Colorado GMU 22 Mule Deer Hunting
Rio Blanco and Garfield counties, northwest Colorado · 988 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 22 is like
GMU 22 spans 988 square miles of rolling to moderately steep terrain in Rio Blanco and Garfield counties. Elevation ranges from 5,400 feet to 8,900 feet, with a typical mid-elevation around 7,000 feet. The unit's terrain is 44 percent gentle, 43 percent moderate, and 13 percent steep. The country supports mule deer across a wide seasonal range, with Overall Range covering the full mapped extent of the unit.
Roughly 74 percent of the unit—733 square miles—is open to public hunting on BLM and State Wildlife Area ground. The remaining 26 percent is private land. Access and routing depend on specific entry points and the distribution of these land types across the unit; hunters should verify current access conditions before planning a trip.
Mule deer use the unit seasonally, with Winter Range covering 82 percent of the unit and Summer Range covering 59 percent. Winter Concentration ground, where mule deer cluster, makes up 31 percent of the unit. Migration Corridors cover 56 percent of the unit, indicating that movement occurs broadly across the area as deer shift between seasonal ranges. Hunters can expect mule deer to concentrate on specific ground during winter, with broader distribution on summer range and significant movement as seasons change.
The unit offers five seasons open to public applicants: Archery from September 2 to September 30 (either-sex); Muzzleloader from September 12 to September 20 (doe/buck); 2nd Rifle from October 24 to November 1 (doe/buck); 3rd Rifle from November 7 to November 15 (doe/buck); and 4th Rifle from November 18 to November 22 (buck). The archery and muzzleloader seasons occur during velvet shed and early fall transition. The 2nd Rifle season spans early fall migration and nocturnal buck phase into early pre-rut staging. The 3rd Rifle season covers early pre-rut staging and primary rut, while the 4th Rifle season falls entirely within the primary rut. A private-land-only season also runs October 24 to November 15. Hunter pressure is low, and the unit draws at easy difficulty—often at zero preference points for the easiest unit-wide either-sex code available to adult Colorado residents.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 5,400–8,900 ft, typically around 7,000 ft
- Steepness
- Steep — mean slope 13.5°
- Slope breakdown
- 44% gentle · 43% moderate · 13% steep · 0% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~733 sq mi
Habitat & cover
What actually grows here, by elevation. Each band adds to 100% on its own — these are shares of that band, not of GMU 22.
Lower elevations
- Sagebrush57%
- Conifer37%
- Other cover6%
Mid elevations
- Conifer53%
- Sagebrush40%
- Aspen3%
- Grass and meadow3%
- Other cover1%
Higher elevations
- Sagebrush44%
- Conifer28%
- Aspen27%
Cover classes from the USGS National Land Cover Database, split into elevation bands. “Other cover” is the remainder of the classification — bare ground, water, agriculture and developed land — and is left unnamed rather than guessed at.
Land & access
About 74% of GMU 22 is public land a hunter can count on — BLM and State Wildlife Areas.
- BLM70%
- State Wildlife Area4%
- Private26%
Where mule deer live in the unit
Colorado Parks & Wildlife maps mule deer seasonal ranges statewide. This is how much of GMU 22 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 Range82%used in winter
- Summer Range59%used in summer
- Migration Corridors56%movement between ranges, not residence
- Winter Concentration31%where mule deer bunch up in winter
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 |
| Private-land only | October 24 – November 15 | Either-sex |
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 72°F, lows around 44°F (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 59°F, lows around 33°F, about 1.3 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 45°F, lows around 22°F, about 5.5 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 22 mule deer hunting FAQ
Can a hunter with no preference points draw a public tag here?
Yes. The easiest unit-wide either-sex hunt for adult Colorado residents draws at zero preference points reliably, though other seasons and weapons can require substantially more points. Any applicant meeting residency and license requirements can enter the primary draw for the easier opportunities.
Which seasons fall during the rut?
The 3rd Rifle season (November 7–15) includes both early pre-rut staging and the primary rut. The 4th Rifle season (November 18–22) falls entirely within the primary rut. The archery and muzzleloader seasons occur during velvet shed before the rut begins.
How much public land can a hunter actually access and hunt?
Approximately 74 percent of the unit—733 square miles of BLM and State Wildlife Area—is open to public hunting. Private land covers the remaining 26 percent. Access across this public ground depends on specific trailheads, roads, and entry points, which hunters should confirm before planning a hunt.
Where do mule deer concentrate, and when?
Winter Concentration ground makes up 31 percent of the unit and represents areas where mule deer cluster during winter. This concentration does not describe a specific location or elevation band—only that one-third of the unit's area serves as winter concentration ground. Summer Range covers 59 percent of the unit, indicating broader distribution during the warmer months.
How does the weather change across the hunting season?
September sees highs around 72°F with minimal snowfall, dropping to lows around 43°F. October highs fall to 59°F with about 1.3 inches of average snowfall. By November, highs drop to 45°F and snowfall averages 5.5 inches monthly, making conditions progressively colder and snowier through the fall.
Is this unit realistic for a public-land-only hunter?
Yes. Approximately 74 percent of the unit—733 square miles on BLM and State Wildlife Area—is open to public hunting, and the unit draws at easy difficulty with low overall hunter pressure. A public applicant can realistically plan a hunt here and find ground to pursue, though specific access routes and conditions should be verified in advance.
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
- USGS / MRLC — National Land Cover Database — habitat and cover classes by elevation band
- 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
- USGS PAD-US — Protected Areas Database of the United States — land ownership and access
- Daymet daily climate, 1991–2020 (Oak Ridge National Laboratory) — 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 September 24, 2026.