Unit 3, Colorado

Unit 3 is a low-to-mid elevation unit ranging from approximately 6,000 to 8,500 feet. The landscape is characterized by rolling arid hills, numerous buttes, dry gullies with intermittent creeks, stark basins, rimmed plateaus, and long draws. The Yampa River forms the southern boundary and the Little Snake River runs near the western edge; irrigated hay fields line both river corridors. Relief is moderate — most public ground is relatively flat with the majority of slopes under 20%, making travel comparatively easy. Overall access is rated easy and four-wheel drive is generally not required on main routes, though wet conditions can make primitive dirt roads impassable.

Primary vehicle access corridors are US Highway 40 (Yampa River valley, southern boundary), Colorado Highway 318 (running northwest toward the Little Snake River), and County Road 13/789 (forming the eastern GMU boundary). County Roads 21, 19, 108, 3, 158, 5, and 17 provide further interior access. The BLM's Little Snake Field Office (455 Emerson St, Craig, CO 81625; 970-826-5000) administers approximately 1.3 million acres of public land across Moffat, Routt, and Rio Blanco counties; BLM land constitutes roughly 45% of GMU 3 with an additional ~10% Colorado State lands, for a total of approximately 54% public. State wildlife areas within the unit include Pole Gulch SWA, Maybell SWA, and Little Snake SWA. Camping is permitted on most BLM lands during hunting seasons. Approximately 46% of the unit is private ranch land — much of the best riparian and hay-meadow habitat is deeded, with outfitters and ranchers offering guided access. No designated Wilderness exists within this unit. The BLM has an ongoing Travel Management Area 2 (TMA-2) planning process covering eastern Moffat County BLM lands (Powder Wash, Big Gulch, Seven Mile, Great Divide areas) that may affect future road and trail designations. Seasonal closures on BLM lands are maintained; check the Little Snake Field Office for current winter range and raptor nesting closures before accessing backcountry routes.

Lower elevations (6,000–7,000 ft) are dominated by sagebrush and sagebrush steppe (roughly 57% of the unit's vegetation) with saltbrush and bitterbrush communities on flats and south-facing slopes. Short native grasses cover open basins. Pinyon-juniper woodland occupies higher benches and ridge tops up to approximately 8,500 feet. Cottonwoods and willows line the Yampa River, Little Snake River, and larger creek drainages, providing the primary riparian corridor and shade cover. Irrigated hay meadows along both river valleys serve as critical winter forage areas for deer and elk. There is no subalpine or alpine component — this unit sits well below treeline.

Elk (Bears Ears herd, DAU E-2) are the dominant big game species and occupy all available habitat in the unit year-round. The herd was severely impacted by the catastrophic 2022–23 winter — described by CPW as the worst in 70 years — with antlerless license reductions of 89% implemented in 2023 to enable recovery. By 2025–26, CPW confirmed the herd had recovered to population objectives, prompting a 76% increase in antlerless cow licenses for 2026 (adding approximately 2,000 licenses). Elk activity is concentrated around the Little Snake SWA and surrounding central-unit drainages. The rut begins as early as the first week of September and runs approximately one month. Later rifle seasons (3rd, 4th) tend to push elk off adjacent higher-elevation units into GMU 3's lower draws. Mule deer share the unit with a migratory wintering component — deer from neighboring higher-elevation units descend into the sagebrush basins and pinyon-juniper breaks of GMU 3 as winter arrives, making late-season deer hunting particularly productive on public land. Pronghorn (Great Divide herd, DAU PH-09) are present year-round in the open sagebrush flats; the herd was severely impacted by the 2022–23 winter, with male licenses reduced 74% and female licenses reduced 83% from pre-winterkill levels. Antlerless pronghorn hunting was closed entirely for 2024–25; 2026 status should be confirmed in the official CPW brochure — antlered-only is the conservative planning assumption. Black bear and mountain lion are present, particularly in the pinyon-juniper breaks and riparian corridors. Wild turkey exist in limited numbers. Gray wolves were reintroduced to northwest Colorado beginning in 2023 and may be encountered in the region.