GMU 191 GMU 191 — Larimer Co.
A private-heavy foothills unit on the Wyoming line where deer carry the show
Northern Front Range — Larimer County (Red Feather Lakes / Cherokee Park) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
318
sq mi
Public land
20%
approx.
Elevation
5,400–9,500
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
GMU 191 sits in northern Larimer County against the Wyoming border, a roughly 318-square-mile unit of rolling sagebrush parks, creek bottoms, and timbered foothills around Red Feather Lakes and Cherokee Park. It holds healthy mule deer along with elk, pronghorn, and a small moose presence, but most of the ground is private ranchland — the deer harvest is large partly because so much of it comes off private property. All big-game tags here are limited-draw. Mule deer is the standout, with pronghorn a genuine secondary opportunity in the open parks and elk a low-odds hunt on scattered, hard-to-access herds.
Terrain
Rolling ridges divided by numerous creeks, with large sagebrush flats in the valleys leading up into timbered foothills. Lower ground is open sage-grassland; the higher north and west country climbs into ponderosa, spruce-fir, and aspen around Red Feather Lakes and the Deadman area.
Cover: Sagebrush, grass, pinyon-juniper, and scattered cottonwood along creeks at lower elevations, grading into ponderosa pine and oak brush, then spruce-fir with large aspen groves and grassy wildflower ridges up high.
Landmarks: Red Feather Lakes · Cherokee Park · Cherokee State Wildlife Area · Deadman area · Cache la Poudre River (south boundary) · US 287 (east boundary) · Wyoming state line
Access
Most of the unit is private ranchland, and the strong deer numbers largely reflect that. The largest blocks of public access are the Cherokee State Wildlife Area and strips of Roosevelt National Forest north of the Cache la Poudre River and west of Cherokee. Public hunters should map those blocks carefully and expect to secure ranch permission or a landowner tag for much of the best deer and pronghorn ground. Colorado State Trust lands are NOT open to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program.
Managers: private ranch, Cherokee State Wildlife Area (CPW), USFS Roosevelt National Forest
Access points: CR 74E / Red Feather Lakes Road · CR 80C / Cherokee Park Road · Cherokee State Wildlife Area accesses · US 287 corridor
Species notes
Mule Deer
common qualityThe premier tag and by far the largest harvest in the unit, with recent success around 41%. Much of the herd and the harvest lives on private ranchland in the sage parks and foothill edges.
- →Glass sagebrush flats, creek-bottom cottonwoods, and the oak-brush/ponderosa transition at first and last light.
- →Public hunters should focus the Cherokee SWA and the Roosevelt NF strips, or line up ranch permission early.
- →Later hunts concentrate deer as they move down and group up in the lower parks.
Pronghorn
common qualityA legitimate secondary opportunity in the open sage-grass parks and valley flats, with recent success around one in three tags. Like the deer, much of the antelope range is private.
- →Glass the large open flats and rolling sage parks from vantage points and pick a buck before closing.
- →Use terrain folds and creek cuts to stalk in wide-open country.
- →Pair the tag with deer scouting and secure private access or work the public parcels where the parks are open.
Rocky Mountain Elk
limited opportunityA low-odds elk hunt (recent success near 7%) on small resident herds that tend to hold in difficult-to-access timbered pockets and on private ground.
- →Hunt the timbered foothill pockets and dark north-slope cover in the higher north and west of the unit.
- →Elk here are scattered and pressured — locate a specific herd during scouting rather than expecting to bump into animals.
- →Where the elk are on private, a landowner voucher or permission may be the realistic path.
Moose
limited qualityA small, very-limited moose presence in the willow bottoms and riparian creek corridors of the higher country. Tags are scarce and hard to draw.
- →Focus willow-choked creek bottoms and wet meadows in the timbered high end of the unit.
- →Glass riparian corridors at dawn and dusk when bulls move to feed.
- →Treat a moose tag as a rare, plan-the-hunt-around-it draw rather than an every-year opportunity.
Pro tips
- →This is a private-heavy unit — line up ranch permission or a landowner tag well before season for the best deer and pronghorn ground.
- →Cherokee State Wildlife Area and the Roosevelt NF strips are your main public options — map them precisely.
- →Deer and pronghorn are the realistic tags; the elk hunt is low-odds and scattered.
- →All species are limited-draw — apply strategically and budget preference points.
- →Watch clay county roads in wet weather and carry recovery gear.
Watch out for
- !Most of the unit is private ranchland — trespass risk is high; verify boundaries.
- !Colorado State Trust lands are not open to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program.
- !Public parcels (Cherokee SWA, NF strips) draw concentrated pressure.
- !County roads can turn to greasy clay when wet.
- !The Wyoming state line runs the north boundary — know which side you are on.
Logistics
Red Feather Lakes and Livermore offer limited services; Fort Collins to the south and Laramie, Wyoming to the north are the nearest full-service towns for fuel, groceries, lodging, and repair. County roads (74E, 80C, 69) are the main arteries; some turn to greasy clay when wet, so carry recovery gear. With so much private ground, arrange access before season.
Nearest towns: Red Feather Lakes, CO, Livermore, CO, Fort Collins, CO, Laramie, WY
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 191 Profile · HuntScore — Colorado GMU 191 (Larimer County)
FAQ
- How big is GMU 191 in Colorado?
- GMU 191 (GMU 191 — Larimer Co.) covers about 318 square miles, ranging from roughly 5,400 to 9,500 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 191?
- Approximately 20% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: private ranch, Cherokee State Wildlife Area (CPW), USFS Roosevelt National Forest. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 191?
- Mule Deer, Pronghorn, Rocky Mountain Elk, Moose. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Colorado agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put GMU 191 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.