Colorado Pronghorn Mule Deer

Unit 120

Colorado Hunting Guide — Pronghorn, Mule Deer

Colorado Pronghorn Unit 120 is a limited-entry pronghorn unit managed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) through its preference-point draw system.

View Draw Odds Colorado Hunting Guide

Pronghorn Hunting in Unit 120

Colorado Pronghorn Unit 120 is a limited-entry pronghorn unit managed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) through its preference-point draw system.

Where to Find Pronghorn in Unit 120

Pronghorn favor open sagebrush flats and rolling short-grass terrain. Glass from ranch-road pull-offs at dawn and dusk when herds move between feeding and water.

How to Hunt Pronghorn in Unit 120

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Pronghorn Success Rates

Rifle74%

Muzzleloader55%

Colorado pronghorn success is usually high — commonly 70-90% — because tags are limited and the open country favors spotting. Unit 120 follows this pattern.

Pronghorn Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— 1st Season	6	19	31.6%	0
Rifle— 1st Season	9	67	13.4%	2
Rifle— 1st Season	17	322	5.3%	4
Rifle— 1st Season	183	72	100.0%	0
Rifle— 5th Season	72	27	100.0%	0
Rifle— 1st Season	178	298	59.7%	0
Muzzleloader— 1st Season	12	1	100.0%	0
Muzzleloader— 1st Season	26	19	100.0%	0

Data from 2025 draw results. Resident odds shown.

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Unit 120 pronghorn tags are allocated through the CPW preference-point draw. Buck tags typically take more points than doe tags; check current CPW draw recaps.

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 120

Unit 120 covers the Purgatoire River country in southeastern Colorado, a mix of short-grass prairie, pinyon-juniper breaks, and rugged canyon country. The unit produces heavy-antlered mule deer bucks that rival the western slope in trophy quality, and the large Comanche National Grassland provides significant public access.

Where to Find Mule Deer in Unit 120

Unit 120 mule deer favor the canyon and breaks country cut by the Purgatoire River and its tributaries.

Canyon Rims

Bucks bed on shaded north-facing rims and feed on the mesa tops morning and evening. The Purgatoire, Van Bremmer, and Carrizo Canyons are the main producers.

Pinyon-Juniper Breaks

The transition between prairie and pinyon on Comanche National Grassland holds bucks year-round. Look for cedar stringers dropping into arroyos.

Water Sources

Stock tanks and the Purgatoire River itself concentrate deer during dry stretches. A buck pattern often centers on one reliable water source.

How to Hunt Mule Deer in Unit 120

Unit 120 is a glass-and-walk hunt across big country with heavy mule deer genetics.

Glass the Rims

Set up on a canyon rim at first light and cover miles of opposite wall with a spotting scope. Bucks move predictably between feed on mesa tops and bedding in the breaks.

Still-Hunt Pinyon

Midday still-hunting through pinyon-juniper stringers on Comanche NG can put you on bedded bucks. Move slowly into the wind and glass every shadow.

Water the Tanks

During dry years, sit a stock tank from a glassing knob a quarter-mile off. Afternoon winds make morning the better sit.

Access

Comanche NG roads (FR 500 series) and county roads out of Springfield, Kim, and Trinidad open the unit. Much of the best ground borders private ranches — check boundaries carefully.

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Mule Deer Success Rates

Rifle28%

Unit 120 rifle mule deer success averages 40-55% across recent seasons, and the unit is known for producing bucks in the 170-190 class. Trophy potential is among the best in eastern Colorado.

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— 1st Season	29	21	100.0%	0
Rifle— 1st Season	50	64	78.1%	0

Data from 2025 draw results. Resident odds shown.

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Unit 120 uses Colorado's pure preference-point draw. Resident rifle bucks typically require 3-6 points; non-residents need more. Archery and muzzleloader draw with fewer points.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Unit 120 a limited draw pronghorn unit?

Yes. CPW allocates Unit 120 pronghorn tags via the preference-point draw.

When is pronghorn season in Unit 120?

Pronghorn seasons in Colorado generally run archery in mid-August through early September, muzzleloader in mid-September, and rifle in early October. Confirm dates each year.

How many preference points for Unit 120 mule deer?

Unit 120 rifle mule deer typically requires 3-6 preference points for residents through Colorado's pure preference-point draw. Archery and muzzleloader tags generally draw with fewer points.

How much of Unit 120 is public land?

Public land in Unit 120 is concentrated on Comanche National Grassland and scattered State Trust parcels. The overall public share is modest — confirm boundaries with CPW's Hunting Atlas before each hunt.

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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: Pronghorn season structure, License types · accessed 2026-04-17
CPW Big Game Statistics — Colorado Parks and Wildlife · supports: Pronghorn harvest data, Hunter success rates · accessed 2026-04-17
CPW Big Game Draw — Colorado Parks and Wildlife · supports: Preference-point draw process, Pronghorn tag allocation · accessed 2026-04-17
Colorado Big Game Hunting Brochure (Current Cycle) — Colorado Parks and Wildlife · supports: Deer season dates, Unit 120 boundary, Tag quotas · accessed 2026-04-17
CPW Mule Deer Hunt Statistics — Colorado Parks and Wildlife · supports: Unit 120 harvest data, Season-by-season success rates · accessed 2026-04-17
CPW Hunting Atlas — GMU 120 — Colorado Parks and Wildlife / CSU NREL · supports: GMU 120 boundary, Comanche National Grassland layer, Walk-in Access parcels · accessed 2026-04-17

Unit 120

Pronghorn Hunting in Unit 120

Where to Find Pronghorn in Unit 120

How to Hunt Pronghorn in Unit 120

Pronghorn Success Rates

Pronghorn Draw Odds

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 120

Where to Find Mule Deer in Unit 120

Canyon Rims

Pinyon-Juniper Breaks

Water Sources

How to Hunt Mule Deer in Unit 120

Glass the Rims

Still-Hunt Pinyon

Water the Tanks

Access

Mule Deer Success Rates

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Planning Notes

Nearest Town

Frequently Asked Questions

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Sources & Verification

Unit 120

Pronghorn Hunting in Unit 120

Where to Find Pronghorn in Unit 120

How to Hunt Pronghorn in Unit 120

Pronghorn Success Rates

Pronghorn Draw Odds

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 120

Where to Find Mule Deer in Unit 120

Canyon Rims

Pinyon-Juniper Breaks

Water Sources

How to Hunt Mule Deer in Unit 120

Mule Deer Success Rates

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Explore Related Units

Unit 140 — Pronghorn

Frequently Asked Questions

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Sources & Verification