Colorado GMU 371 Mule Deer Hunting
Summit County, northwest Colorado · 172 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 371 is like
GMU 371 is a 172-square-mile unit in the high country of northwestern Colorado, spanning elevations from 7,900 to 13,600 feet with a typical elevation near 10,200 feet. The terrain is mixed, with substantial steep ground: 31% of the unit is gentle, 41% moderate, 21% steep, and 7% rugged. The unit sits in the montane and subalpine forests that characterize this region.
The public hunting ground consists of approximately 85% of the unit, or 147 square miles, managed as National Forest land that is generally open to public hunting. Private land comprises the remaining 14%. Access and entry points depend on National Forest road systems and trailheads; hunters should verify current conditions and seasonal road closures before planning a trip.
Mule deer occupy Summer Range across the full unit and are mapped across the Overall Range as well. Winter Range covers only 8% of the unit, suggesting that most deer shift to lower-elevation ground as snow accumulates in fall and winter. Hunters should expect mule deer to be present throughout the fall-hunting period, though their distribution and accessibility may change as seasonal conditions drive movement.
The unit offers six total seasons: five open to public applicants and one restricted to private land. Public hunters may pursue either-sex mule deer during Archery (September 2–30), or buck/doe during Muzzleloader (September 12–20), 2nd Rifle (October 24–November 1), 3rd Rifle (November 7–15), and 4th Rifle (November 18–22). September hunting occurs during the Velvet Shed phase when bucks are transitioning to hardened antlers and daylight activity is shifting toward early morning and evening. October's 2nd Rifle season straddles the Early Fall Migration and Early Pre-Rut phases, when deer are becoming more active. The 3rd Rifle season (November 7–15) covers the Early Pre-Rut and Primary Rut phases, when buck activity peaks. The 4th Rifle hunt (November 18–22) falls entirely within the Primary Rut. Fall weather cools steadily from September highs around 61°F to November highs around 37°F, with October snowfall averaging 5.9 inches and November averaging 19.8 inches. The draw for this unit is easy, with the most accessible unit-wide buck or either-sex code often drawing at zero preference points for adult Colorado residents.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 7,900–13,600 ft, typically around 10,200 ft
- Steepness
- Rugged — mean slope 18.8°
- Slope breakdown
- 31% gentle · 41% moderate · 21% steep · 7% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~147 sq mi
Land & access
About 85% of GMU 371 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest.
- National Forest85%
- State Wildlife Area<1%
- Unclassified ownership<1%
- Private14%
Where mule deer live in the unit
Colorado Parks & Wildlife maps mule deer seasonal ranges statewide. This is how much of GMU 371 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 Range8%used in winter
- Migration Corridors<1%movement between ranges, not residence
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 61°F, lows around 36°F, about 0.1 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 49°F, lows around 26°F, about 5.9 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 37°F, lows around 16°F, about 19.8 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 371 mule deer hunting FAQ
Is this unit realistic for a hunter with no preference points?
Yes. The easiest unit-wide buck or either-sex hunt code often draws at zero preference points for adult Colorado residents, making it one of the most accessible units in the draw.
When should hunters focus their effort — early or late season?
The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Rifle seasons, spanning late October through late November, correspond to the Early Fall Migration, Pre-Rut, and Primary Rut phases when buck activity is highest and most predictable. Archery and Muzzleloader hunts occur during the Velvet Shed phase when bucks are transitioning out of velvet but remain less concentrated than during the rut.
How much public-land ground can a hunter actually access and hunt?
Approximately 147 square miles of the 172-square-mile unit are National Forest land generally open to public hunting. However, access depends on road systems, trailheads, and seasonal closures; hunters should verify current conditions before planning a trip.
What does the easy-draw rating actually mean?
The easy-draw label describes the most accessible unit-wide buck or either-sex hunt code for adult Colorado residents, often drawing at zero preference points. Other seasons, weapons, and hunts may require substantially more points, and the rating does not apply to nonresidents or private-land-only licenses.
What kind of terrain and elevation will hunters encounter?
The unit spans 7,900 to 13,600 feet with mixed terrain: 31% gentle and 41% moderate ground provides accessible areas, while 21% steep and 7% rugged terrain requires careful route-finding. Typical elevation is 10,200 feet in montane and subalpine forest.
Should a hunter expect deer to stay in the unit through the season?
Mule deer occupy Summer Range across the entire unit and are mapped in Overall Range, but Winter Range covers only 8% of the unit. This suggests that as fall advances and snow accumulates, particularly through November, deer will shift toward lower-elevation ground outside the unit; hunters should expect accessibility and distribution to change as the season progresses.
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.