GMU 511 GMU 511 — Teller/El Paso/Park Co.
A Rampart Range foothills unit above Woodland Park where the Hayman burn regrew into good deer and elk browse
Pikes Peak region — Rampart Range & Rampart Reservoir (Teller/El Paso/Park Co.) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
363
sq mi
Public land
50%
approx.
Elevation
7,000–10,700
feet
Motorized
moderate
access
Overview
GMU 511 sits in the Pikes Peak region northwest of Colorado Springs, spanning Teller, El Paso, and southeastern Park counties across the southern Rampart Range and the Woodland Park–Divide plateau. It is roughly a 50/50 split of public Pike National Forest and private ranch/subdivision ground, with the Rampart Range Road, Rampart Reservoir, and the regenerating 2002 Hayman burn shaping the hunting. Mule deer is the standout — the leading harvest species with strong recent success — and is fully limited-draw; elk is present throughout but is a lower-success limited-draw (not over-the-counter) hunt. A stray pronghorn tag is incidental.
Terrain
Rolling-to-steep Rampart Range foothills and the Woodland Park–Divide plateau, cut by the South Beaver Creek and Trout Creek drainages and dropping toward the South Platte on the north. The southern Rampart high ground and the flanks below Pikes Peak carry the elevation; granite outcrops and timbered ridges break up the open parks.
Cover: Ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir on the ridges and slopes, aspen and mixed conifer higher, mountain meadows and grass parks between, and extensive Hayman burn regrowth — grass, shrub, and young aspen — that has become productive browse.
Landmarks: Rampart Range · Rampart Reservoir · Ormes Peak · Trout Creek drainage · South Beaver Creek · Manitou Experimental Forest · Woodland Park · Hayman burn area · West Monument Creek
Access
Roughly half the unit is public Pike National Forest, reached along both sides of Rampart Range Road from about Ormes Peak north to the Douglas–El Paso county line, plus the Rampart Reservoir area. The other half — around Woodland Park, Divide, Florissant, and the ranch country — is private and not huntable without permission. Private parcels and restricted government/military-adjacent land border the Rampart corridor, so verify status carefully. Colorado State Trust lands are NOT open to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program.
Managers: USFS Pike National Forest (Pikes Peak Ranger District), private ranch, private subdivision
Access points: Rampart Range Road (both sides, Ormes Peak to county line) · Rampart Reservoir Recreation Area · Trout Creek / South Beaver Creek drainages · Rampart Range access off Woodland Park
Species notes
Mule Deer
common qualityThe headliner and by far the most productive species here — a strong limited-draw deer unit with recent success near 60% of tags filled. The regenerating Hayman burn, ponderosa ridges, and park edges of the Rampart foothills carry good numbers of bucks.
- →Work the Hayman burn edges and regrowth where new grass and shrub browse concentrates deer.
- →Glass ponderosa ridges and the timber-to-park transitions along the Rampart Range at first and last light.
- →Hunt the South Beaver Creek and Trout Creek drainage cover, moving to lower benches as snow builds.
Rocky Mountain Elk
common opportunityElk range throughout the unit but this is a low-success limited-draw hunt (recent bull success in the single digits), with no over-the-counter tag. Animals use the Hayman burn and open country early, then slide into darker timber and outlying pockets as pressure builds.
- →Early on, glass elk near South Beaver Creek, the Rampart Reservoir country, and the Hayman burn regrowth.
- →As pressure climbs, follow elk into the darker timber and the more remote outlying pockets away from the burn.
- →Cover ground and get off Rampart Range Road — the accessible edges get hunted hard, and elk shift away from them fast.
Pronghorn
transient lowA negligible, incidental pronghorn presence — only a stray animal taken in a typical year on the open fringes. Not a reason to hunt the unit.
- →Glass the few open grass parks and plateau edges where the country breaks open.
- →Treat any pronghorn as a bonus while scouting deer and elk, not a standalone objective.
Pro tips
- →Mule deer is the real strength here — strong success and the leading harvest species; prioritize the deer draw.
- →Both deer and elk are limited-draw — no over-the-counter — so plan around the tag.
- →The regenerating Hayman burn is the productivity engine; hunt its edges and regrowth for both deer and elk.
- →Land status along Rampart Range Road is a patchwork of public, private, and restricted parcels — carry a current ownership layer.
- →Get off the road corridor as pressure builds; elk especially shift into darker, outlying timber.
Watch out for
- !About half the unit is private (Woodland Park, Divide, Florissant, ranch country) — no access without permission.
- !Private and restricted government-adjacent parcels border Rampart Range Road — verify boundaries.
- !Colorado State Trust lands are not open to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program.
- !Heavy recreational and hunting pressure from Colorado Springs proximity.
- !Elk success is genuinely low here — set expectations accordingly.
Logistics
Services are close and easy — Woodland Park and Divide sit inside the unit's western edge and Colorado Springs is minutes down the pass, so fuel, groceries, lodging, and repair are never far. Most hunting is day trips off Rampart Range Road and the Rampart Reservoir area, with developed and dispersed Forest Service camping on the public ground. Roads run from paved to graded gravel to rough two-track. Given the Colorado Springs proximity, expect other users; cell coverage is generally serviceable but fades in the drainages.
Nearest towns: Woodland Park, CO, Divide, CO, Florissant, CO, Colorado Springs, CO, Manitou Springs, CO
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Colorado sources:
Research sources: HuntScore — Elk Hunting in Colorado's GMU 511 (Teller/El Paso/Park) · GMU 511 — Colorado Division of Wildlife unit description (access, Hayman burn, Rampart Reservoir) · USFS — Pike National Forest, Pikes Peak Ranger District
FAQ
- How big is GMU 511 in Colorado?
- GMU 511 (GMU 511 — Teller/El Paso/Park Co.) covers about 363 square miles, ranging from roughly 7,000 to 10,700 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 511?
- Approximately 50% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Pike National Forest (Pikes Peak Ranger District), private ranch, private subdivision. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 511?
- Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, Pronghorn. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Colorado agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put GMU 511 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.