GMU 361 GMU 361 — Eagle/Grand Co.
A small, high, mostly-public unit on the northwest shoulder of the Gore Range with OTC elk
Central Colorado — Eagle & Grand Counties (Sheephorn Creek / Elliott Ridge, Gore Range) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
83
sq mi
Public land
80%
approx.
Elevation
6,900–12,500
feet
Motorized
limited
access
Overview
GMU 361 is a compact (roughly 83-square-mile) unit carved out of the old GMU 36 in 2010, holding the Sheephorn Creek drainage and the northwest shoulder of the Gore Range between the Colorado River and the divide. It runs from the river near Radium and State Bridge up Piney Ridge and Elliott Ridge to the Eagle's Nest Wilderness boundary and the Gore Range crest. Elk is the primary opportunity and can be hunted with over-the-counter bull tags in the second and third rifle seasons; mule deer is a limited-draw hunt off the sage and aspen benches. The small size and high public-land share make it a manageable, hikeable unit.
Terrain
Climbs steeply from about 6,900 feet along the Colorado River near Radium up through timbered ridges and drainages — Sheephorn Creek, Piney Ridge, Elliott Ridge — to alpine ground on the northwest crest of the Gore Range near the Eagle's Nest Wilderness boundary.
Cover: Sagebrush and pinyon-juniper on the low river benches, rising through Gambel oak, aspen, and lodgepole into spruce-fir and high meadows, with tundra and rock along the highest ridgelines toward the Gore Range divide.
Landmarks: Sheephorn Creek · Piney Ridge · Elliott Ridge · Gore Range divide · Eagle's Nest Wilderness boundary · Colorado River · Radium · Inspiration Point
Access
A high public-land share, with the Sheephorn and Gore Range high country almost entirely White River National Forest and BLM ground, and the Eagle's Nest Wilderness forming the eastern edge. Private ranch parcels cluster along the Colorado River corridor near Radium and State Bridge and can pinch off the lowest access. Colorado State Trust lands are NOT open to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program. The wilderness boundary along the crest is non-motorized.
Managers: USFS White River NF, BLM Kremmling / Colorado River Valley Field Office, private ranch
Access points: Sheephorn Creek Road from the Colorado River corridor · Forest roads off Colorado 131 / State Bridge · Radium and Colorado River access · Elliott Ridge trails from the west
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
common opportunityThe primary opportunity — a general over-the-counter elk unit. Bull tags are available OTC for the second and third rifle seasons, and elk work the timbered ridges and Sheephorn drainage between winter range and the high Gore Range. Success is modest (recently around 11%) but the small, public unit is easy to hunt on foot.
- →Hunt the timbered benches and pockets in the Sheephorn Creek drainage and along Piney and Elliott ridges.
- →Push toward the wilderness-edge basins below the crest where elk retreat from road pressure.
- →The later rifle seasons with snow move elk down the ridges toward the river winter range — set up on travel corridors.
Mule Deer
common qualityA limited-draw deer opportunity off the sage, oak, and aspen benches of the lower ridges. Recent buck success ran near one in three. Bucks summer high and drop toward the river country with weather.
- →Glass the Gambel oak, sage, and aspen edges of Piney and Elliott ridges at first and last light.
- →Follow deer down to the lower benches near the Colorado River as snow accumulates later in the season.
- →Use optics from high vantages to pick apart the broken ridge-and-drainage country before moving.
Pro tips
- →Use the small size and high public share to your advantage — this is a foot-hunter's unit you can cover thoroughly.
- →Get toward the wilderness-edge basins below the Gore Range crest to escape OTC rifle pressure.
- →Time later rifle hunts to snow that pushes elk and deer down the Sheephorn and ridge drainages.
- →Scout the river-corridor private near Radium and State Bridge so you know exactly where public access begins.
Watch out for
- !Private ranch parcels along the Colorado River near Radium and State Bridge can pinch off the lowest access.
- !Colorado State Trust lands are closed to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program.
- !The Eagle's Nest Wilderness boundary on the crest is non-motorized.
- !Rough, remote access roads and fast-moving high-country snow — carry recovery gear and watch the forecast.
Logistics
This is a small, remote unit best staged from the larger towns nearby — Kremmling to the north or the Eagle River valley (Wolcott, Edwards) to the south, with Bond, State Bridge, and Radium offering only minimal services. Access roads up Sheephorn Creek and the ridges are rough dirt; high-clearance 4WD is recommended, and early snow can close the upper country quickly.
Nearest towns: State Bridge, Bond, Radium, McCoy, Wolcott, Kremmling
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Colorado sources:
Research sources: CPW — Big Game Hunting · CPW — Over-the-Counter (OTC) Licenses · CPW GMU boundary and geodata · USFS — White River National Forest
FAQ
- How big is GMU 361 in Colorado?
- GMU 361 (GMU 361 — Eagle/Grand Co.) covers about 83 square miles, ranging from roughly 6,900 to 12,500 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 361?
- Approximately 80% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS White River NF, BLM Kremmling / Colorado River Valley Field Office, private ranch. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 361?
- 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 361 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.