Unit 681, Colorado

Mountains, ridges, foothills, and canyon drainages spanning roughly 7,600 to 14,000 feet in elevation. Above treeline lie barren ridges, peaks, basins, and avalanche chutes; mid-elevation terrain features timbered slopes, steep canyons, and creek drainages; lower foothills transition to gentle benches and shrublands. Boundaries run north along US Highway 50 and Marshall Pass Road (USFS Road 243), east along US Highway 285, and south and west along Colorado Highway 114. Terrain difficulty ranges from moderate on lower roads to very difficult in high-country basins.

Primary highway access via US Highway 285 (east/north boundary), US Highway 50 via Poncha Springs (north), and Colorado Highway 114 (south and west boundary). The unit is almost entirely within the Rio Grande National Forest, Saguache Ranger District (46525 State Highway 114, Saguache, CO 81149; 719-655-2547). Numerous USFS roads provide interior access: Road 652/652.1 (Tower/Lookout Mountain area), Road 810 (Sheep Creek/Spanish Creek), Road 840 series (Sheep Creek drainages), Road 862 (Upper Kerber Creek, connects to FS-201), and Road 730 (Porcupine Creek). County Road 46AA divides the unit for regulatory purposes — OTC buck deer archery and muzzleloader licenses (hunt code A-M-068-O1-A/M) are valid only west of CR 46AA and west of the Saguache Creek/Kerber Creek drainage divide; doe licenses are valid only east of that line. Most forest roads open by late June and close at snowfall (late October–December). Spring seasonal closures (mid-March to early May) protect soft roadbeds and wintering wildlife. Four-wheel-drive and high-clearance vehicles recommended. Private land is scattered and concentrated near valley floors; trespassing is flagged as a significant issue in the San Luis Valley by CPW. You must have permission to hunt on private land.

Cover transitions sharply with elevation. Lower elevations (7,600–8,500 ft) support sagebrush flats, pinyon-juniper woodland, and Gambel oak thickets. Middle elevations (8,500–10,500 ft) feature ponderosa pine, Douglas-fir, aspen stands, and oakbrush — prime elk summer and winter transition habitat. Upper elevations (10,500–12,000+ ft) are dominated by Engelmann spruce, subalpine fir, and lodgepole pine, giving way to alpine tundra, grassy parks, and willow-lined drainages above treeline. Riparian corridors along Saguache Creek, Kerber Creek, and tributaries provide cottonwood, willow, and lush browse at lower to mid-elevations. The unit holds good summer and winter range for elk; deer fawn survival and recruitment have been strong according to CPW's 2020 Southwest Big Game Brochure.

Elk: a resident herd using GMU 681 primarily for summer and transitional range. The estimated elk population across the combined Saguache DAU units (68, 681, 682, 791) is approximately 4,200 animals with an 18:100 bull-to-cow sex ratio (CPW 2020 data). Weather drives movement — heavy snow pushes elk from high country early and concentrates them at lower elevations, improving late-season success. Animals can move quickly to adjacent private land or federal refuge areas. Mule deer: a growing, healthy population; 3-year average buck:doe ratio of 32:100 (CPW 2020 data); estimated deer population for the broader unit group is approximately 6,000. Shiras moose: confirmed present — CPW explicitly warns hunters MOOSE ARE PRESENT HERE — BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET; moose use riparian corridors and willow-lined drainages. Black bear: present throughout the unit, especially in aspen, oakbrush, and berry-producing habitats. Mountain lion: present as an apex predator following deer and elk herds. Wild turkey: occurs at lower elevations near pinyon-juniper and riparian zones. Pronghorn: limited presence on lower valley-edge terrain.