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
Unit 371 spans 172 square miles across Summit County in the northwest region, with terrain mixed and containing substantial steep ground. Elevations range from 7,900 feet to 13,600 feet, with typical elevation around 10,200 feet. The unit's slope distribution is 31 percent gentle, 41 percent moderate, 21 percent steep, and 7 percent rugged by area. This mix of terrain and elevation supports mule deer across a broad seasonal range.
Roughly 85 percent of the unit, or approximately 147 square miles, is National Forest land generally open to public hunting. The remaining 15 percent is private land or unclassified ownership. Access across National Forest ground depends on the specific roads and trailheads available in each drainage and drainage system; a hunter should verify current entry points and seasonal restrictions before planning a trip.
Summer Range is mapped across the entire unit, meaning mule deer use the full area during the summer months. Winter Range covers only 8 percent of the unit, reflecting the seasonal withdrawal of deer to specific ground as fall progresses. No Migration Corridors are mapped here. As the season advances from September through November, a hunter should expect mule deer distribution to shift toward the mapped Winter Range, though the timing and extent of that shift varies with weather and snow.
The unit offers five public-land seasons across six total hunt codes. Archery runs September 2 to September 30 for either-sex deer. Muzzleloader runs September 12 to September 20 for doe or buck. Three rifle seasons follow: 2nd Rifle October 24 to November 1, 3rd Rifle November 7 to November 15, and 4th Rifle November 18 to November 22 for buck only. Archery and Muzzleloader coincide with the velvet-shed phase, when bucks have recently shed antler velvet. Second Rifle spans the early fall migration and early pre-rut phases. Third Rifle covers early pre-rut staging and the primary rut. Fourth Rifle falls entirely in the primary rut. A private-land-only season also runs October 24 to November 15. September temperatures average highs near 61 degrees and lows near 36 degrees with minimal snowfall, while October highs drop to near 49 degrees with average snowfall around 6 inches and November sees highs near 37 degrees with average snowfall near 20 inches. Draw difficulty is easy, with the easiest unit-wide buck or either-sex code often drawing at zero preference points for adult Colorado residents in the primary draw.
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
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 371.
Lower elevations
- Conifer38%
- Sagebrush27%
- Aspen14%
- Other cover11%
- Riparian9%
- Grass and meadow1%
Mid elevations
- Conifer83%
- Sagebrush7%
- Aspen6%
- Other cover3%
- Riparian2%
Higher elevations
- Sagebrush39%
- Conifer33%
- Other cover19%
- Grass and meadow10%
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 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
Can someone with zero preference points realistically draw a public-land tag here?
Yes. The easiest unit-wide buck or either-sex hunt code for adult Colorado residents draws reliably at zero preference points in the primary draw. Other seasons and weapons can require more points, and nonresident applicants face different point requirements, but the entry-level opportunity is genuinely accessible.
How much ground can a public-land hunter actually access?
Approximately 147 square miles, or 85 percent of the unit, is National Forest land generally open to public hunting. The remaining 15 percent is private or unclassified. Access within the National Forest depends on available roads and trailheads, which a hunter should verify before planning.
Does this unit suit someone hunting in September, or is it better in the later rifle seasons?
September archery and muzzleloader both fall in the velvet-shed phase, when bucks are still in bachelor groups and have recently shed antler velvet. The rifle seasons span October and November, covering the early migration and pre-rut phases through the primary rut. The choice depends on hunting preference and weapon: September offers milder weather but less predictable buck behavior, while later seasons track deer concentrating on winter ground.
Is the terrain steep enough to be challenging for a hunter on foot?
The unit is mixed terrain: 31 percent gentle, 41 percent moderate, 21 percent steep, and 7 percent rugged by area. A hunter can find huntable slopes in the gentler and moderate bands, though steep terrain is common enough that good fitness and route-finding matter.
What should a hunter expect as snow accumulates through the fall?
September carries minimal snowfall, averaging 0.1 inches. October brings roughly 6 inches, and November sees the heaviest, averaging nearly 20 inches. Rising snowfall through the season pushes mule deer toward the mapped Winter Range, where 8 percent of the unit's ground is concentrated.
Does low overall hunter pressure mean the unit will be empty?
Low hunter pressure and easy draw difficulty are separate from actual crowding. A less-competitive unit can still attract hunters seeking an accessible opportunity, and the specific pressures vary by season and elevation. Early season and higher ground may see fewer hunters than the rut-phase rifle seasons.
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.