Colorado Unit 68 Black Bear Hunting Guide

Colorado Unit 68 sits in south-central Colorado, spanning 385,966 acres of high country that ranges from 7,583 feet up to a striking 13,822 feet in elevation. For hunters researching Black Bear hunting opportunities in this part of the state, Unit 68 offers a large, mostly public landscape — 90% of the unit is public ground, giving DIY hunters plenty of room to roam without needing to negotiate private access. Only 6% of the unit falls within designated wilderness, so nonresident hunters won't run into Colorado's guide requirements that apply in heavily-wilderness units elsewhere in the state.

This is rugged, vertical country. With nearly 6,300 feet of elevation relief packed into one unit, Black Bear hunters here can expect everything from lower foothill brush and timber to alpine basins near treeline. That kind of terrain diversity is exactly the sort of habitat mosaic bears use seasonally, moving between food sources as berries, mast, and vegetation green up or dry out at different elevations through the year.

HuntPilot Analysis: Is Unit 68 Worth Applying For?

Based on the data available through HuntPilot, Unit 68 is a legitimate but modest opportunity for Black Bear hunters rather than a marquee destination. The most recent harvest data shows 547 hunters afield with 43 bears harvested, an 8% success rate for the unit as a whole. That's a below-average success rate compared to many Colorado bear units, which tells hunters two important things: bear density and/or huntability in Unit 68 requires real effort, and hunters should not expect an easy tag to convert into a bear in the freezer.

The unit's sheer size (nearly 386,000 acres) combined with 90% public land means there's no shortage of country to hunt — the challenge is finding bears in it. An 8% success rate across 547 hunters suggests that most tag holders are working hard for their opportunity, glassing extensively, and covering ground rather than relying on target-rich environments. Trophy data specific to black bear scoring is not available for this unit, so this analysis is based on harvest and access data only — hunters should not expect this write-up to speak to skull size or trophy potential, because that information simply isn't in the record for Unit 68.

For hunters who value solitude, public access, and a genuine backcountry experience over a guaranteed harvest, Unit 68 is worth considering. For hunters who need a high-percentage bear tag to justify the trip, the harvest numbers here suggest looking harder at units with stronger success rates before committing points or cash to this one.

Access & Terrain

Unit 68's terrain profile is one of its most notable features: an elevation span running from 7,583 feet to 13,822 feet within a single unit. That's an enormous vertical range, and it means bear habitat here isn't uniform — hunters should expect to move through multiple vegetation zones depending on where they choose to hunt, from lower brushy drainages to high alpine terrain near the unit's highest peaks.

With 90% of the unit classified as public land, access is a genuine strength for DIY hunters. There's very little private-land bottleneck to navigate compared to units where public and private ground are checkerboarded. The 6% wilderness designation means the vast majority of that public land is accessible by vehicle-supported travel and standard non-motorized routes, without the additional planning wilderness travel requires elsewhere in Colorado.

Forum accounts from hunters who've spent time in the broader Unit 68 area consistently describe steep, demanding country — hunters heading in with off-road vehicles to reach base camps away from main roads, and locals noting that better opportunities tend to sit well off the beaten path. That aligns with the elevation data: this is not gentle rolling terrain, and hunters who are willing to climb into higher basins or push into less-traveled drainages are likely to see more solitude and, potentially, more consistent animal sign than those who stay close to easy road access.

Given the size of the unit and the vertical relief, scouting matters enormously here. Hunters should use mapping tools — including HuntPilot's public land and terrain overlays — to identify specific drainages, elevation bands, and access points worth investigating before the hunt, since general area knowledge won't substitute for boots-on-the-ground familiarity in country this large and this steep.

Harvest Success Rates

The most recent harvest data available shows 547 hunters pursued Black Bear in Unit 68, with 43 bears harvested for an 8% success rate. This is a meaningful data point for hunters weighing whether to apply: an 8% unit-wide success rate is on the lower end for Colorado bear hunting, and it signals that this unit demands patience, mobility, and a willingness to hunt hard over multiple days rather than expecting quick action.

Hunters should treat that 8% figure as a unit average across all hunters and conditions — some individuals with strong scouting, flexible schedules, and knowledge of specific drainages will outperform that number, while hunters who show up cold and hunt easy access points will likely underperform it. The large number of hunters (547) relative to the harvest (43) also suggests real competition for tags and real pressure on the landscape during the hunt, even with nearly 386,000 acres of unit to spread out across.

No multi-year harvest trend data is available in the structured record for this unit, so hunters should treat the 8% figure as a snapshot rather than a long-term average, and should check HuntPilot's unit page for updated harvest statistics as new seasons are reported.

How to Apply

Colorado's Black Bear application system requires hunters to plan ahead and budget for more than just the application fee itself.

Colorado's point system for Black Bear is a hybrid draw: a portion of tags go to the highest point holders, while the remainder are allocated through a weighted random draw where each point adds an additional entry. This is not a pure lottery and it's not pure preference — a high enough point total has historically been competitive for tags on many hunts, but hunters should check HuntPilot's Colorado state page for current draw odds and point-level breakdowns specific to Unit 68 rather than assuming a particular point count guarantees success.

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 68?

Unit 68 covers massive elevation relief, from 7,583 feet at its lowest points to 13,822 feet at its highest — a span of more than 6,200 feet within one unit. This creates varied habitat, from lower-elevation brush and timber to high alpine basins. The unit is large (385,966 acres) and 90% public land, with only 6% falling under wilderness designation, meaning most of the public ground is accessible without the additional travel restrictions that wilderness areas impose. Hunters describe the country as steep and demanding, rewarding those willing to get away from easy road access.

What is harvest success like for Black Bear in Unit 68?

The most recent data shows an 8% success rate, with 547 hunters harvesting 43 bears. That's a below-average success rate, indicating this unit requires effort, mobility, and scouting rather than offering an easy path to a harvest. Hunters should plan for a challenging hunt and treat any single-year figure as a snapshot rather than a guarantee of future results.

Is Colorado Unit 68 worth applying for?

It depends on what a hunter is looking for. The unit offers excellent public access (90% public land) across a large, topographically diverse landscape, which appeals to hunters who want room to roam and a legitimate backcountry experience. However, the 8% success rate suggests this is not a high-probability tag, and no trophy data is available to indicate above-average bear size in this unit. Hunters prioritizing a strong likelihood of harvest may want to compare Unit 68's numbers against other Colorado bear units before applying.

How big are the bears in Unit 68?

Trophy-specific data for Black Bear in Unit 68 is not available in the current record, so no qualitative assessment of skull size or trophy potential can be made for this unit. Hunters interested in trophy quality should look for units with documented trophy history rather than assuming size based on harvest numbers alone.

What should hunters know before applying for a Unit 68 bear tag?

Factor in the full cost structure early, and use tools like HuntPilot's Colorado unit pages to check current draw odds and point requirements before committing to an application strategy for Unit 68.