Unit 97, Colorado

GMU 97 is classic northeastern Colorado High Plains terrain: gently rolling to flat shortgrass prairie and agricultural bottomland, with minimal topographic relief. Elevations range from approximately 3,950 to 4,400 feet above sea level across the unit's 593 square miles (379,807 acres). Roughly 80% of the unit has slopes of less than a few percent, earning a terrain ease score of 99/100 on HuntScore — essentially walk-in flat country. Drainages from the South Platte River system (Bijou Creek, Kiowa Creek, Pawnee Creek) provide the only notable linear topographic features, with narrow riparian corridors flanked by cottonwood and willows cutting through otherwise open plains.

GMU 97 is predominantly private land (approximately 86% private, 14% state/public). Hunters should not attempt to access the unit without landowner permission secured well in advance of the season. Public parcels consist primarily of scattered state trust lands; no major BLM or National Forest tracts exist within the unit boundaries. Primary highway access: I-76 forms the western boundary, US 34 forms the southern boundary, and County Highway 61 defines the north/east boundary. US 6 runs through the heart of the unit from Brush northeast toward Sterling. The nearest towns with services are Fort Morgan, Brush, and Sterling; within 20 miles of the unit interior there is approximately 1 hotel and no hospitals, campgrounds, or grocery stores. No designated wilderness areas exist in this unit. No documented seasonal road closures apply as there is no federal land management, though private agricultural roads may be gated or seasonal. CPW has noted that GMU 97 and GMU 99 boundaries changed for 2026 — hunters must verify current boundaries using the CPW Hunting Atlas.

Habitat cover types include: dry dryland cropland (wheat, corn), irrigated cropland (corn, alfalfa, sunflowers), shortgrass prairie, tall-grass prairie, sandsage and mid-grass prairie, Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) grasslands (native grass mixes), and narrow riparian corridors of cottonwood, willow, and Russian olive along creek drainages. There is no pinyon-juniper, oakbrush, aspen, or spruce-fir cover — the unit sits entirely below the foothills. CRP fields and irrigated crop edges are the primary wildlife-holding cover, with corn stubble and CRP providing winter deer and pronghorn forage.

Mule deer and white-tailed deer are both present throughout the unit. White-tailed deer concentrate in riparian corridors (cottonwood/willow drainages, crop edges near creeks) and are present year-round; mule deer range more broadly across the open sandsage and CRP grasslands. The rut can begin as early as late October for mule deer and runs through late December for whitetails. Pronghorn antelope occur on the shortgrass and sandsage prairie portions of the unit and are commonly found grazing open flats with good visibility. Pronghorn remain within the unit year-round with little long-distance migration on the flat plains. Small and transient elk numbers have been documented moving through or wintering in the unit; GMU 97 is not a primary elk unit. Black bear and mountain lion are occasionally present but are rare in this agricultural plains environment. Wild turkey are present along riparian corridors and wooded creek bottoms. Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is endemic to northeast Colorado; mandatory CWD sample submission applies to deer harvested during rifle seasons from specific hunt codes — verify current requirements in the CPW Big Game Brochure. 2022 harvest data (all species combined): 143 hunters, 66 animals harvested, 33% overall success rate.

1. PUBLIC LAND: 14% per HuntScore; treat effectively as all-private — always secure landowner permission. 2. HARVEST: 2022 combined total: 143 hunters, 66 animals, 33% success. Per-species breakdown not available. 3. SEASON DATES: Confirmed via CPW 2025-2029 Big Game Season Structure and multiple secondary sources. Verify against current CPW Big Game Brochure before hunting. 4. BOUNDARIES: CPW noted GMU 97 and GMU 99 boundaries changed for 2026 — verify with CPW Hunting Atlas. 5. CWD: Northeast Colorado is an endemic CWD zone; mandatory sample submission applies to certain deer rifle hunt codes.