Colorado GMU 45 Mule Deer Hunting
Eagle and Pitkin counties, central Colorado · 336 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 45 is like
GMU 45 spans 336 square miles across Eagle and Pitkin counties in the central Colorado high country, rising from 7,100 feet to 14,000 feet with a typical mid-elevation around 10,500 feet. The terrain is mixed, with substantial steep ground: 19 percent of the unit is gentle, 52 percent moderate, 25 percent steep, and 4 percent rugged. This elevation range and terrain composition make the unit a high-country mule deer hunt, with seasons running from early September through late November as weather progressively cools from September highs around 60°F to November highs around 37°F.
Public land dominates the unit. The National Forest comprises approximately 89 percent of the 336 square miles, or about 299 square miles, and is generally open to public hunting. Private land makes up roughly 10 percent. A small state trust parcel and unclassified ownership account for the remainder. The public National Forest ground provides the core huntable area, though access depends on roads, trailheads, and seasonal conditions rather than ownership alone.
Mule deer occupy the unit during the summer range period through fall. Summer range covers 100 percent of the unit's mapped mule deer habitat, and that use carries through early September as velvet sheds and the fall transition begins. As October arrives, buck behavior shifts toward nocturnal patterns and early fall migration; hunters should expect deer distribution to change during the 2nd Rifle season and thereafter. The primary rut occurs in mid-to-late November, captured by the 3rd and 4th Rifle seasons. Migration corridors are mapped on 2 percent of the unit but serve as movement routes rather than residence areas.
The unit offers seven seasons total, six of which are open to public applicants. Archery runs September 2 through September 30 and is either-sex. Early Rifle runs September 12 through September 20 for bucks only and falls in the velvet-shed phase. Muzzleloader runs September 12 through September 20 for doe or buck, also in the velvet-shed phase. The numbered rifle seasons—2nd, 3rd, and 4th—run from October 24 through November 22: 2nd Rifle is October 24 through November 1 for doe or buck; 3rd Rifle is November 7 through November 15 for doe or buck; 4th Rifle is November 18 through November 22 for bucks only. The 3rd and 4th Rifle seasons overlap the primary rut window in mid-to-late November. A private-land-only season for either-sex deer runs October 24 through November 15 but requires the applicant's own permission on private ground. Draw difficulty for the easiest unit-wide buck or either-sex hunt available to an adult Colorado resident is easy, often requiring zero preference points, though other weapons, seasons, and applicant categories can require substantially more. Hunter pressure on the unit is moderate.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 7,100–14,000 ft, typically around 10,500 ft
- Steepness
- Rugged — mean slope 19.6°
- Slope breakdown
- 19% gentle · 52% moderate · 25% steep · 4% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~299 sq mi, plus ~2 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About 89% of GMU 45 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest.
- National Forest89%
- State Wildlife Area<1%
- State Trust Land<1%
- Unclassified ownership<1%
- Private10%
Where mule deer live in the unit
Colorado Parks & Wildlife maps mule deer seasonal ranges statewide. This is how much of GMU 45 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 Corridors2%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 |
| Early Rifle | September 12 – September 20 | 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 60°F, lows around 34°F, about 0.2 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 49°F, lows around 25°F, about 5.9 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 37°F, lows around 14°F, about 18.6 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 45 mule deer hunting FAQ
Can someone with no preference points draw a public tag on this unit?
Yes. The easiest unit-wide buck or either-sex hunts on GMU 45 draw at zero preference points for adult Colorado residents in the primary draw. Early Rifle, 2nd Rifle, and 3rd Rifle offer either-sex or buck tags in this draw-difficulty tier. Other seasons, nonresident applicants, and premium buck hunts require substantially more points.
Is this a velvet or rut hunt?
The unit offers both. Archery, Early Rifle, and Muzzleloader all fall in the velvet-shed and early fall transition period from early through mid-September, when bucks are shedding velvet and becoming more active at dawn and dusk. The 2nd Rifle season (October 24–November 1) straddles the early fall migration and early pre-rut phases. The 3rd and 4th Rifle seasons (November 7–15 and November 18–22) overlap the primary rut in mid-to-late November, when buck activity is highest.
How much terrain is actually hikeable, or is this unit too steep?
The unit is mixed but not extreme: 19 percent is gentle and 52 percent moderate, meaning over two-thirds of the terrain is manageable by foot. The steep ground (25 percent) and rugged areas (4 percent) are concentrated rather than dominant. Hunters should expect a high-country hunt with significant elevation gain on some routes but also substantial country that does not require technical scrambling or extreme fitness.
Where do the deer go as the season progresses into November?
Summer range covers 100 percent of the unit through early fall, but mule deer behavior shifts markedly as October arrives: bucks become nocturnal and begin moving through migration corridors, which are mapped on 2 percent of the unit. October and November also bring cooling and increased snowfall (averaging 5.9 inches in October and 18.6 inches in November at mid-elevation), which can trigger further redistribution. Exact timing and extent of seasonal shift vary with weather and snow depth in any given year.
What is the split between public and private land, and can a hunter actually access the public ground?
Approximately 89 percent of the unit is National Forest land that is generally open to public hunting, with private land making up roughly 10 percent. However, public ownership does not guarantee easy access: roads, trailheads, seasonal closures, and private inholdings all affect whether a hunter can reach specific areas. The hunter should check the current map and conditions before the season.
Is this unit crowded, or is it realistic for someone who wants to hunt in solitude?
Hunter pressure on GMU 45 is moderate—not a quiet unit, but not a meat-circus either. Draw difficulty is easy (often zero points), which can attract applicants, but easier tags do not mean no hunters will be present. Moderate pressure does not preclude finding quieter country, especially on the steep ground or in the higher elevations, but a hunter should plan for the possibility of other boots in the field.
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.