Quick Tips
- Waterfowl and pheasant hunting
- Lake McConaughy, Walleyes
- Pony Express Station, Julesburg
| species | general Size | trophy potential |
|---|---|---|
| Mule Deer | 140"-160" | 160"+ |
| Whitetail Deer | 140"-150" | 160"+ |
| Antelope | 60"-65" | 65"+ |
On The Ground
South Platte River dominates this unit as it flows east of Crook past Julesburg and across the Nebraska state line. Whitetails favor the river bottoms and croplands while mule deer bucks might be found near the irrigated crops.
Whitetails are the dominate species in this unit with some elk and antelope, though not many. Elk are transient and very few actually live within this unit. Try to time your hunt around rut activity and use maps to identify funnels, feeding and bedding areas. You can pay a trespass fee to hunt private land. The low number of tags issued means less hunting pressure.
Terrain
The South Platte River bottom is the central focus of this unit with numerous channels, sandbars and islands. There are some level fields of irrigated crops on the north and south sides of the river along with a few rolling hills near Interstate 76.
Roughly 58 square miles
4.8% public land
Elevations 3,550-3,800 feet
Vegetation
Majority of trees are cottonwoods and willows with some marsh grasses and cattails near small wooded islands.
Access
State lands may be reached by following County Road 1 to Red Lion Ranch, US Hwy 138 and Colorado Route 59 to Sedgwick Bar and County Road 28 to Pony Express. All state lands have posted parking areas. There are other county roads that lead to the South Platte River but river access may be blocked by private land. The unit boundaries are County Road 93 in the west, north by US Hwy 138, south along Interstate 76 and east by Nebraska line.
State Land acreage:
Red Lion Ranch – 200 acres
Sedgwick Bar – 885 acres
Pony Express – 1,850 acres
Camping and Lodging
Julesburg just off Interstate 76 and 80 has numerous motels, restaurants, gas and diesel and medical facilities. Along U.S. Highway 138 the towns of Ovid, Sedgwick and Crook might provide gas and restaurants. Best to check locally as these are small communities.
Historical Temperatures
High
Low
Moon Phases
March 2025
23
24
25
26
27
28
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
1
2
3
4
5