GMU 128 GMU 128 — Huerfano/Las Animas/Otero/Pueblo Co.
Piñon-juniper breaks and grassland flats holding the region's strongest pronghorn and canyon mule deer
Southeast Colorado — Apishapa canyon and mesa country · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
1,213
sq mi
Public land
10%
approx.
Elevation
4,341–6,185
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
GMU 128 is a large, varied unit spanning Pueblo, Huerfano, Las Animas, and Otero counties — flat to gently rolling grassland flats broken by steep, irregular plateaus, mesas, and the deep canyons of the Apishapa and Chacuaco drainages. It carries the strongest big-game numbers of the far-southeast plains units: pronghorn are abundant on the open flats (the marquee draw and the top harvest species), mule deer hold in the piñon-juniper canyon rims and breaks, and a genuine resident elk herd uses the rougher canyon and mesa country. Land is mostly private ranch, but a roughly 6,000-acre BLM tract (Chacuaco/Chucaras Canyon area) and scattered public parcels give this unit more huntable public ground than its neighbors.
Terrain
Flat to gently rolling grassland cut by steep, irregular plateaus, mesas, and rugged canyons (Apishapa, Chacuaco); rocky rims and brushy draws.
Cover: Shortgrass prairie and sandsage on the flats; piñon-juniper woodland on the mesas and canyon slopes; cholly/scrub oak and cottonwood in the canyon bottoms; scattered dryland ag.
Landmarks: Apishapa River / Apishapa State Wildlife Area · Chacuaco Canyon · Chucaras Canyon BLM tract · piñon-juniper mesas · Purgatoire drainage tributaries
Access
Predominantly private ranch, but with more public than neighboring plains units: a ~6,000-acre BLM tract in the Chacuaco/Chucaras Canyon area plus the Apishapa State Wildlife Area provide walk-in ground. Colorado State Trust Lands (including the St. Charles-type STL parcels) are generally NOT open to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program — verify each parcel. Access to the canyon country is otherwise gated behind large ranches; landowner permission or landowner tags matter.
Managers: private ranch, BLM, State Wildlife Areas (Apishapa), Colorado State Trust Land (mostly closed)
Access points: Apishapa State Wildlife Area access roads · BLM Chacuaco/Chucaras Canyon access · State Highway 10 and Interstate 25 corridors (north/west) · county roads off Model, Aguilar, and Fowler
Species notes
Pronghorn
abundant opportunityThe standout species and the top harvest — pronghorn are abundant across the grassland flats and mesa tops, with the best access of the far-southeast units. Limited-draw with solid success.
- →Drive-and-glass the open flats and mesa tops at first light
- →Use the rolling terrain and sandsage to spot-and-stalk
- →Hunt water sources and tanks in dry early seasons
- →Work BLM and SWA parcels hard, then layer in landowner permission on adjacent flats
Mule Deer
common qualityMule deer hold in the piñon-juniper canyon rims, mesas, and brushy breaks — better deer habitat and quality than the flat river-bottom units. Fully limited-draw, and the canyon country can grow mature bucks.
- →Glass canyon rims and PJ pockets at first and last light
- →Still-hunt the mesa breaks and scrub-oak draws mid-day
- →Focus on the Chacuaco/Apishapa canyon systems
- →Cover ground on the BLM and SWA canyon access to find undisturbed bucks
Rocky Mountain Elk
limited opportunityA genuine resident elk herd uses the rugged canyon and mesa country — the strongest plains-unit elk of this cluster, though tags and total harvest stay modest. Limited-draw only (no OTC).
- →Hunt the canyon heads, PJ benches, and mesa timber where elk shelter
- →Glass into rough canyon country at dawn before elk move to cover
- →Check the BLM canyon tract and private-ranch canyon rims
- →Water and quiet, roadless pockets hold elk on this pressured private ground
Pro tips
- →This unit has more public ground than its neighbors — anchor plans on the BLM Chacuaco tract and Apishapa SWA, then add private permission
- →Canyon PJ country is the mule-deer and elk engine; the open flats are the pronghorn engine — hunt them differently
- →Confirm State Trust Land parcels are enrolled in Public Access before hunting them; most are closed
- →Glass rims and mesa tops at first light before animals drop into shaded cover
- →Water sources rule early-season movement in dry years
Watch out for
- !Large private ranches gate much of the canyon country — get permission or a landowner tag
- !State Trust Land is generally closed to hunting unless in CPW's Public Access Program
- !Rough canyon roads become impassable when wet; carry recovery gear
- !Steep rims and loose rock — plan retrieval before you shoot deep in a canyon
- !Grass and PJ fire risk in dry, windy conditions
Logistics
Base from Walsenburg or Trinidad along I-25 for the western/canyon side, or La Junta/Fowler for the northeast flats. Canyon roads are rough and often private — high clearance helps and 4WD is smart in wet weather. Cell service is spotty in the canyons. Scout the BLM Chacuaco tract and Apishapa SWA boundaries in advance and pin state-trust parcels you must avoid.
Nearest towns: Walsenburg, Aguilar, Trinidad, La Junta, Model
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Colorado sources:
Research sources: CPW Game Management Units (GMU) boundaries — Colorado Geodata · CPW Southeast Colorado Hunting Guide · HuntScore — Colorado GMU 128 (Pueblo, Huerfano, Las Animas, Otero)
FAQ
- How big is GMU 128 in Colorado?
- GMU 128 (GMU 128 — Huerfano/Las Animas/Otero/Pueblo Co.) covers about 1,213 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,341 to 6,185 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 128?
- Approximately 10% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: private ranch, BLM, State Wildlife Areas (Apishapa), Colorado State Trust Land (mostly closed). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 128?
- 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 128 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.