Colorado GMU 5 Mule Deer Hunting
Moffat and Routt counties, northwest Colorado · 299 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 5 is like
Colorado GMU 5 encompasses 299 square miles across northwestern Moffat and Routt counties, rising from a low of 6,500 feet to a high of 10,800 feet with a typical elevation near 8,200 feet. The terrain is rolling to moderately steep, with 47 percent gentle slopes, 46 percent moderate slopes, and 7 percent steep terrain. September temperatures at mid-elevation average highs around 65 degrees Fahrenheit and lows near 40 degrees, with virtually no snow. By October, highs fall to around 51 degrees and lows near 30 degrees, with average snowfall of 3.7 inches. November brings a sharp cooling trend, with highs around 38 degrees, lows near 20 degrees, and an average of 18.4 inches of snowfall.
National Forest and BLM land constitute roughly 59 percent of the unit, or approximately 175 square miles, and is generally open to public hunting. Colorado State Trust Land comprises about 1.1 percent and is huntable only where CPW has enrolled parcels in its Public Access Program. Private land accounts for roughly 40 percent of the unit.
Mule deer occupy the Summer Range across the entire unit and the Overall Range across the entire unit as well, though this broad coverage does not indicate uniform distribution. Migration Corridors encompass 24 percent of the unit. Winter Range covers 13 percent, and mule deer concentrate in a Winter Concentration layer covering 7 percent of the unit. Fall movement patterns should be expected as temperatures drop and snow accumulates through November.
The unit offers seven seasons total, including five open to public applicants: Archery (September 2–30) on an either-sex basis during the velvet-shed phase; Muzzleloader (September 12–20) on a doe/buck basis, also during the velvet-shed phase; and three rifle seasons. Second Rifle runs October 24–November 1 during the early fall migration and early pre-rut phases; Third Rifle runs November 7–15 during the early pre-rut and primary rut phases; Fourth Rifle runs November 18–22 during the primary rut. A private-land-only season and Ranching for Wildlife licenses are also available but fall outside the unit-wide public draw. Draw difficulty for the easiest qualifying unit-wide hunt is moderate, typically 1–2 preference points for an adult Colorado resident.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 6,500–10,800 ft, typically around 8,200 ft
- Steepness
- Moderate — mean slope 12.1°
- Slope breakdown
- 47% gentle · 46% moderate · 7% steep · 0% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~175 sq mi, plus ~3 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About 59% of GMU 5 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest and BLM. A further 1% is State Trust Land, which is huntable only where CPW has enrolled it.
- National Forest47%
- BLM12%
- State Trust Land1%
- Private40%
Colorado State Trust Land is open to public hunting only where it is enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program. Check current enrollment before planning around it.
Where mule deer live in the unit
Colorado Parks & Wildlife maps mule deer seasonal ranges statewide. This is how much of GMU 5 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 Corridors24%movement between ranges, not residence
- Winter Range13%used in winter
- Winter Concentration7%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 |
| Private-land only | October 24 – November 22 | Either-sex |
| Ranching for Wildlife | Dates vary by hunt code | Either-sex, 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 65°F, lows around 40°F (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 51°F, lows around 30°F, about 3.7 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 38°F, lows around 20°F, about 18.4 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 5 mule deer hunting FAQ
Is this unit realistic for someone with zero preference points?
Yes. The easiest unit-wide public hunt draws at 1–2 points, making it accessible to applicants in their first year. This does not guarantee a tag, but hunters entering the draw for the most liberal season can compete without waiting through multiple years of point accumulation.
How much public ground can a hunter actually count on hunting here?
Approximately 175 square miles (59 percent of the unit) of National Forest and BLM land is generally open to public hunting. An additional 3 square miles of State Trust Land may be huntable, but only on parcels enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program—enrollment status is not specified in this data.
Which season makes the most sense for a mule deer hunter new to the unit?
Archery in early September offers a mule deer in the velvet-shed phase, stable September weather with highs around 65 degrees and no snow, and potentially easier scouting since summer ranges remain occupied across the unit. Later rifle seasons coincide with the rut and advancing winter weather, bringing steeper terrain navigation and significantly higher November snowfall (18.4 inches average).
How much of the unit is steep terrain, and what does that mean for hiking?
Only 7 percent of the unit is steep; the vast majority is gentle to moderate rolling terrain. This lower proportion of steep slopes generally makes the unit more walkable, though the actual approach to any hunting area depends on the specific land ownership, trailhead access, and seasonal closures a hunter encounters on the ground.
Should a hunter expect mule deer to shift location as the fall progresses?
Yes. The unit has mapped Winter Range (13 percent) and a Winter Concentration layer (7 percent) distinct from the broader summer occupancy. As temperatures drop and November snowfall averages 18.4 inches, mule deer should be expected to move toward winter ground, though the timing and extent of that shift vary with weather patterns and snow depth.
What draw difficulty label means—and what it does not?
The moderate difficulty rating describes only the easiest qualifying unit-wide public hunt available to adult Colorado residents in the primary draw—in this case, 1–2 preference points. Other weapons, seasons, nonresident applicants, and private-land-only hunts can require substantially more points or draw differently. The label reflects one entry point to the unit, not all available hunts.
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.