Pronghorn Hunting in Colorado GMU 26 - Garfield, Eagle, and Routt Counties
White River offers variety and extremes. Several peaks in the Flattop Wilderness are 12,200ft in elevation. Elevation drops to 5,300ft near Rifle. The lower elevation vegetation starts out with sage, progressing to oakbrush/mtn brush, aspen, and evergreen

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Bounded on N by the Bear River; on E by County Highway 131; on S by the Colorado River; and on W by Derby Creek, the Middle Fork of Derby Creek and US Forest Service Trail 1802.
Expect mild weather with light snow in the 1st season, with roads becoming impassable in the upper half of the area by the 3rd season. The high country in GMU 24 is prone to heavy snowstorms in late seasons. Heavy snowstorms can strand hunters on Flattops after 1st season. While there is a great deal of public land, hunting pressure is heavy especially in northern half of GMUs 23 and 24.
4WD is necessary on all but the few main paved roads. Half of the area is roadless - which makes for very good hunting if you can walk or pack in. You may encounter heavy ATV traffic in GMUs 12, 23 and 33. Hunters in GMU 25 and 26 can gain access using Forest Service Road 610 (Stump Park Rd) or USFS Road 613 (Crescent Lake Rd).
Pronghorn Notes
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HuntScore Tip
Public land and private land percentages can sometime be misleading. A unit may have 80% public land, but a particluar species may only occupy 20% on the entire area. And that 20% species distribution may lie 100% within private lands. Does that sound confusing? Just remember that there are always exceptions to the rule, and land ownership is just one piece of the puzzle.
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White River offers variety and extremes. Several peaks in the Flattop Wilderness are 12,200ft in elevation. Elevation drops to 5,300ft near Rifle. The lower elevation vegetation starts out with sage, progressing to oakbrush/mtn brush, aspen, evergreens and alpine tundra.
Pronghorn Harvest Stats (2019)
Manner | Season | Type | Sex | Hunters | Harvest | Male | Female | Youth |
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A
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A
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N/A
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N/A | 13 | 2 |
2
|
0
|
0
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ALL
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ALL
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N/A
|
N/A | 20 | 6 |
4
|
2
|
0
|
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Weather Insights
Weather can vary by elevation. See how weather varies by elevation within a unit by selecting an elevation range. Elevation ranges are based on weather stations in or near the unit. Not all weather elements are available within the unit.
Average Temps
Use temperature ranges to plan and prepare for your hunt. Large swings indicate a good layering system should be used. Be sure to make note of the extreme temperatures as these often pose the greatest risk to hunters. If you plan on hunting in higher elevation, as a rule of thumb, expect the tempture to decrease roughly 5° for every 1000' in elevation gain.