Unit 92, Colorado

Virtually flat to gently rolling plains along the South Platte River floodplain. Elevation ranges from approximately 3,460 ft (Pony Express SWA) to about 3,768 ft (Red Lion SWA, Logan County). The unit spans roughly 58 square miles. The South Platte River channels, sandbars, and islands form the structural spine of the unit.

The unit is approximately 89–95% private land, making access the defining challenge. Three Colorado Parks and Wildlife State Wildlife Areas provide virtually all public hunting: Pony Express SWA (1,854 acres, Sedgwick County, elevation 3,460–3,512 ft, access via County Road 28); Sedgwick Bar SWA (885 acres, Sedgwick County, elevation 3,548–3,604 ft, 15 miles west of Julesburg, access via US 138 corridor); and Red Lion SWA (1,297 acres, Logan County, elevation 3,637–3,768 ft, spans GMUs 90 and 92, reached via Red Lion Road/Logan CR 93). All SWAs require a valid hunting or fishing license or SWA pass for visitors 16 and older. Hours are 4 a.m.–9 p.m. On the opening weekend of the regular plains rifle deer season and first day/weekend of the late plains rifle deer season, only deer hunting is permitted on SWA lands. Primary roads: US Highway 138 (northern boundary corridor), Interstate 76 (southern boundary), Colorado Highway 59, County Road 1, and County Road 28. There is no National Forest or BLM land within the unit. Private-land access requires individual landowner permission arranged well in advance. The nearest full-service town is Julesburg (lodging, restaurants, fuel, medical). Ovid, Sedgwick, and Crook offer limited amenities. CPW Northeast Region contact: Brush Area Office, 970-842-6300.

Three habitat types dominate: irrigated cropland on both banks of the South Platte (~65% of the unit), sandsage and mid-grass prairie (~20%), and cottonwood-willow riparian corridors with marsh vegetation (cattails, rushes) along river channels (~10%). Cottonwood stands provide the primary woody cover for wildlife. No conifer, aspen, or mountain vegetation types are present.

White-tailed deer are the dominant big-game species, inhabiting the cottonwood river bottoms and adjacent croplands year-round; the rut runs from late October through late December. Mule deer are also present, concentrating near irrigated crops and sandsage prairie, though white-tails now far outnumber mule deer—a shift from pre-1960 when mule deer dominated. Elk are transient visitors with very few permanent residents; bulls may move through the South Platte corridor during the rut and winter dispersal from higher country to the west. Pronghorn may occur on the sandsage prairie portions but are not confirmed as a managed hunt species in this unit. Wild turkey, dove, waterfowl (ducks and geese along the South Platte), quail, cottontail rabbit, and fox squirrel are confirmed game on SWA lands per CPW. Black bear and mountain lion are listed by some third-party sources but are uncommon in this flat plains environment.

Red Lion SWA corrected to 1,297 acres (CPW source), Logan County, spanning GMUs 90 and 92—not ~200 acres as cited in some third-party sources. Pony Express SWA elevation 3,460–3,512 ft and Sedgwick Bar elevation 3,548–3,604 ft confirmed via CPW SWA pages. Public land percentage: GoHunt reports 4.8%, HuntScore reports 11%; used 5% as conservative figure. Tag quota for white-tailed deer reflects 2024 CPW license numbers from regulations (draw tags; OTC rifle codes are unlimited). Harvest figure of 114 and 33% success from 2024 CPW Deer Harvest Estimates (all manners of take, all seasons combined); plains rifle 2024: 67 harvest, 184 hunters, 37% success; muzzleloader 2024: 6 harvest, 39 hunters, 15% success. Elk harvest not separated in CPW reports for this unit. Pronghorn present on some platforms but no confirmed draw hunt codes for GMU 92 found in 2025 CPW regulations; excluded from species_data. Season dates reflect 2025 season year per CPW regulations PDF (AS APPROVED 03/05/2025); CPW website has since updated to 2026 cycle. Black bear removed from species_data—no meaningful hunting opportunity in this flat plains unit.