I'm to old and fragile for skiing with the extended family so...Title covers it well, not afraid to travel 75+ miles in any direction, especially if pheasant is a possibility on public land?  What are the odds of calling in coyotes, bobcats, or fox in national forest in this vicinity?  All information welcomed, good info. greatly appreciated.

I'm not a hunter, but from Durango, I'd be thinking Boggy Draw area near Dolores, Mancos area, or North of Durango towards the passes (Coal Bank, Molas) on the way to Silverton.

I think you'd need snowshoes or telemark skis, though, for either of these areas.  Unless you like post-holing.

Thanks for the reply, I'm watching it snow at the moment.  I got a friendly pm from an awesome arfcom'r familiar with this area who is pointing me in some hopefully productive directions.  I had to leave the rental to find good phone signal and was checked on by a local resident (for auto trouble) while pulled over on the side of a county road in a spot where I found it.  Friendly, helpful people in CO.  I'll likely be content to sit indoors while this white stuff is raining down.