Unit 109, Colorado

Flat to gently rolling short-grass prairie and sand hills. Elevation ranges from approximately 3,711 to 4,580 feet above sea level across the full unit; the South Republican SWA along the river bottom sits lower (CPW records 3,509–3,867 ft for that portion). The South Fork of the Republican River drainage bisects the unit from west to east, creating low riparian corridors. There are no significant topographic relief features; the landscape is characteristic of the Colorado high plains. County and secondary roads become slick in wet weather and four-wheel drive is recommended when conditions deteriorate.

Public land access is extremely limited at approximately 4% of the unit's roughly 666,629 acres (1,042 square miles). The primary — and essentially only — public hunting ground is the South Republican State Wildlife Area (approximately 18,365 acres, Yuma County) straddling the GMU 103/109 boundary; the portion in GMU 109 lies along the South Fork of the Republican River. The former Bonny Lake State Park (approximately 22 miles north of Burlington near US Highway 385) was converted to part of this SWA in October 2011 when the reservoir was partially drained. Of the former campgrounds, Wagon Wheel and Foster Grove are closed; limited amenities remain at East Beach and North Cove campgrounds. Access within the SWA requires a valid Colorado hunting or fishing license, or an SWA pass for visitors 16 and older; parking is restricted to designated areas only. The remainder of GMU 109 is almost entirely private agricultural and ranch land, and landowner permission is required. Landowners in the unit have historically been more permissive to pronghorn hunters than to deer hunters. There are no National Forest lands, BLM tracts, or wilderness areas within this unit. The unit is accessible via Interstate 70 (Seibert, Vona, Stratton, Bethune exits), US Highway 36, and US Highway 385. Burlington (US 385/US 24) is the primary service town. The unit falls under CPW Southeast Region (Colorado Springs area office, 719-227-5200).

Vegetation is dominated by short-grass prairie (blue grama, buffalo grass) with sandsage and mid-grass prairie in sandy soils. Sand hills support yucca and Russian thistle. CRP (Conservation Reserve Program) lands provide tall-grass nesting and bedding cover interspersed with dryland and irrigated cropland (wheat, corn, sunflower). Cottonwood-riparian bottoms occur along the Republican River drainage and minor creek drainages near the north boundary. There is no spruce-fir, aspen, or alpine component; the unit is entirely plains/semi-arid grassland habitat.

The unit supports mule deer and white-tailed deer — both species present, concentrating along the South Republican River drainage and riparian areas near the north boundary, particularly during rut (late October through late December). Pronghorn antelope inhabit the open short-grass prairie and CRP flats throughout the unit and are the most accessible quarry given landowner attitudes toward pronghorn hunters. Wild turkey are present in the cottonwood riparian bottoms along the Republican River. Black bear and mountain lion are listed by CPW and HuntScore as huntable species in the unit, though they are not primary targets given the plains habitat. Elk are listed as present; eastern plains units east of I-25 in Colorado carry an extended OTC rifle elk season — hunters should verify with CPW that GMU 109 is included before purchasing a license, as the brochure could not be fully parsed. The unit has no significant big-game migration corridors; resident deer and pronghorn populations are year-round plains animals.