GMU 147 GMU 147 — Las Animas Co.
Piñon-juniper mesas and rocky canyons above the Purgatoire — pronghorn, deer, and canyon elk
Southeast Colorado — Las Animas County Purgatoire canyon country · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
324
sq mi
Public land
25%
approx.
Elevation
4,429–5,801
feet
Motorized
limited
access
Overview
GMU 147 is a roughly 324-square-mile unit in Las Animas County, bounded by the Las Animas-Otero County line to the north, the Purgatoire River and Chacuaco Creek to the east, US 160 to the south, and San Francisco Creek and the Purgatoire River to the west. The country ranges from flat shortgrass prairie to steep, rocky piñon-juniper canyons cut by the Purgatoire drainage, with cottonwood riparian bottoms threading the canyons. Ownership is genuinely mixed, but a large share of the 'public' figure is State Trust land that is generally closed to hunting — so reliably huntable public ground is more limited than the raw number suggests. Pronghorn hold the open south, mule deer work the canyon-mesa breaks, and elk use the rougher western canyon country.
Terrain
Transitional prairie-to-canyon country: flat shortgrass tableland breaking into steep, rocky piñon-juniper canyons and mesas along the Purgatoire River and its tributaries. Rimrock, cedar breaks, and cottonwood-lined creek bottoms give this unit far more structure than the open plains to the east.
Cover: Shortgrass prairie on the tablelands, piñon pine and juniper on the mesas and canyon slopes, with cottonwood and brush in the riparian bottoms.
Landmarks: Purgatoire River · Chacuaco Creek · San Francisco Creek · piñon-juniper canyon-mesa breaks · US Highway 160 corridor
Access
Ownership is roughly half private and half 'public' on paper, but a large chunk of that public figure (about a quarter of the unit) is Colorado State Trust land, which is generally CLOSED to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program. Reliably huntable public ground — federal/BLM and a sliver of USFS — is closer to a quarter of the unit, mostly in the rougher canyon country. Overall access is rated poor; plan on ranch permission or carefully located federal parcels, and verify every boundary.
Managers: BLM and other federal (canyon country), USFS (small), Colorado State Trust (generally closed to hunting), private ranch
Access points: US Highway 160 · county roads off the Purgatoire corridor · BLM canyon-access two-tracks · CPW Public Access Program (PAP) enrolled lands, where available
Species notes
Pronghorn
common opportunityPronghorn hold in the open, flatter southern half of the unit. Tags are limited and access is the constraint, but the herd supports a real hunt for those on the right ground. Recent success ran around a third of tags.
- →Focus on the open shortgrass tableland in the southern half where antelope concentrate.
- →Glass long from the two-tracks and mesa rims, then use the rolling terrain to close in open country.
- →Line up permission or a Public Access Program parcel — public antelope ground is limited.
Mule Deer
common opportunityMule deer are the steadiest big-game hunt here, using the piñon-juniper canyons, cedar breaks, and rimrock. The broken canyon structure holds and hides deer better than the surrounding plains. Recent success ran about a third of tags.
- →Grid-glass the piñon-juniper canyon rims and cedar breaks at first and last light rather than the open flats.
- →Still-hunt the canyon heads and side draws where bucks bed in the cedars during the day.
- →The rougher western canyon country holds the better bucks and more federal access.
Rocky Mountain Elk
limited opportunityA modest but real elk presence in the rugged western canyon country — recent hunts filled nearly one in five tags. Not a marquee elk unit, but a legitimate limited opportunity for the hunter who works the roughest ground.
- →Hunt the steep piñon-juniper canyons and rimrock on the west side where elk hold cover.
- →Glass the canyon bottoms and cedar benches early and late; elk here use the roughest, least-accessed pockets.
- →Combine with mule deer scouting in the same canyon country — the two overlap here.
Pro tips
- →The headline 'public' number is inflated by State Trust land that is generally closed — huntable public is mostly federal/BLM canyon ground, so verify parcels before you go.
- →The rough western canyon country is where deer and elk overlap and where the best federal access sits.
- →Pronghorn live in the open south; deer and elk live in the piñon-juniper canyons — split your plan accordingly.
- →Access is rated poor overall — line up ranch permission or a Public Access Program parcel early.
- →Carry water and be self-sufficient; this is remote, dry canyon country with no services.
Watch out for
- !Much of the 'public' acreage is State Trust land, generally closed to hunting unless in CPW's Public Access Program.
- !Overall access rated poor — a mixed private/State-Trust checkerboard makes boundaries critical.
- !Rough, rocky canyon roads that turn greasy when wet; high-clearance 4WD needed.
- !Remote and dry — carry water, fuel, and a satellite communicator.
- !Respect ranch boundaries and fences in the checkerboard; a trespass costs everyone access.
Logistics
Trinidad (on I-25/US 160, southwest) is the nearest full-service town for fuel, groceries, motels, and repair; Kim and La Junta are small crossroads for basics. Services inside the unit are essentially nonexistent — plan to be self-contained. Canyon roads are rough, rocky, and greasy when wet; high-clearance 4WD and recovery gear are strongly advised, and cell coverage is spotty, so carry a satellite communicator.
Nearest towns: Trinidad, CO, Kim, CO, La Junta, CO, Branson, CO
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Colorado sources:
Research sources: CPW GMU 147 boundary and big-game statistics · HuntScore — GMU 147 (Las Animas) land ownership and hunt summary
FAQ
- How big is GMU 147 in Colorado?
- GMU 147 (GMU 147 — Las Animas Co.) covers about 324 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,429 to 5,801 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 147?
- Approximately 25% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM and other federal (canyon country), USFS (small), Colorado State Trust (generally closed to hunting), private ranch. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 147?
- 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 147 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.