Unit 56

Our approach to Unit 56 starts with reading CPW's moose management plan and cross-referencing it with topo maps, public-access layers, and current harvest statistics. Drawing this tag is a once-in-a-lifetime event for most hunters, so we invest heavily in pre-season scouting.

Unit 56's mesa and canyon terrain rewards hunters who learn to use the breaks in topography for both glassing and stalking.

Rim Glassing

We drive the mesa top roads at dawn and glass into the canyon heads and oak brush benches below. A quality spotting scope lets you cover a mile of canyon edge in one setup. Mark bedded bucks by GPS and plan approach routes during midday.

Oak Brush Pushes

During rifle pressure, bucks retreat into the thickest oak brush on steep canyon flanks. Still-hunt the brush edges slowly with the wind in your face. Bucks often sit tight in oak brush and hold until you nearly step on them.

Unit 56 elk occupy Front Range foothills terrain characterized by ponderosa and mixed conifer forests, open parks, and brushy draws.

Timbered Draws and North-Facing Slopes

Elk in Front Range units prefer timbered north-facing slopes and brushy draws during midday. Glass from elevated ridgelines at dawn and dusk to catch elk in the open. Once rifle season opens, bulls retreat to the densest timber cover available.

Open Parks and Meadow Edges

Elk feed in open parks and meadow edges at dawn and dusk. Focus on the timber-grass transition zones where elk move between bedding cover and feeding areas. September archery hunters should target wallows in aspen groves near park edges.

Lower-Elevation Winter Range

Late-season elk drop to lower elevations as high-country snow deepens. Southern exposures with residual grass and oakbrush hold concentrations of elk by late October through November rifle seasons.

Unit 56 elk hunting rewards hunters who understand Colorado's elk behavior and invest in pre-season scouting and in-season persistence.

Pre-Season Scouting

Use CPW's Hunting Atlas and Google Earth to identify timbered north-facing drainages, water sources, wallows, and open parks within Unit 56. August scouting — either in person or via trail camera — identifies specific bulls and their home ranges before the season opens.

Archery Calling

September archery hunters should target wallow sites and elk concentrations in aspen parks. A locator bugle at first light identifies responsive bulls. Set up downwind of the expected approach and use cow calls or soft raking to draw bulls into range. Patience is critical — let the bull commit before drawing.

Rifle Season Strategy

On opening morning, position yourself before first light on terrain overlooking known travel routes and feeding areas. Elk move from timber to feeding areas at dawn and return before full light. After the opener, pressure shifts elk into heavier cover — focus subsequent days on slow, wind-careful still-hunting in dense timber.

Public Land Pressure Management

Unit 56 receives hunting pressure on public land. Getting farther from trailheads and roads — even 1-2 miles — dramatically reduces competition. Use a pack frame and plan for a kill at distance. Hunters willing to pack out game access less-pressured elk compared to those hunting within easy drag distance of a vehicle.

Unit 56 moose are concentrated in willow-choked riparian habitat and high-country parks where browse is abundant year-round.

Willow Flats and Beaver Ponds

Moose are riparian specialists — they concentrate in willow and alder thickets along streams and around beaver ponds throughout the season. These areas hold moose at all hours. Glass widely across willow flats from elevated positions at dawn and dusk for the best visibility.

High-Country Parks and Wet Meadows

Above 9,000 feet, moose use wet meadows, high parks, and alpine willow zones during summer and early fall. These open-country animals are often visible from distance, especially in the morning hours when they're actively feeding.

Spruce-Fir Forest Edges

Bull moose bed in spruce-fir forest adjacent to their feeding areas. During the September-October rut, bulls are more active and vocal. Cow calls can bring bulls out of timber and into the open during peak rut activity. A bull in rut may respond aggressively to antler raking and grunting.

Colorado moose hunting requires patience, the right terrain, and an understanding of moose behavior in the southern Rockies.

Glassing Riparian Habitat

Set up on elevated terrain overlooking willow flats and beaver ponds before first light. A 15x binocular or spotting scope covers large riparian areas quickly. Moose are large animals — once spotted, plan your approach using stream channels and willows for cover.

Rut Calling (September-October)

Bull moose are aggressive during the September-October rut. Cow calls, antler raking on brush, and bull grunts can draw bulls out of timber and into the open. Start with cow calls at long range to locate a responsive bull, then close the distance while continuing to call. An aggressive bull may close the distance quickly — be ready.

Post-Kill Planning

A moose is one of Colorado's largest animals — a mature bull can exceed 1,000 lbs. Have your pack-out plan established before you pull the trigger. Quarter the animal in the field, cache meat in a cool, shaded location, and plan for multiple pack trips or a pack string. Secure a meat haul strategy before the hunt.

Unit 56 mule deer occupy Front Range foothills and transition terrain between mountain and plains.

Ponderosa and Mixed Conifer

Mule deer in foothills units bed in ponderosa pine, juniper, and oakbrush during midday. Glass from elevated ridges at dawn to catch deer moving from timber to open feeding areas. Mature bucks use the thickest available cover and are most visible during the October rut.

Oakbrush and Shrub Zones

Oakbrush slopes are primary fall habitat — providing both food (acorns) and thermal/security cover. Focus on south-facing oakbrush slopes as deer transition to fall feeding patterns in September and October.

Rut Cruising Terrain

During the October rut, bucks cruise ridgelines, canyon rims, and connecting saddles between doe groups. Set up on elevated terrain with long sight-lines into the saddles and timber-grass transitions to catch bucks on the move during midday rut activity.

Hunting Unit 56 mule deer effectively requires understanding the seasonal patterns of Colorado deer and applying pressure-management tactics appropriate for the terrain.

Pre-Season Glassing

Invest time glassing Unit 56 in late August and early September when bucks are still in velvet and in summer patterns. Identify target bucks and memorize their terrain features. Velvet bucks are the most predictable — late August is the best time to find a specific animal before the season.

October Rut Hunting

Colorado's October rifle seasons are timed perfectly for the mule deer pre-rut and rut. Bucks abandon their tight summer ranges and cruise the terrain in search of does. Hunt all day during the peak rut — midday movement can be as good as dawn and dusk when bucks are actively covering ground.

Wind and Approach

Mule deer rely on their nose as much as their eyes. Hunt with the thermals — in mountain terrain, thermals rise as the day warms and fall at dawn and dusk. Plan your approach routes to keep wind in your favor at the time of day you're hunting each specific terrain feature.