GMU 116 GMU 116 — Kit Carson/Cheyenne Co.
Wide-open pronghorn prairie where the tag is drawn and the access is earned
Eastern Colorado plains — Kit Carson / Cheyenne County shortgrass · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
963
sq mi
Public land
2%
approx.
Elevation
3,900–4,500
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
GMU 116 is a large block of eastern-plains shortgrass prairie and dryland/irrigated farm ground straddling southern Kit Carson and northern Cheyenne counties, drained by Big Sandy Creek and its tributary draws. This is antelope-first country — pronghorn are the marquee tag and the most successful hunt, followed by a solid plains mule deer resource concentrated in the creek bottoms and CRP. Elk are only incidental wanderers here. The defining challenge is not terrain but land: the unit is a checkerboard of private ranches and farms, so success hinges on securing permission or hunting the limited public access.
Terrain
Gently rolling to flat high plains cut by shallow drainages and sandy draws. Long sightlines dominate, with subtle rises and creek breaks providing the only relief and cover.
Cover: Shortgrass prairie (blue grama, buffalograss), sand sage and yucca on sandier ground, dryland wheat and irrigated corn/milo circles, CRP grass, and cottonwood/willow stringers along Big Sandy Creek.
Landmarks: Big Sandy Creek · US 40 / US 287 corridor near Kit Carson · county-road grid section lines · center-pivot crop circles · windmill stock tanks
Access
This unit is overwhelmingly private agricultural land. There is very little BLM or federal ground on the far eastern plains, and Colorado State Trust Lands are NOT open to public hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program (look for PLPW / walk-in signage in the Atlas). Realistic access comes from knocking on doors for ranch permission, leasing, or hunting the few enrolled walk-in tracts. Pronghorn landowners grant permission more readily than deer landowners.
Managers: private ranch, private farm, Colorado State Land Board (mostly closed to public)
Access points: county road grid off US 40 / US 287 · Kit Carson (town) as a staging hub · CPW Public Access Program / walk-in properties (verify current enrollment in the Hunting Atlas)
Species notes
Pronghorn
common opportunityThe signature hunt. Pronghorn are spread across the open prairie and around crop edges, with roughly two-in-five hunters filling tags over recent years. Colorado pronghorn are entirely limited-draw, but eastern-plains units like this build points slowly and offer reliable opportunity once drawn.
- →Glass from high ground at first light and spot-and-stalk using draws and fence lines
- →Focus on green crop fields and stock tanks in dry stretches
- →Secure permission on multiple ranches before season to keep options open
- →A decoy or long-range setup pays off on educated bucks in wide-open country
Mule Deer
common opportunityPlains mule deer hold in the Big Sandy breaks, CRP fields, sand sage, and crop margins. Success runs near half of hunters — respectable for eastern Colorado — but every deer tag here is limited-draw and access-dependent.
- →Hunt creek bottoms and CRP edges at dawn and dusk
- →Still-hunt sage and yucca pockets midday
- →Bucks bed in subtle draws off the ag fields — glass the folds
- →Access is the whole game; lock down private permission early
Whitetail Deer
limited opportunityWhitetail filter into the cottonwood and willow riparian stringers along Big Sandy Creek, overlapping the plains mule deer. Numbers are modest but they favor the thickest bottom cover.
- →Focus on cottonwood/willow creek bottoms
- →Watch trails between bedding cover and crop fields
- →Rut hunt the timber edges in November
Rocky Mountain Elk
transient lowElk are essentially incidental here — a rare wandering animal off the plains rather than a resident herd. Harvest is a token one or two per year and any elk hunt is limited-draw with very low odds of encounter.
- →Not a target species; treat any elk sighting as a bonus
- →If pursuing, focus on the largest CRP/creek blocks where a stray group might hold
Pro tips
- →Do your access legwork months ahead — scout landowner names off a plat map and ask for permission well before the season
- →Pronghorn permission is far easier to get than deer permission; lead with that ask
- →Verify every 'public' square in the Hunting Atlas — State Trust Land is closed unless it's a CPW walk-in property
- →Glass crop-field edges and stock tanks at first and last light
- →Carry water and a spare tire; ranch two-tracks and gumbo roads turn nasty when wet
Watch out for
- !State Trust Lands are NOT huntable unless enrolled in the Public Access Program — do not assume the yellow squares are open
- !Overwhelmingly private — trespass risk is high without documented permission
- !Muddy dirt roads become impassable after rain or snow
- !Long distances between services; plan fuel and water
- !Respect ag operations, gates, and livestock
Logistics
Base out of Kit Carson, Cheyenne Wells, or Burlington (I-70) for fuel, lodging, and processing. Distances between ranches are long; a truck and a full tank are essential and a plat/ownership map is as important as your rifle. Cell coverage is spotty off the highways.
Nearest towns: Kit Carson, Cheyenne Wells, Burlington, Wild Horse
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Colorado sources:
Research sources: CPW Colorado Hunting Atlas (GMU boundaries, public land, walk-in access) · CPW Big Game Statistics · HuntScore — GMU 116 (Kit Carson & Cheyenne Counties) access overview
FAQ
- How big is GMU 116 in Colorado?
- GMU 116 (GMU 116 — Kit Carson/Cheyenne Co.) covers about 963 square miles, ranging from roughly 3,900 to 4,500 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 116?
- Approximately 2% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: private ranch, private farm, Colorado State Land Board (mostly closed to public). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 116?
- 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 116 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.