Unit 73, Colorado

Elevation ranges from approximately 5,200 feet in the western valleys near Cortez to 13,237 feet at Hesperus Peak in the La Plata Mountains, a relief of more than 8,000 feet. Lower terrain west of Mancos and Dolores consists of gentle mesas, rolling hills, and wide valley floors carved by the Mancos and Dolores rivers. Mid-elevations feature dissected mesa country (notably Haycamp Mesa) and canyon drainages with moderate slopes. The eastern La Plata Mountains are rugged high-alpine terrain with talus fields, steep ridgelines, and several summits above 13,000 feet. The unit covers approximately 891 square miles (570,197 acres).

Unit boundaries: north by CO-184/CO-145 and Bear Creek; east by the Montezuma–La Plata County line; south by the New Mexico border; west by US-491. Public land totals approximately 41% of the unit by area (USFS 20%, BLM 6%, State 1%, designated Wilderness 4%, NPS/Mesa Verde 10%) but is concentrated north of US-160 and the NPS acreage is closed to hunting. The San Juan National Forest (Dolores Ranger District, co-located with BLM Tres Rios Field Office at 29211 CO-184, Dolores, CO 81323; 970-882-7296; Mon–Fri 8am–4:30pm) administers roughly 20% of the unit as USFS land plus about 4% designated wilderness. Key road access corridors: West Mancos Road (Forest Road 561) runs northeast from Mancos off CO-184 into the heart of the San Juan NF, providing access to Transfer Recreation Area (Transfer Campground) about 11 miles northeast of Mancos. Forest Road 565 leads to the Sharkstooth Trailhead near Twin Lakes at the base of Hesperus Peak. La Plata County Road 124 (off US-160 near Hesperus) runs approximately 14 miles north to Kennebec Pass. Haycamp Mesa Road (FR 556) connects the Dolores area northeastward through the unit. Major trailheads include: Sharkstooth Trailhead (access to Hesperus Peak, Centennial Peak, La Plata high country); West Mancos Trail 621 (follows West Mancos Canyon to Sharkstooth); Morrison and Chicken Creek trails (accessed off FR 561 near Transfer Campground). The Colorado Trail provides access along the northern and eastern margins near the La Plata Mountains. Critical closures and restrictions: Mesa Verde National Park (approximately 10% of unit area) prohibits all hunting. The southern portion of the unit — south of roughly the US-160 corridor — is largely Ute Mountain Ute Tribal land (Towaoc, Montezuma County), where non-tribal hunting is strictly prohibited. Secondary sources also reference Southern Ute Reservation lands and private property south of US-160 as additional barriers. Combined, these off-limits areas significantly reduce effective huntable public ground. Heavy pressure exists on vehicle-accessible public lands north of US-160; the La Plata Mountain backcountry via FR 561 and FR 565 sees comparatively less competition. GPS mapping with current land ownership layers is strongly recommended to navigate the complex public/private/tribal checkerboard.

Vegetation transitions dramatically with elevation. The lowest western zones (5,200–6,500 ft) support desert shrub, sagebrush flats, and pinyon-juniper woodland. Moving upslope, Gambel oak (oakbrush) and mountain mahogany are common in the 6,500–8,500 ft transition zone. Mid-elevation mesas and drainages (8,000–10,500 ft) carry dense aspen stands intermixed with ponderosa pine and Douglas fir. Upper forest zones (10,500–12,000 ft) shift to Engelmann spruce and subalpine fir, with isolated subalpine meadows. Above timberline (approximately 12,000 ft+) in the La Plata Mountains, the terrain is alpine tundra with sparse forbs and rock. Riparian corridors along the Mancos, Dolores, and their tributaries add willow and cottonwood cover in valley bottoms.

Mule deer are the primary big game species, with populations concentrated on forested mesas and canyon drainages in the 7,000–10,000 ft range during summer. As seasons progress, deer migrate east-to-west and downslope, moving to lower pinyon-juniper and oakbrush winter ranges in the western valleys by late fall. The rut typically begins late October and can extend through late December. Elk herds are present throughout the unit, with CPW noting populations at or near management objectives. Summer range extends into the high aspen, spruce-fir, and alpine zones of the La Plata Mountains (east side of unit). Bulls are distributed across high public land during archery season; elk move downslope through mid-season rifle periods. The rut begins in early September, with bugling activity commonly running through most of the month. Black bear inhabit the full elevation range, particularly forested aspen, oakbrush, and spruce-fir zones; bears are huntable OTC in Colorado with an add-on tag during most big game seasons. Mountain lion are present throughout the unit and are managed under a draw license system. Pronghorn antelope occur in the lower sagebrush and grassland areas of the western and southern unit near Cortez and the Montezuma County flats, though much of this lower terrain is private or tribal land. Turkey (Merriam's) occupy mid-elevation ponderosa/oak zones.