Colorado GMU 11 Mule Deer Hunting
Moffat and Rio Blanco counties, northwest Colorado · 610 sq mi
Based on the EASIEST unit-wide buck or either-sex hunt code available to adult Colorado residents in the 2026 primary draw — the lowest preference-point tier that drew reliably. Private-land-only and Ranching for Wildlife hunts are excluded because neither is a unit-wide public-land opportunity — NOT because the public cannot draw them. A private-land-only license requires the hunter's own permission to hunt private ground; a Ranching for Wildlife license is valid on the participating ranches enrolled in that program. They are separate systems. Other weapons, seasons and nonresident applicants can require substantially more points. The band is a floor, not a target: even the easiest qualifying hunt here sits in that range.
What hunting GMU 11 is like
GMU 11 spans 610 square miles in Moffat and Rio Blanco counties in Colorado's northwest region and sits between 5,500 and 8,300 feet elevation. The terrain is rolling, with some steeper breaks: 62 percent of the unit is gentle slope, 29 percent moderate, and 9 percent steep. The landscape supports seasonal mule deer use across its full extent, with concentration areas marking where bucks and does cluster in winter.
Roughly 64 percent of the unit—approximately 387 square miles—is open to public hunting and managed by the Bureau of Land Management and Colorado Parks and Wildlife as State Wildlife Areas. Private land makes up about 33 percent of the unit. An additional 3.7 percent is Colorado State Trust Land; access to those parcels depends on enrollment in CPW's Public Access Program and cannot be assumed. Public ownership of the unit totals about 67 percent, though much of that reflects the managed open ground already described.
Mule deer occupy the unit across all mapped seasonal ranges, with 100 percent of the unit covered by winter range and overall range mapping. Summer range covers 99 percent of the unit. Winter concentration areas make up 47 percent of the unit, marking zones where deer cluster as temperatures drop and snow accumulates. Migration corridors cover 32 percent of the unit. Hunters should expect bucks to shift behavior through the fall as the season advances, moving from bachelor patterns in early autumn through nocturnal phases in October and into the rut in mid- to late November.
The unit offers eight mule deer seasons. Archery runs September 2 to September 30 and is either-sex. Muzzleloader runs September 12 to September 20 as a doe/buck hunt. Four rifle seasons follow: 2nd Rifle October 24 to November 1, 3rd Rifle November 7 to November 15, and 4th Rifle November 18 to November 22, all as doe/buck hunts except 4th Rifle, which is buck-only. A separate Other Rifle season runs November 18 to November 22 as a doe-only hunt. A private-land-only season runs October 24 to November 22. Ranching for Wildlife tags are also available but have no published dates. Draw difficulty is easy and often requires zero preference points for the most accessible unit-wide either-sex or buck hunts available to adult Colorado residents. Hunter pressure on the unit is moderate.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 5,500–8,300 ft, typically around 6,300 ft
- Steepness
- Moderate — mean slope 10.5°
- Slope breakdown
- 62% gentle · 29% moderate · 9% steep · 0% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~387 sq mi, plus ~23 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About 64% of GMU 11 is public land a hunter can count on — BLM and State Wildlife Areas. A further 4% is State Trust Land, which is huntable only where CPW has enrolled it.
- BLM61%
- State Wildlife Area2%
- State Trust Land4%
- National Park Service<1%
- Private33%
Colorado State Trust Land is open to public hunting only where it is enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program. Check current enrollment before planning around it.
Where mule deer live in the unit
Colorado Parks & Wildlife maps mule deer seasonal ranges statewide. This is how much of GMU 11 each range covers — the single best clue to whether mule deer are here in September, in November, or only passing through. The layers overlap, so they do not add to 100%.
- Winter Range100%used in winter
- Overall Range100%the full extent of range CPW maps for mule deer — near 100% on most units, and not a statement about when mule deer are present
- Summer Range99%used in summer
- Winter Concentration47%where mule deer bunch up in winter
- Migration Corridors32%movement between ranges, not residence
Mule Deer seasons & weapons (2026)
| Season | Dates | Tags offered |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | September 2 – September 30 | Either-sex |
| Muzzleloader | September 12 – September 20 | Doe, Buck |
| 2nd Rifle | October 24 – November 1 | Doe, Buck |
| 3rd Rifle | November 7 – November 15 | Doe, Buck |
| 4th Rifle | November 18 – November 22 | Buck |
| Other Rifle | November 18 – November 22 | Doe |
| Private-land only | October 24 – November 22 | Either-sex |
| Ranching for Wildlife | Dates vary by hunt code | Either-sex, Doe |
Dates span every hunt code of that type in this unit and can differ by code. Confirm the current brochure with Colorado Parks & Wildlife before applying.
GMU 11 mule deer hunting FAQ
Is this unit realistic for a hunter with no preference points?
Yes. Draw difficulty on GMU 11 is easy and often requires zero preference points for the most accessible unit-wide buck or either-sex hunts available to an adult Colorado resident. This floor applies to the primary draw; other seasons, weapons, and nonresident applicants may require substantially more points.
How much public ground can a hunter actually access here?
Approximately 387 square miles (64 percent of the unit) is open to public hunting on BLM and State Wildlife Areas. An additional 3.7 percent is State Trust Land, but access depends on enrollment in CPW's Public Access Program and cannot be assumed. Public ownership is not the same as easy entry; roads, trailheads, private inholdings, and seasonal closures still apply.
Is this unit better suited to early or late season?
Archery and muzzleloader hunts occur in early September, during the velvet-shed and early fall transition phase when bucks are still in bachelor patterns. Rifle seasons span October through November, with the 3rd and 4th Rifle seasons falling during the primary rut in mid- to late November. The choice depends on whether a hunter prefers early-season conditions or hunting during the rut.
Where do mule deer concentrate in this unit?
Winter concentration areas cover 47 percent of the unit, but the mapping shows only how much ground is concentrated use—not where that ground is located. Migration corridors cover 32 percent of the unit, marking zones where deer move through the fall as they shift toward winter range.
How steep is the terrain, and is it manageable on foot?
The unit is rolling with some steeper breaks: 62 percent gentle, 29 percent moderate, and 9 percent steep. Most of the terrain should be manageable for hunters on foot, though steep pockets will require fitness and preparation. Elevation spans 5,500 to 8,300 feet.
Will deer distribution shift as the season progresses into winter?
Hunters should expect bucks to shift behavior and position through the fall. Winter concentration areas cover 47 percent of the unit, indicating that deer cluster significantly as the season advances and snow accumulates. Timing and extent of that shift vary with weather and snow conditions.
Data sources & methodology
- Colorado Parks & Wildlife — Big Game hunting — seasons, weapons, hunt codes and license types
- CPW — Primary Draw rules — how preference points and the hybrid draw work
- CPW — Deer statistics, draw recap and Drawn Out At reports — the point levels behind the draw-difficulty bands
- CPW — Secondary Draw — licenses remaining after the primary draw
- CPW — Maps and GIS (Species Activity Mapping) — mule deer seasonal range
- CPW — State Trust Land Finder — which State Trust acreage is enrolled and open to public hunting
- Federal and state land-ownership datasets — land ownership and access
- NOAA climate normals — fall weather
Draw difficulty is a qualitative band, not published odds — the note under the summary above states exactly which hunt code it describes. 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.