Quick Tips
- Carry a winch and four tire chains in case of snow or mud
- Be prepared to pack out your game
- Hike in the dark to likely hunting spots to find bulls or big bucks
- Expect to see bears in September
| species | general Size | trophy potential |
|---|---|---|
| Mule Deer | 150"-170" | 170"+ |
| Elk | 280"-310" | 320"+ |
On The Ground
This unit draws a great deal of attention because it shares the Uncompahgre Plateau with Unit 61, which is famous for producing high success rates on big mule deer and elk. Though Unit 62 doesn’t produce nearly as many big bulls and bucks as 61, it offers healthy numbers and tags are much easier to get.
Deer grow big in this country, but hunting pressure is heavy enough that few of them live long enough to grow large antlers. The steep, remote canyons hold a few great bulls and bucks and there is good road access on top though many impassable roads in wet weather.
Terrain
The Uncompahgre Plateau is a flat-top mountain range that ranges mostly between 8,300 and 9,200 feet above sea level and stretches about 90 miles from the northwest to the southeast. The graveled Divide Road separates Unit 62 to the northeast and Unit 61 to the southwest. The highest point is 10,300-foot Horsefly Peak. The plateau drops into huge canyons, some of them ruggedly steep and overlooking lowlands from 4,500-5,500 feet in elevation.
Roughly 1,376 square miles
69.5% public land
Elevations from 4,500-10,300 feet
Vegetation
Low elevations: Sagebrush, some croplands and pastures, willows and cottonwoods. Middle elevations consist of pinyon and juniper forests with sage openings and a great deal of oakbrush, some of it dense and covering entire hillsides. Also cliffrose, bitterbrush and other browse plants favored by deer, occasionally firs and quaking aspen patches. High elevations consist of grassy parks surrounded by trees, usually firs and spruce and quaking aspen. Some aspen forests are several miles wide where the plateau stretches out from west to east.
Access
The Divide Road runs the length of the plateau and can be reached on the south end about 15 miles west of Ridgway and on the north end about five miles southeast of Grand Junction.
Much public road access on the plateau
Private lands block access to many canyons from below
A lot of ATV trails, no off-road riding allowed
Some roads become impassable with mud or snow
Snowstorms in October and November can strand hunters
Camping and Lodging
Most early season hunters camp along primitive roads on the plateau. During late seasons many hunters camp on BLM land below the mesa. There is lodging in some towns, such as Grand Junction, Delta and Montrose.
Iron Springs Campground closes in October
Divide Forks Campground closes in November
Some rangers in the area are strict when enforcing the campground rules.
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