Colorado Pronghorn Mule Deer

Unit 116 (Hartsel / South Park Basin)

Colorado Hunting Guide — Pronghorn, Mule Deer

GMU 116 occupies the wide-open South Park basin in Park County, centered around Hartsel at roughly 9,000 feet elevation. The high-altitude sagebrush and grassland terrain supports a resident pronghorn population managed through CPW's preference point draw. South Park's sweeping visibility and extensive public land make it a hunter-friendly unit once a tag is secured.

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Access roads, campgrounds, elevation, monthly weather, stock tanks, cell coverage, and nearest-town services for Unit 116.

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Pronghorn Hunting in Unit 116

Where to Find Pronghorn in GMU 116

South Park's wide sagebrush flats provide exceptional visibility for locating pronghorn from a vehicle. Herds are often visible from the main roads through Hartsel, ranging across BLM and state land in the basin.

Open Basin Glassing

Drive slowly on county roads at first light, glassing with binoculars across the flats. Pronghorn stand out against the pale sage at long range. Identify bucks by their larger body size and black cheek patches before planning an approach.

Water Sources at High Altitude

At 9,000+ feet, South Park pronghorn use scattered creek crossings and stock ponds. The South Platte River headwaters and its spring-fed tributaries concentrate animals during dry late summers.

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How to Hunt GMU 116 Pronghorn

The high-altitude open terrain of South Park demands long-range shooting proficiency and disciplined stalking using the minimal available cover.

Vehicle-Based Approach

Pronghorn in South Park are accustomed to vehicles and allow closer approach from a truck than on foot. Use your vehicle as a mobile blind, glass from the roof or window, and plan your exit route from the vehicle carefully to keep terrain between you and the herd.

Archery Stalks

Archery hunters face a significant challenge in South Park's open terrain. Focus on creek beds and any terrain fold that allows a close approach. Decoys can be effective during the September rut when bucks are aggressively defending herds.

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Pronghorn Success Rates

Rifle74%

Muzzleloader55%

South Park pronghorn units typically produce solid rifle success rates of 65–80% given the open terrain and good visibility. Archery success is considerably lower due to the challenge of approaching pronghorn in open high-altitude grassland. Review CPW Big Game Statistics for GMU 116 specific harvest data.

Pronghorn Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— 1st Season	123	45	100.0%	0
Rifle— 1st Season	99	53	100.0%	0
Rifle— 1st Season	89	302	29.5%	1
Muzzleloader— 1st Season	1	2	50.0%	0
Muzzleloader— 1st Season	32	11	100.0%	0

Data from 2025 draw results. Resident odds shown.

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GMU 116 pronghorn draw odds vary by hunt code. South Park is a popular unit for Front Range hunters given its accessibility. Some rifle codes may require 2–4 preference points; archery codes are sometimes more accessible. Check CPW's annual draw statistics for current data.

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 116

Colorado GMU 116 is a mule deer unit managed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW). Limited-entry buck tags flow through the CPW preference-point draw. We use this page as a starting reference before applying.

Where to Find Mule Deer in Unit 116

We pull Unit 116 public-land boundaries from the CPW Hunting Atlas, then target sage and oak benches plus rimrock transitions where bucks hold through the rifle seasons.

How to Hunt Mule Deer in Unit 116

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Mule Deer Success Rates

Rifle28%

Archery18%

Muzzleloader22%

Mule deer success in Unit 116 varies with weather, herd health, and quotas. We check the most recent CPW Big Game Statistics release for Unit 116 before comparing to neighboring GMUs.

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %
Rifle— 2nd Season	9	7	100.0%
Rifle— 2nd Season	1	1	100.0%
Rifle— 1st Season	8	10	80.0%
Rifle— 2nd Season	1	0	100.0%
Rifle— 1st Season	7	6	100.0%
Rifle— 2nd Season	0	0	0.0%
Rifle— 1st Season	43	46	93.5%
Rifle— 1st Season	36	33	100.0%
Archery— 1st Season	13	11	100.0%
Archery— 3rd Season	0	0	0.0%
Archery— 3rd Season	0	0	0.0%
Muzzleloader— 3rd Season	0	0	0.0%
Muzzleloader— 2nd Season	0	1	0.0%
Muzzleloader— 2nd Season	6	2	100.0%
Muzzleloader— 3rd Season	0	0	0.0%

Data from 2025 draw results. Resident odds shown.

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Unit 116 mule deer tags are issued through the CPW preference-point draw. We check the prior-cycle CPW draw summary before committing points.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is there public land for pronghorn hunting in GMU 116?

Yes — South Park has substantial BLM and state land parcels mixed with private ranch land. Use the CPW Hunting Atlas to identify public land boundaries before your hunt. The open terrain makes it easy to identify and stay on legal ground.

Why is South Park a good pronghorn unit?

South Park's extremely open terrain and relatively high pronghorn density make it easy to locate animals. The challenge shifts to execution of a close stalk in open ground. The elevation (9,000+ ft) also means archery season in August can be pleasantly cool compared to lower-elevation units.

Where do I check Unit 116 draw odds?

Use the CPW draw statistics summary for the prior cycle to see Unit 116 mule deer point requirements and success-rate data.

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Sources & Verification

Every fact on this page is tied to a primary source below. Last fact-checked 2026-04-17.

CPW Big Game Hunting — Colorado Parks and Wildlife · supports: GMU boundaries, Pronghorn license structure, Season dates · accessed 2026-04-17
CPW Big Game Statistics — Colorado Parks and Wildlife · supports: Pronghorn harvest totals, Hunter success rates, Population estimates per DAU · accessed 2026-04-17
CPW Big Game Draw — Colorado Parks and Wildlife · supports: Preference point system, Application period, Draw results · accessed 2026-04-17
CPW Hunting Atlas — GMU 116 — Colorado Parks and Wildlife / CSU NREL · supports: GMU boundary geometry, Public land layers in South Park · accessed 2026-04-17

Unit 116 (Hartsel / South Park Basin)

Pronghorn Hunting in Unit 116

Where to Find Pronghorn in GMU 116

Open Basin Glassing

Water Sources at High Altitude

How to Hunt GMU 116 Pronghorn

Vehicle-Based Approach

Archery Stalks

Pronghorn Success Rates

Pronghorn Draw Odds

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 116

Where to Find Mule Deer in Unit 116

How to Hunt Mule Deer in Unit 116

Mule Deer Success Rates

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Planning Notes

Terrain Difficulty

Hunting Pressure

Nearest Town

Permit Notes

Frequently Asked Questions

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Sources & Verification