Colorado GMU 27 Mule Deer Hunting
Grand and Routt counties, northwest Colorado · 197 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 27 is like
GMU 27 spans 197 square miles across Grand and Routt counties in Colorado's northwestern region. Elevation ranges from 7,000 feet to 10,800 feet, with typical elevation near 8,600 feet. The terrain is rolling, with some steeper breaks: 61 percent of the unit is gentle, 36 percent is moderate, and 4 percent is steep or rugged. The landscape supports a mix of seasonal habitats across the fall hunting season.
Public hunting ground comprises about 41 percent of the unit (approximately 80 square miles) on National Forest and BLM land, both managed by federal agencies and generally open to hunting. An additional 15 percent (approximately 29 square miles) is Colorado State Trust Land, huntable only on parcels enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program; the extent of enrolled ground varies and should be confirmed before applying. Private land comprises about 45 percent of the unit, creating a landscape of intermixed ownership that requires careful route planning.
Mule deer use the unit seasonally across the fall. Summer Range covers 100 percent of the unit, establishing it as occupied from July through August. As seasons progress, mule deer concentrate for the rut and winter: Winter Range covers 36 percent of the unit, and Winter Concentration, marking areas of heavy clustering, covers 8 percent. Migration Corridors span 15 percent of the unit, indicating movement across portions of the landscape as deer shift between seasonal ranges. A hunter should expect deer to remain distributed across much of the unit through September and October but to concentrate increasingly on winter ground as November advances, with the exact timing and extent of that shift varying by weather.
The unit offers six seasons, five available to public-land applicants. Archery runs September 2 through September 30 for either-sex hunting during velvet shed. Muzzleloader runs September 12 through September 20 for doe and buck during velvet shed as well. Three rifle seasons follow: the 2nd Rifle from October 24 through November 1, the 3rd Rifle from November 7 through November 15, and the 4th Rifle from November 18 through November 22, taking place during early fall migration, pre-rut staging, and the primary rut. A private-land-only season runs October 24 through November 15. Draw difficulty for the easiest adult-resident unit-wide hunt is easy, often requiring zero preference points. Hunter pressure across the unit is extreme.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 7,000–10,800 ft, typically around 8,600 ft
- Steepness
- Moderate — mean slope 9.8°
- Slope breakdown
- 61% gentle · 36% moderate · 3% steep · 1% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~80 sq mi, plus ~29 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About 41% of GMU 27 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest and BLM. A further 15% is State Trust Land, which is huntable only where CPW has enrolled it.
- National Forest34%
- BLM6%
- State Wildlife Area<1%
- State Trust Land15%
- Private45%
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 27 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%.
- Summer Range100%used in summer
- 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 Range36%used in winter
- Migration Corridors15%movement between ranges, not residence
- Winter Concentration8%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 66°F, lows around 35°F (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 53°F, lows around 25°F, about 3.6 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 40°F, lows around 15°F, about 12.1 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 27 mule deer hunting FAQ
Can someone with no preference points draw a public-land mule deer tag here?
Yes. The easiest qualifying hunt for an adult Colorado resident—an either-sex code on public land—often draws at zero preference points, meaning an applicant with no prior points can draw in the primary draw. Other seasons, weapons, and nonresident applicants require varying point levels and face steeper competition.
Is this unit realistic for a hunter planning to hike public land only?
Public land comprises about 41 percent of the unit, with State Trust Land adding another 15 percent if enrolled in CPW's access program. The remaining 45 percent is private. A public-land-only hunter should scout access points, map the federal ground, and confirm which State Trust parcels are open before the hunt, as the mix of ownership limits the continuous country available.
When during the fall do mule deer concentrate on winter ground?
Winter Concentration covers 8 percent of the unit, marking areas where mule deer cluster. As November progresses and weather cools, deer move toward winter range (36 percent of the unit), with the timing and extent varying by snowfall and temperature. Hunters in mid-to-late November should expect deer increasingly on winter-ground habitat rather than spread across the broader summer and migration areas they occupy in September and early October.
Which rifle seasons fall during the rut?
The 3rd Rifle (November 7 through November 15) spans both the early pre-rut and primary rut phases, placing most of it in rut conditions. The 4th Rifle (November 18 through November 22) falls entirely in the primary rut. The 2nd Rifle (October 24 through November 1) occurs during early fall migration and pre-rut staging, before the rut intensifies.
What weather should a hunter expect as the season progresses?
September offers highs near 66°F and lows near 35°F with little snowfall. By October, highs drop to the low 50s with average monthly snowfall near 3.6 inches. November cools significantly, with highs near 40°F, lows near 15°F, and average snowfall around 12.1 inches. A hunter should prepare for steady cooling and increasing snow, especially in the late-season rifle hunts.
How much of the unit do deer actually occupy during early season?
Summer Range covers the entire unit through August and into early September, then deer gradually shift toward migration corridors and winter ground. Migration Corridors span 15 percent of the unit and indicate movement rather than residence. By late November, deer concentrate on the 36 percent mapped as Winter Range, though distribution varies with snow and temperature.
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.