Colorado Unit 133 Pronghorn Antelope Hunting Guide

Colorado Unit 133 sits in the eastern plains country, a stretch of prairie and sagebrush habitat that's become a go-to destination for hunters chasing pronghorn across the state's draw system. With 368,593 total acres and elevations ranging from 4,774 to 6,560 feet, this unit offers the kind of open, far-sighted terrain pronghorn hunting is known for. Every hunt here runs through Colorado's limited-quota draw system — there is no general season in Unit 133, so hunters need to understand the application process before they plan a season around this unit.

What makes Unit 133 worth a closer look is the combination of consistent harvest success and a trophy history tied to the surrounding counties. For hunters weighing where to spend points or apply fresh, the data below — pulled from HuntPilot's unit-level harvest and survey records — paints a clear picture of what to expect on the ground.

HuntPilot Analysis: Is Unit 133 Worth Applying For?

The harvest numbers here are the strongest argument for this unit. Over the last five recorded seasons, success rates have ranged from 40% to 50%, which is a solid return for pronghorn hunting anywhere in the West. The 2023 season posted a 50% success rate across 487 hunters, and 2021 wasn't far behind at 47% across 631 hunters. Even the lower end of the range, 2022's 40% success rate, still means two out of every five hunters in the field connected on an animal.

The 2025 season saw a significant jump in hunter numbers — 1,481 hunters afield compared to 551 the year before — while success held at 45%. That's a meaningful signal: even with nearly three times the hunting pressure, success rates didn't collapse. That suggests the unit's pronghorn population and habitat can absorb more hunters without dramatically hurting individual odds, though hunters should expect more company in the field going forward if tag numbers stay elevated.

The one data point that deserves a dose of caution is the buck:doe ratio. The average across six survey years (2018–2024) sits at 38:100. That's a modest ratio by pronghorn standards, well below what would signal a buck-heavy herd, and it suggests hunters shouldn't expect to see bucks behind every doe group. It doesn't mean bucks aren't present — the trophy history below suggests otherwise — but it does mean this is a unit where glassing patience and some hunter experience will matter more than luck.

On public land access, Unit 133 is a unit where DIY hunters need to plan carefully. With only 17% of the unit in public ownership, the majority of this landscape is private. That low public-land percentage means most of the pronghorn habitat and water sources sit behind fences, and successful DIY hunts here depend heavily on landowner access, walk-in programs, or securing permission well before the season starts. Hunters without a private-land connection or a plan for public parcels should treat this as a serious logistical hurdle, not an afterthought.

Taken together: strong harvest success, a trophy history worth noting, but tight public access and a herd structure that rewards careful scouting over volume hunting. This unit is worth applying for if hunters have a plan for land access sorted out in advance — it's not a unit to draw and then figure out logistics afterward.

Harvest Success Rates

Unit 133's harvest data spans five recent seasons and shows a unit that consistently delivers for hunters who draw a tag:

• 2025: 1,481 hunters, 668 harvested, 45% success
• 2024: 551 hunters, 270 harvested, 49% success
• 2023: 487 hunters, 244 harvested, 50% success
• 2022: 660 hunters, 263 harvested, 40% success
• 2021: 631 hunters, 295 harvested, 47% success

The five-year trend hovers in a fairly tight band between 40% and 50%, which signals a stable, well-managed pronghorn population rather than a boom-or-bust unit. The notable shift is hunter volume — 2025's jump to nearly 1,500 hunters is a major departure from the 487-660 range seen in prior years. Whether that volume holds in future seasons is worth watching, but historically this unit has rewarded roughly half the hunters who show up with a harvested animal, which is a strong baseline for anyone building an application strategy around this unit.

Trophy Quality

The counties overlapping Unit 133 carry a strong history of producing trophy-class pronghorn, based on record-book data tied to the region. That history doesn't guarantee every hunter will tag a trophy-caliber buck — the modest buck:doe ratio noted in the survey data suggests mature bucks are present but not necessarily abundant relative to does — but it does mean hunters willing to be selective and put in the glassing time have a real shot at something special.

It's worth noting that record-book entries are logged at the county level, not the unit level, so the trophy history associated with this area is shared across Unit 133 and its neighboring units. A buck entered in the records from this region could have been taken anywhere within the overlapping counties, not necessarily inside Unit 133's boundary specifically. Still, for hunters evaluating where to apply, that regional trophy pedigree is a meaningful data point in Unit 133's favor, especially paired with the unit's solid harvest success rates.

Hunters chasing a genuine trophy animal here should prioritize time glassing from distance and resist the urge to fill a tag on the first legal buck seen, particularly given the relatively low buck:doe ratio reported in recent surveys.

