GMU 16 GMU 16 — Jackson Co.
West-side North Park sage basin under the Park Range — pronghorn strong, elk limited-draw
North-central Colorado — North Park (Jackson County) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
320
sq mi
Public land
40%
approx.
Elevation
8,000–11,000
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
GMU 16 sits in the west-central floor of North Park, the broad high-elevation sagebrush basin that fills Jackson County and drains north to Wyoming via the North Platte. It climbs from ranch hay meadows and sage flats around Walden and the Delaney Buttes west into the timbered foothills of the Park Range (Routt/Medicine Bow-Routt NF). Pronghorn is the standout here — antelope tags post good success on the open basin — while elk is a fully limited-draw hunt (no over-the-counter opportunity in North Park) with modest per-hunter success but a healthy overall herd, and mule deer is likewise draw-only.
Terrain
Wide, gently rolling sagebrush basin around 8,000 ft floor, cut by the Michigan and Illinois river drainages, rising abruptly on the west into the steep conifer-and-aspen foothills of the Park Range. Wind-scoured, cold, and open across the basin; timbered and steep along the western edge.
Cover: Big sagebrush and grassland across the basin floor with willow-lined riparian bottoms along the rivers and lakes; lodgepole, spruce-fir and aspen on the Park Range slopes to the west.
Landmarks: Delaney Butte Lakes · Michigan River · Illinois River · Owl Mountain · Park Range (western foothills) · Walden (Jackson County seat)
Access
Public land is a patchwork: BLM parcels scattered across the basin plus contiguous national forest on the west edge, interlaced with large private cattle/hay ranches on the valley floor. Colorado State Trust (State Land Board) sections are generally NOT open to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program — do not treat them as public. Much of the best pronghorn ground is private, so knock on doors or focus on BLM tracts and the forest boundary. Public-land percent is an estimate.
Managers: BLM (Kremmling Field Office), USFS Medicine Bow-Routt NF, private ranch, Colorado State Land Board
Access points: Delaney Buttes area west of Walden · County roads off CO Hwy 14 and Hwy 125 · Park Range/national forest boundary roads (west)
Species notes
Pronghorn
common opportunityNorth Park is classic Colorado pronghorn country and GMU 16's open sage basin holds a solid antelope population with good tag success. Draw-only but among the more attainable big-game hunts here.
- →Glass the open sage flats and low ridges at first and last light
- →Focus on BLM parcels and the forest fringe where private ranches dominate the core basin
- →Spot-and-stalk using the rolling terrain and drainages for cover
- →Water sources and fence lines concentrate bucks in dry early seasons
Rocky Mountain Elk
common opportunityA healthy North Park elk herd uses the Park Range timber and moves onto the basin edges, but this is a fully limited-draw unit — no OTC — and per-hunter success runs modest as elk shift between private meadows and public forest.
- →Hunt the timber-to-sage transition on the western foothills at dawn and dusk
- →Push into the Park Range national forest for public-land bulls
- →Watch private hay-meadow edges where elk feed but you cannot follow onto private
- →Later seasons and snow push elk down and increase visibility
Mule Deer
common qualityMule deer occupy the sage-and-willow bottoms and forest fringe; fully limited-draw, so tags carry preference-point value and bucks get a chance to mature.
- →Work willow bottoms and river breaks in the early morning
- →Glass sage benches and the aspen/timber edge on the west
- →Rut activity in late seasons moves bucks into the open
Moose
limited qualityNorth Park is the birthplace of Colorado's moose herd (reintroduced here in the late 1970s) and moose frequent the willow river bottoms and beaver complexes. Tags are once-in-a-lifetime and extremely limited.
- →Hunt willow carrs along the Michigan and Illinois river bottoms
- →Glass beaver ponds and riparian corridors at dawn and dusk
- →Expect long odds on drawing a tag
Black Bear
limited opportunityBlack bear range the aspen and timber of the Park Range foothills on the west side of the unit; density is low relative to the more heavily forested West Slope.
- →Concentrate on aspen stands, oak/serviceberry pockets and forest berry patches
- →Hunt the timbered western edge, not the open basin
- →Early fall targets bears on natural forage
Pro tips
- →Sort public from private before you hunt — State Trust sections are closed unless in CPW's Public Access Program
- →Pronghorn is the highest-odds hunt; scout the BLM tracts and forest boundary away from ranch cores
- →Push into the Park Range national forest for the most reliable public elk access
- →Willow river bottoms are where you'll turn up moose and the biggest mule deer
- →Come prepared for wind and early snow even in warm early seasons
Watch out for
- !Large private ranches dominate the basin floor — public/private boundaries are complex
- !State Trust lands are generally closed to hunting (Public Access Program only)
- !Basin roads slick when wet; forest roads hold early snow
- !Elk feeding on private meadows may be out of legal reach from public ground
Logistics
Walden is the hub for fuel, groceries, lodging and licenses; Steamboat Springs (~1 hr west over Rabbit Ears Pass) has full services and the nearest airport. Basin roads are graded county/BLM routes that turn greasy when wet; the Park Range forest roads climb steeply and can hold early snow.
Nearest towns: Walden, Gould, Cowdrey, Steamboat Springs (over Rabbit Ears Pass)
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Colorado sources:
Research sources: CPW — Big Game Hunting Statistics (harvest & success by GMU) · USFS — Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest · CPW — North Park moose (reintroduction history)
FAQ
- How big is GMU 16 in Colorado?
- GMU 16 (GMU 16 — Jackson Co.) covers about 320 square miles, ranging from roughly 8,000 to 11,000 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 16?
- Approximately 40% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM (Kremmling Field Office), USFS Medicine Bow-Routt NF, private ranch, Colorado State Land Board. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 16?
- Pronghorn, Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Moose, Black Bear. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Colorado agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put GMU 16 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.