Unit 132, Colorado

Flat to gently rolling shortgrass prairie. Elevations range from approximately 3,397 ft along the Arkansas River bottomland to 4,712 ft on the upland plains — a very narrow relief band compared to mountain units. Mike Higbee SWA specifically sits at 3,591–3,673 ft. The terrain is among the most easily navigated in Colorado.

Public land is severely limited: approximately 4% of the unit's 521,516 acres is publicly accessible, with roughly 96% in private agricultural ownership. Three discrete public parcels: (1) Mike Higbee SWA — 876 acres, 4 miles east of Lamar on the south side of US 50/385; designated camping, shooting range on site; open 1 hour before sunrise to 1 hour after sunset except when actively hunting; valid hunting/fishing license or SWA pass required for visitors 16+; (2) Granada SWA — 5,630 acres in Prowers County, spanning GMUs 127 and 132, north of Granada off US Highway 385; camping available; (3) Holly SWA — 277 acres in Prowers County, spanning GMUs 127 and 132, north of Holly on County Road 34. Highway access: US 50 follows the Arkansas River corridor east-west; US 287 runs north-south along the western boundary; Colorado Route 89 runs south from Holly toward the Kansas border. A secondary county road grid connects to ranch and farm access points. No National Forest, BLM, or Wilderness acreage is present. No seasonal road closures typical of mountain units. The Landowner Preference Program (LPP) and Walk-In Access program can provide additional private-land opportunity; contact CPW Lamar office (719-336-6600) for current Walk-In parcels.

Dominant cover types: shortgrass prairie, sand sage flats, Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) native-grass fields, and dryland farming (wheat, corn, milo, center-pivot irrigated alfalfa). Riparian corridors along the Arkansas River and side drainages support cottonwood and Russian olive. Non-riparian upland features include yucca, prickly pear cactus, Russian thistle, and isolated gullies off Two Buttes Creek and North Butte and Smith Arroyo drainages. Pheasant, bobwhite quail, and scaled quail habitat overlaps with deer and turkey range near farmstead edges and riparian corridors.

White-tailed deer are the dominant deer species along the Arkansas River, riparian side drainages, and around old farmsteads; mule deer densities are generally higher in sand sage and open pastureland adjacent to croplands. CPW biologists noted lower buck production in the eastern Arkansas River corridor (2024 forecast). A small pronghorn herd occupies the central to southern portion of the unit (Two Buttes DAU, PH-18, spanning GMUs 132, 139, and 145). Elk are present in limited numbers — the unit is not a destination elk unit; transient animals may move through riparian corridors. Black bear and mountain lion are listed as huntable species but are incidental given the plains habitat. Rio Grande wild turkey occupy cottonwood riparian zones along the Arkansas River. Pheasant, bobwhite quail, and scaled quail are also present. Deer rut begins as early as late October and can extend through late December. Pronghorn breeding season runs roughly early September through mid-October.

1. PUBLIC LAND: 4% public (HuntScore/GoHunt; draft said 5%, corrected to 4%). Granada SWA corrected to 5,630 acres (draft said ~3,500); spans GMUs 127 and 132 per CPW. Holly SWA 277 acres confirmed (CPW). Higbee 876 acres confirmed (CPW). 2. HARVEST STATS: HuntScore shows 2022 aggregate unit-wide: 383 hunters, 169 harvested, 33.7% overall success. Species-level harvest null — pull CPW draw recap PDFs filtered by hunt codes containing '132' for species breakdown. 3. PLAINS LATE RIFLE DEC 1–14: Listed in draft; HuntWise only showed 'Plains Rifle Oct 24–Nov 3' — Dec 1–14 late season unconfirmed from accessible primary sources; flagged with caveat in season_general. 4. OTC PRONGHORN ARCHERY: Confirmed by CPW pronghorn page — OTC archery buck/doe available from Aug 4, 2026; unit 132 eligibility should be confirmed. 5. ELK: CPW SE Region elk at/above management objectives but GMU 132 has limited resident herd. 6. DEER: CPW 2024 forecast noted lower production and buck numbers in eastern Arkansas River corridor. 7. CPW LAMAR OFFICE: 719-336-6600.