Colorado GMU 43 Mule Deer Hunting
Garfield, Pitkin, Eagle and Gunnison counties, northwest Colorado · 525 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 43 is like
GMU 43 spans 525 square miles across the northwestern counties of Garfield, Pitkin, Eagle, and Gunnison. The unit rises from 5,700 feet to 14,100 feet, with typical elevations near 9,000 feet. Terrain is mixed, with substantial steep ground: 25 percent gentle, 43 percent moderate, 27 percent steep, and 5 percent rugged by area. Much of the unit lies in high country, and the steep terrain makes travel demanding across large portions of the landscape.
Public land dominates the unit at approximately 73 percent (about 385 square miles) open to hunting, composed of National Forest (62 percent of the total unit), BLM (11 percent), and State Wildlife Areas (0.1 percent). Private land comprises approximately 26 percent of the unit. This mixture means that while public ground is substantial, private inholdings and surrounding acreage require careful planning to avoid trespass when accessing or hunting the open terrain.
Mule deer summer range covers the entire unit, reflecting high-country use in the warm months. Winter range covers approximately 25 percent of the unit, and winter concentration areas—where deer cluster—occupy about 10 percent. As fall progresses and temperatures drop, particularly from October into November, hunters should expect mule deer to shift toward winter ground, though the timing and extent of movement vary with snowfall and weather. Early season hunters in September will find deer still distributed across summer areas; by November, concentrations intensify on the smaller winter range and concentration zones.
The unit offers nine seasons total, six of which are open to general public applicants. Archery runs September 2–30 and takes either-sex deer during the velvet-shed phase. Muzzleloader (September 12–20) and Early Rifle (September 12–20) are buck-only at this stage, also in velvet. The 2nd Rifle season (October 24–November 1) spans early migration; the 3rd Rifle (November 7–15) covers the approach to the primary rut; the 4th Rifle (November 18–22) falls during the primary rut itself. All three numbered rifle seasons take either-sex or doe/buck tags depending on the code drawn. Weather cools steadily across the fall, from September highs around 67°F to November highs near 42°F, with November snowfall averaging 13 inches at mid-elevation. The draw is easy—often zero preference points—for the easiest unit-wide either-sex or buck code available to adult Colorado residents, though premium seasons require substantially more points. Hunter pressure is high.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 5,700–14,100 ft, typically around 9,000 ft
- Steepness
- Rugged — mean slope 19.6°
- Slope breakdown
- 25% gentle · 43% moderate · 27% steep · 5% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~385 sq mi
Land & access
About 73% of GMU 43 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest, BLM and State Wildlife Areas.
- National Forest62%
- BLM11%
- State Wildlife Area<1%
- Unclassified ownership<1%
- Private26%
Where mule deer live in the unit
Colorado Parks & Wildlife maps mule deer seasonal ranges statewide. This is how much of GMU 43 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 Range25%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 |
| Early Rifle | September 12 – September 20 | Buck |
| Youth only (Muzzleloader) | September 12 – September 20 | Doe |
| Youth only (Rifle) | October 24 – November 15 | Doe |
| 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 67°F, lows around 41°F (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 55°F, lows around 31°F, about 3.3 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 42°F, lows around 21°F, about 13 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 43 mule deer hunting FAQ
Can a hunter with zero preference points draw a public tag here?
Yes, the easiest unit-wide buck or either-sex code for adult Colorado residents draws reliably at zero preference points. This describes hunts like Early Rifle and some muzzleloader opportunities. Other seasons and nonresident applicants typically require more points, and at least one premium buck season in the unit demands substantially higher preference-point tiers.
Is September or October better for a public-land hunter trying to avoid crowds?
Early seasons (Archery and Early Rifle in early September, Muzzleloader mid-September) draw high overall hunter pressure because they attract many applicants. Later rifle seasons from October onward maintain high pressure as well. The draw is easy, which means many tags are allocated; actual crowding on the ground depends on hunter distribution and access, not on tag difficulty.
When should a hunter expect to find concentrations of deer rather than scattered animals?
Winter concentration areas occupy about 10 percent of the unit and become relevant as snow and cold drive deer off the summer range—typically as conditions intensify from late October through November. September and early October hunters will find deer more dispersed across the broader summer range. The shift occurs gradually and is driven by weather, so timing varies year to year.
How much accessible public ground is actually available to hunt?
Approximately 73 percent of the unit—about 385 square miles—is open to public hunting on National Forest, BLM, and State Wildlife Areas. This is a large acreage, but the steep terrain (27 percent of the unit is steep, 5 percent rugged) and private inholdings affect where a hunter on foot can actually get and hunt. Public ownership does not guarantee easy or quick access to all ground.
What does the high hunter pressure mean for someone hunting in September versus November?
High overall pressure means the unit attracts many hunters across all seasons. The early rifle and muzzleloader seasons (September 12–20) and the rut-related rifle seasons (November) are all heavily applied for because of low draw difficulty. On the ground, congestion depends on where hunters concentrate, trailhead access, and weather—not on the draw difficulty alone.
Does the rut timing change between the early rifle season and the November rifle seasons?
Yes, substantially. Early Rifle (September 12–20) falls during velvet shed, when bucks are still in bachelor groups and not yet rutting. The 3rd Rifle (November 7–15) straddles the approach to and start of the primary rut. The 4th Rifle (November 18–22) occurs during the peak rut itself. Rut behavior intensifies through the fall, making late-season hunts fundamentally different from early-season opportunity.
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.