Herd Health & Population Trends

The six-year survey window (2018–2024) shows an average buck:doe ratio of 38:100 for Unit 133. That's on the lower end for a pronghorn population and indicates a herd structure weighted more heavily toward does than bucks. This isn't unusual for heavily hunted pronghorn units in Colorado's eastern plains, where draw-only management keeps a lid on buck harvest but doe populations can still run strong.

For hunters, the practical takeaway is to adjust expectations around buck density rather than panic about herd health. A 38:100 ratio means bucks are out there, but hunters will spend more time working through doe groups to locate a shooter buck than they would in a unit with a heavier buck skew. Combined with the strong harvest success rates documented above, this suggests the herd is productive and huntable, just not saturated with mature bucks relative to the doe population. Hunters should lean on optics and patience over ground-covering tactics.

Access & Terrain

Unit 133 spans an elevation range of 4,774 to 6,560 feet, which is classic eastern-plains pronghorn country — rolling prairie, open sage flats, and the kind of long sightlines pronghorn hunting demands. There's no wilderness designation in this unit (0% wilderness), so there are no backcountry travel restrictions or guide requirements tied to protected land status here.

The critical number for access planning is the 17% public land figure. With the overwhelming majority of Unit 133 in private hands, DIY hunters face real constraints. Water sources, the best glassing points, and prime pronghorn habitat are frequently found on private ground in plains units like this one, and a 17% public-land share means hunters can't count on simply walking onto public ground and finding good pronghorn numbers waiting. Successful hunts here typically depend on one of three strategies: securing private landowner permission ahead of the season, working the limited public parcels hard with pre-season scouting, or hunting with an outfitter who has existing private-land access. Hunters planning a DIY trip to Unit 133 should start landowner contact and access research well before application season, not after drawing a tag.

How to Apply

Every pronghorn hunt in Colorado Unit 133 is a limited-quota draw hunt — there is no general or over-the-counter option here. That means every hunter, resident or nonresident, must apply through Colorado Parks and Wildlife's draw system to have a chance at a tag in this unit.

Colorado's draw system operates on true preference points, which means the state's highest point holders are awarded tags before the remaining pool is filled through weighted random draw. This is not a weighted lottery in the way some other states run their systems — a high enough point total in Colorado's system has historically been enough to guarantee a tag on many hunts, so hunters serious about Unit 133 should think in terms of a multi-year point strategy rather than hoping to draw cold.

Residents and nonresidents apply through separate pools, and nonresidents should expect more competitive odds than residents on the same hunt given the overall applicant volume the state sees for pronghorn units. Because Unit 133 pairs strong harvest success with a trophy history tied to its surrounding counties, it's reasonable to expect this unit draws meaningful interest from both groups, making an informed points strategy worthwhile.

For the current application windows, deadlines, fees, and year-specific draw odds, hunters should go directly to HuntPilot's Colorado state page or Colorado Parks and Wildlife's published draw statistics. Those figures shift every cycle, so always check the live data rather than relying on anything printed in this article.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the terrain like in Colorado Unit 133? Unit 133 is eastern-plains pronghorn habitat, with elevations running from 4,774 to 6,560 feet across open prairie and sagebrush country. There's no wilderness designation in the unit, so terrain is generally accessible without backcountry travel restrictions. The bigger challenge isn't the terrain itself — it's land ownership, since only 17% of the unit is public.

What is harvest success like in Unit 133? Harvest success has been consistently strong over the past five recorded seasons, ranging from 40% to 50%. The most recent five years show success rates of 45% (2025), 49% (2024), 50% (2023), 40% (2022), and 47% (2021) — a tight, dependable band that suggests this unit reliably produces opportunity for hunters who draw a tag.

How big are the pronghorn in Unit 133? The counties overlapping Unit 133 carry a strong trophy history, giving the unit a reputation for producing trophy-class bucks. Because record-book entries are tracked at the county level and shared across neighboring units, that trophy pedigree reflects the broader region rather than being unit-exclusive, but it's still a positive indicator for hunters targeting mature bucks here. The modest buck:doe ratio in recent surveys means trophy bucks are present but require patience and selective glassing to locate.

Is Unit 133 worth applying for? Based on the data, yes — with a caveat. The harvest success rates are strong and consistent, and the regional trophy history adds real upside for hunters chasing a quality buck. The catch is public land access: with just 17% of the unit publicly owned, DIY hunters need a solid access plan — landowner permission, walk-in access, or outfitter support — before applying. Hunters who sort out access in advance will find this a productive unit; those without a plan may struggle to find huntable ground despite drawing a tag.

How many preference points does it take to draw Unit 133? Draw odds and point requirements change every cycle based on quota and applicant volume, so this article won't cite a specific point level. Colorado's draw system awards tags to top point holders first, with the remainder filled through weighted random draw, so building points meaningfully improves a hunter's position over time. For current draw odds and point data specific to Unit 133, check HuntPilot's Colorado unit page or Colorado Parks and Wildlife's published draw reports.