Colorado Unit S73 Bighorn Sheep Hunting Guide

Colorado Unit S73 is a limited-quota bighorn sheep unit set in some of the highest, most rugged country in the state, with elevations ranging from 7,395 feet up to 12,191 feet. This is a backcountry proposition from the moment a hunter steps out of the truck — 79% of the unit is public land, and 56% of it falls within designated wilderness. For sheep hunters chasing one of the most difficult tags to draw in North American big game hunting, S73 deserves a hard look, and the data backs up why.

There is no general season here — every hunt in S73 is limited-quota, meaning every tag is issued through Colorado's draw system. That reality, combined with the terrain and acreage numbers, sets the tone for the entire unit: this is a hunt built for patient, well-prepared sheep hunters who have put in the years to draw a tag, and who are ready to do serious physical work once they get here. The total unit spans 284,989 acres, which sounds substantial until hunters start climbing — most of the huntable sheep habitat sits well above 10,000 feet, and getting into position often means multiple days of pack-in effort through wilderness terrain.

Herd Health & Harvest Success

The harvest numbers out of S73 are some of the more encouraging figures a sheep hunter will find in Colorado. Over the past several seasons, success rates have consistently run high:

• 2025: 7 hunters, 6 harvested — 86% success
• 2024: 14 hunters, 10 harvested — 71% success
• 2023: 14 hunters, 12 harvested — 86% success
• 2022: 12 hunters, 10 harvested — 83% success
• 2021: 14 hunters, 12 harvested — 86% success
• 2020: 2 hunters, 1 harvested — 50% success
• 2019: 5 hunters, 4 harvested — 80% success

With the exception of the small 2020 sample (only 2 hunters afield), success rates in S73 have held in the 71-86% range across five of the last seven seasons. That is a strong indicator of a healthy, huntable sheep population and a unit where tag holders who put in the scouting time and physical conditioning are converting at a high rate. Sheep hunts are inherently low-volume — this unit typically sees somewhere between 5 and 14 hunters afield in a given year — but the consistency of harvest across that small sample is a meaningful signal. Hunters drawing a tag here should walk in expecting good odds of connecting, provided they're physically ready for the terrain and put in adequate glassing time before pulling the trigger on a ram.

Trophy Quality

Trophy data for the counties overlapping S73 points to a moderate history of record-book entries. This isn't a unit with an exceptional or headline-grabbing trophy pedigree, but it has produced legitimate record-class rams over time, and the qualitative trend suggests hunters can reasonably expect the opportunity at a mature, quality ram rather than a marginal one. Given that record-book entries are logged by county rather than by unit boundary, the entries attributed to this area are shared with neighboring units that overlap the same counties — so this moderate history reflects a broader regional trend rather than being exclusive to S73's exact boundaries.

For sheep hunters, "moderate" trophy potential paired with high harvest success is a favorable combination. It suggests a unit where rams are present in good numbers and hunters are finding and taking them, even if this isn't necessarily the unit producing the state's top-end record book rams every year. A patient hunter who glasses hard and is willing to pass on younger rams early in the season has a realistic shot at a genuinely good bighorn here.

Access & Terrain

This is where S73 separates itself from easier, more accessible sheep units. With 79% public land, access itself is not the limiting factor — the vast majority of the unit is huntable without needing private land permission. The challenge is what that public land actually looks like on the ground.

At 56% wilderness, more than half of this unit falls under wilderness designation, meaning no mechanized access — no ATVs, no e-bikes, nothing but boots and stock animals to get hunters into the high country. Combined with an elevation ceiling of 12,191 feet and a floor of 7,395 feet, hunters should plan on a physically demanding pack-in hunt. Sheep habitat in Colorado's high wilderness units tends to sit near or above treeline, meaning hunters will likely be glassing basins, cliff bands, and alpine benches well above 10,000 feet for much of the hunt.

Unlike Wyoming, Colorado does not require nonresidents to hire a guide for wilderness hunting, so DIY hunters are free to plan and execute this hunt on their own. That said, the terrain itself — steep, high-altitude, and remote — demands serious physical conditioning and backcountry experience regardless of residency. Hunters unfamiliar with extended high-altitude pack trips should strongly consider bringing along partners with wilderness backpacking or stock-packing experience, or budgeting extra scouting days to acclimate before the hunt begins.

HuntPilot Analysis: Is S73 Worth Applying For?

Based on the data available through HuntPilot, S73 stands out as a strong sheep unit for hunters willing to invest in both the draw and the physical demands of the terrain. The harvest success rates — consistently in the 70-86% range across most recent seasons — indicate a herd that is both healthy and huntable, not just present on paper. That's a meaningful distinction in bighorn sheep management, where some units carry sheep on the landscape but produce frustratingly low success due to difficult access or spooky, over-pressured rams.

