Colorado Mule Deer Pronghorn Elk

Unit 142 (Comanche Grassland / Southeast Plains)

Colorado Hunting Guide — Mule Deer, Pronghorn, Elk

Unit 142 sits on Colorado's southeast plains in Baca and Las Animas counties, covering country near the Comanche National Grassland. The shortgrass prairie breaks into cottonwood draws, canyon-country arroyos, and rimrock pockets along the Purgatoire River. Mule deer in GMU 142 hold to broken canyon terrain, cedar pockets, and river corridors.

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Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 142

Where to Find Mule Deer in Unit 142

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How to Hunt Mule Deer in Unit 142

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Mule Deer Success Rates

Archery18%

Rifle28%

Muzzleloader22%

Southeast Colorado canyon-country mule deer hunts post respectable rifle success for motivated hunters. Weather and water are the main variables. CPW harvest statistics are the authoritative per-hunt-code source.

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Archery— 2nd Season	26	36	72.2%	0
Rifle— 1st Season	16	10	100.0%	0
Rifle— 1st Season	16	82	19.5%	11
Muzzleloader— 2nd Season	4	0	100.0%	0
Muzzleloader— 2nd Season	12	21	57.1%	0

Data from 2025 draw results. Resident odds shown.

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Unit 142 mule deer tags are allocated through Colorado's preference-point draw. Rifle tags typically require more points than archery, and nonresidents need more than residents for equivalent hunt codes.

Pronghorn Hunting in Unit 142

GMU 142 pronghorn share the southeast Colorado shortgrass prairie with GMU 142 mule deer. Pronghorn key on the sage-grass flats and dryland crop edges around the Comanche National Grassland in Baca and Las Animas counties.

Where to Find Pronghorn in Unit 142

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How to Hunt Pronghorn in Unit 142

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Pronghorn Success Rates

Muzzleloader55%

Rifle74%

GMU 142 pronghorn success is strong for hunters combining grassland public access with private permission. CPW harvest data is authoritative.

Pronghorn Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Muzzleloader— 1st Season	14	0	100.0%	0
Muzzleloader— 1st Season	12	26	46.2%	1
Rifle— 1st Season	16	32	50.0%	1
Rifle— 1st Season	16	122	13.1%	9

Data from 2025 draw results. Resident odds shown.

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Unit 142 pronghorn tags run through Colorado's preference-point draw. Archery codes usually clear at lower points than rifle.

Elk Hunting in Unit 142

Unit 142 occupies the Wet Mountains and Greenhorn Mountain area of Pueblo and Huerfano counties, blending piney ridges, aspen parks, and mixed grass parks that support a healthy elk herd. Three-year draw data shows 158 applicants against 62 tags — a limited but meaningful draw pressure that keeps harvest quality above average. We find this unit delivers consistent bull opportunity for hunters willing to work the steep oak brush and spruce-fir drainages.

Where to Find Elk in Unit 142

Elk in Unit 142 follow the typical Wet Mountains seasonal pattern — high in summer, descending as seasons change.

Archery Season

Bulls summer on the timbered north slopes of Greenhorn Mountain above 9,000 feet. Wallows in the spruce-fir timber near the ridge line are active through mid-September. Focus on water sources and wet meadows in the upper drainages.

Rifle Seasons

Elk shift to mid-elevation aspen parks and oak brush benches between 7,500 and 9,500 feet during rifle season. The east-facing aspen parks along the main ridgeline are prime feeding areas at dawn and dusk. Oak brush corridors on the lower unit boundaries funnel elk toward winter range.

How to Hunt Elk in Unit 142

Unit 142 responds well to both bugling during the archery rut and methodical glassing during rifle seasons.

Archery Rut Tactics

Work uphill before dawn and set up 300 yards below a bugling bull. Use cow calls to pull him in rather than challenging bugles, which tend to work better once a bull is already fired up. The Wet Mountains produce genuine rut activity from September 10-25.

