This large unit is found in west-central Colorado and features a wide array of terrain types. This unit is largely private ground but some good public hunting opportunities can be found in the higher elevation areas. Most of the lower-lying elevation areas will consist of private and will also make up a majority of the wintering habitat. Late-season hunts can be tough due to access restrictions. With the large amount of private land some bucks and bulls can grow to large size.

This unit offers great opportunities for backpack hunters, particularly during the early season. Hunting conditions can be great during the late seasons but difficulty in finding accessible public land can be a challenge.

Part of the world’s largest flat-top mountain, the Grand Mesa, is within this unit. Dense conifer forests cover much of the terrain, including steep ridges and valleys that run all the way to timberline. At lower elevations, aspens and oakbrush hills and ridges offer stunning vistas, providing ideal glassing sites. Big ranches, many of them irrigated, lead up to the mountains in the western part of the unit.

High elevations consist of dense conifer forests up to treeline with scattered parks filled with high grass and cut by streams. There is some high elevation tundra on this unit. Low elevations contains Pines that disperse into aspen forests, large parks and scrub oak and sagebrush.

This unit is accessed by a network of forest service roads from Highway 133 on the south side of McClure Pass. You can head north from Hotchkiss to hunt the southern part of the unit.

Most of Unit 521 is comprised of National Forest land with many places to camp along both major paved highways and dirt or gravel county roads. Several sites near reservoirs have bathrooms that are maintained by the state. Hotels and motels are in Paonia, Carbondale, Glenwood Springs, Hotchkiss, Montrose and Grand Junction. Cabins, lodges and bed and breakfasts are available at some locations.