The moderate trophy history adds further weight to a positive recommendation. Hunters aren't walking into this unit blind — there's a track record of quality rams coming out of the surrounding counties, even if S73 isn't necessarily the crown jewel unit of the state.

The tradeoff is access difficulty. With 56% wilderness and elevations topping out above 12,000 feet, this is not a hunt for the unprepared. Hunters need to be honest with themselves about physical readiness, high-altitude experience, and the logistics of a pack-in hunt before applying. For those who are prepared, though, the combination of high public land percentage (79%), strong recent harvest success, and moderate trophy potential makes S73 a legitimate target for a serious sheep hunter's bucket-list application strategy.

One important quota note: the tag structure here shows some hunt-type variation worth understanding before applying. The S-F-S73-O1-R hunt has held relatively stable, running 3 tags in 2024, 4 in 2025, and holding at 4 for 2026. The S-M-S73-O1-R hunt, on the other hand, saw a meaningful jump — from 3 tags in 2025 up to 7 in 2026, an increase of roughly 133%. That's a significant swing in tag availability for that specific hunt type, and hunters tracking this unit should factor that shift into their draw planning, since it represents a real change in opportunity year over year rather than a stable baseline.

How to Apply

Every hunt in Colorado Unit S73 is issued through the state's limited-quota draw system — there is no over-the-counter or general season option for bighorn sheep here. Hunters must apply during Colorado's designated application period and be selected through the draw to receive a tag.

Colorado's sheep draw operates on a preference point system, and residents and nonresidents apply through separate pools. Because Colorado uses true preference — meaning the highest point holders in each pool are awarded tags before the random draw proceeds — sheep hunts like those in S73 tend to require substantial point investment, particularly for nonresidents. This is one of the most competitive tag categories in Colorado's entire big game system, and hunters should expect a multi-year, and often multi-decade, point-building strategy before a tag becomes realistic.

Both resident and nonresident hunters apply through the same general structure: submit an application during the state's application window, select unit and hunt code preferences, and let the point-weighted draw process run. Because tags are so limited — S73 issued single-digit tag counts across its known hunt codes in recent years — even substantial point totals do not guarantee a draw in any given year.

Application dates, fees, and current draw odds change every cycle. For up-to-date deadlines, costs, and draw statistics specific to S73, hunters should check HuntPilot's Colorado state page and the unit's dedicated page for the most current numbers before applying.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the terrain like in Colorado Unit S73? S73 is high-elevation, rugged wilderness terrain, with elevations ranging from 7,395 to 12,191 feet across nearly 285,000 acres. More than half the unit (56%) is designated wilderness, meaning no motorized or mechanized access — hunters should expect to cover ground on foot or with stock animals. Much of the huntable sheep habitat sits at or above treeline, requiring sustained high-altitude physical effort.

What is harvest success like in Unit S73? Harvest success in S73 has been strong in recent seasons, with success rates of 86% in 2025, 71% in 2024, 86% in 2023, 83% in 2022, and 86% in 2021. Hunter numbers are low, typically in the single digits to mid-teens per year, which is standard for a limited-quota sheep unit, but the consistency of high success rates across multiple years suggests a healthy, accessible sheep population for hunters who draw a tag.

How big are the bighorn sheep in Unit S73? Trophy records from the counties overlapping S73 show a moderate history of record-book entries, suggesting the area has produced quality rams over time without being one of the state's top-tier trophy destinations. Hunters can reasonably expect the opportunity at a mature ram, particularly if they're willing to be selective and glass thoroughly before committing to a stalk.

Is Unit S73 worth applying for? Based on available data, yes — S73 combines strong recent harvest success (consistently 71-86% in the last several seasons), high public land access (79%), and a moderate trophy history. The tradeoff is difficulty: with 56% wilderness and elevations reaching over 12,000 feet, this unit demands serious physical preparation and backcountry competence. For hunters willing to put in both the draw-point investment and the physical work, S73 represents a solid, realistic bighorn sheep opportunity.

Do nonresidents need a guide to hunt Unit S73? No. Colorado does not impose a state-mandated guide requirement for nonresidents hunting wilderness areas, unlike some neighboring states. DIY nonresident hunters can hunt S73's wilderness terrain on their own, though given the remoteness and elevation, many hunters — resident and nonresident alike — choose to hire local guide support or partner with experienced backcountry hunters given the physical demands of the terrain.