Unit 89

Several reservoirs anchor the landscape: North Sterling Reservoir, C.A. Sherwin Reservoirs, East Stoneham, Uhl, and Hackberry provide reliable water and orientation points. The Chimney formation (East and West Chimney pillars) offers a distinctive landmark visible across the plains. Pawnee Creek drainages run north-south and serve as natural travel corridors; South Pawnee and North Pawnee creeks are perennial features.

Dipper Gap and North Pawnee Pass provide minor breaks in the otherwise featureless terrain. Buttes like Billy Goat Hill and The Rocks offer vantage points for glassing the surrounding grassland.

Elevations range narrowly between 3,852 and 5,092 feet across completely flat to gently rolling terrain—the lowest country in the state. Vegetation is predominantly short-grass prairie with scattered ponderosa pine and cottonwood concentrated in drainages like the Pawnee, Brush, and Wild Horse creeks. Open grassland dominates the landscape with only sparse forest cover, creating expansive vistas broken by creek bottoms and occasional buttes like Flat Top and Kirchnavy.

This is semi-arid country where moisture availability limits vegetation growth to hardy grasses and drought-adapted species.

Over 1,000 miles of roads crisscross the unit, creating a well-connected network that extends from Sterling and Peetz throughout the plains. This accessibility means pressure can spread across the landscape rather than concentrate in a few bottlenecks. However, substantial private land ownership limits where hunters can actually hunt despite road connectivity.

Most public access concentrates around reservoir areas and wildlife management lands. The straightforward, gentle terrain means even average hunters can cover ground efficiently, which intensifies competition during seasons. Early-season and off-peak timing help avoid the highways and populated areas.

Unit 89 spans portions of Weld and Logan Counties in northeastern Colorado's high plains, bounded north by the Nebraska state line and south by Highway 14. The eastern boundary follows Highway 113 and US 138, while Highway 71 marks the western edge. This positioning places the unit squarely in the dryland agriculture zone where irrigation infrastructure dominates the landscape. The area encompasses roughly 1,200 square miles of plains country with minimal relief, sitting well below the mountains that define most of Colorado's hunting culture.

Natural water is scarce on this semi-arid plains unit. The Pawnee Creek system (north and south branches) represents the primary drainage with year-round flow, while Brush, Cottonwood, Twomile, Horsetail, Spring, and Wild Horse creeks flow seasonally. Man-made irrigation infrastructure—Sterling Lateral ditches, Springdale Ditch, and numerous reservoirs—provides dependable water sources but primarily serves agricultural operations.

Springs like Antelope, Dipper, Blood, and Willow exist but may be unreliable during dry periods. Water strategy should center on the main creek corridors and established reservoirs rather than expecting natural seeps.

Unit 89 holds elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, pronghorn, moose, mountain lion, and bear, though elk and moose are limited. Mule deer and white-tailed deer thrive in the creek-bottom cottonwoods and grassland edges, accessible via the drainage systems. Pronghorn use the open prairie and respond well to glassing from buttes and ridges.

Early season favors creek-bottom hunting when deer congregate near water; rut timing focuses on cottonwood draws where bucks concentrate. Private land negotiations are essential—the unit's hunting value depends heavily on permission. Focus effort on underutilized drainages away from reservoir access points and roads.