GMU 115 GMU 115 — Kit Carson/Cheyenne Co.
Prairie pronghorn and creek-bottom deer near the Kansas line
Eastern Colorado plains — Kit Carson/Cheyenne County shortgrass · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
362
sq mi
Public land
2%
approx.
Elevation
4,100–5,000
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
GMU 115 covers shortgrass and dryland-farm prairie in Kit Carson and Cheyenne counties, east of the town of Kit Carson toward the Kansas border. Pronghorn are the marquee species with solid buck success, backed by a capable plains mule deer and creek-bottom whitetail opportunity. Elk barely register — an occasional wanderer rather than a resident herd. The unit is almost entirely private ranch and cropland, so securing access is the decisive factor in any hunt here.
Terrain
Rolling shortgrass and sand-sage prairie with broad dryland farm sections and CRP grasslands, cut by shallow tributary drainages of the Big Sandy and Sand Creek systems.
Cover: Blue grama/buffalograss shortgrass, sand-sagebrush and rabbitbrush, CRP grass, dryland winter wheat and fallow ground, with cottonwood/willow strips along the creek bottoms.
Landmarks: Big Sandy Creek tributaries · Sand Creek drainage · Town of Kit Carson · US Highway 40/287 · Kit Carson County ranch grid
Access
Land is overwhelmingly private. Public opportunity depends on CPW Public Access Program / Walk-In Atlas parcels and private permission you arrange yourself. State Trust (State Land Board) sections are NOT open to public hunting unless enrolled in the Public Access Program — treat checkerboard state sections as closed. Obtain written permission before hunting private ground.
Managers: Private ranch/farm, Colorado State Land Board (state trust — generally closed), CPW State Wildlife Areas / Public Access Program (limited)
Access points: Section-line county roads off US 40/287 · Kit Carson town access corridors · Public Access Program / Walk-In parcels (verify annually)
Species notes
Pronghorn
common qualityThe primary species and a solid pronghorn unit — buck success is good and harvest steady across the shortgrass/CRP/wheat mosaic. Access to the right private or Walk-In ground is what separates a filled tag from a long weekend.
- →Glass widely from section-line vantage points at dawn and dusk
- →Spot-and-stalk using terrain rolls and fencelines for cover
- →Hunt water tanks and windmills during hot, dry early seasons
- →Line up access on a parcel holding a good buck before the opener
Mule Deer
limited opportunityA dependable plains mule deer opportunity for a secondary unit, with deer holding along the creek breaks and CRP/ag edges and reasonable buck success on limited tags.
- →Hunt CRP-to-crop transitions morning and evening
- →Still-hunt sand-sage draws near the creek bottoms
- →Glass drainage edges where cover meets feed
Whitetail Deer
limited opportunityWhitetails hold in the cottonwood/willow creek bottoms wherever cover meets ag feed — a minor but genuine part of the deer harvest on the eastern plains.
- →Focus on timbered creek corridors
- →Watch field edges near bottom cover at first and last light
- →Hunt the densest gallery timber available
Rocky Mountain Elk
transient lowElk are rare wanderers here, not a huntable resident herd — essentially incidental. Do not plan an elk hunt around this unit.
- →Watch creek corridors and large CRP blocks if pursuing at all
- →Treat any elk as incidental to a deer or pronghorn hunt
Pro tips
- →Arrange private access or scout Public Access parcels months before the season
- →Bring quality optics and a tripod — inventorying bucks over open prairie is the core skill
- →Verify Public Access vs. State Trust boundaries in the current Walk-In Atlas before hunting
- →Do not trespass onto unenrolled State Trust sections — they are closed to public hunting
- →Carry mud and recovery gear for wet section roads
Watch out for
- !Almost entirely private — access is the whole challenge
- !State Trust sections closed unless enrolled in the Public Access Program
- !Impassable gumbo roads after rain/snow
- !Limited services and spotty cell coverage
- !Respect gates, crops, and livestock on permitted ground
Logistics
Kit Carson and Cheyenne Wells provide fuel and basic supplies; Burlington to the east offers fuller services and lodging. Plan for long gravel-road drives and gumbo mud after storms. Cell coverage is unreliable off the US 40/287 corridor.
Nearest towns: Kit Carson, Cheyenne Wells, Burlington, Hugo
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 115 in Colorado?
- GMU 115 (GMU 115 — Kit Carson/Cheyenne Co.) covers about 362 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,100 to 5,000 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 115?
- 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 115?
- 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 115 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.