Colorado GMU 38 Mule Deer Hunting
Gilpin, Boulder, Clear Creek and Jefferson counties, northeast Colorado · 456 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 38 is like
Unit 38 covers 456 square miles across Gilpin, Boulder, Clear Creek and Jefferson counties in Colorado's northeast region, spanning from 5,100 feet to 13,400 feet elevation with a typical hunting elevation around 7,900 feet. The terrain is rolling to moderately steep, with 45% gentle slopes, 40% moderate slopes, 15% steep areas and 1% rugged terrain. Mule deer hunting here ranges from lower foothills to high country, but access is the binding constraint rather than terrain difficulty.
About 23% of the unit — roughly 104 square miles — is generally open to public hunting, managed as National Forest, State Wildlife Areas and BLM land. The remaining acreage is split between private ownership (54%) and unclassified land (23%), the latter a category where the source data does not record an owner. The public land that is accessible represents the huntable portion a typical applicant can rely on, making legal entry the primary limitation even where terrain is gentle.
Mule deer occupy summer range across 78% of the unit and winter range across 58%, reflecting a seasonal shift in distribution. Winter concentration ground, where deer cluster into smaller areas, covers 18% of the unit. Because substantial summer range exceeds the winter range footprint, a progression toward winter ground should be expected as the season advances, though the timing and extent vary with weather and snow. Hunters should anticipate deer moving as fall progresses, concentrating in winter areas as temperatures drop and snow increases.
The unit offers seven seasons, including four rifle hunts and two early-season weapons options. Archery runs September 2–30 for either-sex deer during velvet shed and early fall transition. Muzzleloader follows September 12–20, doe or buck, in the same phenological window. Three numbered rifle seasons span October 24 through November 22: 2nd Rifle October 24–November 1, 3rd Rifle November 7–15, and 4th Rifle November 18–22, all doe or buck. Late Rifle, a separate hunt for either-sex or doe only, runs December 1–January 31. A private-land-only season operates September 1–November 30 but requires the hunter's own permission on enrolled private ground. The unit draws at easy difficulty — often zero preference points — for the most accessible unit-wide buck or either-sex code available to adult Colorado residents, though other weapons and seasons can require substantially more points. Hunter pressure across the unit is extreme.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 5,100–13,400 ft, typically around 7,900 ft
- Steepness
- Steep — mean slope 13.5°
- Slope breakdown
- 45% gentle · 40% moderate · 15% steep · 1% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~104 sq mi, plus ~2 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About 23% of GMU 38 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest, State Wildlife Areas and BLM.
- National Forest22%
- State Wildlife Area<1%
- BLM<1%
- State Trust Land<1%
- Unclassified ownership23%
- Private54%
“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 38 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%.
- 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
- Summer Range78%used in summer
- Winter Range58%used in winter
- Winter Concentration18%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 | Doe, Buck |
| Late Rifle | December 1 – January 31 | Either-sex, Doe |
| Private-land only | September 1 – November 30 | Doe, Buck |
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 70°F, lows around 43°F (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 58°F, lows around 32°F, about 2.5 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 47°F, lows around 24°F, about 4.4 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 38 mule deer hunting FAQ
How much ground can a public-land hunter actually hunt in this unit?
About 104 square miles, or 23% of the unit, is generally open to public hunting through National Forest, State Wildlife Areas and BLM. The rest is private (54%) or unclassified ownership. Legal access, not terrain difficulty, is the main constraint; even gentle country here does not guarantee entry.
Is Unit 38 realistic for someone with no preference points?
Yes. The unit draws at easy difficulty, often at zero preference points, for the easiest unit-wide buck or either-sex code available to adult Colorado residents. Other weapons and seasons, and nonresident applicants, can require substantially more points.
When should a hunter expect deer to concentrate into winter areas?
Mule deer occupy summer range across 78% of the unit but winter range across only 58%, setting up an expected shift to winter ground as fall progresses. Timing varies with weather and snow, but hunters should plan for deer to concentrate into smaller winter areas as temperatures drop and November snowfall (averaging 4.4 inches) accumulates.
Which seasons fall during the mule deer rut on this unit?
The 3rd Rifle season (November 7–15) and 4th Rifle season (November 18–22) overlap the primary rut (November 11–25). The 2nd Rifle season (October 24–November 1) falls partly before the rut, during early pre-rut staging. Archery and muzzleloader occur in September before the rut begins.
What terrain should a foot hunter expect to cover?
The unit is 45% gentle and 40% moderate slope, so most ground is walkable without technical climbing. However, the steep and rugged sections (16% combined) and high elevations up to 13,400 feet mean stamina and fitness matter, especially as temperatures fall from September highs of 70°F to November highs of 47°F.
Why is this unit described as easy to draw despite extreme hunter pressure?
Draw difficulty and hunter pressure are separate metrics. Easy draw means tags are available at low preference-point costs; extreme pressure means many hunters pursue those tags. A unit near population centers can draw easily while still feeling crowded on the ground.
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.