GMU 171 GMU 171 — Jackson Co.
North Park's OTC bull elk unit with genuinely strong pronghorn on the sage floor
North-Central Colorado — North Park (Jackson County) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
257
sq mi
Public land
69%
approx.
Elevation
8,000–12,500
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
GMU 171 sits in the eastern reaches of North Park, the high sagebrush basin of Jackson County, climbing east off the valley floor into the Rabbit Ears Range and the Medicine Bow country around Cambridge and Clark Peak. Elk is the volume species and is over-the-counter for bull hunters in the second and third rifle seasons, which keeps hunter numbers high and per-hunter success modest. The real quiet gem here is pronghorn — North Park is one of Colorado's premier antelope basins and recent buck success in 171 ran better than one in two. Mule deer round out the unit as a limited-draw option managed for mature bucks.
Terrain
The unit rises from the roughly 8,000-foot North Park sage floor eastward and northward into timbered ridges and alpine peaks of the Rabbit Ears and Medicine Bow ranges, with Clark Peak country topping out near 12,900 feet. Open parks and willow-lined creek bottoms give way to dark timber benches where bulls hold during daylight.
Cover: Big sagebrush flats and grass parks on the valley floor, willow carr along the creeks, lodgepole and spruce-fir dark timber on the mid and upper slopes, and alpine tundra on the highest peaks.
Landmarks: North Park basin · Rabbit Ears Range · Clark Peak · Colorado State Forest State Park (east edge) · Michigan River · Walden
Access
Roughly two-thirds public, but that public ground is concentrated in the timbered mountains on the east and north; the North Park valley floor is largely private cattle ranch. Colorado State Forest State Park along the eastern edge does allow hunting but requires a valid parks pass and has its own camping rules. Note that ordinary Colorado State Trust lands are generally NOT open to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program — do not count them as huntable. Forest Service roads and trailheads off Colorado Highway 14 and county roads north of Walden provide the main access onto the public timber.
Managers: USFS Routt National Forest, Colorado State Forest State Park (hunting allowed, park pass required), BLM Kremmling Field Office, private ranch
Access points: Colorado Highway 14 corridor · Colorado State Forest State Park trailheads · County roads north and east of Walden · Routt NF forest roads into the Rabbit Ears foothills
Species notes
Pronghorn
common qualityThe standout opportunity here. North Park is classic pronghorn country and 171's sage flats hold a healthy herd with recent buck success better than one in two — outstanding for a limited-draw antelope tag. Worth building points for.
- →Glass the open sage basins and grass parks on the North Park floor at first and last light and pattern bucks on their feeding and watering routes.
- →Use terrain folds, fence lines, and creek willows to close the distance in wide-open country — this is a spot-and-stalk and long-range game.
- →Secure private-ranch permission early or focus on the public parcels, since much of the valley floor is private cattle ground.
Rocky Mountain Elk
common opportunityThe unit's volume species and one of the closest OTC bull units to the Front Range. Bulls are here in good numbers but hunting pressure is heavy in the OTC rifle seasons and per-hunter success runs low (recently under one in ten). This is an opportunity hunt that rewards effort and access to nasty country.
- →Hunt at least a half-mile off any road, and favor the steepest, thickest dark-timber benches where pressured bulls hole up by mid-season.
- →Work the timber-park edges and willow bottoms at dawn and dusk; glass the openings before pushing into the timber.
- →Time archery or early hunts to catch bugling bulls before the OTC rifle crowds push animals into the heaviest cover.
Mule Deer
common qualityA limited-draw mule deer unit managed for mature bucks, with tags requiring preference points. Bucks use the sage-and-timber transition and the pinyon-poor, aspen-and-conifer benches off the valley.
- →Grid-glass the sagebrush draws and aspen-timber edges on the mountain shoulders rather than the open valley flats.
- →Later hunts improve as bucks slide down off the high country toward the North Park benches with the first snows.
- →Hunt from high vantage points with good optics — this is glassing country, not road hunting.
Pro tips
- →The pronghorn tag is the sleeper here — North Park antelope success in 171 has been excellent, so build points and apply.
- →For OTC elk, get a half-mile-plus off the roads into the steepest timber; the easy country is hammered by third season.
- →Colorado State Forest State Park allows hunting but needs a parks pass — factor it in and learn its camping rules.
- →Much of the valley floor is private ranch; line up permission early or commit to the public timber.
- →Watch the weather over Cameron and Rabbit Ears passes — storms can strand you or close access mid-hunt.
Watch out for
- !Heavy OTC rifle pressure on elk, especially near roads
- !Private ranch inholdings and a checkerboarded valley floor — carry a GPS land map
- !Colorado State Trust lands are closed to hunting unless in CPW's Public Access Program
- !Early snow can close high forest roads and passes
- !State Forest State Park requires a parks pass and has its own rules
Logistics
Walden is the North Park hub with fuel, groceries, motels, and basic services; Steamboat Springs (west over Rabbit Ears Pass) and Fort Collins (east over Cameron Pass) are the nearest full-service towns. Camping is available on Routt NF and in Colorado State Forest State Park. High-clearance vehicles help on the forest roads, which turn greasy with rain or early snow. Carry a good land-ownership map — the public/private checkerboard on the valley floor is easy to violate.
Nearest towns: Walden, CO, Gould, CO, Rand, CO, Steamboat Springs, CO, Fort Collins, CO
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Colorado sources:
Research sources: CPW — Big Game Hunting · GOHUNT — Colorado Unit 171 Profile · USFS — Routt National Forest
FAQ
- How big is GMU 171 in Colorado?
- GMU 171 (GMU 171 — Jackson Co.) covers about 257 square miles, ranging from roughly 8,000 to 12,500 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 171?
- Approximately 69% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Routt National Forest, Colorado State Forest State Park (hunting allowed, park pass required), BLM Kremmling Field Office, private ranch. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 171?
- Pronghorn, Rocky Mountain Elk, 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 171 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.