GMU 711 GMU 711 — Dolores/Montezuma/San Miguel Co.
Sagebrush-and-canyon mule deer with OTC elk on a big BLM/Forest mix
Southwest Colorado — Disappointment Valley & Dry Creek Basin · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
821
sq mi
Public land
62%
approx.
Elevation
5,500–10,000
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
GMU 711 sprawls west and north of Dolores across San Miguel, Dolores and Montezuma counties, blending San Juan National Forest timber on its south and east with vast BLM sagebrush parks, pinyon-juniper mesas and the Dolores River canyon in Disappointment Valley and Dry Creek Basin. It is best known as a strong, high-success mule deer unit holding both resident and migratory deer, with a solid over-the-counter elk opportunity as the secondary draw. The mixed public ownership gives DIY hunters real room to roam.
Terrain
Low sagebrush valleys and canyon country in the west and north step up through pinyon-juniper mesas and oak brush into ponderosa and aspen timber on the San Juan NF along the southern and eastern flank.
Cover: Big sagebrush parks, pinyon-juniper and gambel oak across the lower BLM country, grading into ponderosa pine, aspen and spruce-fir on the forested high edge; cottonwood and willow in the Dolores and Disappointment drainage bottoms.
Landmarks: Disappointment Valley · Disappointment Creek · Dry Creek Basin · Dolores River canyon · McPhee Reservoir (southern edge) · Gypsum Valley
Access
About 62% public — roughly 188,000 acres of San Juan NF on the timbered south/east side and 118,000 acres of BLM across Disappointment Valley and Dry Creek Basin, with the remainder private ranch. A good GPS/mapping chip is essential in the checkerboarded BLM basins where public and private interlock. Scattered state trust parcels are closed to hunting unless PAP-enrolled.
Managers: BLM, USFS San Juan National Forest, private ranch
Access points: Dolores–Norwood Road (Hwy 145 to CO-141 corridor) · Disappointment Valley / Dry Creek Basin BLM roads · Forest roads off the south/east timber · Dolores River canyon access
Species notes
Mule Deer
abundant qualityThe headline species — a genuinely good mule deer unit with high rifle success, holding year-round resident deer in the sage-and-pinyon country plus migratory bucks that filter down off the high timber late. Draw-only, and worth the points.
- →Glass sagebrush parks and pinyon-juniper edges at first and last light
- →Hunt the oak-brush transition between the basins and the forest
- →Save later seasons for migratory bucks dropping into Disappointment Valley and Dry Creek Basin
- →Use a mapping chip to stay on public in the checkerboard
Rocky Mountain Elk
common opportunityA respectable resident elk herd centered on the forested south and east, with animals working the timber-and-oak edge. Bull tags are over-the-counter for 2nd and 3rd rifle; 1st and 4th rifle are limited draw.
- →Focus on the San Juan NF timber and its oak-brush lower edge
- →Hunt dark-timber escape cover once rifle pressure builds
- →Work water and wallows on the forest edge during early archery
Black Bear
common opportunityBlack bears work the extensive oak brush and canyon fruit-producing draws, particularly in good mast years — a solid add-on tag for deer and elk hunters.
- →Glass oak and serviceberry slopes during fall hyperphagia
- →Check canyon riparian pockets and berry draws morning and evening
Pro tips
- →Run a current mapping chip — the BLM/private checkerboard in Disappointment Valley and Dry Creek Basin is easy to trespass by accident
- →Prioritize this unit for mule deer; the elk are a good bonus, not the main event
- →Hunt the sage-to-timber transition where migratory deer stage
- →Carry water into the western basins; reliable sources are limited
- →Watch for and steer clear of active gas-field infrastructure in Dry Creek Basin
Watch out for
- !Checkerboarded BLM/private ownership in the basins
- !Colorado state trust lands closed unless PAP-enrolled
- !Scarce water in the western sage country
- !Natural-gas development activity in Dry Creek Basin
- !Late-season snow on the forested high edge
- !OTC elk crowding on the timbered south side
Logistics
Dove Creek and Dolores cover fuel and basic supplies; Cortez is the full-service hub. Dispersed camping is easy on both BLM and Forest, but water is scarce in the western basins — haul your own. Be aware of scattered natural-gas development activity in parts of Dry Creek Basin.
Nearest towns: Dove Creek, Dolores, Cortez, Norwood
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Colorado sources:
Research sources: Hunters Domain — Colorado Unit 711 · CPW — Disappointment Valley State Trust Land · CPW 2020 Big Game Hunting in Southwest Colorado
FAQ
- How big is GMU 711 in Colorado?
- GMU 711 (GMU 711 — Dolores/Montezuma/San Miguel Co.) covers about 821 square miles, ranging from roughly 5,500 to 10,000 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 711?
- Approximately 62% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM, USFS San Juan National Forest, private ranch. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 711?
- 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 711 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.