Colorado Unit 105 Pronghorn Antelope Hunting Guide

Colorado Unit 105 is a pronghorn antelope unit spanning 730,999 acres of rolling plains and prairie terrain, with elevations ranging from 5,124 to 7,278 feet. For hunters researching Colorado Unit 105 pronghorn antelope hunting, this unit presents a mixed picture: strong recent harvest numbers balanced against a land ownership pattern that heavily favors private property, and a herd that shows below-average buck ratios in survey data.

Unlike many marquee Colorado pronghorn units that get discussed on hunting forums for trophy potential, Unit 105 appears to function primarily as a volume unit — one where tags get filled at a respectable clip, but where access logistics and herd demographics matter more than record-book aspirations. Understanding those tradeoffs before applying is the difference between a satisfying meat hunt and a frustrating week spent glassing private ground from the road.

This article breaks down what the data actually shows for Unit 105, from six years of harvest trends to the realities of hunting a unit where public land makes up only 13% of the total acreage.

HuntPilot Analysis: Is Unit 105 Worth Applying For?

The honest answer depends entirely on what a hunter is after. If the goal is a straightforward meat hunt with a reasonable chance of filling a tag, the harvest numbers make a strong case. Success rates over the past six years have ranged from 59% to a remarkable 88%, with most seasons landing in the 60-75% range. That's a consistently productive unit by any measure — hunters who draw a tag here are, more often than not, going home with an animal.

But the access picture complicates that story. With only 13% public land across nearly 731,000 acres, the overwhelming majority of Unit 105 is private property. That means most of the pronghorn habitat, and likely much of the water and best forage, sits behind fences that require permission, a lease, or a landowner voucher to access. Forum discussions about Colorado pronghorn hunting consistently echo this exact frustration — hunters drawing tags in units with heavy private ownership often find that public parcels are scattered, hard to access, or lack the water sources that concentrate animals. DIY hunters without existing landowner relationships should expect this unit to require real legwork before the season even opens: identifying accessible public tracts, researching walk-in access programs, or budgeting for a lease or guided access.

The wildlife survey data adds another layer. Across six survey years from 2018 to 2024, the average buck-to-doe ratio sits at 52:100 — below what's typically considered a healthy ratio for mature buck representation in a herd. This doesn't mean bucks are absent, but it does suggest that trophy-class animals are less common here than in units with tighter, more heavily managed buck ratios. Combined with the qualitative trophy history for the surrounding counties, which shows only limited record-book production, Unit 105 shapes up as a unit built for opportunity and success rate rather than trophy pursuit.

For a hunter prioritizing a tag they can fill and meat in the cooler, Unit 105's harvest data is compelling. For a hunter chasing a record-book buck, the data points elsewhere — this unit's herd demographics and limited trophy history don't support that goal.

Harvest Success Rates

Unit 105 has posted some of the more eye-catching success rates in Colorado pronghorn hunting over the past six seasons, though the trend line bears watching:

• 2025: 814 hunters, 583 harvested — 72% success
• 2024: 2,017 hunters, 1,340 harvested — 66% success
• 2023: 1,904 hunters, 1,118 harvested — 59% success
• 2022: 1,835 hunters, 1,373 harvested — 75% success
• 2021: 1,570 hunters, 1,076 harvested — 69% success
• 2020: 560 hunters, 492 harvested — 88% success

Several patterns stand out here. First, hunter numbers have fluctuated significantly, from a low of 560 in 2020 to more than 2,000 in 2024, before dropping sharply back to 814 in 2025. That kind of swing usually reflects changes in tag allocation rather than shifting hunter interest, and it's worth checking current quota information on the HuntPilot Colorado state page before assuming any single year's hunter count reflects what to expect going forward.

Second, success rates have generally trended downward from the 88% peak in 2020 to the high-50s and mid-60s range in 2023 and 2024, before rebounding to 72% in 2025. This kind of variability is normal for pronghorn units where success is closely tied to weather, forage conditions, and how tags are distributed relative to herd density in a given year. Even at the lower end of this range, a 59% success rate is still a solid number for antelope hunting — hunters drawing Unit 105 have historically had better-than-even odds of filling their tag regardless of which year they draw.

Herd Health & Population Trends

The wildlife survey data available for Unit 105 covers six survey years between 2018 and 2024, showing an average buck-to-doe ratio of 52:100. This ratio is on the lower end for pronghorn herds and suggests a population where does significantly outnumber mature bucks. In practical terms, hunters should expect to see plenty of antelope in the field, but the buck age structure implied by this ratio points toward more young or average-class bucks in the mix rather than an abundance of older, larger-antlered animals.

