GMU 791 GMU 791 — Alamosa/Mineral/Rio Grande/Saguache Co.
Flat, private ag valley where valley elk feed the fields and deer tags are hard-won
South-central Colorado — San Luis Valley floor (Rio Grande bottomlands) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
410
sq mi
Public land
15%
approx.
Elevation
7,500–8,000
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
GMU 791 sits on the floor of the San Luis Valley north of Alamosa and Monte Vista, a nearly flat expanse of irrigated farmland, sagebrush hills, and the meandering Rio Grande bottomlands. It is not traditional mountain hunting country — most of the ground is private, and the game hunts like valley game. Mule deer are limited and tightly managed, while elk drift out of the surrounding timber and national wildlife refuges to feed on the fields. This is an access-driven unit where landowner relationships and the Rio Grande State Wildlife Area matter more than boot leather.
Terrain
Almost entirely flat: irrigated farm fields, hayground, and low sagebrush hills, cut by the meandering Rio Grande and its riparian bottoms between Monte Vista and Alamosa.
Cover: Irrigated cropland and hay meadows, greasewood and rabbitbrush sage flats, and cottonwood-willow riparian corridor along the Rio Grande.
Landmarks: Rio Grande · Rio Grande State Wildlife Area · Monte Vista National Wildlife Refuge (nearby) · San Luis Valley floor
Access
Most of GMU 791 is private irrigated farmland — public access is limited. The Rio Grande State Wildlife Area offers some public deer hunting, and a handful of landowners permit hunting to manage game damage on their fields. Colorado State Trust Lands here are generally closed to public hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program. Success on this unit usually comes down to securing private-land permission or hunting the SWA.
Managers: private ranch, private agricultural, Colorado State Wildlife Area, BLM
Access points: Rio Grande State Wildlife Area · County roads off US 160 and CO 15 · Public river-access points along the Rio Grande
Species notes
Mule Deer
limited qualityDeer are limited-draw and tightly managed — buck licenses are capped and the valley herd has been slowly improving under those limits. Success is decent for tag-holders, but access is the real hurdle. Private-land doe tags exist mainly to address crop damage.
- →Hunt the Rio Grande State Wildlife Area and river bottoms for public-land deer
- →Glass field edges and riparian cover at dawn and dusk
- →Secure landowner permission where deer bed in the ag/riparian mosaic
- →Work the cottonwood-willow corridor along the Rio Grande
Rocky Mountain Elk
limited opportunityThis is not classic elk country, but elk push out of surrounding timber and the national wildlife refuges to feed on irrigated fields, scattering across the valley floor and river bottom. Bull elk here are limited-draw only — general/OTC unlimited bull licenses are NOT valid in GMU 791. It is a private-land-and-refuge-edge game.
- →Locate elk on ag fields at first and last light
- →Focus the interface between refuge/timber and open farm ground
- →Landowner permission is often the difference between seeing and hunting them
- →Set up on travel routes between bedding cover and feed fields
Pro tips
- →Access is everything — plan around the Rio Grande State Wildlife Area or private permission before you apply
- →Elk are a refuge-and-field-edge hunt, not a timber hunt — glass the ag ground
- →Unlimited/general bull elk licenses do NOT work here; it's limited-draw only
- →Deer stack in the Rio Grande riparian corridor — hunt the cottonwood-willow bottoms
- →Respect crop and irrigation infrastructure to keep landowner relationships intact
Watch out for
- !Overwhelmingly private land — confirm access before hunting anywhere off the SWA
- !State Trust Lands are generally closed to hunting unless in CPW's Public Access Program
- !Low overall deer density means limited tags and modest sightings
- !Elk are transient and refuge-dependent — they may not be present until later in the fall
- !Do not trespass on irrigated fields — boundaries are often unmarked
Logistics
Alamosa and Monte Vista along US 160 provide full services — fuel, lodging, groceries, and guide contacts. The unit is flat and road-laced, so travel is easy, but the challenge is legal access rather than terrain. Line up private permission or SWA plans well before the season.
Nearest towns: Alamosa, Monte Vista, Center, Hooper
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Colorado sources:
Research sources: GoHunt — Colorado Unit 791 Profile · HuntScore — GMU 791 (Alamosa, Rio Grande, Saguache Counties) · CPW — Big Game Hunting in Southwest Colorado
FAQ
- How big is GMU 791 in Colorado?
- GMU 791 (GMU 791 — Alamosa/Mineral/Rio Grande/Saguache Co.) covers about 410 square miles, ranging from roughly 7,500 to 8,000 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 791?
- Approximately 15% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: private ranch, private agricultural, Colorado State Wildlife Area, BLM. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 791?
- Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk. For seasons, tags, and regulations, use the official Colorado agency resources linked on this page — this page carries no regulatory information.
Put GMU 791 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.