GMU 72 GMU 72 — Montezuma Co.
Desert-canyon mule deer country hemmed in by tribal and park closures
Southwest Colorado — Great Sage Plain & Canyons of the Ancients · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
979
sq mi
Public land
30%
approx.
Elevation
4,900–9,977
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
GMU 72 occupies Colorado's far-southwest corner in Montezuma County — the Great Sage Plain of pinyon-juniper, dryland farm and canyon carved out toward the Utah line, backed by Sleeping Ute Mountain. It is fundamentally a mule deer unit with strong rifle success, while elk are scarce and pronghorn essentially absent. Huntable public land is limited: Canyons of the Ancients National Monument (BLM) in the north is the main open ground, while Mesa Verde National Park and the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation are closed to hunting and much of the balance is private ranch and farm.
Terrain
A high, dry plateau broken by canyons dropping west toward the Utah border, rising in the south to the isolated bulk of Sleeping Ute Mountain; broken desert canyonlands with good road access on the BLM ground.
Cover: Sagebrush and pinyon-juniper across the sage plain, dryland bean and grain fields on the private tablelands, oak and canyon riparian in the drainages, with mixed timber only on the higher slopes of Ute Mountain.
Landmarks: Canyons of the Ancients National Monument · McElmo Canyon · Sleeping Ute Mountain · Mesa Verde escarpment · Great Sage Plain · Utah border canyonlands
Access
Huntable public land is limited and concentrated in the north on Canyons of the Ancients National Monument (BLM), which has good, well-maintained road access branching into primitive 4WD roads. Critically, Mesa Verde National Park and the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation are CLOSED to hunting, and the tablelands are heavily private ranch and farm — so the true huntable fraction is well below the raw public-land figure. State trust parcels are closed unless PAP-enrolled. Confirm boundaries carefully.
Managers: BLM Canyons of the Ancients NM, private ranch/farm, Ute Mountain Ute Reservation (closed), Mesa Verde National Park (closed)
Access points: Canyons of the Ancients / McElmo Canyon roads · BLM road network north of Cortez · County roads off US-491 and CO-184
Species notes
Mule Deer
common qualityThe reason to hunt GMU 72 — desert and canyon mule deer with high rifle success, holding resident deer in the pinyon-juniper, sage and canyon country. Draw-only, and the limited huntable ground concentrates both deer and hunters.
- →Glass canyon rims and pinyon-juniper edges at first and last light on Canyons of the Ancients
- →Still-hunt the sage-and-oak canyon heads where deer bed
- →Secure private-land permission for the productive farm-edge deer
- →Use a mapping chip to keep off the reservation and park boundaries
Rocky Mountain Elk
limited opportunityNot an elk unit — numbers and harvest are low, with only scattered animals using the canyon and Ute Mountain fringes. Bull tags are over-the-counter for 2nd and 3rd rifle, but expectations should be modest.
- →Focus on the higher, timbered fringe near Sleeping Ute Mountain and the deeper canyon systems
- →Treat elk as an opportunistic add-on to a deer hunt, not the objective
Black Bear
limited opportunityBlack bears occur at low density in the oak-and-pinyon canyons and along Ute Mountain, primarily an incidental tag in good mast years.
- →Glass oak-brush canyon slopes during fall berry season
- →Check canyon riparian corridors for sign
Pro tips
- →Come for the mule deer — the elk harvest here is genuinely low, so set expectations accordingly
- →Focus public-land effort on Canyons of the Ancients NM in the north; the rest is private, park or reservation
- →Run a current mapping chip and know exactly where the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation and Mesa Verde NP boundaries lie — both are closed to hunting
- →Line up private-land permission early; the best farm-edge deer are on private ground
- →Haul water for camp and the field across the dry sage plain
Watch out for
- !Ute Mountain Ute Reservation closed to hunting
- !Mesa Verde National Park closed to hunting
- !Heavy private ranch/farm ownership limits access
- !Colorado state trust lands closed unless PAP-enrolled
- !Scarce water and early-season heat on the sage plain
- !Very low elk numbers — do not plan an elk trip around this unit
Logistics
Cortez is the full-service hub for fuel, groceries and lodging, with Dove Creek to the north. Camping is available on Canyons of the Ancients BLM ground; water is scarce across the sage plain, so plan to haul it. Summer and early-fall heat can be significant at these low desert elevations.
Nearest towns: Cortez, Dove Creek, Towaoc, Dolores
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Colorado sources:
Research sources: BLM — Canyons of the Ancients National Monument · GOHUNT — Colorado Unit 72 profile · CPW 2020 Big Game Hunting in Southwest Colorado
FAQ
- How big is GMU 72 in Colorado?
- GMU 72 (GMU 72 — Montezuma Co.) covers about 979 square miles, ranging from roughly 4,900 to 9,977 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 72?
- Approximately 30% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: BLM Canyons of the Ancients NM, private ranch/farm, Ute Mountain Ute Reservation (closed), Mesa Verde National Park (closed). Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 72?
- 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 72 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.