Colorado Unit 11 Hunting Information

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Overview of CO GMU 11 Hunting Facts

Spanning 611 square miles in the northwest corridor of Colorado in Moffat and Rio Blanco counties lies Hunting Unit 11. The terrain offers few challenges when navigating on foot. Tags have a good draw rate for mule deer and elk tags are OTC for second and third rifle seasons. Since the availability of tags is greater, this also drives up the hunting pressure, but hunters still have great success year after year. There are several big property owners such as the Colo-Wyo Coal Mine and the Buffalo Horn in and around this unit which hold an abundance of game. These elk and deer usually move from private to public on an almost daily basis. Unit 11/211 is considered to be one of the better areas to do a combination hunt because of the number of elk and deer located throughout the GMU. For more Colorado Unit 11 hunting information, check out the Info for Cities Near Unit 11 section on the right.

Table of Contents

CO Unit 11 Species Hunting Info

INFO: Mule Deer Hunting in Colorado Unit 11

Unit 11 is home to a large population of mule deer for the taking. However, they can be quite scattered throughout the area, depending primarily on the weather patterns. Archery and muzzleloader seasons are best hunted in the higher elevations of the southeastern portion of the unit. As winter progresses, the deer will move to the lower altitudes in the sagebrush valleys and meadows. Use the rolling hills to your advantage to have a good vantage point for glassing down below. Hunter’s success for unit 11/211 has continued to be much better than many units in the state.

SUCCESS RATES for Mule Deer Hunting in Colorado Unit 11

5 Year Estimated Average for Deer
Archery 20%
Muzzle Loader 55%
2nd Rifle 60%
3rd Rifle 75%
4th Rifle 78%

Mule Deer TROPHY QUALITY for Unit 11 Colorado

Average Quality 140″ – 160″
Trophy Potential 170″+
Buck to Doe Ratio 33:100

Colorado Unit 11 Mule Deer Hunting FORUM Coming Soon!

INFO: Elk Hunting in Colorado Unit 11

The average quality of elk harvested from this unit ranges from 260” to 300” with the trophy quality right at 300” and up! This coupled with the large elk populations and high success rates makes the unit a prime destination for elk hunters. According to first-hand accounts, this unit can be a challenge to find the elk herds, but strategic pre-planning will prepare hunters for the challenge. As with mule deer, elk can be spotted in the higher elevations in earlier seasons. But come rifle season, especially 2nd and 3rd, the elk will be roaming the lower areas of the unit. Second and third rifle season tags are over-the-counter so expect the hunting pressure to be high. The elk will even disperse to the private lands and adjoining units during this time. The remote nooks of the unit are an ideal place to find the heavily pressured elk in the fourth rifle season.

SUCCESS RATES for Elk Hunting in Colorado Unit 11

5 Year Estimated Average for Elk
Archery 16%
Muzzle Loader 15%
1st Rifle 20%
2nd Rifle 19%
3rd Rifle 17%
4th Rifle 20%

Elk TROPHY QUALITY for Unit 11 Colorado

Average Quality 260″ – 300″
Trophy Potential 300″+
Bull to Cow Ratio 26:100

Colorado Unit 11 Elk Hunting FORUM Coming Soon!

INFO: Antelope Hunting in Colorado Unit 11

The grassy valleys in Colorado Unit 11 provide idealistic grazing and hiding ground for antelope. However, finding antelope on public land will be a task only fit for the most determined and focused hunters. Purchasing a landowner tag to hunt private land would definitely increase your chances of bringing home a trophy pronghorn from Colorado unit 11. It has been this M.O. that’s proven successful for past hunters in this unit.

SUCCESS RATES for Antelope Hunting in Colorado Unit 11

5 Year Estimated Average for Antelope
Archery 60%
Muzzle Loader 78%
Rifle 85%

Antelope TROPHY QUALITY for Unit 11 Colorado

Average Quality 65″ – 75″
Trophy Potential 80″+
Buck to Doe Ratio 22:100

Colorado Unit 11 Antelope Hunting FORUM Coming Soon!

Unit 11 Hunting Information Video

Info for Cities Near CO GMU 11

Colorado Unit 11 Topo Map

Total Acreage: 390,000 acres over 610 square miles

Total Public Land: 267,000 acres or 68%

Land Ownership Mix: 32% Private; 68% Public; BLM: 240,640 acres; State Land:19,136 acres; Other Govt Owned: 7,616 acres

Species: Black Bear, Elk, Mule Deer, Pronghorn

Elevation Variances: 6,000 ft. to 8,000 ft.

Terrain Difficulty Overall: Mild to Moderate

Land Coverage/Vegetation: 71% shrub/scrub, 21% evergreen forest, 3% deciduous forest and 3% pasture/hay

Unit 11 Boundaries: (Moffat. Rio Blanco County Colorado) bounded on North by Colorado 318 and US-South Highway 40; on East by Deception Creek-Strawberry Creek Road; on South by White River; on West by Wolf Creek, Coal Creek, Winter Valley Gulch, to Drill Hole to Elk Springs Ridge to mile marker 38.3 on US-South Highway 40, Twelve-Mile Gulch Road, Yampa River and Little Snake River

Lay of the Land in CO Unit 11

Terrain in GMU 11 CO

The terrain of Colorado hunting Unit 11 varies depending on the location you wish to hunt. The southeastern area is mountainous with altitudes of 7,000 feet. The northwestern portion near Maybell on the Yampa River contains a large amount of shrub-covered open areas amongst the surrounding rolling hills.

Vegetation in Unit 11 CO

The majority of this unit is covered in shrubs, such as sagebrush, providing a perfect feeding ground for mule deer, antelope, and elk, especially in the later seasons. However, the higher elevations provide early season food varieties for big game including pinyon pines and junipers.

Access Points in CO GMU 11

The high concentration of BLM land allows hunters to operate motor vehicles on most of the 44 miles of trails within the unit. 4WD is advisable since roads can become impassable during wet weather conditions. There are 3 boat access points located in the unit. US-40 runs along the northern border of the unit connecting several county roads to the BLM areas. Likewise, Co Rd 64 connects hunters on the southern end to hunting areas via a few county roads, the main ones being 142 and 71.