This ratio should be read as a multi-year average rather than a single-season snapshot, and it lines up with the qualitative trophy assessment for the surrounding area. A herd with a persistently modest buck ratio, combined with limited trophy record history, tells a consistent story: Unit 105 is a numbers unit, not a trophy unit. Hunters focused on venison and time afield will find the underlying herd health data reassuring — there are clearly enough animals to support strong harvest success — but those chasing an exceptional buck should recalibrate expectations accordingly.

Trophy Quality

Trophy record data for the counties overlapping Unit 105 shows a limited history of entries. This doesn't mean quality bucks have never come out of this area, but it does mean the unit lacks the sustained trophy production that defines Colorado's better-known pronghorn units. Combined with the below-average buck:doe ratio from the survey data, the overall picture supports limited trophy potential rather than a unit hunters should target specifically for record-book aspirations.

Hunters who do draw Unit 105 and want to maximize buck quality should still glass thoroughly and be selective — average ratios and limited trophy history describe unit-wide tendencies, not the ceiling for every individual animal. But anyone building an application strategy around a Colorado pronghorn giant should look at units with a deeper trophy history first.

Access & Terrain

Unit 105 covers elevations from 5,124 to 7,278 feet across nearly 731,000 acres of prairie and rolling plains terrain typical of eastern and central Colorado pronghorn country. This is open country hunting — long-range glassing, minimal cover, and animals that rely on their eyesight and the ability to see hunters coming from a long way off.

The critical number for anyone planning a hunt here is the 13% public land figure. With the vast majority of the unit under private ownership, DIY hunters face real constraints. Public parcels are likely to be scattered and may not align with the areas holding the highest antelope density, particularly water sources, which pronghorn key on heavily in warmer months. Forum discussions about Colorado pronghorn hunting consistently raise this exact issue: hunters who draw units with heavy private ownership often find themselves boxed out of the best habitat and confined to marginal public ground unless they've arranged access in advance.

Hunters serious about hunting Unit 105 should start scouting land ownership boundaries well before the season, identify which public parcels are actually huntable, and consider whether a landowner voucher or lease arrangement is necessary to access better ground. Given the low percentage of public land, this is not a unit where hunters should expect to show up and freelance across open country the way they might in a public-land-dominant unit elsewhere in the state. There is no wilderness acreage in Unit 105, so hunters won't face any wilderness-specific access restrictions, but the private land situation is a bigger practical hurdle than any wilderness designation would present anyway.

How to Apply

Colorado's draw system for pronghorn antelope uses a preference point structure, and hunters interested in Unit 105 need to apply through the state's annual draw process.

Note that Colorado requires hunters to hold a qualifying license before they can even submit an application — this license fee is separate from and in addition to the application fee and point fee listed above. Nonresidents should budget for the full cost stack: application fee, license fee, and point fee upfront, with the tag fee due only if drawn.

Colorado's draw system operates on true preference points, meaning the highest point holders draw first in a portion of the quota, which can eventually guarantee a tag at a high enough point level on some hunts. For draw odds specific to Unit 105 and current point requirements, hunters should check the HuntPilot Colorado state page (/states/co) or the state wildlife agency's published draw statistics, since odds and quotas shift from year to year.

Application dates and fees change every draw cycle. For the current deadlines, fees, and draw odds, see HuntPilot's Colorado page at /states/co.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the terrain like in Colorado Unit 105? Unit 105 consists of rolling plains and prairie terrain typical of pronghorn country, with elevations ranging from 5,124 to 7,278 feet across nearly 731,000 total acres. It's open, minimally covered country where long-range glassing and careful stalking are the primary tactics.

What is harvest success like in Unit 105? Harvest success has been consistently strong over the past six seasons, ranging from 59% in 2023 up to 88% in 2020. Recent years have settled in the 60-75% range, meaning the majority of hunters who draw a tag in Unit 105 go on to harvest an animal.

How big are the pronghorn in Unit 105? Trophy record data for the surrounding counties shows a limited history of entries, and herd survey data shows a below-average buck-to-doe ratio of 52:100 across six survey years. This points to limited trophy potential — hunters should expect a solid population of animals but not the buck age structure typically associated with trophy-class bucks.

Is Unit 105 worth applying for? For hunters focused on a high-probability meat hunt, yes — the harvest success data supports that goal well. For hunters chasing a trophy buck, the limited trophy history and modest buck ratio suggest looking at other units. The biggest practical challenge is access: with only 13% public land, most of the unit sits behind private fences, and hunters need a plan for reaching huntable ground before they apply.

Do I need a guide to hunt pronghorn in Colorado Unit 105? Colorado does not require nonresidents to hire a guide for pronghorn hunting, and Unit 105 has no wilderness acreage, so there are no wilderness-related guide requirements either. That said, given the low percentage of public land, many hunters choose to work with a local landowner, lease, or guide service simply to secure access to private ground — not because it's legally required, but because it may be the most practical way to hunt productive habitat in this unit.