Colorado GMU 50 Mule Deer Hunting
Park County, central Colorado · 500 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 50 is like
Unit 50 spreads across 500 square miles of central Colorado's Park County at elevations between 7,900 and 11,500 feet, with a typical elevation around 9,300 feet. The terrain is gentle and rolling, with 77 percent of the unit classified as gentle terrain, 20 percent moderate, and 3 percent steep. The unit's mean slope of 6.7 degrees falls in the gentle range. This combination of moderate elevation and gentle terrain means hunters can cover ground without extreme exposure or technical climbing.
Public hunting ground comprises approximately 39 percent of the unit, or about 196 square miles, split among National Forest, BLM, and State Wildlife Areas. Private land makes up 52 percent of the unit. State Trust Land covers approximately 4.8 percent, accessible to hunting only where Colorado Parks and Wildlife has enrolled parcels in the Public Access Program. An additional 4.1 percent of the unit is unclassified in ownership. For a public-land hunter, the nearly 200 square miles of generally open ground offers substantial room to work, though private inholdings and the large private-land share mean knowing the land boundary becomes essential.
Mule deer occupy this unit across seasonal ranges. Summer Range covers 61 percent of the unit, while Winter Range covers 49 percent, indicating that a substantial portion remains in use through the fall and into winter. Winter Concentration ground makes up 6 percent of the unit, marking areas where deer cluster during the coldest months. Migration Corridors cover 1 percent. As the season advances from early fall into November, hunters should expect deer to shift progressively toward winter-use ground and concentration areas, though timing and extent vary with weather and snow.
The unit offers four mule deer seasons: Archery from September 2–30 (either-sex), Muzzleloader September 12–20 (buck), 2nd Rifle October 24–November 1 (buck), and 3rd Rifle November 7–15 (buck). Two rifle seasons are available. Archery and Muzzleloader fall in the Velvet Shed and Early Fall Transition phase, when bucks are shedding velvet and moving into nocturnal patterns. The 2nd Rifle season spans the Early Fall Migration and Nocturnal Buck Phase, with the latter half moving into Early Pre-Rut staging. The 3rd Rifle season falls entirely within Early Pre-Rut and Primary Rut phases. Draw difficulty for the easiest unit-wide buck or either-sex hunt available to adult Colorado residents is Moderate, requiring 1–2 preference points. Overall hunter pressure on the unit is Moderate.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 7,900–11,500 ft, typically around 9,300 ft
- Steepness
- Gentle — mean slope 6.7°
- Slope breakdown
- 77% gentle · 20% moderate · 3% steep · 0% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~196 sq mi, plus ~24 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About 39% of GMU 50 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest, BLM and State Wildlife Areas. A further 5% is State Trust Land, which is huntable only where CPW has enrolled it.
- National Forest23%
- BLM10%
- State Wildlife Area6%
- State Trust Land5%
- Unclassified ownership4%
- Private52%
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.
“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 50 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 Range61%used in summer
- Winter Range49%used in winter
- Winter Concentration6%where mule deer bunch up in winter
- Migration Corridors1%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 | Buck |
| 2nd Rifle | October 24 – November 1 | Buck |
| 3rd Rifle | November 7 – November 15 | 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.
GMU 50 mule deer hunting FAQ
How much ground can a public-land hunter actually hunt in this unit?
Approximately 196 square miles of the unit is generally open to public hunting across National Forest, BLM, and State Wildlife Areas. That represents about 39 percent of the unit's total 500 square miles. State Trust Land comprises another 24 square miles, but it is huntable only on parcels enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program, and enrollment status varies by parcel. A hunter should verify the Public Access Program status of State Trust Land before planning to hunt it.
Is this unit realistic for someone with no preference points?
Yes. The easiest unit-wide buck or either-sex code for adult Colorado residents in the primary draw requires 1–2 preference points. A first-time applicant with zero points should expect to draw in a year when demand is lower or to apply multiple times, but the unit is accessible to entry-level hunters. Other seasons, weapons, and nonresident applicants require substantially more points.
Does the terrain require advanced scrambling or pack stock?
No. Seventy-seven percent of the unit is classified as gentle terrain, with only 3 percent steep. The mean slope of 6.7 degrees falls in the gentle category. This terrain is manageable for a hunter on foot across most of the unit, though the elevation range from 7,900 to 11,500 feet means some areas will be higher and cooler than others.
When during the fall should a hunter expect to find mule deer most concentrated?
Winter Range covers 49 percent of the unit, and Winter Concentration ground makes up 6 percent. As the fall season progresses from October into November, deer should shift progressively toward these winter-use areas. The 3rd Rifle season (November 7–15) falls during Early Pre-Rut and Primary Rut phases, when bucks are actively seeking does and deer movements peak. Timing and extent of this shift vary with weather and snow.
How much of the unit is private land, and does that affect public-land access?
Private land comprises 52 percent of the unit. The remaining huntable ground is 39 percent generally open to public hunting. Private inholdings within the public-land area may break up access routes or create boundaries hunters must respect. A hunter should map the public-land areas carefully and verify current access on the ground before the season.
Which seasons fall during the mule deer rut?
The 3rd Rifle season (November 7–15) is the only season that falls entirely within the mule deer rut period (Early Pre-Rut and Primary Rut phases). The 2nd Rifle season (October 24–November 1) starts during Early Fall Migration and extends partway into Early Pre-Rut staging. Archery and Muzzleloader occur earlier, in September, during Velvet Shed and Early Fall Transition, when bucks are not yet in active rut.
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.