Colorado GMU 36 Mule Deer Hunting
Eagle and Grand counties, northwest Colorado · 275 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 36 is like
Colorado GMU 36 spans 275 square miles across Eagle and Grand counties in the northwest region, with elevation ranging from 6,700 feet to 13,400 feet and a typical mid-elevation around 9,500 feet. The terrain is mixed, with substantial steep ground: 24% gentle slopes, 51% moderate terrain, 23% steep ground, and 3% rugged country. Mule deer hunting here encompasses archery, muzzleloader, and multiple rifle seasons across autumn months as temperatures and snowfall increase markedly through the period.
Public hunting opportunity consists of approximately 225 square miles of generally open National Forest and BLM land, representing roughly 82% of the unit. Private ground accounts for about 17% of the unit, and approximately 1.2% is unclassified ownership. National Forest comprises 78% of the unit overall, with BLM adding an additional 4%, and a small amount of State Trust Land present. Road access and specific entry points vary by location and current conditions; hunters should verify current access before planning a trip.
Mule deer in GMU 36 occupy Summer Range across the entire unit and are mapped across its full Overall Range. A Winter Concentration layer covering 11% of the unit marks where mule deer cluster during the post-rut and recovery period. Migration Corridors cover 11% of the unit, indicating movement corridors used during fall transitions. Winter Range is mapped across 32% of the unit. As the season advances from September through November, temperatures drop sharply—from September highs near 63°F to November highs near 38°F—while snowfall increases from virtually none in September to an average of 19.5 inches by November, driving seasonal movement patterns and animal behavior through the fall hunting period.
GMU 36 offers seven mule deer seasons across the fall, six of which are available to public applicants. Archery runs September 2–30 for either-sex deer. Muzzleloader seasons and Early Rifle both run September 12–20, offering doe/buck and buck options respectively. Three numbered rifle seasons follow: 2nd Rifle October 24–November 1 (doe/buck), 3rd Rifle November 7–15 (doe/buck), and 4th Rifle November 18–22 (buck only). A private-land-only season, separate from public opportunities, runs October 24–November 15. The unit draws at easy difficulty—often requiring zero preference points—for its easiest qualifying buck or either-sex code. Hunter pressure is characteristically low, and the unit also holds premium buck seasons requiring substantially higher preference-point investment.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 6,700–13,400 ft, typically around 9,500 ft
- Steepness
- Rugged — mean slope 18.6°
- Slope breakdown
- 24% gentle · 51% moderate · 23% steep · 3% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~225 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 36.
Lower elevations
- Sagebrush50%
- Aspen25%
- Conifer17%
- Other cover6%
- Riparian2%
Mid elevations
- Conifer53%
- Aspen34%
- Sagebrush9%
- Riparian2%
- Grass and meadow1%
Higher elevations
- Conifer55%
- Sagebrush26%
- Grass and meadow9%
- Other cover5%
- Aspen5%
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 82% of GMU 36 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest and BLM.
- National Forest78%
- BLM4%
- State Wildlife Area<1%
- State Trust Land<1%
- Unclassified ownership1%
- Private17%
“Ownership unclassified” means the source dataset does not record an owner for that acreage. It is not known to be public or private.
Where mule deer live in the unit
Colorado Parks & Wildlife maps mule deer seasonal ranges statewide. This is how much of GMU 36 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 Range32%used in winter
- Migration Corridors11%movement between ranges, not residence
- Winter Concentration11%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 |
| Early Rifle | September 12 – September 20 | 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 63°F, lows around 38°F, about 0.1 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 51°F, lows around 28°F, about 4.7 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 38°F, lows around 18°F, about 19.5 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 36 mule deer hunting FAQ
Can an applicant with no preference points draw here?
Yes. The unit's draw difficulty is easy and often requires zero preference points for the easiest qualifying buck or either-sex hunt code available to adult Colorado residents in the primary draw. Other seasons and weapons, particularly premium buck hunts, may require substantially more points. An applicant without preference points might also draw through the secondary June draw or pursue a leftover licence after the primary draw closes.
Which seasons coincide with the mule deer rut?
The 3rd Rifle (November 7–15) and 4th Rifle (November 18–22) seasons overlap with the primary rut phase (November 11–25) when buck behavior is most active. The 2nd Rifle season (October 24–November 1) spans the transition into early pre-rut and migration staging. Archery, Muzzleloader, and Early Rifle all fall during the velvet-shed and early fall transition phase before rutting begins, when bucks are shedding velvet and behavior differs from the rut.
How much public land can a hunter actually use here?
Approximately 225 square miles of the unit's 275 total square miles is National Forest and BLM land open to public hunting. Access to specific areas depends on roads, trailheads, seasonal closures, and private inholdings, all of which vary by location. A hunter should scout approaches and verify current conditions before the season.
What does the Winter Concentration layer mean for where to hunt?
Winter Concentration covers 11% of the unit and marks where mule deer cluster during the post-rut period and recovery phase (January–mid-March). This layer does not indicate location within the unit or elevation; it simply shows that deer concentrate on roughly one-tenth of the total area during that season. Fall hunting occurs well before this concentration phase.
Is this unit realistic for a hunter with limited time in early season?
Yes, early-season options exist for hunters unable to commit to later months. Archery (September 2–30), Muzzleloader (September 12–20), and Early Rifle (September 12–20) all occur while temperatures remain mild (highs near 63°F in September) and snowfall is minimal. These seasons fall during the velvet-shed phase when bucks are still in summer patterns and bachelor groups are active.
Does the terrain here suit a foot-and-backpack hunter?
The unit is mixed terrain with roughly half moderate slopes, one-quarter gentle, and one-quarter steep or rugged ground, offering options for different fitness levels. The steep and rugged portions combined represent 26% of the unit, so foot travel is feasible in many areas, though sections will demand scrambling and elevation gain. Elevation ranges from 6,700 to 13,400 feet across 275 square miles, making route planning necessary.
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.