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The versatility of the topography in Unit 80 makes for an adventurous and exciting mule deer hunt. In the warmer months, deer can be found in the upper elevations and congregating around water sources, which are abundant throughout this unit. As the winter ramps up, the herds will begin moving down into the lower elevations. Deer licensing is pretty straightforward in that for all hunting seasons, the tags are valid for units 80 and 81 and are only legitimate for hunting bucks. Unit 80 is predominantly public land, mainly concentrated on the western side of the unit and the eastern side of the unit is private land. That being said, hunters are encouraged to come equipped with a GPS unit with a landowner chip so that you do not infringe on private property. The deer tend to retreat to the private land once hunting pressure increases. Hunting these boundaries has been proven successful.
| Archery | 20% |
| Muzzle Loader | 33% |
| 2nd Rifle | 40% |
| 3rd Rifle | 48% |
| 4th Rifle | 65% |
| Average Quality | 145″ – 165″ |
| Trophy Potential | 170″+ |
| Buck to Doe Ratio | 28:100 |
Elk behavior resembles deer in their reaction to the cold temperatures. The elk also will migrate down to lower elevations, as the weather cools down. Unit 80 has substantial hunting pressure due to its OTC elk tags and success rates. As the elk feel the pressure, they will retreat to the tougher terrain and hard-to-reach areas. Hunters that take on the challenge to go where the elk go have been successful. Elk tags are available OTC for archery season, second and third rifle seasons. Archery tags are applicable for bull and cow hunts. Rifle OTC tags are only valid for hunting bulls. Muzzleloader season is a limited draw tag for either sex and legitimate in Units 80 and 81.
| Archery | 10% |
| Muzzle Loader | 18% |
| 1st Rifle | 20% |
| 2nd Rifle | 10% |
| 3rd Rifle | 12% |
| 4th Rifle | 25% |
| Average Quality | 260″ – 300″ |
| Trophy Potential | 300″+ |
| Bull to Cow Ratio | 18:100 |
Unit 80 provides an antelope’s perfect habitat with its vast tracts of grassy prairieland and ample water supply. The antelope tags are a limited draw for this unit. The archery and rifle tags are legal for hunting bucks only and valid solely in Unit 80. Muzzleloader tags are legitimate for hunting bucks only and can be used in Units 68, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 681, 681 and 791.
| Archery | 50% |
| Muzzle Loader | 75% |
| Rifle | 85% |
| Average Quality | 70″ – 80″ |
| Trophy Potential | 80″+ |
| Buck to Doe Ratio | 32:100 |
Total Acreage: 567,000 acres over 886 square miles
Total Public Land: 339,000 acres or 59%
Land Ownership Mix: 41% Private; 59% Public; USFS: 249,920 acres; BLM: 60,096 acres; State: 3,456 acres; Other Govt. Owned: 16,064 acres
Species: Black Bear, Elk, Mule Deer, Moose, Pronghorn
Elevation Variances: 7,500 ft. to 13,000 ft.
Terrain Difficulty Overall: Mild to Moderate
Land Coverage/Vegetation: 6% evergreen forest, 20% grassland, 21% shrub/scrub and 14% pasture/hay
Unit 80 Boundaries: (Alamosa, Conejos, Mineral, Rio Grande County Colorado) bounded on North by US-South Highway 160; on East by Rio Grande; on South by La Jara Creek, Alamosa River, United States Forest Service Roads 250 and 380 and Elwood Pass; on West by Continental Divide
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