Rifle Glassing

Glass the aspen parks from the ridgetops at first and last light. Elk feed in openings for 20-30 minutes at dawn — identify travel routes between bedding timber and feeding parks, then intercept on the second morning.

Oak Brush Pressure

When pressure builds, bulls retreat into the dense oak brush on the lower unit flanks. Still-hunt slowly through this cover using the wind; elk hear and smell you before you see them in this terrain.

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Elk Success Rates

Rifle19%

Elk Draw Odds

Season	Tags	Applicants	Draw %	Pts Req
Rifle— 1st Season	19	43	44.2%	1

Data from 2025 draw results. Resident odds shown.

Open in Draw Odds Engine

Colorado's pure preference-point system governs Unit 142 elk. With 158 applicants for 62 tags over three years, residents generally need 6-10 points for competitive first-choice odds. Non-residents should plan for more. Check the current CPW draw recap for exact point cutoffs by hunt code.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Unit 142 a canyon hunt?

Yes. The Purgatoire River corridor and the Comanche National Grassland break the shortgrass prairie into real canyon country, and that's where the deer hold.

How is access structured?

A mix of Comanche National Grassland public land, state-leased land, and private. Check the CPW Hunting Atlas before the season.

Does the Comanche Grassland give public pronghorn access?

Yes — the Comanche is the largest block of public land in GMU 142.

Weapons offered?

Archery, muzzleloader, and rifle — check the CPW brochure for dates.

What preference points are needed for Unit 142 elk?

At roughly 2.5 applicants per tag, residents typically need 6-10 points for first-choice success. Non-residents face tighter competition. Check the CPW draw recap for current point requirements by hunt code.

Is Unit 142 good for a self-guided elk hunt?

Yes. The San Isabel National Forest provides substantial public land access. Hunters comfortable in steep, brushy terrain do well here without a guide. Pre-season scouting to locate active wallows and travel corridors is critical.

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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 Hunting — Big Game Unit Information — Colorado Parks and Wildlife · supports: GMU 142 boundary, Preference-point draw structure · accessed 2026-04-17
2025 Colorado Big Game Brochure — Colorado Parks and Wildlife · supports: 2025 mule deer season dates, Hunt codes for GMU 142 · accessed 2026-04-17
Comanche National Grassland — USDA Forest Service · supports: Public land base for GMU 142, Purgatoire Canyon access · accessed 2026-04-17
CPW Hunting Atlas — GMU 142 — Colorado Parks and Wildlife / CSU NREL · supports: GMU boundary geometry, Public land ownership layer, Elk migration corridors · accessed 2026-04-17
CPW Elk Hunt Statistics and Draw Recap — Colorado Parks and Wildlife · supports: Per-GMU harvest totals, Hunter success rates, Draw recap preference point data · accessed 2026-04-17

Unit 142 (Comanche Grassland / Southeast Plains)

Mule Deer Hunting in Unit 142

Where to Find Mule Deer in Unit 142

Purgatoire River Corridor

Cholla and Yucca Flats

How to Hunt Mule Deer in Unit 142

Glass Canyon Rims

Hunt Water in Dry Years

Mule Deer Success Rates

Mule Deer Draw Odds

Pronghorn Hunting in Unit 142

Where to Find Pronghorn in Unit 142

Grassland Public Access

Wheat-CRP Edges

How to Hunt Pronghorn in Unit 142

Grassland Access

Water Patterns in Dry Years

Pronghorn Success Rates

Pronghorn Draw Odds

Elk Hunting in Unit 142

Where to Find Elk in Unit 142

Archery Season

Rifle Seasons

How to Hunt Elk in Unit 142

Archery Rut Tactics

Rifle Glassing

Oak Brush Pressure

Elk Success Rates

Elk Draw Odds

Unit Logistics & Expectations

Planning Notes

Road Conditions

Terrain Difficulty

Cell Service

Nearest Town

Frequently Asked Questions

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Sources & Verification