Unit 391

Bear Creek Canyon and Turkey Creek Canyon provide major drainage corridors for navigation and travel. Dinosaur Ridge and Hogback offer prominent ridgelines useful for glassing lower country and orienting yourself within the unit. Summit markers like Mount Morrison, Independence Mountain, and Green Mountain serve as visual reference points from multiple vantage points.

Buell Lake, Huston Lake, and Sloan Lake mark water features in the upper sections, while numerous reservoirs and ditches indicate irrigation infrastructure throughout. Dix Saddle provides a notable gap for movement between drainage systems.

The unit spans low foothills to modest upper elevation, with terrain rising from valley floors around 5,200 feet to peaks near 9,100 feet. Vegetation transitions from sagebrush and grassland in lower sections to scattered ponderosa pine and Douglas-fir on slopes, with denser forest patches in canyon systems. The sparse overall forest coverage means open country dominates—ridgelines, grasslands, and exposed slopes where glassing works well.

Upper elevations support pine and aspen, but tree density remains light compared to high-country units. This is foothills country: rolling rather than steep, broken by drainages.

Extensive road networks throughout the unit create easy entry but also significant hunting pressure. Interstate 25 and Interstate 70 provide quick access from the Denver metro area, meaning this unit absorbs weekend pressure. County roads and forest service access points distribute hunters across the landscape, though terrain complexity prevents simple access everywhere.

The foothills topography means some canyon systems and steeper slopes see lighter traffic despite road proximity. This is a unit where early morning and midweek hunting advantage is pronounced—weekends bring crowds, while weekdays offer breathing room.

Unit 391 occupies the northern foothills of Jefferson County, bounded by Interstate 70 on the north and Interstate 25 on the east—major corridors that define accessibility. The southern boundary follows Colorado 470, Deer Creek Canyon Road, South Turkey Creek Road, and U.S. 285, while the western edge traces CR 73 and Colorado 74. This arrangement creates a moderate-sized unit caught between Denver's sprawl and higher foothill country. The unit represents a transition zone where plains meet mountains, with a network of small communities scattered throughout including Golden, Genesee, and Indian Hills.

Bear Creek, Willow Creek, Turkey Creek, and Big Dry Creek form the primary drainage network, flowing generally eastward toward the plains. Bear Creek Canyon and Turkey Creek Canyon are major systems that concentrate elk and deer movement. Water reliability is moderate—these creeks run year-round in most sections, though lower portions may diminish in late season.

Numerous reservoirs and irrigation ditches (Pioneer Union Ditch, Ward Canal, Warrior Canal) provide supplemental water throughout, making the unit less dependent on natural springs than higher country units. Canyon bottoms offer both water and cover.

Unit 391 supports elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, pronghorn, moose, and black bear, with habitat varying by elevation and drainage. Lower grasslands and sagebrush attract pronghorn and mule deer, while canyon systems and forested slopes hold elk and white-tails. Early season finds elk in high parks and ridges; rut period concentrates bulls in drainage bottoms and accessible canyons.

Deer season pressure is heavy, so focus on steeper canyon terrain and upper ridges where most hunters don't venture. Bear populations are present but dispersed. Water sources concentrate game, particularly late season when surface water diminishes.

Success requires avoiding pressure corridors and using canyon terrain strategically.