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
Unit 24 covers 439 square miles of northwestern Colorado across Rio Blanco and Garfield counties, spanning from 7,000 feet to 12,000 feet in elevation with typical terrain around 9,800 feet. The country is rolling to moderately steep, with 44% gentle slopes, 40% moderate slopes, 14% steep slopes, and 2% rugged terrain. This mix allows foot travel across much of the unit, though elevation and scattered steep sections will test endurance during a fall hunt.
The unit is 93% open to public hunting on National Forest and BLM ground, with the remaining 7.2% in private ownership. The National Forest comprises the vast majority of public land, with BLM making up a smaller share. A hunter can count on accessing roughly 407 square miles of public ground, though roads, trailheads and private inholdings within the public area will govern actual entry points.
Mule deer summer across the entire unit according to CPW's seasonal-range mapping. Winter range is mapped on 1% of the unit, and migration corridors cover 4%. This distribution means mule deer are present through the fall across the broader unit, with some animals moving through mapped corridors as seasons progress and temperatures drop.
The unit offers six public hunting seasons across three weapon types. Archery runs September 2–30 for either-sex hunting during the velvet-shed phase when bucks are still in early fall. Early Rifle runs September 5–13, also in the velvet-shed phase and buck-only. Muzzleloader runs September 12–20, overlapping early rifle and archery in the same phenological window. Three numbered rifle seasons follow: 2nd Rifle October 24–November 1, 3rd Rifle November 7–15, and 4th Rifle November 18–22. The 2nd and 3rd Rifle seasons span the early pre-rut and primary-rut phases as temperatures drop through October and November. The 4th Rifle season sits in the primary rut phase. A private-land-only season also runs October 24–November 22. Hunter pressure is moderate. The unit draws at easy difficulty, with the easiest unit-wide code often available at zero preference points to adult Colorado residents, though other seasons and nonresident applicants require substantially more points, and at least one premium buck season is far more competitive.
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
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 24.
Lower elevations
- Aspen51%
- Conifer28%
- Sagebrush14%
- Grass and meadow3%
- Other cover2%
- Riparian2%
Mid elevations
- Conifer49%
- Aspen23%
- Sagebrush23%
- Grass and meadow2%
- Riparian1%
Higher elevations
- Conifer51%
- Sagebrush37%
- Riparian6%
- Grass and meadow4%
- Aspen1%
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 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 a hunter with no preference points draw a tag here?
Yes. The easiest unit-wide buck or either-sex code reliably draws at zero points for adult Colorado residents in the primary draw. Other seasons, weapon types, and nonresident applicants require more points, and at least one premium buck season is considerably more competitive.
Is this unit better suited to archery or rifle?
Archery and muzzleloader overlap in early September during the velvet-shed phase when bucks are still in bachelor groups, while rifle seasons span October through late November as animals move and the primary rut arrives. Neither season has an inherent advantage; the choice depends on the hunter's weapon preference and tolerance for early-season conditions versus colder November hunting.
How much elevation and terrain variation should a hunter expect to cover?
The unit spans 5,000 vertical feet and is rolling to moderately steep, with gentle and moderate slopes making up 84% of the terrain by area. A hunter on foot can cover a wide range of elevations and aspects across public ground, though scattered steep sections and the 9,800-foot typical elevation mean a reasonable level of fitness helps.
What should a hunter expect weather-wise across the season?
September highs average around 58°F with minimal snowfall, October cools to 46°F highs with 10 inches of average monthly snowfall, and November drops to 35°F highs with heavy snow averaging 27 inches monthly. The season cools steadily, and late-season rifle hunts often occur in winter conditions.
Does most of the unit sit on public ground?
Yes, approximately 93% of the unit is open to public hunting on National Forest and BLM land. Private ground comprises about 7.2% and is scattered throughout, so a hunter should scout access points and confirm they are on public land before hunting.
When is the primary rut here, and which seasons overlap it?
The primary rut runs November 11–25. The 3rd Rifle season (November 7–15) captures the early pre-rut staging and the opening of the primary rut, while the 4th Rifle season (November 18–22) sits entirely within the primary rut. Earlier seasons fall in the velvet-shed and early fall migration phases.
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.