How to identify it
Total length 309-373 mm; tail 39-68 mm, much shorter than other prairie dogs. [1][2]
Yellowish-buff coat mixed with blackish hairs; darker top of head, cheeks and eyebrows. [1][2]
Tail base matches the back, distal half grayish with grayish-white hairs at the tip. [1][2]
Compared with the white-tailed prairie dog: Pure white distal tail hairs versus grayish-white on Gunnison's. [1][2]
Species it is confused with
Check these before deciding what you are looking at. If you are not certain what it is, do not shoot.
- White-tailed prairie dog · Cynomys leucurus
Where it lives
Gently sloping grasslands and semi-desert and montane shrublands at 4,600-12,000 ft. [1][2]
How it behaves
Colonies often small, under 50-100 animals, in territories of one adult male, one or more females and young [1][2]
Where it is listed for legal take
These authorities list this species for legal take in their own regulations.
Where legal take is listed
- Arizona — hunting · 2026-2027 Arizona Hunting Regulations
- Colorado — hunting, trapping · 2 CCR 406-3 Chapter W-3 Furbearers and Small Game, Except Migratory Birds (07/16/2026; eff. 2026-09-01)
- New Mexico — hunting · NMDOW Nongame
- Utah — hunting, other regulated take · Utah Admin. Code R657-19 Taking of Nongame Mammals
- Wyoming — hunting, other regulated take · WGFD FAQ: What do I need to hunt prairie dogs in Wyoming? (2023)
Being listed is not an open season. Seasons, zones, licences, methods and limits decide whether this animal may be taken on a given day and place — check Hunt or the authority before you go. Listings read 2026-09-30.
Where it is found
Central Colorado to central Arizona, including part of southeastern Utah and much of northwestern New Mexico.
Sources
Every claim above is attributed to one of these published sources.
NatureServe · reviewed 2026-09-30
NatureServe
University of Michigan Museum of Zoology · reviewed 2026-09-30
University of Michigan Museum of Zoology