Unit 105

Key navigation features include Eagle Rock and Rocky Peak, which provide glassing vantage points across the open country. The Bijou Basin itself serves as the dominant geographic reference for the northern portion. Major drainages including Wilson Creek, Agate Creek, Key Creek, and West Kiowa Creek run through the unit, creating natural travel corridors and water collection points.

Sheep Spring and various gulches like Willow Gulch and Sixshooter Gulch mark subsidiary terrain features. The chain of detention reservoirs—Walter Burns, Frank Ehman, Shirley, and others—pinpoint water sources but are dispersed enough to require mapping before the hunt.

Terrain ranges from mid-elevation plains around 5,100 feet to foothills exceeding 7,200 feet, with most country falling between 5,500 and 6,000 feet. The landscape transitions from open grassland and sagebrush flats in the lower areas to scattered ponderosa pine and juniper on the rolling ridges and draws. Forest cover is sparse throughout—mostly isolated stands in drainages and north-facing slopes rather than continuous timber.

The country resembles high plains ranching terrain more than mountain wilderness, with gentle slopes, broad valleys, and wide-open glassing country. Vegetation includes native grasses, sage, and scattered brush in the basins, transitioning to ponderosa woodlands on elevated ground.

Fair road access via county roads and ranch routes supports moderate hunting pressure, though private land ownership significantly complicates access patterns. The 1,180 miles of road suggests a well-established county road network, but much of this crosses private property requiring landowner permission. Major routes like U.S. 36 and I-70 provide highway access to staging areas in nearby towns.

The relatively straightforward terrain attracts generalist hunters working public or permission-based private ground. Pressure likely concentrates along accessible ridges and near known water sources. Hunters willing to walk distance from public parcels and develop private landowner relationships can find quieter country.

GMU 105 covers the high plains transitioning to foothill country across Adams, Arapahoe, and Elbert counties northeast of Colorado Springs. The unit sits anchored by U.S. 36 to the north and I-70 to the east, with U.S. 24 forming the southern boundary near the Elbert-El Paso county line. The western boundary traces county roads and Forest Service land in the foothills near Colo. 86. This is working ranch and agricultural country, with scattered towns like Byers, Deer Trail, and Strasburg marking the landscape.

The Bijou Basin occupies the northern portion, characterized by open grasslands with rolling topography.

Water availability is limited and seasonal, requiring advance scouting. Perennial sources include Wilson Creek, Agate Creek, West Kiowa Creek, and Key Creek, though seasonal drawdown is typical. A network of detention reservoirs scattered across the unit provides supplemental water—notable reservoirs include Walter Burns, Frank Ehman, Shirley, Ball, and George Mason.

Sheep Spring and Reed Springs Creek offer additional options but may be unreliable during dry periods. The gulches holding seasonal water become critical during early season. Success depends on locating reliable sources before the hunt, as the open terrain offers little shade and animals concentrate near water.

GMU 105 supports elk, deer (both mule and white-tailed), pronghorn, and occasionally moose and mountain lion across its grassland and foothill habitat. Early season targets include mule deer on upper ridges and in scattered timber, with white-tailed deer favoring brushy drainages. Elk occupy the foothills and higher terrain, using ponderosa stands for cover and moving to grasslands for feed.

Pronghorn thrive in the open plains of the Bijou Basin. Glassing from elevated points works well given the open country, though hunters must then navigate private land to reach animals. Success hinges on securing access, locating reliable water, and understanding how animals move between foothills and open basin depending on season and pressure.