Unit 126, Colorado

Elevation ranges from approximately 3,731 to 4,538 feet above sea level. Terrain is level to gently rolling — virtually flat eastern Colorado plains. The Arkansas River valley and John Martin Reservoir form the southern boundary, with irrigated land within roughly five miles of the river. The northern half transitions to dryland farmland, and between lie thousands of acres of shortgrass prairie rangeland and low sand hills. No mountains, canyons, or significant topographic relief.

GMU 126 is bounded north by Colorado State Highway 96, east by US Highway 287, south by the Arkansas River, and west by Kiowa County Road 19 / Bent County Road 14 / Bent County Road 15. Nearest towns are Las Animas (Bent County seat, US Hwy 50) and Lamar (Prowers County seat, US Hwy 50/287). The Lamar Area CPW Office ((719) 336-6600) is the primary contact. Three CPW-administered State Wildlife Areas provide the bulk of public hunting access — all require a valid hunting or fishing license or SWA pass for visitors 16 and older: 1. John Martin Reservoir SWA (13,176 acres per Wikipedia/CPW; total SWA boundary may differ — shared with units 125 and 146): Located in Bent County near Las Animas off US Highway 50. Includes the reservoir, adjacent uplands, and cottonwood/riparian draws. 2. Karney Ranch SWA (13,580 acres, entirely within GMU 126): Located in Bent County (38.1656°N, 103.0872°W). Features shortgrass prairie and sand sage. Open for public access 1 hour before sunrise to 1 hour after sunset. Vehicles restricted to roads and parking lots. Open for deer and pronghorn, small game, and furbearers during their respective seasons. Contact: Lamar CPW Area Office (719) 336-6600. 3. Queens SWA (13,886 acres, shared between GMU 126 and 127): Located in Kiowa County (38.3476°N, 102.7142°W). Supports deer, pronghorn, dove, rabbit, and waterfowl. Waterfowl hunters must check in/out at check station during season. Camping in designated areas only; fires restricted to containment structures. Temporary leased parcels (Hatcher, Gilbert) subject to cancellation. The overwhelming majority of GMU 126 is private ranch, farm, and irrigated agriculture land. Access to private land for deer and pronghorn hunting typically requires paid permission or a lease. Public SWAs are reported as heavily pressured during peak seasons. No National Forest, BLM, or wilderness areas exist within the unit.

Vegetation is dominated by shortgrass prairie and sand sage (sand sagebrush) in the uplands, transitioning to cropland and pasture. The Arkansas River corridor and Fort Lyon Canal support dense cottonwood, willow, tamarisk, and riparian brush bottomland — the primary whitetail deer habitat. Sand sage and sandy rangeland adjacent to cropfields support mule deer. No piñon-juniper, aspen, or coniferous forest; no alpine tundra. Gageby Creek within Karney Ranch SWA provides native fish habitat and additional riparian draw.

White-tailed deer are the signature species of the Arkansas River corridor and Fort Lyon Canal riparian zone, with densities greater than mule deer along the river bottoms. Mule deer occur in higher densities in the sand sage uplands and pastures adjacent to croplands, with rut activity documented from late October through late December. Pronghorn occupy the northern portions of the unit, primarily north of the Fort Lyon Canal, favoring open sand sage and shortgrass prairie. No resident elk are present in GMU 126. Mountain lions are present per CPW licensing records for the unit, likely following deer along riparian corridors. Black bears are not a notable species in this low-elevation eastern plains unit. Non-game wildlife includes swift fox, massasauga rattlesnake, plains leopard frog, ornate box turtle, long-billed curlew, and ferruginous hawk. John Martin Reservoir area supports diverse waterfowl migration; Bent County has documented over 400 bird species. CPW released black-footed ferrets into a nearby prairie dog colony in 2022.

1. Deer season dates corrected from draft: 2026 statewide framework per GoHunt/CPW is Archery Sept 2–30; Muzzleloader Sept 12–20; 1st Rifle Oct 14–18; 2nd Rifle Oct 24–Nov 1; 3rd Rifle Nov 7–15; 4th Rifle Nov 18–22 (draft had all rifle/muzzleloader dates off by one day). 2. John Martin Reservoir SWA acreage: Wikipedia/CPW park page cites 13,176 acres; the draft's 19,471-acre figure could not be confirmed from CPW directly and may reflect a broader SWA boundary — treat as unverified. 3. Karney Ranch: draft claim of 'foot access only' is not supported by CPW SWA page, which states vehicles are restricted to roads and parking lots (i.e., vehicle access on roads is permitted). Corrected. 4. Queens SWA waterfowl check-in is at a designated check station per CPW page. 5. Tag quotas, harvest numbers, and hunter success percentages for all species are null — populate from CPW Draw Recap or Harvest Estimate reports. 6. Pronghorn season dates sourced from secondary references; confirm against 2026 CPW Big Game Brochure hunt code tables. 7. No resident elk confirmed for GMU 126. Black bear is not listed as a huntable species for this unit.