GMU 97 GMU 97 — Logan/Washington/Morgan Co.
Open sandhill and dryland-farm prairie built for pronghorn, with plains mule deer as the second draw
Northeastern Colorado plains — sandhills south of Sterling (Logan, Washington & Morgan Counties) · Last reviewed 2026-07-12
Area
592
sq mi
Public land
5%
approx.
Elevation
3,900–4,700
feet
Motorized
extensive
access
Overview
GMU 97 is a roughly 590-square-mile block of northeastern Colorado plains south of Sterling, bounded by Interstate 76 on the west, Colorado Highway 61 on the north and east, and US 34 on the south, with Colorado 6 cutting through the middle. This is sandhills, open prairie, and dry cropland — ranch- and farm-dominated country where pronghorn is the marquee species and plains mule deer the strong second, while elk are essentially incidental (no animals taken in the recent window). Landowners have reported a declining local antelope herd, and as in most of the eastern plains, success is far more about securing private-land access than about finding animals.
Terrain
Flat to gently rolling High Plains with pockets of stabilized sandhills — some of the easiest walking country in the state. Open shortgrass prairie mixes with dryland cropland, sandy hills, dry washes, and scattered creek and shelterbelt bottoms.
Cover: Shortgrass prairie and sandsage on the sandhills, interspersed with dryland and irrigated cropland (wheat, corn, milo), CRP grassland, yucca flats, and cottonwood/shelterbelt strips along the drainages.
Landmarks: Interstate 76 (west) · Colorado Highway 61 (north and east) · US 34 corridor (south) · Colorado 6 (through the middle) · the Sand Hills · Jones Flats · Fremont Butte · Eagle Hill
Access
Overwhelmingly private — roughly 95% — with only a thin sliver of genuinely huntable public ground. The 'state' land shown on maps is Colorado State Trust land, which is NOT open to hunting unless the specific parcel is enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program (walk-in access), so do not assume it is huntable. Success hinges on landowner permission, a leased ranch, an outfitter, or CPW walk-in tracts. The dense county-road grid plus I-76, CO 61, US 34, and CO 6 make the country easy to reach and glass from, but the land beyond the fence is almost all private.
Managers: private ranch and farm, Colorado State Trust land (generally closed to hunting), scattered public
Access points: Interstate 76 · Colorado Highway 61 · US 34 · Colorado 6 · county road grid throughout
Species notes
Pronghorn
common qualityThe headliner. Pronghorn use the open sandhills, shortgrass, and cropland edges, and recent hunters filled roughly 64% of tags (about 21 animals taken). Landowners report the local herd has been declining, so scout current numbers, but antelope remain the unit's best opportunity and access is generally easier to secure for pronghorn than for deer.
- →Glass the open shortgrass flats, sandhills, and crop edges from the county-road grid at first and last light, then plan a stalk on private ground you have permission for.
- →Use the subtle swales, sandhills, and dry washes to close the final distance on a bedded buck in this open terrain.
- →Line up private-land access or a CPW walk-in tract before the season — access is the whole game out here.
Mule Deer
common qualityA solid plains mule deer opportunity on the sandsage draws, CRP, and cropland edges, with recent success around 56% (roughly 50 deer taken). Limited-draw like all Colorado deer, and access-limited, but productive where you can hunt.
- →Focus on sandsage and mid-grass draws, CRP fields, and the cover strips along drainages where plains muleys hold during the day.
- →Hunt the edges between cropland feed and brushy bedding cover early and late.
- →Secure permission on specific ranches ahead of time; deer access is harder to get than pronghorn access here.
Rocky Mountain Elk
transient lowElk are incidental on these plains — no animals taken in the recent window. Any elk here are wandering, transient animals rather than a resident herd; not a species to plan a trip around.
- →Treat any elk as an opportunistic encounter while hunting pronghorn or deer, not a target.
- →Watch large CRP blocks and cropland where a stray elk might hold.
- →Focus your effort and access work on pronghorn and mule deer instead.
Pro tips
- →Access is everything — roughly 95% of GMU 97 is private, so secure permission, a lease, an outfitter, or CPW walk-in tracts before the hunt.
- →Do not count State Trust land as huntable unless the parcel is enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program.
- →Pronghorn is the highest-odds, easiest-to-access species here — but scout the herd, which landowners report has been declining.
- →Glass from the county-road grid and the CO 6 corridor to locate animals, then hunt only ground you have permission for.
- →After rain, dirt county roads turn to gumbo and sandy two-tracks get soft — plan routes accordingly.
Watch out for
- !Roughly 95% private land — trespass risk is high; get permission in writing and know boundaries.
- !Colorado State Trust land is closed to hunting unless enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program.
- !Very little genuinely open public ground — do not assume map 'state' parcels are huntable.
- !Local pronghorn herd reported declining — verify current numbers before applying.
- !Dirt county roads become impassable gumbo when wet, and sandhill two-tracks can be soft.
Logistics
Easy-access plains country served by a dense county-road grid, paved US 34, CO 61, CO 6, and Interstate 76 along the west edge. Sterling sits just north of the unit and offers fuel, groceries, motels, and repair; Akron and Brush are also within reach. Standard vehicles handle most dry county roads, though dirt turns to gumbo after rain and sandy two-tracks can be soft. The real logistics challenge is not terrain but access — line up permission, a lease, or CPW walk-in tracts well before opening day.
Nearest towns: Sterling, CO, Fleming, CO, Akron, CO, Brush, CO
Seasons & regulations
This page carries no season dates or regulations. Get current rules from the official Colorado sources:
Research sources: CPW GMU Boundary (Big Game) — geodata.colorado.gov · GOHUNT — Colorado Unit 97 Profile (secondary cross-check) · CPW Pronghorn Hunting
FAQ
- How big is GMU 97 in Colorado?
- GMU 97 (GMU 97 — Logan/Washington/Morgan Co.) covers about 592 square miles, ranging from roughly 3,900 to 4,700 feet in elevation. Area is computed from the unit boundary polygon.
- How much public land is in GMU 97?
- Approximately 5% of the unit is public land. Primary managers: private ranch and farm, Colorado State Trust land (generally closed to hunting), scattered public. Always verify ownership boundaries on the ground.
- What species does the catalog list for GMU 97?
- Pronghorn, 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 97 on your map.
Boundary lines, public/private ownership, topo, and offline maps for this unit — in Baseline Maps, free for 14 days.