GMU 22 GMU 22 — Rio Blanco/Garfield Co.
One of North America's great migratory mule deer basins, plus OTC bull elk on big BLM country
Northwest Colorado — Piceance Basin, White River mule deer and elk · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
989
sq mi
Public land
55%
approx.
Elevation
5,300–8,900
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
GMU 22 covers nearly 1,000 square miles of the Piceance Basin southwest of Meeker, in Rio Blanco and Garfield Counties. Bounded by the White River on the north, CO-13 on the east, the White River–Colorado River divide on the south, and Rio Blanco County roads and CO-64 on the west, it is a sweep of sagebrush parks, oakbrush and pinyon-juniper mesas, and aspen benches rising toward the Roan Plateau. The Piceance is legendary as one of the largest migratory mule deer winter ranges on the continent, and deer are the standout here — strong harvest at high success. Elk are abundant and hunted over-the-counter for archery and rifle, giving big-country bull opportunity. There is essentially no pronghorn harvest in this timbered basin.
Terrain
Broad basin-and-mesa country — sagebrush parks and creek bottoms climbing through oakbrush and pinyon-juniper mesas to aspen and conifer benches on the Roan/White River divide.
Cover: Roughly half sagebrush and mountain shrub, with extensive Gambel oakbrush, pinyon-juniper on the dry mesas, aspen and evergreen forest on the higher divide, and greasewood/willow in the creek bottoms.
Landmarks: Piceance Creek Basin · White River corridor (north boundary) · Roan Plateau / White River–Colorado River divide (south) · CO-13 (east boundary) · energy-field mesas
Access
Big, genuinely public BLM country dominates the Piceance, which is the draw for DIY hunters — but it is interlaced with private ranches and active oil-and-gas leaseholds, and some low-elevation winter range and creek-bottom ground is deeded private. The natural-gas field means an extensive road and two-track network but also traffic, gates, and infrastructure. State Trust Land is generally closed to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program. Map public-vs-private carefully around the energy patch.
Managers: BLM White River Field Office (large Piceance blocks), private ranch and energy leaseholds, USFS White River NF (higher southern divide fringe), Colorado State Trust Land (generally closed unless in CPW Public Access Program)
Access points: Piceance Creek Road and the county-road/two-track network off CO-13 · BLM roads throughout the basin · White River NF access on the higher southern divide
Species notes
Mule Deer
abundant qualityThe standout species — the Piceance Basin is one of the largest migratory mule deer winter ranges in North America, and GMU 22 posts strong harvest at high success. Fully limited-draw. Deer summer on the high benches and pour into the basin's sage-and-oakbrush winter range as snow builds, so timing is everything.
- →Glass sagebrush and oakbrush edges at dawn and dusk
- →Bucks hold in oakbrush pockets, pinyon-juniper, and aspen stringers through midday
- →Later seasons: hunt the migration as deer flood down into the basin winter range
- →Cover big country — the Piceance rewards glassing miles of mesa and draw
- →Prioritize the large BLM blocks away from the energy roads
Rocky Mountain Elk
abundant opportunityPart of the huge White River elk herd, and hunted over-the-counter for archery and rifle — an opportunity unit for bulls. High harvest volume with lower success reflects abundant elk on a lot of public ground and heavy pressure. Elk share the migration pattern, dropping into the basin with weather.
- →Glass sage parks and oakbrush at first and last light
- →Hunt dark-timber and oakbrush pockets on the higher benches where elk bed
- →During the rut, work timbered draws and wallows with calling
- →Early archery season hunters do well sitting water in the dry country
- →Later seasons: intercept migration corridors as snow pushes elk down
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bears are common in the oakbrush and aspen country, keying on acorns and serviceberry in early fall — the classic mountain-shrub bear habitat of the White River country.
- →Hunt oakbrush thickets and berry patches in early fall
- →Glass shrubby slopes and draws for feeding bears at dawn and dusk
- →Often an incidental opportunity while deer or elk hunting
Pro tips
- →Come for the mule deer — the Piceance is a premier draw-tag basin; time a later season to catch the migration on snow
- →OTC elk make 22 a strong DIY option, but plan to hunt away from the gas-field roads and crowds
- →Big country rewards optics and miles — glass mesas, draws, and oakbrush edges hard
- →Learn the energy-lease and private boundaries; the road network hides both public and private ground
- →Watch the clay — get ahead of storms or plan to sit them out
Watch out for
- !Active oil-and-gas leaseholds, gates, and traffic mixed into the public land
- !Private ranch inholdings and deeded winter range along the creek bottoms
- !State Trust Lands generally closed unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program
- !Crowding on OTC rifle elk seasons
- !Clay/dirt roads become impassable when wet; early-season fire danger in dry years
Logistics
Meeker and Rifle are the main hubs for fuel, lodging, groceries, and processing, with Rangely closer to the west side. The energy-field road network makes much of the basin driveable, but roads are dirt and clay that turn impassable when wet — carry chains and recovery gear. Cell coverage is spotty off the main corridors despite the industrial activity.
Nearest towns: Meeker, Rangely, Rifle, Craig
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 · CPW Hunting Atlas — GMU boundaries and public access · Colorado Big Game Regulations Brochure (OTC elk seasons) · BLM Colorado — White River Field Office (Piceance Basin) · USFS — White River National Forest
FAQ
- How big is GMU 22 in Colorado?
- GMU 22 (GMU 22 — Rio Blanco/Garfield Co.) covers about 989 square miles, ranging from roughly 5,300 to 8,900 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 22?
- Approximately 55% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM White River Field Office (large Piceance blocks), private ranch and energy leaseholds, USFS White River NF (higher southern divide fringe), Colorado State Trust Land (generally closed unless in CPW Public Access Program). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 22?
- Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, 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 22 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.