Colorado GMU 2 Mule Deer Hunting
Moffat County, northwest Colorado · 1,194 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 2 is like
Unit 2 stretches across 1,194 square miles of northwestern Colorado in Moffat County, ranging from 5,100 feet to 9,000 feet in elevation with a typical elevation around 6,600 feet. The terrain is predominantly gentle and rolling, with 71 percent of the unit in gentle terrain, 23 percent moderate, 5 percent steep, and 1 percent rugged. The landscape offers a mix of BLM land, State Wildlife Areas, and private holdings interspersed throughout.
Approximately 79 percent of the unit, or roughly 948 square miles, is generally open to public hunting on BLM and State Wildlife Areas. An additional 4.6 percent consists of Colorado State Trust Land where access depends on CPW enrollment in the Public Access Program. The remaining public land includes 8.1 percent managed by the National Park Service where hunting is prohibited. Private land comprises 7.9 percent of the unit. A hunter planning to access this unit should verify specific road conditions and trailhead availability before committing to a hunt here.
Winter Range covers 89 percent of the unit and Winter Concentration occupies 18 percent, indicating substantial mule deer presence through the colder months. Summer Range spans 71 percent of the unit, with Migration Corridors covering 5 percent. As the season progresses through fall, mule deer typically shift toward Winter Concentration areas as conditions favor consolidation, though the extent and timing of any such shift varies with weather and snow.
The unit offers four seasons: Archery from September 2 through September 30 for bucks, Muzzleloader from September 12 through September 20 for bucks, 2nd Rifle from October 24 through November 1 for bucks, and 3rd Rifle from November 7 through November 15 for bucks. Draw difficulty for the easiest qualifying unit-wide buck hunt available to adult Colorado residents is rated Hard at 3 to 5 preference points. Overall hunter pressure on the unit is low. Weather cools markedly across the fall, from September highs near 73 degrees Fahrenheit to November highs near 44 degrees, with minimal precipitation in early months and roughly 4 inches of average snowfall in November.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 5,100–9,000 ft, typically around 6,600 ft
- Steepness
- Gentle — mean slope 8.6°
- Slope breakdown
- 71% gentle · 23% moderate · 5% steep · 1% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~948 sq mi, plus ~55 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About 79% of GMU 2 is public land a hunter can count on — BLM and State Wildlife Areas. A further 5% is State Trust Land, which is huntable only where CPW has enrolled it. Another 8% is public but closed to hunting — National Park Service.
- BLM78%
- State Wildlife Area1%
- State Trust Land5%
- National Park Service8%
- Private8%
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 2 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%.
- 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
- Winter Range89%used in winter
- Summer Range71%used in summer
- Winter Concentration18%where mule deer bunch up in winter
- Migration Corridors5%movement between ranges, not residence
Mule Deer seasons & weapons (2026)
| Season | Dates | Tags offered |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | September 2 – September 30 | Buck |
| Muzzleloader | September 12 – September 20 | Buck |
| 2nd Rifle | October 24 – November 1 | Buck |
| 3rd Rifle | November 7 – November 15 | Buck |
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.
Fall weather
- September — highs around 73°F, lows around 43°F (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 59°F, lows around 32°F, about 0.8 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 44°F, lows around 21°F, about 4 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 2 mule deer hunting FAQ
Can a hunter with zero preference points draw a buck tag here?
No. The easiest unit-wide buck hunt for adult residents requires 3 to 5 preference points, and this rating reflects the lowest preference-point tier that drew reliably. Applicants with zero points should not expect to draw any buck opportunity on this unit.
Is the early seasons better for glassing and spotting, or does hunting pressure concentrate later?
Archery and Muzzleloader seasons fall in the Velvet Shed and Early Fall Transition period when bucks are shedding velvet, becoming nocturnal, and beginning to move. The 2nd Rifle season spans Early Fall Migration and Early Pre-Rut staging, while 3rd Rifle runs through the Primary Rut. Early season hunters benefit from shorter ranges and lighter pressure, while later rifle seasons coincide with more predictable buck behavior and consolidation.
How much of this unit can a public-land hunter actually access?
Approximately 79 percent of the unit is generally open on BLM and State Wildlife Areas, plus roughly 4.6 percent of State Trust Land if enrolled in the Public Access Program. Private land comprises 7.9 percent and NPS ground is closed to hunting. A hunter should verify current road access and trailhead conditions, as ownership alone does not guarantee easy entry.
Where do mule deer concentrate on this unit, and how does that shift through the fall?
Winter Concentration covers 18 percent of the unit where mule deer cluster during the winter period. As fall progresses and winter range becomes available across the 89 percent of the unit mapped as Winter Range, deer typically consolidate toward concentrated-use areas, though timing and extent depend on weather and snow.
Is this unit steep and technical, or can an average hiker cover ground here?
Unit 2 is gentle and rolling overall, with 71 percent gentle terrain and only 6 percent steep or rugged combined. This terrain should be accessible to an average hiker on foot, though specific drainages and approaches may vary in difficulty.
What is the draw difficulty label really telling me, and what does it not cover?
The Hard rating at 3 to 5 points describes the easiest unit-wide buck hunt available to adult Colorado residents in the primary draw. The unit also holds at least one premium buck season requiring substantially more points, and nonresident applicants may face different requirements. The rating reflects the floor for entry, not all opportunities on the unit.
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.