West Carter Mountain STL: hunting rules and access
West Carter Mountain STL is 2,360 acres of State Trust Land in Grand County, Colorado, in game management unit 181. CPW lists big game and small game for it, and its rules for the property run to 4 lines: 2 on its page for the property and 2 in its regulations.
| Kind | State Trust Land |
|---|---|
| County | Grand |
| Game management unit | 181 |
| Size | 2,360 acres |
| Coordinates | 40.2880, -106.4402 (middle of the boundary CPW maps) |
| Map | Open West Carter Mountain STL on the map |
| Among CPW properties in unit 181 | 2nd largest of 6 by the acres on CPW's pages, 19% of their 12,178 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
Big game, Small game.
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
- a. Motor vehicles restricted to Chimney Rock Rd. unless posted.
- b. Camping, fires allowed within 300 feet of Chimney Rock Rd. (CR 27/USFS Rd. 103) as posted.
In CPW's regulations
- a. Motorized vehicles are restricted to Chimney Rock Road unless posted otherwise.
- b. Camping and campfires are allowed within 300 feet of Chimney Rock road (CR 27/FS 103) as posted.
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 West Carter Mountain 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 181, around West Carter Mountain STL
- Elk in unit 181, 2024: 1,462 hunters in all seasons took 205 elk, 14% success (2023: 6% from 1,750 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 1,080 hunters, 18%. Unit 181 elk by season
- Deer in unit 181, 2024: 159 hunters in all seasons took 43 deer, 27% success (2023: 9% from 432 hunters). The rifle seasons alone: 133 hunters, 32%. Unit 181 deer by season
- Unit 181: 182 square miles in Grand County, 17.3% national forest and 30.8% BLM land, from 7,400 to 11,000 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 181
| Season | 2026 dates | Legal shooting light here, opening day | Elk codes | Deer codes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st rifle | Oct 14 to Oct 18 | 6:46 AM to 6:57 PM | E-E-018-O1-R either-sex E-F-018-O1-R cow | |
| 2nd rifle | Oct 24 to Nov 1 | 6:56 AM to 6:43 PM | E-F-018-O2-R cow E-F-181-O2-R cow E-M-000-U2-R bull | D-F-027-O2-R doe D-M-027-O2-R buck |
| 3rd rifle | Nov 7 to Nov 15 | 6:12 AM to 5:26 PM | E-F-018-O3-R cow E-F-181-O3-R cow E-M-000-U3-R bull | D-F-027-O3-R doe D-M-027-O3-R buck |
| 4th rifle | Nov 18 to Nov 22 | 6:25 AM to 5:16 PM | E-E-018-O4-R either-sex E-F-018-O4-R cow E-F-181-O4-R cow | D-M-018-O4-R buck D-M-027-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 181 elk, unit 181 deer.
Nearest CPW properties to West Carter Mountain STL
| Property | Distance | Direction | Mapped acres | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Carter Mountain STL | 1.7 miles | east | 1,796 | 181 |
| Carter Creek STL | 2.4 miles | south-east | 1,274 | 181 |
| Antelope Creek STL | 3.1 miles | east | 1,191 | 181 |
| Middle Carter (Gunsight) STL | 3.3 miles | south-east | 5,452 | 181 |
| Milk Creek STL | 5.2 miles | west | 11,034 | 27 |
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 181
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.