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Colorado Bighorn Sheep

Unit S40 (Trickle Mountain)

Colorado Hunting Guide — Bighorn Sheep

Unit S40 covers Trickle Mountain and adjacent Saguache County terrain west of the San Luis Valley. This bighorn sheep unit supports a well-established Rocky Mountain bighorn herd on the high-grass slopes and exposed rimrock faces, producing a small but steady allocation of ram tags each year.

View Draw Odds Colorado Hunting Guide

Bighorn Sheep Hunting in Unit S40

Unit S40 covers Trickle Mountain and adjacent Saguache County terrain west of the San Luis Valley. This bighorn sheep unit supports a well-established Rocky Mountain bighorn herd on the high-grass slopes and exposed rimrock faces, producing a small but steady allocation of ram tags each year.

Where to Find Bighorn Sheep in Unit S40

Bighorns in S40 use the high-grass slopes of Trickle Mountain and the exposed rimrock along the Saguache Creek drainage.

High-Grass Benches

Sheep feed on open grass benches between 9,500 and 11,500 feet. Focus glassing on south-facing slopes in morning and evening.

Rimrock Edges

Rams bed near cliff edges that give quick access to escape terrain. Find the rimrock, and you find the sheep.

Seasonal Movement

As snow accumulates, sheep drop to wind-blown benches at lower elevations. Watch the Saguache Creek side of the mountain late in the season.

How to Hunt Bighorn Sheep in Unit S40

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Bighorn Sheep Success Rates

Rifle78%
Unit S40 ram success typically runs 65-85%. Trickle Mountain produces mature rams consistently, and tag holders who scout pre-season almost always fill.

Bighorn Sheep Draw Odds

SeasonTagsApplicantsDraw %Pts Req
Rifle— 1st Season1911.1% 3
Rifle— 1st Season1482.1% 3
Rifle— 2nd Season1611.6% 3
Rifle— 1st Season11100.0% 3

Data from 2025 draw results. Resident odds shown.

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Unit S40 ram tags are drawn through Colorado's pure preference-point system. Resident ram tags require around 12-18 points in most recent draws; non-resident allocations are very limited.

Unit Logistics & Expectations

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Frequently Asked Questions

How hard is the Unit S40 bighorn tag to draw?
Unit S40 ram tags typically take around 12-18 preference points for residents to draw. Non-resident allocations are very limited — check current CPW draw statistics.
When is the best time to hunt sheep in Unit S40?
Most S40 hunters focus on early to mid-September, when rams are predictable on summer grass benches and weather is still workable at 11,000 feet.

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Sources & Verification

Every fact on this page is tied to a primary source below. Last fact-checked 2026-04-17.

  1. Colorado Big Game Hunting Brochure (Current Cycle) — Colorado Parks and Wildlife · supports: Sheep season dates, S40 boundary, Once-in-a-lifetime rule · accessed 2026-04-17
  2. CPW Bighorn Sheep Management — Colorado Parks and Wildlife · supports: Trickle Mountain herd objectives, Rocky Mountain bighorn populations · accessed 2026-04-17
  3. CPW Hunting Atlas — Unit S40 — Colorado Parks and Wildlife / CSU NREL · supports: S40 boundary, Public land layer, Bighorn range · accessed 2026-04-17