Unit 138, Colorado

Flat to gently rolling high plains with limited plateaus and shallow canyons cut by Two Buttes Creek and its tributaries. Elevation ranges from approximately 4,365 to 4,797 feet — one of the lowest-relief units in Colorado. Arroyos and weedy draws provide the only topographic relief. Wet-weather caliche roads can become extremely slick and impassable.

Access is extremely limited — CPW designates land status as 100% private within the unit and GoHunt reports only 2.1% public land. There is no BLM or National Forest land inside GMU 138. Two Buttes Reservoir State Wildlife Area (8,533 acres) is officially designated GMU 139 by CPW; adjacent parcels near the county line may approach the unit boundary but should not be assumed accessible as GMU 138 public land. Hunters must obtain landowner permission for essentially all access. The unit is reached via US 287 (east edge), US 160 (south edge), and Colorado Route 101 (north from Pritchett). County roads within the unit are unimproved dirt/caliche and are impassable when wet. The nearest USFS district office managing Comanche National Grassland (Carrizo Unit) is in Springfield at 27204 US Hwy 287 (719-523-6591); Comanche Grassland land lies primarily in neighboring GMUs 139 and 145. No designated wilderness, trailheads, or motorized OHV routes are present. Walk-In Access (WIA) program parcels may exist seasonally — check the annual CPW WIA map for current listings.

Primarily shortgrass prairie dominated by buffalo grass and blue grama. Scattered dryland-farm fields (wheat, sorghum) and Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) grassland parcels interspersed throughout. Brushy, weedy draws near croplands and small drainages provide the only woody cover for deer. Cottonwood riparian corridors follow Two Buttes Creek and minor drainages. Cactus and sand sage patches support scaled quail and bobwhite quail habitat. No pinyon-juniper, aspen, spruce-fir, or oakbrush present at these elevations.

Pronghorn are the primary big game species and are distributed throughout the unit year-round with some seasonal concentration near crops and water during summer. Mule deer occur at low densities in brushy draws and dryland-ag edges; white-tailed deer occupy cottonwood-lined creek riparian corridors along Two Buttes Creek. Elk presence is negligible — CPW 2017 harvest data showed 0 elk taken despite a small plains elk season. Small-game species include scaled quail and bobwhite quail (low density in cactus-sage patches), cottontail rabbits, and occasional dove and waterfowl along Two Buttes Creek. Coyotes and swift foxes are reported at fair to excellent densities.

1. Land status: CPW 2018 SE Hunting Guide lists GMU 138 as 100% private. GoHunt reports 2.1% public land (likely reflects proximity to Two Buttes Reservoir SWA boundary). Two Buttes Reservoir SWA is officially GMU 139 per CPW's SWA page. Treat unit as effectively all-private. 2. Harvest statistics from CPW 2018 SE Hunting Guide (2017 season) — pronghorn rifle: 89 harvested, 134 hunters, 66% success; combined deer rifle: 5 harvested, 10 hunters, 50% success. Historical benchmarks only, not 2025 actuals. 3. Pronghorn tag_quota of 134 reflects 2017 total licensed hunters, not a formally published quota. 4. Deer harvest does not separate mule deer from white-tailed deer. 5. Season dates reflect BGSS 2025–2029 framework for plains units east of I-25; plains rifle deer Oct 25–Nov 4 confirmed via eRegulations. All other dates must be verified in official CPW Big Game Brochure for 2025/2026. 6. Pinyon-juniper and oakbrush removed from vegetation description — absent at these plains elevations despite appearing in GoHunt's generic template. 7. Bobwhite quail added to wildlife — confirmed present at Two Buttes Reservoir SWA (adjacent GMU 139) and likely present in unit given shared habitat.