Colorado Mule Deer Hunting by Unit

Colorado mule deer range from the eastern plains to the alpine basins of the Western Slope, across roughly 185 Game Management Units. Every mule deer license is a limited license — there is no over-the-counter mule deer tag — so the unit you apply for decides the hunt: how long the wait is, how much of the ground you can legally set foot on, and whether deer are there in the season you drew.

How the Colorado mule deer draw works

Colorado's primary draw generally awards limited licenses by preference-point priority: every year you apply and miss your first choice you bank a point, and points stack toward a guaranteed draw rather than buying extra lottery tickets. That makes Colorado unusually predictable — for most units you can look at the point level that drew last year and know roughly where you stand. Certain high-demand hunt codes also run a hybrid draw, which gives applicants with fewer points a second-chance shot at the most sought-after tags.

Most eligible licenses left after the primary draw go into the secondary draw in June. Preference points are neither used nor awarded there, though youth applicants receive priority. Licenses still available after that round appear on the Leftover List. They remain limited licenses and are sold first-come, first-served. Colorado sells no over-the-counter mule deer tag at all — the over-the-counter deer license CPW offers is for white-tailed deer. A hunter with zero points is not shut out of Colorado; they simply hunt different units and seasons than a hunter with ten.

Mule deer seasons split by weapon and by region. Mountain units run an archery season and a muzzleloader season in September, then numbered rifle seasons through the autumn — deer generally join at the second rifle season rather than the first. The eastern plains run their own structure entirely, with a Plains Early Rifle season in late October and a Plains Late Rifle season in December. The unit pages below list the seasons each unit actually offers rather than assuming the mountain pattern.

Drawing the tag is only half of it. The mule deer rut falls in mid-to-late November, which is why the later rifle seasons hunt very different animals from the September archery hunt, and why a unit that holds deer all summer can look empty once they shift. Each unit page shows how much of that unit Colorado Parks & Wildlife maps as summer range, winter range or migration corridor — and how much of the ground a public-land hunter can actually set foot on, which is not the same as how much of it is publicly owned.

Hunting a different animal in the same country? See the Colorado elk unit guides.

Every Colorado mule deer unit (185 published)

Northwest Colorado

Big public-land units, high sage and oak basins rising into dark timber.

GMU 1Moffat CountyHard — 3–5 pointsGMU 2Moffat CountyHard — 3–5 pointsGMU 3Moffat CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 4Moffat and Routt countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 5Moffat and Routt countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 6Jackson CountyModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 7Larimer CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 8Larimer CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 10Moffat and Rio Blanco countiesHard — 3–5 pointsGMU 11Moffat and Rio Blanco countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 12Moffat, Routt and Rio Blanco countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 13Moffat and Routt countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 14Routt and Grand countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 15Routt, Grand and Eagle countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 16Jackson CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 17Jackson CountyModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 18Grand CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 21Rio Blanco and Garfield countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 22Rio Blanco and Garfield countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 23Rio Blanco and Garfield countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 24Rio Blanco and Garfield countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 25Garfield and Eagle countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 26Eagle, Garfield and Routt countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 27Grand and Routt countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 28Grand CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 30Garfield and Mesa countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 31Mesa, Garfield and Rio Blanco countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 32Garfield CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 33Garfield and Rio Blanco countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 34Garfield and Eagle countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 35Eagle CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 36Eagle and Grand countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 37Summit and Grand countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 39Jefferson, Clear Creek and Park countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 41Mesa and Delta countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 42Mesa and Garfield countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 43Garfield, Pitkin, Eagle and Gunnison countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 44Eagle CountyModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 47Eagle and Pitkin countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 131Routt and Rio Blanco countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 161Jackson CountyModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 171Jackson CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 181Grand CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 201Moffat CountyHard — 3–5 pointsGMU 211Moffat and Rio Blanco countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 214Routt CountyModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 231Routt, Rio Blanco and Garfield countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 301Moffat CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 361Eagle and Grand countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 371Summit CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 421Mesa and Garfield countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 431Pitkin CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 441Moffat and Routt countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 444Eagle, Garfield and Pitkin countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 471Pitkin CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 521Delta and Gunnison countiesEasy — often 0 points

Southwest Colorado

The San Juans and the mesa country: steep, high, and heavily forested, with long migrations off the peaks.

GMU 40Mesa CountyHard — 3–5 pointsGMU 52Delta and Gunnison countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 53Delta and Gunnison countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 54Gunnison CountyModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 55Gunnison CountyModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 60Mesa and Montrose countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 61Mesa, Montrose, Ouray and San Miguel countiesHard — 3–5 pointsGMU 62Delta, Mesa, Montrose and Ouray countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 63Delta, Gunnison and Montrose countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 64Delta and Montrose countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 65Gunnison, Hinsdale, Montrose and Ouray countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 66Gunnison, Hinsdale and Saguache countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 67Gunnison, Hinsdale and Saguache countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 68Saguache CountyModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 70Dolores, Montrose and San Miguel countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 71Dolores and Montezuma countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 72Montezuma CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 73Montezuma CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 74La Plata and San Juan countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 75La Plata and San Juan countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 76Hinsdale, Mineral and Rio Grande countiesVery hard — 6–9 pointsGMU 77Archuleta, Hinsdale, La Plata and Mineral countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 78Archuleta, Conejos, Mineral and Rio Grande countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 79Alamosa, Mineral, Rio Grande and Saguache countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 80Alamosa, Conejos, Mineral and Rio Grande countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 81Alamosa, Archuleta, Conejos and Rio Grande countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 82Alamosa and Saguache countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 86Fremont, Custer and Chaffee countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 411Mesa and Delta countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 681Saguache CountyModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 682Saguache CountyAntlerless onlyGMU 711Dolores, Montezuma and San Miguel countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 741La Plata CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 751Archuleta, Hinsdale, La Plata and San Juan countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 771Archuleta CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 791Alamosa, Mineral, Rio Grande and Saguache countiesModerate — 1–2 points

