GMU 143 GMU 143 — Las Animas Co.
Draw-only plains pronghorn, mule deer, and canyon elk on private-heavy ground near Kim
Southeast Colorado — Las Animas County shortgrass and Purgatoire canyon country · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
692
sq mi
Public land
12%
approx.
Elevation
4,400–5,800
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
GMU 143 spreads across southeastern Las Animas County, a big block of rolling shortgrass prairie broken by the rimrock canyons of the Purgatoire River drainage and the western reaches of the Comanche National Grassland. Pronghorn scatter across the open flats, mule deer work the canyon breaks and juniper draws, and a genuine plains/canyon elk herd uses the rougher country — all three post modest but real success. The catch is access: much of the unit is private ranch land, a good share of it leased to outfitters, so lining up ground is the hard part of the hunt.
Terrain
Rolling shortgrass tableland cut by the rimrock canyons of the Purgatoire and its tributaries; relief comes from canyon breaks rather than mountains.
Cover: Shortgrass and sandsage prairie on the flats, pinyon-juniper and one-seed juniper on the mesa rims and canyon slopes, cottonwood and tamarisk in the drainage bottoms.
Landmarks: Purgatoire River canyon · Comanche National Grassland (Timpas/west Carrizo lands) · Kim · Branson · Mesa de Maya
Access
This is predominantly private ranch country, and much of the huntable private ground is tied up in outfitter leases. Scattered Comanche National Grassland parcels and a little BLM provide the realistic public opportunity, but the tracts are broken and interspersed with private, so boundaries matter. Colorado State Trust Lands are NOT open to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program — do not count the trust sections as huntable. Secure landowner permission early or plan carefully around the grassland tracts.
Managers: private ranch, USFS Comanche National Grassland, Colorado State Trust Land (access-restricted), BLM
Access points: County road grid off US 160 and CO 389 near Kim and Branson · Comanche National Grassland public tracts (check current FS/CPW maps) · Public roads bordering grassland and BLM parcels
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common qualityA real plains-and-canyon elk resource — animals hold the Purgatoire breaks and rough grassland country. Elk here are limited-draw (eastern Colorado is not OTC), and drawing the tag plus securing access is the whole challenge; mature bulls come off this country in good years.
- →Glass canyon rims and breaks at first and last light
- →Hunt escape terrain in the juniper draws and rimrock
- →Focus where you hold private permission or on the larger grassland tracts
Pronghorn
common opportunityAntelope range the open shortgrass and sandsage flats. Tags are limited-draw and success is moderate; game is present but access concentrates the hunt onto the ground you can reach.
- →Glass wide shortgrass basins and fallow ground
- →Use terrain folds and windmills to close the stalk
- →Ambush water on hot early-season days
Mule Deer
common qualityMule deer use the canyon breaks, juniper slopes, and draws off the prairie. Fully limited-draw in Colorado; mature bucks come out of the rough Purgatoire country where they get left alone.
- →Hunt the juniper canyon rims and side draws
- →Glass breaks at dawn and dusk for feeding deer
- →Work the cover-to-feed transitions along the drainages
Pro tips
- →Sort out access months ahead — much of the private is outfitter-leased, so grassland tracts and secured permission are your realistic options
- →Carry a current land-status map; Comanche National Grassland here is a patchwork interspersed with private
- →Treat elk as a legitimate draw target — the Purgatoire canyon country holds them
- →Do not plan on State Trust sections unless specifically enrolled in the Public Access Program
Watch out for
- !Heavily private and largely outfitter-leased — trespass risk is real; know your boundaries
- !State Trust Lands closed to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program
- !Fragmented grassland/private ownership — easy to stray onto private without a good map
- !Clay roads strand vehicles after rain or snow; fire danger in dry shortgrass
Logistics
Kim and Branson are tiny — fuel and basic supplies at best; plan to outfit in Trinidad to the west or Springfield to the east, and top off before heading out. The road network is a county grid; graded roads are 2WD-friendly but clay two-tracks turn greasy and impassable after rain or snow. Cell coverage is spotty away from the highways, so carry paper maps and a plan.
Nearest towns: Kim, Branson, Trinidad, Springfield
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Colorado sources:
Research sources: Colorado Parks & Wildlife — GMU boundary descriptions · CPW Big Game Harvest Statistics · Comanche National Grassland — USFS Pike-San Isabel NF
FAQ
- How big is GMU 143 in Colorado?
- GMU 143 (GMU 143 — Las Animas Co.) covers about 692 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,400 to 5,800 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 143?
- Approximately 12% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: private ranch, USFS Comanche National Grassland, Colorado State Trust Land (access-restricted), BLM. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 143?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Pronghorn, Mule Deer. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Colorado agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put GMU 143 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.