Colorado GMU 58 Mule Deer Hunting
Fremont and Park counties, central Colorado · 872 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 58 is like
GMU 58 occupies 872 square miles across Fremont and Park counties in the central region. The unit spans elevations from 5,700 feet to 11,700 feet, with a typical elevation around 9,100 feet. Terrain is rolling to moderately steep, with 50% gentle slopes, 40% moderate slopes, and 10% steep slopes. The landscape supports both open and forested ground across the elevation band, with lower elevations trending toward rolling country and higher elevations becoming steeper.
Public hunting ground on the unit comprises roughly 39% of the total area—about 343 square miles managed by the Bureau of Land Management, United States Forest Service, and State Wildlife Areas. An additional 9.3% of the unit is Colorado State Trust Land, huntable only where CPW has enrolled parcels in the Public Access Program. Private land covers approximately 50% of the unit, with the remainder unclassified by the source data.
Mule deer occupy Summer Range across 75% of the unit through mid-August. As fall advances and temperatures drop, deer concentrate on Winter Range, which covers 58% of the unit, with concentrated clusters occupying 21% of the unit's area. Hunters should expect mule deer presence to shift toward winter grounds as the season progresses through November and early December, though the timing and extent of movement vary with weather and snow.
The unit offers four seasons for mule deer. Archery runs September 2–30 and allows either-sex take. Muzzleloader runs September 12–20 and allows buck or doe. A second rifle season runs October 24–November 1 for buck or doe. A third rifle season runs November 7–15 for buck or doe. September temperatures range from highs near 67°F to lows near 37°F with minimal snowfall; October highs average 56°F and lows 27°F with about 2.8 inches of monthly snowfall; November highs average 44°F and lows 17°F with about 4.6 inches of snowfall. The draw is rated Moderate in difficulty for adult Colorado residents seeking the easiest available unit-wide code, with hunter pressure across the unit rated as Low.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 5,700–11,700 ft, typically around 9,100 ft
- Steepness
- Moderate — mean slope 12°
- Slope breakdown
- 50% gentle · 40% moderate · 10% steep · 0% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~343 sq mi, plus ~81 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About 39% of GMU 58 is public land a hunter can count on — BLM, National Forest and State Wildlife Areas. A further 9% is State Trust Land, which is huntable only where CPW has enrolled it.
- BLM29%
- National Forest9%
- State Wildlife Area<1%
- State Trust Land9%
- Unclassified ownership1%
- Private50%
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 58 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 Range75%used in summer
- Winter Range58%used in winter
- Winter Concentration21%where mule deer bunch up in winter
- Migration Corridors12%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 |
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 67°F, lows around 37°F, about 0.1 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 56°F, lows around 27°F, about 2.8 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 44°F, lows around 17°F, about 4.6 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 58 mule deer hunting FAQ
How much ground can a public-land hunter actually hunt here?
Public hunting ground comprises roughly 39% of the unit, about 343 square miles managed by BLM, Forest Service, and State Wildlife Areas. An additional 9.3% is State Trust Land, but only parcels enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program are open to public hunting. The remainder is private land or unclassified. A hunter should map specific access before planning a hunt.
Is this unit realistic for someone with no preference points?
The unit draws at Moderate difficulty for adult Colorado residents applying for the easiest available unit-wide either-sex or buck code. This rating reflects the lowest preference-point tier that drew reliably in the 2026 primary draw. Other weapons, seasons, and nonresident applicants can require substantially more points, and actual draw odds vary by hunt code and year.
When is the rut and which season falls in it?
The primary rut occurs November 11–25. The third rifle season, November 7–15, overlaps both the early pre-rut phase and the opening of the primary rut, making it the season most likely to coincide with peak rutting behavior. The archery and muzzleloader seasons in September fall during the velvet-shed phase, before the rut begins.
How does the terrain affect a hunter on foot?
The unit is rolling to moderately steep, with half the area in gentle slopes and 40% in moderate slopes. The remaining 10% is steep, so a foot hunter can expect mixed terrain requiring variable fitness and navigation skills depending on which portions of the unit are hunted. Elevation gain and snow coverage in October and November will also affect mobility.
Where should a hunter expect to find mule deer as the season progresses?
Mule deer occupy 75% of the unit in summer range through early September. As fall advances and temperatures drop from September highs near 67°F to November highs near 44°F, hunters should expect deer to shift toward winter range, which covers 58% of the unit. Concentrated use areas make up 21% of the unit's winter ground, though the timing and extent of movement vary with weather and snow.
What does the Moderate draw difficulty rating mean for this unit?
The rating describes the easiest qualifying unit-wide either-sex or buck code available to adult Colorado residents in the primary draw. It reflects a preference-point tier from 1–2 points that drew reliably. Private-land-only hunts and Ranching for Wildlife licenses are separate systems and are excluded from this assessment. Other weapons, seasons, and nonresident applicants face different competition.
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.