South Middle Creek STL: hunting rules and access
South Middle Creek STL is 585 acres of State Trust Land in Huerfano County, Colorado, in game management unit 85. CPW lists bear, deer, dusky (blue) grouse, elk, mountain lion and turkey for it, and its rules for the property run to 1 line: 0 on its page for the property and 1 in its regulations.
| Kind | State Trust Land |
|---|---|
| County | Huerfano |
| Game management unit | 85 |
| Size | 585 acres |
| Coordinates | 37.4808, -105.1585 (middle of the boundary CPW maps) |
| Map | Open South Middle Creek STL on the map |
| Acres inside the boundary CPW maps | 1,108, against 585 on CPW's page. Both are CPW's own figures, and they do not agree |
| Among CPW properties in unit 85 | 12th largest of 15 by the acres on CPW's pages, 1% of their 46,804 acres together |
| CPW's page read | October 8, 2026 |
State Trust Land is closed to the public unless CPW leases it, and this parcel is open only on the terms printed below. How the kinds of public land differ.
What CPW lists for hunting here
Bear, Deer, Dusky (blue) grouse, Elk, Mountain lion, Turkey.
A species on this list is one CPW names for the property. It still needs an open season, the right license for the unit, and nothing in the restrictions below against it on your dates.
Who may enter
Everyone age 16 years or older MUST have a valid hunting or fishing license to access a state trust land.
Restrictions on CPW's page for this property
None printed on the property's page.
In CPW's regulations
- a. Public access is prohibited from June 1 through August 31.
From CPW regulations, chapter W-9 (Wildlife Properties), 2 CCR 406-9, dated July 16, 2026.
Read it at the source before you go
The rules above are CPW's words, copied from CPW's page for South Middle Creek STL as it read on October 8, 2026 and from the regulations for CPW properties. CPW can change them or close the property at any time, signs on the ground count, and a rule that names a season moves with that season each year.
Unit 85, around South Middle Creek STL
- Elk in unit 85, 2024: 2,875 hunters in all seasons took 614 elk, 21% success (2023: 18% from 2,931 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 1,621 hunters, 25%. Unit 85 elk by season
- Deer in unit 85, 2024: 763 hunters in all seasons took 351 deer, 46% success (2023: 53% from 833 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 620 hunters, 47%. Unit 85 deer by season
- Unit 85: 1,174 square miles in Huerfano and Las Animas Counties, 8.9% national forest and 3.6% BLM land, from 6,200 to 11,500 feet.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife survey estimates for the whole unit, private land included. They are not figures for this property, and whether elk or deer may be hunted here is in CPW's list above.
2026 elk and deer rifle hunt codes for unit 85
| Season | 2026 dates | Legal shooting light here, opening day | Elk codes | Deer codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st rifle | Oct 14 to Oct 18 | 6:38 AM to 6:55 PM | E-E-085-O1-R either-sex | |
| 2nd rifle | Oct 24 to Nov 1 | 6:48 AM to 6:41 PM | E-F-085-O2-R cow E-M-000-U2-R bull | D-M-085-O2-R buck |
| 3rd rifle | Nov 7 to Nov 15 | 6:02 AM to 5:26 PM | E-F-085-O3-R cow E-M-000-U3-R bull E-M-851-O3-R bull | D-M-085-O3-R buck |
| 4th rifle | Nov 18 to Nov 22 | 6:14 AM to 5:18 PM | E-E-085-O4-R either-sex E-F-085-O4-R cow E-M-851-O4-R bull | D-M-085-O4-R buck |
A code valid in the unit is not permission to hunt this property: the property's own list and restrictions decide that. Legal light is half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset at the coordinates above, on the Colorado clock; the state's printed table is the rule. Archery, muzzleloader, late and private-land codes are on the unit pages: unit 85 elk, unit 85 deer.
Nearest CPW properties to South Middle Creek STL
| Property | Distance | Direction | Mapped acres | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wahatoya SWA | 9.4 miles | east | 78 | 85 |
| Mountain Home Reservoir SWA | 13.4 miles | south-west | 1,061 | 83 |
| Guillermo Ranch STL | 13.7 miles | north-east | 2,112 | 85 |
| Bear Creek STL | 14.7 miles | east | 663 | 85 |
| Little Sheep Mountain STL | 15.6 miles | north | 663 | 85 |
Straight-line miles between the middles of the boundaries CPW maps, not road miles. A property can be much nearer at its edge.
More CPW properties in unit 85
Aguilar TV Hill STLBadito STLBlack Hawk STLBosque del Oso SWAMaitland STLNorth Lake SWASakariason STLSchultz Canyon STLSouth Gardner STLSpanish Peaks SWA - Dochter TractSpanish Peaks SWA - Oberosler TractSpanish Peaks SWA - Sakariason Tract
All 721 State Wildlife Areas and State Trust Lands
Have a tag for this fall?
A FilledTag plan checks the rules of any CPW property it uses against your species and your dates, and gives you one exact plan: where to park, camp and sit, with every pin checked against public land and road rules.