Colorado GMU 500 Mule Deer Hunting
Park County, central Colorado · 162 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 500 is like
Colorado Game Management Unit 500 sprawls across 162 square miles of Park County in the central region, spanning elevations from 9,000 feet to 13,800 feet with a typical elevation near 10,600 feet. The terrain is rolling to moderately steep, with 44 percent gentle slopes, 43 percent moderate slopes, 12 percent steep slopes, and 1 percent rugged ground. Hunting in this unit means covering country that transitions from accessible lower-elevation terrain to steeper country at higher elevations, with substantial variation in gradient across the landscape.
About 68 percent of the unit, roughly 110 square miles, is open to public hunting. The National Forest Service controls the majority of this ground at 66 percent of the unit's total area, while the Bureau of Land Management and State Wildlife Areas together make up the remaining public-hunting share. The remaining 32 percent of the unit is private land. Access depends on where a hunter plans to hunt within the public holdings and whether private-land permissions are available.
Mule deer are present across broad seasonal ranges here. Summer range covers the entire unit, and the overall mapped range also reaches 100 percent. Winter range occupies 56 percent of the unit, with mule deer clustering on 31 percent of the ground during winter concentration. Migration corridors thread through 21 percent of the unit. As the fall progresses from September through November, hunters should expect deer to shift toward winter-range ground, though the timing and extent of that movement vary with snowfall and weather. Early archery and muzzleloader hunts fall during the velvet-shed and early fall transition phase, while the rifle seasons span the early fall migration and nocturnal buck phase into the early pre-rut and primary rut periods.
The unit offers four mule deer seasons: an archery hunt September 2–30 (either-sex), a muzzleloader hunt September 12–20 (buck), a 2nd rifle season October 24–November 1 (buck), and a 3rd rifle season November 7–15 (buck). Two rifle seasons allow hunters to choose between earlier and later opportunities. Hunter pressure in this unit is high, and the draw difficulty for the easiest unit-wide buck or either-sex hunt available to adult Colorado residents falls in the moderate range, requiring one to two preference points for reliable drawing.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 9,000–13,800 ft, typically around 10,600 ft
- Steepness
- Steep — mean slope 13.1°
- Slope breakdown
- 44% gentle · 43% moderate · 12% steep · 1% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~110 sq mi
Land & access
About 68% of GMU 500 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest, BLM and State Wildlife Areas.
- National Forest66%
- BLM1%
- State Wildlife Area1%
- State Trust Land<1%
- Private32%
Where mule deer live in the unit
Colorado Parks & Wildlife maps mule deer seasonal ranges statewide. This is how much of GMU 500 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 Range56%used in winter
- Winter Concentration31%where mule deer bunch up in winter
- Migration Corridors21%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.
Fall weather
- September — highs around 60°F, lows around 35°F, about 0.4 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 49°F, lows around 26°F, about 5.3 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 38°F, lows around 17°F, about 15.3 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 500 mule deer hunting FAQ
Can a hunter with zero preference points draw a tag here?
The easiest unit-wide buck or either-sex hunt available to adult Colorado residents requires one to two preference points for reliable drawing. Tags requiring zero points may exist in this unit (such as private-land-only or Ranching for Wildlife licenses), but these are not unit-wide public-land opportunities and operate under separate systems; a hunter should check the current draw structure to identify any zero-point options.
Is late rifle season better for hunting the rut?
The 3rd rifle season (November 7–15) spans the early pre-rut and primary rut periods, making it the season that overlaps most directly with mule deer rutting activity. The 2nd rifle season (October 24–November 1) occurs during early fall migration and nocturnal buck phase, before the rut begins. A hunter prioritizing rutting behavior should target the later season.
How much of this unit is actually public land a hunter can count on?
Approximately 68 percent, or roughly 110 square miles, is generally open to public hunting through the National Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and State Wildlife Areas combined. The remaining 32 percent is private land. Access to specific public parcels depends on roads, trailheads, and seasonal closures that a hunter should verify before planning a trip.
Where should a hunter expect to find mule deer as the season progresses?
Summer range and overall mapped range cover the entire unit, but winter range occupies only 56 percent, with concentrated clustering on 31 percent of the unit during winter. As fall advances from September through November and snowfall increases—from 0.4 inches in September to 15.3 inches in November—hunters should anticipate mule deer shifting toward winter-range ground. The timing and extent of this movement depend on snowfall and weather patterns.
Is this unit crowded, even though the draw is not extremely competitive?
Yes. Hunter pressure in this unit is rated as high, meaning crowds and competition for space can occur despite the moderate draw difficulty. An easy-to-draw unit does not guarantee solitude; nearby location, road access, or season timing can drive hunting pressure independent of tag availability.
What is the typical weather range a hunter should prepare for?
September temperatures average highs around 60°F and lows around 35°F with minimal snow, making early-season comfort straightforward. October cools to highs near 49°F and lows near 26°F with about 5 inches of average snowfall. November is cold, with highs near 38°F, lows near 17°F, and roughly 15 inches of average snowfall. A hunter should be ready for snow and cold, especially by late season.
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.