GMU 61 GMU 61 — Mesa/Montrose/Ouray/San Miguel Co.
The famed southwest side of the Uncompahgre — big-bull elk and quality mule deer on a high public plateau
Uncompahgre Plateau — southwest slope (Mesa/Montrose/Ouray/San Miguel Co.) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
923
sq mi
Public land
75%
approx.
Elevation
5,000–9,600
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
GMU 61 covers the southwestern half of the Uncompahgre Plateau, a broad flat-topped range running roughly 70 miles from Gateway near the Utah line down toward Placerville. It is bounded on the north by CO-141, on the east by the Divide Road / South Divide Road / Dave Wood Road, on the south by CO-62, and on the west by the San Miguel and Dolores rivers. This is one of the better-regarded units in the region — a mix of national forest and BLM sitting mostly between about 8,300 and 9,200 feet on top, with a strong reputation for high success on mature mule deer and heavy elk. Elk is the headliner (recent 5-year harvest well over 600), with quality mule deer on limited draw and a token pronghorn presence.
Terrain
A high, gently rolling plateau top cut by deep timbered canyons that fall away steeply toward the San Miguel and Dolores river corridors on the west and south. The flat crest holds parks and aspen; the flanks are a maze of oakbrush ridges and rock rims.
Cover: Aspen, ponderosa, and spruce-fir with grassy parks on the high plateau, grading into dense Gambel oakbrush and pinyon-juniper on the mid slopes and sage-and-cedar on the lower river benches.
Landmarks: Divide Road (FSR 402) · South Divide Road (FSR 517) · Dave Wood Road · San Miguel River · Dolores River · Uncompahgre National Forest · Gateway · Nucla / Naturita benches
Access
High public-land unit — the plateau top is Uncompahgre National Forest with extensive BLM on the flanks near Nucla, Naturita, and the river corridors. The Divide Road system provides the main spine of access along the crest. Private ranch inholdings cluster on the lower benches and in the valleys; Colorado State Trust lands are NOT open to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program. Many plateau roads become impassable clay when wet, and higher roads close with early snow.
Managers: USFS Uncompahgre National Forest (GMUG), BLM Uncompahgre Field Office, private ranch
Access points: Divide Road (FSR 402) from CO-90 near Nucla or from the north · Dave Wood Road · CO-141 along the north/west boundary · CO-145 / CO-62 access from the south near Norwood and Ridgway · San Miguel River corridor
Species notes
Rocky Mountain Elk
abundant qualityThe marquee hunt and the reason 61 draws attention — a healthy elk herd across a big block of public forest and oakbrush, with recent harvest well over 600 and 5-year success near 55%, strong for a general unit. Bull tags are over-the-counter for archery and the 2nd/3rd rifle seasons; the 1st rifle season is limited-draw. The unit also holds better-than-average bulls compared with its neighbors.
- →Hunt the oakbrush-and-aspen transition on the flanks of the plateau — dense oak in the mid elevations holds elk and often demands close-range, still-hunting or calling setups.
- →Break well away from the Divide Road spine; the further you get from the main road grid, the better the age class and the fewer hunters you'll share country with.
- →Time an archery or 2nd-rifle hunt to the rut/early-storm window and work bugling bulls off the timbered canyon heads at first light.
Mule Deer
common qualityA quality, fully limited-draw deer unit with a genuine big-buck reputation on the plateau. Bucks favor the oakbrush ridges and pinyon-juniper breaks; recent success ran near 50%. Tags take points but reward the wait.
- →Glass the oakbrush and cedar breaks on the plateau flanks morning and evening — this is spot-and-stalk country, not road hunting.
- →Later seasons concentrate bucks as they slide off the high plateau toward winter range on the lower San Miguel and Dolores benches.
- →Focus optics on the edges where feed meets bedding cover on the canyon rims; mature bucks here live in the thick stuff.
Pronghorn
transient lowA negligible pronghorn presence — recent harvest is essentially nil. This is not a pronghorn unit; treat any tag as an incidental novelty on the open lower benches, not a reason to come.
- →Look only on the open sage-grass flats on the far lower edges of the unit near the river valleys.
- →Do not plan a trip around pronghorn here — the country is overwhelmingly timber and oakbrush.
Pro tips
- →The Divide Road is the artery of the unit — expect company along it, so plan to hunt a mile or more off it to find the better bulls and bucks.
- →Oakbrush is thick and loud; wind and slow, deliberate movement matter more than covering distance in the mid-elevation cover.
- →Later rifle seasons pull migrating animals onto the lower benches near Nucla and the river corridors — a good late-season play.
- →Carry chains or plan to sit out storms; the plateau's clay roads can trap vehicles for a day after rain or snow.
Watch out for
- !Private ranch inholdings on the lower benches and valley floors — verify boundaries near Nucla, Naturita, and the rivers.
- !State Trust lands are closed to hunting unless in CPW's Public Access Program.
- !OTC 2nd/3rd rifle seasons draw crowds to the road-accessible plateau top.
- !Clay roads become impassable when wet, and high roads close with early snow.
Logistics
Nucla, Naturita, and Norwood offer fuel and basic supplies; Montrose (northeast) is the full-service hub with lodging, gear, and processors. Dispersed camping on the national forest along the Divide Road is standard. Cell coverage is spotty on the plateau — download offline maps before you leave town.
Nearest towns: Nucla, Naturita, Norwood, Montrose, Ridgway
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Colorado sources:
Research sources: HuntScore — GMU 61 (Mesa/Montrose/Ouray/San Miguel) · GOHUNT — Colorado Unit 61 Profile · Hunters Domain — Colorado Unit 61 boundary
FAQ
- How big is GMU 61 in Colorado?
- GMU 61 (GMU 61 — Mesa/Montrose/Ouray/San Miguel Co.) covers about 923 square miles, ranging from roughly 5,000 to 9,600 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 61?
- Approximately 75% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: USFS Uncompahgre National Forest (GMUG), BLM Uncompahgre Field Office, private ranch. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 61?
- Rocky Mountain Elk, Mule Deer, Pronghorn. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Colorado agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put GMU 61 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.