Central Colorado and the Front Range

Front Range foothills falling away into the plains, plus high country along the Continental Divide.

GMU 45Eagle and Pitkin countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 46Jefferson, Clear Creek and Park countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 48Lake and Chaffee countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 49Lake, Park and Chaffee countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 50Park CountyModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 51Douglas CountyModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 56Chaffee CountyModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 57Chaffee, Park and Fremont countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 58Fremont and Park countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 59Pueblo, Fremont, El Paso and Teller countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 104Denver, Adams, Arapahoe, Douglas and Elbert countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 110El Paso CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 118El Paso CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 123El Paso and Pueblo countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 461Jefferson and Park countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 481Chaffee CountyModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 500Park CountyModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 501Park and Jefferson countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 511Teller, El Paso and Park countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 512El Paso CountyPremium — 10–19 pointsGMU 551Gunnison and Saguache countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 561Chaffee and Saguache countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 581Park, Teller and Fremont countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 591Pueblo, Fremont and El Paso countiesModerate — 1–2 points

Northeast Colorado

Front Range and foothills units — closer to the cities, more private ground, more pressure.

GMU 9Larimer and Weld countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 19Larimer CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 20Larimer, Boulder and Weld countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 29Boulder, Jefferson and Gilpin countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 38Gilpin, Boulder, Clear Creek and Jefferson countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 87Larimer and Weld countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 88Weld CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 89Weld and Logan countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 90Logan and Sedgwick countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 91Sedgwick CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 92Logan and Sedgwick countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 93Logan, Segwick and Phillips countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 94Larimer, Adams and Weld countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 95Weld, Logan, Morgan and Washington countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 96Logan, Washington and Morgan countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 97Logan, Washington and Morgan countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 98Logan, Phillips, Yuma and Washington countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 99Weld, Morgan and Adams countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 100Washington and Morgan countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 101Washington and Yuma countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 102Washington and Yuma countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 103Yuma CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 105Adams, Arapahoe and Elbert countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 106Arapahoe, Elbert, Washington and Lincoln countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 107Washington, Lincoln and Kit Carson countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 109Washington, Yuma and Kit Carson countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 111Elbert, Lincoln and El Paso countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 112Lincoln CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 114Lincoln, Kit Carson and Cheyenne countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 115Kit Carson and Cheyenne countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 116Kit Carson and Cheyenne countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 117Kit Carson and Cheyenne countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 191Larimer CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 391Jefferson, Denver, Arapahoe and Douglas countiesEasy — often 0 points

Southeast Colorado

Southeastern mountains and canyon country, where public land comes in smaller, scattered blocks.

GMU 69Custer and Fremont countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 83Alamosa and Costilla countiesHard — 3–5 pointsGMU 84Custer, Fremont, Huerfano and Pueblo countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 85Huerfano and Las Animas countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 113Lincoln and Cheyenne countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 119El Paso and Lincoln countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 120Lincoln, Crowley and Kiowa countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 121Cheyenne, Lincoln and Kiowa countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 122Cheyenne and Kiowa countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 124Crowley and Pueblo countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 125Bent, Crowley, Kiowa and Otero countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 126Kiowa, Bent and Prowers countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 127Kiowa and Prowers countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 128Huerfano, Las Animas, Otero and Pueblo countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 129Crowley, Otero and Pueblo countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 130Otero and Bent countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 132Prowers CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 133Huerfano, Las Animas and Pueblo countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 134Las Animas and Pueblo countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 135Las Animas, Pueblo and Otero countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 136Las Animas CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 137Las Animas and Baca countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 138Baca CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 139Baca CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 140Las Animas CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 141Las Animas CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 142Las Animas CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 143Las Animas CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 144Baca CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 145Baca CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 146Bent and Prowers countiesEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 147Las Animas CountyEasy — often 0 pointsGMU 691Custer and Fremont countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 851Costilla and Las Animas countiesModerate — 1–2 pointsGMU 861Huerfano CountyModerate — 1–2 points

Data sources & methodology

Draw difficulty on the unit pages is a qualitative band describing the easiest unit-wide buck or either-sex hunt code for an adult Colorado resident — not published odds. Land shares are separate, non-overlapping categories: publicly owned is not the same as open to hunting, and State Trust Land is huntable only where CPW has enrolled it. Unit data last updated August 31, 2026.

Plan the whole application season

Hunt Plan carries draw odds by point level for every Colorado hunt code, point creep by year, harvest and hunter-pressure history, land-ownership and terrain map layers, and deadline tracking across Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and Idaho.

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