GMU 136 GMU 136 — Las Animas Co.
Grassland pronghorn with canyon-rim mule deer and river-bottom whitetails
Southeast Colorado plains — Purgatoire canyon and Comanche grassland · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
571
sq mi
Public land
22%
approx.
Elevation
4,400–6,000
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
GMU 136 sits in the heart of Las Animas County's shortgrass and sandsage plains, cut by the rock-rimmed canyons of the Purgatoire River and Chacuaco Creek and holding a substantial block of the Comanche National Grassland's Timpas country. Pronghorn are the marquee tag out on the open prairie, but the unit's canyon complex gives mule deer real quality on the rims and breaks, and trophy-class muleys and whitetails travel the Purgatoire and Chacuaco bottoms. Elk are a small canyon-country presence. Because 136 carries meaningful Grassland acreage, it offers better public opportunity than most plains units — though ranch private still dominates the map.
Terrain
Rolling shortgrass and sandsage prairie deeply incised by the Purgatoire River canyon and Chacuaco Creek, with rimrock, mesas, and juniper breaks rising above the flats.
Cover: Shortgrass prairie, sandsage, cholla, and yucca on the flats; juniper/pinon, scrub oak, and cottonwood/brush riparian in the canyons and along the Purgatoire and Chacuaco.
Landmarks: Purgatoire (Picketwire) River canyon · Chacuaco Creek · Comanche National Grassland (Timpas Unit) · Picketwire Canyonlands · Kim
Access
GMU 136 carries significant Comanche National Grassland acreage — CPW has historically weighted it toward private-land-only tags to spread hunters across the public ground, which tells you the public blocks get pressure. Grassland ownership is checkerboarded with private ranches; read boundaries carefully, especially around the Purgatoire canyon. Colorado State Trust Lands are NOT huntable unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program. Off the Grassland you need permission, a lease, or a Walk-In parcel.
Managers: USFS Comanche National Grassland (Timpas Unit), private ranch, Colorado State Trust Land (access-restricted), CPW State Wildlife Areas / Walk-In Access
Access points: Comanche NG Timpas Unit roads and Picketwire Canyonlands access · US 350 corridor toward Kim and Model · County road grid off the highways · CPW Walk-In Access properties (annual atlas)
Species notes
Pronghorn
common opportunityThe marquee tag, part of CPW's Tobe (PH-13) pronghorn herd. Antelope work the open shortgrass and fallow ground between the canyons; tags are limited-draw with moderate success. Access and the right ground shape the hunt more than animal density.
- →Glass open shortgrass benches and flats between canyons
- →Use terrain rolls and arroyos to stalk
- →Ambush water and fence crossings in early-season heat
- →Hunt confirmed Grassland sections and secured private
Mule Deer
common qualityA quality mule deer unit for the plains — bucks use sandsage draws, cholla flats, and especially the juniper canyon rims and Purgatoire breaks. Fully limited-draw; the canyon country can produce a genuinely mature buck with the right access.
- →Glass canyon rims and rimrock at first and last light
- →Still-hunt juniper breaks and side-canyon heads
- →Watch travel between canyon bedding and grassland or field feed
Whitetail Deer
limited qualityWhitetails and trophy mule deer travel the brushy bottoms of the Purgatoire River and Chacuaco Creek. A localized but real river-bottom whitetail opportunity where cover is tight.
- →Hunt cottonwood and brush corridors along the Purgatoire and Chacuaco
- →Set up on cover-to-feed travel
- →Rut hunts in the bottoms can pay off
Rocky Mountain Elk
limited opportunityCanyon-country elk are a small, growing presence in the Purgatoire breaks rather than a resident herd; harvest is low. Tags are limited-draw — not over-the-counter mountain elk.
- →Glass the roughest canyon breaks and rimrock pockets
- →Hunt sign in the least-disturbed private-adjacent public ground
- →Treat elk as a bonus to a deer or pronghorn hunt
Pro tips
- →GMU 136 holds real Comanche Grassland — pull the ownership map and hunt the confirmed public canyon-and-flats blocks
- →Split effort: pronghorn on the open flats, mule deer on the juniper rims, whitetails in the Purgatoire/Chacuaco bottoms
- →Expect pressure on the public sections — CPW weights this unit's tags toward private-land-only for a reason
- →Do not plan on State Trust sections unless they're enrolled in the Public Access Program
- →Carry high-clearance and recovery gear for the canyon two-tracks
Watch out for
- !Checkerboarded Grassland and private ranch sections — verify the public boundary before you hunt
- !State Trust Lands are closed to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program
- !Canyon roads become impassable clay when wet; conditions strand vehicles
- !Limited water and early-season heat in the backcountry
- !Pressure concentrates on the accessible Grassland blocks
Logistics
Kim and Model are tiny service points; Trinidad to the west and La Junta to the north are the real supply towns for fuel, lodging, and groceries. Roads are a county grid off US 350; canyon and Grassland two-tracks want high-clearance and turn greasy when wet. Cell coverage is spotty away from the highway and gone in the canyons — carry a map and backup navigation.
Nearest towns: Kim, Model, Trinidad, La Junta
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Colorado sources:
Research sources: CPW Pronghorn Management Plan DAU PH-13 (Tobe) — GMUs 130,136,137,138,143,144,146 · CPW Southeast Colorado Big Game Brochure (2018) · Comanche National Grassland — USFS Pike-San Isabel
FAQ
- How big is GMU 136 in Colorado?
- GMU 136 (GMU 136 — Las Animas Co.) covers about 571 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,400 to 6,000 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 136?
- Approximately 22% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Comanche National Grassland (Timpas Unit), private ranch, Colorado State Trust Land (access-restricted), CPW State Wildlife Areas / Walk-In Access. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 136?
- 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 136 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.