Unit 83

A successful hunt in Unit 83 starts with reading CPW's species management plan for the data analysis unit and cross-referencing it with topo maps, public-access layers, and current harvest statistics. Scout ahead of the season, verify road access and camp options, and build a weather contingency plan for the dates you drew.

Black bears on the Grand Mesa and surrounding terrain in GMU 83 follow the berry and mast crops through the seasons. The mesa's aspen parks and oakbrush transition zones are the core foraging habitat from August onward.

Serviceberry and Oakbrush Zones

The north and east slopes of Grand Mesa between 7,000–9,000 feet support dense serviceberry and oakbrush patches. Bears concentrate on these food sources in August and September during hyperphagia. Glass from ridge points above known berry areas in the early morning.

Aspen Parks

Bears graze forbs and clover in Grand Mesa's numerous aspen parks in early season. The flat-top topography of the mesa makes glassing these parks from adjacent timber edges particularly effective.

The Grand Mesa's extensive forest road network allows hunters to cover large areas while scouting, then pursue bears on foot in the timbered parks and berry patches.

Road Scouting and Glassing

Drive Grand Mesa forest roads at dawn and dusk, stopping at ridge pulls to glass aspen parks and oakbrush hillsides. Bears are often visible from a significant distance on the mesa's open parks — use the road network to your advantage for efficient pre-dawn glassing circuits.

Still-Hunting Berry Patches

Once you locate a productive berry patch, still-hunt the edges slowly with wind in your favor. Bears return to productive food sources daily during hyperphagia. Set up near sign-rich areas (tracks, scat, broken berry branches) and wait at the edges during peak feeding hours.

Glass long, stalk carefully, respect the wind.

Glass Before Moving

A spotting scope from a high point saves miles of boot leather. Identify the best buck, then plan the stalk.

Use Terrain

Every subtle fold in flat country can hide an approach. We crawl the last 200 yards.

Unit 83 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 83 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 83. Hound hunting produces the highest success rates but requires significant equipment, trained dogs, and local knowledge.

Unit 83 elk occupy foothills terrain near the plains-mountain interface. These elk use a predictable seasonal pattern between high summer range and lower winter pasture.

Foothills Timber and Parks

Ponderosa pine and mixed juniper-grassland terrain in the foothills holds the bulk of Unit 83's elk. Focus on timbered draws, park edges, and the transition where timber meets open grass. Morning and evening movement between bedding cover and feeding areas is most productive.

Agricultural Interface

Where private farms and ranches border public land in Unit 83, elk often move to agricultural fields at night and retreat to timber during daylight. Glassing from elevated positions overlooking these transition areas at first and last light can locate herds.

Water and Wallows

Stock tanks, springs, and small creeks in the foothills provide water that concentrates elk, especially during warm early-season conditions. Mark known water sources on your mapping app and check them during morning and evening scouting runs.

Unit 83 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 83. 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 83 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 83 mule deer occupy the plains-grassland landscape of eastern Colorado, using a combination of agricultural fields, sagebrush pastures, and riparian corridors.

Agricultural Fields and Dryland Wheat

Mule deer in plains units feed heavily on dryland wheat stubble, corn residue, and alfalfa during fall. Deer move from bedding cover in CRP grassland, draws, and cattail patches to ag fields at dawn and dusk. Glassing from elevated road shoulders can locate deer in open terrain.

Riparian Corridors and Draws

River and creek drainages provide the primary travel corridors and bedding cover in plains units. Cottonwood and willow riparian zones on public land — including SWA properties — hold deer through the season. Focus morning and evening hunts on these transition zones between open fields and cover.

CRP Ground and Sagebrush Pastures

Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) grassland and native sagebrush provide bedding cover and travel habitat. Check Colorado PLOTS and SWA maps for publicly accessible parcels within Unit 83 before your hunt.

Hunting Unit 83 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 83 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.

Unit 83 pronghorn are distributed across the open country of this portion of Colorado. Pronghorn are creatures of open terrain and are typically visible from distance — the challenge is accessing them on legal ground.

Open Grassland and Sage Flats

Pronghorn use shortgrass prairie, native sage, and annual grass habitat. Glass widely from elevated positions at dawn to locate herds before they disperse. In fall, pronghorn congregate in herds of 10-50 animals, making initial spotting straightforward.

Agricultural Fields

Pronghorn feed in dryland wheat and alfalfa fields in agricultural areas bordering open range. Herds move between open range bedding areas and fields — glass from roads at dawn and dusk to locate feeding animals. Confirm land ownership before approaching in agricultural landscapes.

Water Sources

Stock tanks and ephemeral water sources concentrate pronghorn, especially in dry conditions. Locate water on public land within Unit 83 for reliable observation points. Pronghorn visit water predictably in early morning and late afternoon during warm conditions.

Colorado pronghorn hunting in Unit 83 is a mix of long-range glassing, vehicle-assisted spotting, and spot-and-stalk across open terrain.

Pre-Hunt Preparation

The single most important preparation for a successful Unit 83 pronghorn hunt is confirming legal access. Map all public land (BLM, SWA, PLOTS) before your hunt. Contact ranchers early — August or September — to request permission for any private land parcels you want to hunt.

Glass-and-Stalk

Spot pronghorn from elevated road shoulders or high points at dawn. Once a target buck is identified on accessible land, commit to a careful stalk using terrain — draws, rises, and sparse vegetation — to close distance. Pronghorn have exceptional long-range vision; approach from behind terrain features and stay low in the final approach.

Water Sources and Ambush

Stock tanks and water developments on public land can concentrate pronghorn — especially in dry conditions. A well-placed sit near water with a favorable wind can produce point-blank shots at running distances. A blind or low-profile setup near a water source is effective when direct stalks are impossible due to terrain.