek.
- →Hunt the thick cottonwood and willow bottoms along Big Sandy Creek
- →Set up on trails between creek-bottom bedding and adjacent cropland
- →Expect them close to water and heavy brush, unlike open-country muleys
Rocky Mountain Elk
transient lowElk are essentially incidental here — a handful taken over five years, NOT an OTC opportunity. Any elk are wandering plains animals on large private ranches, not a huntable population you can plan a trip around.
- →Not a target species — plan for pronghorn and deer
- →If pursuing elk, work the largest contiguous private ranches with permission
- →Glass ag fields and creek bottoms at first and last light
Pro tips
- →Plan this as a private-land pronghorn unit — lock down permission months ahead; open public ground is minimal
- →The Big Sandy Creek bottom is the one spot that holds real cover — mule deer and the unit's whitetails live there
- →State Trust Lands are closed unless enrolled in the Public Access Program — verify before hunting
- →Don't build a trip around elk here; the harvest is a trickle, not a population
- →In dry years, windmills and stock tanks concentrate pronghorn — glass water first
Watch out for
- !Overwhelmingly private — high trespass and boundary risk
- !State Trust Land closures
- !Very limited public land for DIY hunters
- !Hot, dry early seasons and grassland fire danger
- !Posted cropland and center-pivot fields throughout
Logistics
I-70 and US-24 skirt the unit, with fuel, food and lodging at Limon, Hugo and Byers, and fuller services back toward metro Denver. This is a longer day-drive from the Front Range; many hunters overnight in Limon. The essential prep is confirming private access or WIA parcels before the season.
Nearest towns: Limon, Hugo, Deer Trail, Last Chance, Byers
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 · J&D Outfitters — Eastern Plains (GMUs 99/104/105/106/110) · Colorado Outdoors — Hunting Pronghorn on the Eastern Plains
FAQ
- How big is GMU 106 in Colorado?
- GMU 106 (GMU 106 — Arapahoe/Elbert/Washington/Lincoln Co.) covers about 599 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,600 to 5,600 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 106?
- Approximately 5% 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 106?
- Pronghorn, Mule Deer, Whitetail 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 106 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.