GMU 144 GMU 144 — Baca Co.
Draw-only plains pronghorn with grassland public access; tough draw-only mule deer and canyon elk
Southeast Colorado — Baca County Comanche National Grassland (Carrizo Unit) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
645
sq mi
Public land
22%
approx.
Elevation
4,000–4,700
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
GMU 144 covers a large block of western Baca County shortgrass prairie stitched together with tracts of the Comanche National Grassland's Carrizo Unit — the region's canyon-and-grassland public land. Pronghorn are the standout, ranging the open flats with genuinely good access on the grassland, while mule deer hold the sandsage draws and canyon breaks and a small plains/canyon elk herd works the rougher country. Deer access runs tougher than pronghorn, and elk are a limited-draw prize, but the sizable public grassland here separates this unit from the wall-to-wall private units farther north.
Terrain
Gently rolling shortgrass and sandsage plains broken by shallow canyons and rimrock draws of the Carrizo/Cottonwood drainage system.
Cover: Shortgrass and sandsage prairie with yucca and cholla, pinyon-juniper on canyon rims and slopes, cottonwood and tamarisk in the drainage bottoms, scattered dryland farm ground.
Landmarks: Comanche National Grassland — Carrizo Unit · Carrizo Canyon · Cottonwood Canyon · Springfield · Two Buttes
Access
The Carrizo Unit of the Comanche National Grassland gives this GMU meaningful public hunting ground — better than most southeastern plains units — but the tracts are interspersed with private in a checkerboard, so a current land-status map is essential. Access is good for pronghorn on the open grassland and noticeably poorer for deer, which lean on private canyon and draw cover. Colorado State Trust Lands are NOT open to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program; do not treat trust sections as huntable.
Managers: USFS Comanche National Grassland (Carrizo Unit), private ranch, Colorado State Trust Land (access-restricted), private farm
Access points: County road grid off US 160, US 287, and US 385 near Springfield · Comanche National Grassland Carrizo Unit access roads · Public roads bordering grassland tracts and canyon rims
Species notes
Pronghorn
common opportunityThe unit's most accessible big game — antelope range the open shortgrass and sandsage, and the Carrizo grassland offers genuinely good public access. Tags are limited-draw and success is moderate, but you can reach the country here.
- →Glass wide shortgrass flats and grassland tracts at first light
- →Use folds, yucca flats, and windmills to close the stalk
- →Ambush water sources on hot early-season days
Mule Deer
common qualityMule deer hold the sandsage draws, canyon breaks, and juniper rims. Fully limited-draw in Colorado; access runs tougher than for pronghorn since much of the best deer cover is private canyon ground.
- →Hunt canyon rims and sandsage draws at dawn and dusk
- →Glass juniper breaks along the Carrizo/Cottonwood system
- →Focus grassland tracts and secured private for cover-to-feed travel
Rocky Mountain Elk
limited qualityA modest plains/canyon elk resource uses the rougher grassland and canyon country. Elk are limited-draw here (eastern Colorado is not OTC) and numbers are lower than in the units to the west, but a drawn tag on the right ground can produce.
- →Glass canyon breaks and grassland edges at first and last light
- →Hunt escape cover in the juniper and rimrock
- →Concentrate on the larger grassland blocks and secured private
Pro tips
- →Lean on the Carrizo Unit grassland for public pronghorn access — it's the unit's biggest advantage
- →Carry a current FS/CPW land-status map; grassland and private are checkerboarded here
- →Deer effort belongs in the canyon draws and juniper breaks, often on private — secure permission early
- →Do not plan on State Trust sections unless enrolled in the Public Access Program
Watch out for
- !Checkerboarded grassland/private — easy to stray onto private without a good map
- !State Trust Lands closed to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program
- !Deer access is limited relative to pronghorn; the best cover is often private
- !Clay roads strand vehicles after rain/snow; dry-grass fire danger
Logistics
Springfield is the hub for fuel, lodging, and groceries; smaller Walsh and Campo offer limited services. Roads are a graded county grid, mostly 2WD-friendly, but clay two-tracks and canyon-access roads turn greasy and impassable after rain or snow. Cell coverage is decent near Springfield and the highways and spotty on the grassland — carry paper maps.
Nearest towns: Springfield, Two Buttes, Walsh, Campo
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 Carrizo Unit — USFS Pike-San Isabel NF
FAQ
- How big is GMU 144 in Colorado?
- GMU 144 (GMU 144 — Baca Co.) covers about 645 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,000 to 4,700 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 144?
- Approximately 22% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Comanche National Grassland (Carrizo Unit), private ranch, Colorado State Trust Land (access-restricted), private farm. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 144?
- 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 144 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.