Unit 60 (Gunnison South / Cochetopa)

We hunt Unit 60 as a glass-first unit where mast-crop scouting drives location.

Scout Food

Chokecherry and oak mast hit hardest in the foothill belt; when they fail, push higher into aspen clones.

Glass the Openings

Dawn and dusk glassing of south-facing openings turns up bears on predictable feeding patterns.

Unit 60 rewards hunters who can work dark timber and time public-land pressure.

Bugle the Parks

September archery bulls respond to location bugles in aspen parks between 9,500 and 10,500 feet. Move if you do not get a response within 30 minutes.

Glass High

During rifle seasons, set up on a high point overlooking open parks at first and last light. Bulls push back into dark timber as pressure builds.

Work the Pressure

Hunt deeper than the crowds — most Unit 60 hunters cluster within a mile of forest roads. Elk quickly push to the far corners.

Access

FR 750 (Cochetopa Pass), FR 788 (Los Pinos Pass), and the Stone Cellar area give main access.

Unit 60 black bears use the terrain and seasonal food resources available across this portion of Colorado.

Berry Patches and Mast Crops (August-September)

Black bears in Colorado heavily target chokecherry, serviceberry, wild plum, and oak mast (acorns) in late summer and early fall — building fat reserves for winter. Glass steep south-facing slopes and oakbrush patches at dawn and dusk to spot feeding bears. Bears are most visible during berry season.

Riparian Corridors

Riparian zones with berry-producing shrubs — especially wild plum, chokecherry, and serviceberry — hold bears along creek drainages. Bears travel drainage corridors between feeding sites and bedding areas in timber. Walk quietly along creek-bottom trails and check for fresh tracks, scat, and digging.

Timber and Shade

Bears bed in dense timber during midday, especially on hot days. Focus glassing on dark timber edges adjacent to food sources. Active feeding sites (fresh overturned rocks, torn-apart logs, claw-marked trees) indicate bear activity regardless of time of day.

Black bear hunting in Unit 60 offers Colorado hunters the opportunity to pursue a challenging and unpredictable quarry in varied terrain.

Pre-Season Scouting

Bears in Colorado are food-driven. Scout food sources — berry crops, acorn-producing oakbrush, and corn/grain fields near public land — before the season. A bumper berry year brings bears into the open; a poor berry year drives them to roadsides and agricultural areas. Know what the food situation is before you hunt.

Spot-and-Stalk on Food Sources

Glass steep south-facing slopes covered in chokecherry, serviceberry, and oakbrush at first and last light. When you locate a feeding bear, plan your stalk using terrain to get within shooting range. A feeding bear is focused on food and less alert — take your time with the approach and make a clean shot.

Baiting and Hound Hunting

Where legal in Colorado, baiting and hound hunting with licensed outfitters are effective methods. Check current CPW regulations for permitted hunting methods in Unit 60. Hound hunting produces the highest success rates but requires significant equipment, trained dogs, and local knowledge.

Unit 60 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 60 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 60. 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 60 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 60 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 60 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 60 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.