GMU 113 GMU 113 — Lincoln/Cheyenne Co.
Wide-open pronghorn country on private dryland ranches
Eastern Colorado plains — Lincoln/Cheyenne County shortgrass prairie · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
211
sq mi
Public land
2%
approx.
Elevation
4,300–5,300
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
GMU 113 sits on the shortgrass and dryland-farm country of southeastern Lincoln and northwestern Cheyenne counties, a land of section-line roads, wheat stubble, CRP grass, and shallow creek drainages. Pronghorn are the marquee big game here and account for the overwhelming share of harvest; deer are a secondary opportunity along the sandy creek bottoms. There is functionally no huntable elk population. Like nearly all of Colorado's eastern plains, the unit is almost entirely private ranch and farm ground, so access — not animals — is the limiting factor.
Terrain
Gently rolling shortgrass prairie broken by shallow, sandy drainages such as the Rush Creek and Big Sandy tributaries. Long sightlines and few topographic breaks define the country.
Cover: Blue grama and buffalograss shortgrass, sagebrush and rabbitbrush flats, CRP-enrolled grasslands, dryland winter wheat and fallow fields, with sand-sage and cottonwood/willow strips along the creek bottoms.
Landmarks: Rush Creek drainage · Big Sandy Creek tributaries · US Highway 40/287 corridor · Cheyenne County ranch grid
Access
This is overwhelmingly private ground. Public opportunity depends on knocking doors, leased access, or CPW's Public Access Program / Walk-In Atlas parcels, which change year to year. Colorado State Trust (State Land Board) sections are NOT open to public hunting unless specifically enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program — do not assume checkerboard state sections are huntable. Secure written permission before hunting any private parcel.
Managers: Private ranch/farm, Colorado State Land Board (state trust — generally closed), CPW State Wildlife Areas / Public Access Program (limited)
Access points: County section-line roads off US 40/287 · State Highway 94 corridor · Public Access Program / Walk-In parcels (verify annually)
Species notes
Pronghorn
common qualityThe primary draw. Pronghorn thrive on the shortgrass/CRP mosaic; buck harvest success runs modest because most animals live on private land where access must be arranged. Bucks in this country can carry respectable mass.
- →Glass from high section-line vantage points at first and last light
- →Locate a herd on huntable ground, then use terrain rolls and fencelines to close the distance
- →Set up on water tanks and windmills during dry early-season stretches
- →Prioritize securing private access or a Walk-In parcel before the hunt
Mule Deer
limited opportunityA modest plains mule deer resource concentrated along the sandy creek bottoms and CRP edges. Low tag numbers and low overall harvest; a quality secondary opportunity for those with private access.
- →Hunt the transition between crop/CRP feed and cottonwood creek cover
- →Still-hunt the sand-sage draws at dawn
- →Focus on drainages that hold year-round cover
Whitetail Deer
limited opportunityWhitetails hold in the timbered creek bottoms of the eastern plains, wherever cottonwood and willow provide cover near ag feed. A minor component of the deer harvest.
- →Focus on cottonwood/willow corridors along the creeks
- →Watch field edges at first and last light
- →Look for whitetails in the thickest bottom cover the plains offer
Pro tips
- →Do your access legwork months ahead — line up private permission or scout Public Access Program parcels before you draw
- →Optics win here: a good spotting scope and steady tripod turn long prairie sightlines into an advantage
- →Check the current CPW Public Access / Walk-In Atlas every year; enrolled parcels rotate
- →Do not trespass onto unenrolled State Trust sections — they are closed to public hunting
- →Carry recovery gear; wet clay section roads can strand a truck fast
Watch out for
- !Nearly all land is private — no permission, no hunt
- !State Trust sections are closed unless in the Public Access Program
- !Muddy section roads after rain/snow
- !Limited services and spotty cell coverage
- !Respect crops, gates, and livestock when permitted onto ranch ground
Logistics
Base out of Limon, Hugo, or Kit Carson for lodging, fuel, and groceries; services are sparse once off the highway corridors. Expect long drives on gravel section-line roads and gumbo mud when it rains. Cell coverage is spotty away from US 40/287.
Nearest towns: Hugo, Kit Carson, Cheyenne Wells, Limon
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Colorado sources:
Research sources: CPW Big Game Harvest Statistics · Colorado GMU boundary descriptions (CPW) · USGS National Map — Eastern Colorado plains topography
FAQ
- How big is GMU 113 in Colorado?
- GMU 113 (GMU 113 — Lincoln/Cheyenne Co.) covers about 211 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,300 to 5,300 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 113?
- Approximately 2% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: Private ranch/farm, Colorado State Land Board (state trust — generally closed), CPW State Wildlife Areas / Public Access Program (limited). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 113?
- Pronghorn, Mule Deer, Whitetail Deer. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Colorado agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put GMU 113 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.