Colorado GMU 24 Mule Deer Hunting
Rio Blanco and Garfield counties, northwest Colorado · 439 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 24 is like
GMU 24 spans 439 square miles across rolling to moderately steep country in Rio Blanco and Garfield counties in northwestern Colorado. Elevation ranges from 7,000 feet to 12,000 feet, with a typical mid-unit elevation near 9,800 feet. The terrain is composed of 44 percent gentle slopes, 40 percent moderate slopes, 14 percent steep slopes, and 2 percent rugged terrain by area. This mix creates varied hunting country that ranges from rolling foothills to broken upland basins.
The unit is approximately 93 percent open to public hunting, comprising National Forest and Bureau of Land Management land—roughly 407 square miles. Private land makes up the remaining 7.2 percent. The National Forest dominates the unit at 92 percent of total acreage, with BLM comprising the remaining 1 percent of public ground. Public ownership does not guarantee straightforward access, as roads, trailheads, and seasonal closures govern what ground a hunter can actually reach.
Mule deer occupy summer range across the entire unit, with summer range covering 100 percent of the total acreage. Winter range is mapped on approximately 1 percent of the unit. Migration corridors cover 4 percent. This distribution indicates that mule deer remain broadly distributed through the fall hunting season, with the heaviest concentration of winter-range use confined to a small portion of the unit. As the season advances from October into November, a hunter should expect mule deer to shift gradually toward lower-elevation terrain as snowfall accumulates.
The unit offers seven seasons total, six of which are open to public applicants. Archery runs September 2 to September 30 and is either-sex; Muzzleloader runs September 12 to September 20 and is doe or buck; Early Rifle runs September 5 to September 13 and is buck only. Three numbered rifle seasons follow: 2nd Rifle October 24 to November 1 (doe or buck), 3rd Rifle November 7 to November 15 (doe or buck), and 4th Rifle November 18 to November 22 (buck only). A private-land-only season runs October 24 to November 22. Early Rifle falls during the velvet-shed phase, while archery and muzzleloader occur as bucks shed velvet. The numbered rifle seasons span the period from early fall migration through the primary rut, with 4th Rifle occurring during primary rut. September temperatures average highs near 58°F and lows near 38°F with minimal snowfall, while October highs drop to the mid-40s and snowfall averages 10 inches, and November highs fall to the mid-30s with average snowfall exceeding 27 inches. The unit draws moderate overall hunter pressure. Draw difficulty is easy and often requires zero preference points for the easiest unit-wide either-sex or buck code available to adult Colorado residents, though other seasons and weapons may require substantially more points.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 7,000–12,000 ft, typically around 9,800 ft
- Steepness
- Steep — mean slope 14.2°
- Slope breakdown
- 44% gentle · 40% moderate · 14% steep · 2% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~407 sq mi
Land & access
About 93% of GMU 24 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest and BLM.
- National Forest92%
- BLM<1%
- State Wildlife Area<1%
- Private7%
Where mule deer live in the unit
Colorado Parks & Wildlife maps mule deer seasonal ranges statewide. This is how much of GMU 24 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
- Summer Range100%used in summer
- Migration Corridors4%movement between ranges, not residence
- Winter Range<1%used 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 |
| Early Rifle | September 5 – September 13 | Buck |
| Private-land only | October 24 – November 22 | 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 58°F, lows around 38°F, about 0.6 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 46°F, lows around 28°F, about 10 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 35°F, lows around 17°F, about 27.2 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 24 mule deer hunting FAQ
Can someone with zero preference points realistically draw a tag on this unit?
Yes. The easiest unit-wide either-sex or buck season here draws at zero points for adult Colorado residents in the primary draw. That baseline applies to the lowest preference-point tier that drew reliably; other seasons, weapons, and nonresident applicants require substantially more points. An applicant without points should verify current draw results to confirm which specific code qualifies.
Which seasons give a hunter the best chance at a buck in velvet?
Archery (September 2–30) and Early Rifle (September 5–13) both occur while bucks are in the velvet-shed phase. Muzzleloader (September 12–20) overlaps the same phase. These early seasons also align with bachelor-group behavior and occur before significant fall migration, which can shift where bucks concentrate.
How much of this unit's public land is actually accessible to a hunter on foot?
The unit is 93 percent National Forest and BLM, but ownership alone does not determine access. Roads, maintained trailheads, seasonal closures, and private inholdings all constrain where a hunter can legally reach. Checking specific access routes and current conditions with local Forest Service and BLM offices is essential before committing to hunt here.
Does this unit experience significant winter range pressure that pushes mule deer onto private ground as the season advances?
Winter range covers only about 1 percent of the unit, and mule deer are expected to shift toward lower elevations as snow accumulates through November. However, the broad summer-range coverage means much of the unit can hold deer throughout the fall. Whether that distribution shifts meaningfully toward private ground depends on weather and snow depth, which vary year to year.
Is the terrain here manageable for a hunter who prefers to cover ground on foot?
The unit's 44 percent gentle slopes and 40 percent moderate slopes provide substantial ground suitable for foot traffic, though 16 percent of the terrain is steep or rugged. A hunter can find walkable country, but the mix means terrain difficulty varies across the unit. Planning a route using detailed topographic maps before the hunt is prudent.
Does the rut hunting window here overlap significantly with the primary rut?
Yes. The 3rd Rifle season (November 7–15) straddles the transition into primary rut, and 4th Rifle (November 18–22) occurs entirely within the primary rut window. These later rifle seasons align with peak rut activity. Earlier archery and muzzleloader seasons occur months before rut, during the velvet-shed phase.
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.