Colorado GMU 511 Mule Deer Hunting
Teller, El Paso and Park counties, central Colorado · 362 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 511 is like
GMU 511 spans Teller, El Paso, and Park counties in the central region and covers 362 square miles. The unit is rolling to moderately steep, with 39% gentle terrain, 48% moderate slopes, and 13% steep or rugged ground. Elevations range from 5,900 feet to 9,700 feet, with typical elevations around 8,600 feet. This is a popular unit with high overall hunter pressure.
Roughly 61% of the unit — approximately 223 square miles — is generally open to public hunting on National Forest and BLM land. Private ground makes up 37% of the unit, and about 1.3% is unclassified. Hunters planning to use public land should be aware that access depends on road and trailhead conditions, which vary by season and weather.
Mule deer occupy the unit across Summer Range and Overall Range, with Winter Range covering 85% of the unit. About 9% of the unit is mapped as Winter Concentration, where mule deer cluster during the late-fall and winter months. As the fall season progresses and weather cools — from September highs around 66°F to November highs around 44°F — deer move toward winter ground. Snowfall increases from a September average of 0.4 inches to 8.6 inches in November, which typically shifts deer distribution toward concentrated areas.
The unit offers six seasons: Archery (September 2–30, buck), Muzzleloader (September 12–20, doe/buck), 2nd Rifle (October 24–November 1, doe/buck), 3rd Rifle (November 7–15, doe/buck), and 4th Rifle (November 18–22, buck). A private-land-only hunt (October 24–November 22, doe/buck) is also offered. The archery and muzzleloader seasons fall during Velvet Shed and Early Fall Transition. The 2nd and 3rd rifle seasons span Early Fall Migration, Early Pre-Rut, and Primary Rut phases. The 4th Rifle season falls in the Primary Rut (November 11–25). Draw difficulty for this unit is Moderate, requiring 1–2 preference points for the easiest unit-wide buck or either-sex public-land hunt available to adult Colorado residents.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 5,900–9,700 ft, typically around 8,600 ft
- Steepness
- Steep — mean slope 13.9°
- Slope breakdown
- 39% gentle · 48% moderate · 12% steep · 1% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~223 sq mi
Land & access
About 61% of GMU 511 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest and BLM.
- National Forest61%
- BLM<1%
- State Trust Land<1%
- Unclassified ownership1%
- Private37%
“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 511 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 Range85%used in winter
- Winter Concentration9%where mule deer bunch up in winter
Mule Deer seasons & weapons (2026)
| Season | Dates | Tags offered |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | September 2 – September 30 | Buck |
| 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 | 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 66°F, lows around 39°F, about 0.4 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 55°F, lows around 29°F, about 5.3 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 44°F, lows around 20°F, about 8.6 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 511 mule deer hunting FAQ
How much public land can a hunter actually hunt in this unit?
Approximately 223 square miles—roughly 61% of the unit—is generally open to public hunting on National Forest and BLM ground. The remaining public-land approaches depend on roads, trailheads, seasonal access conditions, and the presence of private inholdings, which hunters should verify before planning.
Is this a realistic draw for someone with no preference points?
An applicant with zero preference points should not expect to draw the easiest unit-wide buck or either-sex public hunts, which require 1–2 points. However, this statement applies only to the most accessible hunts; other weapons, seasons, and applicant types may have different requirements.
Does the draw difficulty mean low competition for tags?
Draw difficulty and hunter pressure are not the same. A Moderate draw (1–2 points) means tags are relatively accessible, but the unit experiences high overall hunter pressure. A hunter who draws a tag should expect a crowded field.
When should a hunter expect to find deer concentrated on winter ground?
About 9% of the unit is mapped as Winter Concentration where deer cluster. As November progresses and snowfall increases—averaging 8.6 inches by late fall compared to 0.4 inches in September—deer shift toward these concentrated areas. The timing and extent of this movement vary with snow and cold.
Which rifle seasons fall during the rut?
The 3rd Rifle season (November 7–15) overlaps the tail end of the Early Pre-Rut phase and the primary rut window. The 4th Rifle season (November 18–22) falls entirely within the Primary Rut (November 11–25), when buck activity is highest.
Is archery season a viable option for public-land hunters?
Archery runs September 2–30 during Velvet Shed and Early Fall Transition, before the rut. September conditions start around 66°F and cool gradually, with minimal snowfall (0.4 inches average). This season requires different hunting strategies than rifle seasons but offers a less-crowded alternative.
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.