Colorado GMU 37 Mule Deer Hunting
Summit and Grand counties, northwest Colorado · 528 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 37 is like
Colorado Game Management Unit 37 spans 528 square miles across the high country of Summit and Grand counties in the northwestern part of the state. Elevation ranges from about 7,000 feet to over 14,300 feet, with typical terrain sitting near 10,300 feet. The unit is rolling to moderately steep: 32 percent of the area is gentle, 47 percent moderate, and 21 percent steep or rugged combined. Much of the country lies above the montane zone and transitions through aspen and conifer forests to alpine tundra at the highest elevations.
About 71 percent of the unit—roughly 374 square miles—is open to public hunting and managed by the U.S. Forest Service (65 percent of the entire unit), the Bureau of Land Management (5.1 percent), and State Wildlife Areas (0.4 percent). Private land comprises 28 percent of the unit, and 1.3 percent is unclassified in ownership records. Hunters entering public ground will find it predominantly National Forest, though access depends on road and trailhead conditions that vary seasonally and with weather.
Mule deer are present during the summer across the unit, and a portion of the population moves seasonally. The unit maps as 100 percent summer range and 100 percent overall range, reflecting the full extent of mule deer use mapped by Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Winter range covers 20 percent of the unit, and a winter concentration layer marks 10 percent of the area where deer cluster during the cold months. Migration corridors span 35 percent of the unit. As fall progresses and temperatures drop—from September highs near 59 degrees Fahrenheit to November highs around 35 degrees—deer shift movement patterns and begin consolidating toward winter ground, though timing and extent vary with weather and snowfall.
The unit offers six mule deer seasons, five of which are open to the general public. Archery runs September 2–30 and hunts either-sex deer during the velvet-shed phase. Muzzleloader season spans September 12–20 and is restricted to doe or buck. Three rifle seasons follow: the second rifle, October 24–November 1, open to doe or buck; the third rifle, November 7–15, also doe or buck; and the fourth rifle, November 18–22, restricted to buck only. The second and third rifle seasons fall across the early fall migration and early pre-rut stages, while the fourth rifle coincides with the primary rut. A private-land-only season runs October 24–November 15 for either-sex hunting. The unit draws at easy difficulty—often requiring zero preference points for the easiest unit-wide code available to adult Colorado residents in the primary draw. Hunter pressure on public ground is moderate.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 7,000–14,300 ft, typically around 10,300 ft
- Steepness
- Steep — mean slope 16.2°
- Slope breakdown
- 32% gentle · 47% moderate · 19% steep · 2% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~374 sq mi
Land & access
About 71% of GMU 37 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest, BLM and State Wildlife Areas.
- National Forest65%
- BLM5%
- State Wildlife Area<1%
- Unclassified ownership1%
- Private28%
“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 37 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
- Migration Corridors35%movement between ranges, not residence
- Winter Range20%used in winter
- Winter Concentration10%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 59°F, lows around 34°F, about 0.7 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 47°F, lows around 25°F, about 9.2 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 35°F, lows around 14°F, about 22.5 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 37 mule deer hunting FAQ
Can I hunt this unit with zero preference points?
Yes, the unit draws at easy difficulty, and an adult Colorado resident can often draw one of the five public-land codes—typically the either-sex archery or one of the general rifle seasons—without preference points. This applies to the easiest unit-wide buck or either-sex hunts in the primary draw; other seasons, weapons, and nonresident applicants can require substantially more points.
Is this a good archery unit?
Archery season runs September 2–30, falling during the velvet-shed phase when bucks are beginning to shed and moving more nocturnal. Early-season conditions are mild—September highs near 59 degrees—but this is before the rut, so hunters should expect bucks to be less vocal and responsive than during the November rut phases. The either-sex tag adds flexibility for hunters willing to commit to a doe if a buck doesn't present itself.
When do elk numbers peak in the unit?
The facts block provided describes mule deer seasonal ranges and movement for this unit, not elk distribution. For elk-specific information about GMU 37, consult the elk unit guide.
How much public land can I actually hunt here?
About 374 square miles—roughly 71 percent of the unit—is open to public hunting on National Forest (the dominant public ownership), BLM, and State Wildlife Areas. However, private land inholdings, road conditions, and seasonal closures all affect where a hunter can actually reach and legally access ground; checking specific trailheads and access routes is essential.
Should I hunt early rifle or wait for the November rut?
The second rifle (October 24–November 1) falls during the early fall migration and nocturnal buck phase, before the rut begins; the third rifle (November 7–15) spans the early pre-rut and primary rut phases. The fourth rifle (November 18–22) is entirely within the primary rut. Late-season hunting also brings colder weather—October highs average 47 degrees and November highs around 35 degrees, with substantially more snow—which can funnel deer movement but also complicate backcountry access.
Does the 10 percent winter concentration layer mean deer are clustered only in one spot?
No; the 10 percent figure describes the share of the unit's area where mule deer concentrate during winter, not a single location. Winter concentration ground is scattered across the unit wherever the mapping identifies tight clustering; the layer does not specify where or how those areas are distributed geographically.
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.