Colorado GMU 59 Mule Deer Hunting
Pueblo, Fremont, El Paso and Teller counties, central Colorado · 647 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 59 is like
GMU 59 spans 647 square miles across central Colorado in Pueblo, Fremont, El Paso and Teller counties, with elevations ranging from 4,700 to 14,100 feet and a typical elevation near 7,100 feet. The terrain is rolling, with some steeper breaks: 58 percent of the unit is gentle, 27 percent moderate, and 15 percent steep or rugged combined. The landscape supports mule deer across the full elevation range, from foothills to high country.
About 36 percent of the unit is publicly owned, but only 31 percent—roughly 203 square miles—is generally open to public hunting. This open ground consists of National Forest, BLM and State Wildlife Areas. An additional 5 percent is Colorado State Trust Land, where hunting depends on CPW enrollment in the Public Access Program and varies by parcel. The remaining 64 percent is private or unclassified, meaning legal access is the primary constraint on where a hunter can actually reach ground.
Mule deer occupy summer range across 87 percent of the unit and winter range across 57 percent, with 4 percent identified as winter concentration areas. Hunters should expect mule deer to shift toward winter ground as the season advances into November and December, driven by snowfall and cooling temperatures typical of the region. September temperatures average highs near 72°F and lows near 43°F with negligible snowfall; October brings highs near 60°F, lows near 32°F and roughly 2 inches of snow; November cools to highs near 49°F and lows near 23°F with 3.5 inches of average snowfall.
The unit offers four seasons to public applicants: archery from September 2–30 for bucks; muzzleloader from September 12–20 for does and bucks; a second rifle season October 24–November 1 for bucks; and a third rifle season November 7–15 for bucks. Draw difficulty for the most accessible unit-wide hunt is moderate, requiring 1–2 preference points for adult Colorado residents. Hunter pressure across the unit is low.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 4,700–14,100 ft, typically around 7,100 ft
- Steepness
- Moderate — mean slope 11.5°
- Slope breakdown
- 58% gentle · 27% moderate · 14% steep · 1% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~203 sq mi, plus ~32 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About 31% of GMU 59 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 Forest20%
- BLM10%
- State Wildlife Area1%
- State Trust Land5%
- Unclassified ownership3%
- Private61%
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 59 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 Range87%used in summer
- Winter Range57%used in winter
- Winter Concentration4%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 | 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 72°F, lows around 43°F (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 60°F, lows around 32°F, about 1.9 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 49°F, lows around 23°F, about 3.5 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 59 mule deer hunting FAQ
How much ground can a public-land hunter actually hunt?
About 31 percent of the unit, or roughly 203 square miles, is generally open to public hunting through National Forest, BLM and State Wildlife Areas. An additional 5 percent is State Trust Land, but access there depends on CPW enrollment in the Public Access Program, which varies by parcel. The remaining 64 percent is private or unclassified, making legal access the primary limiting factor regardless of terrain walkability.
What is the difference between the draw difficulty and what I will find when I hunt?
Draw difficulty of moderate (1–2 points) describes the easiest unit-wide buck hunt available to adult Colorado residents in the primary draw. Other seasons, weapons, or nonresident applicants can require substantially more points. Low overall hunter pressure means that even when tags do draw, the unit will not be crowded—these are separate measures.
When do mule deer shift to winter ground?
Mule deer are mapped across summer range on 87 percent of the unit and winter range on 57 percent. A hunter should expect a shift toward winter ground as the season advances into November and December, but timing and extent vary with snowfall and weather. Winter concentration areas mark 4 percent of the unit where mule deer cluster during that season.
Is the archery season early or late in the fall?
Archery runs September 2–30, which falls in the velvet-shed and early fall transition period before mule deer begin their rut in mid-to-late November. Bucks are still in velvet at the start of the season and begin shedding during its course, making early September quite different from late September in deer behavior and hunter opportunity.
How does weather change across the fall hunts?
September temperatures average highs near 72°F and lows near 43°F with almost no snow. October sees highs drop to 60°F, lows to 32°F and roughly 2 inches of average snowfall. November cools further with highs near 49°F, lows near 23°F and 3.5 inches of average snowfall, making the late-season rifle hunts distinctly colder and snowier than early fall.
Can I hunt State Trust Land in this unit?
About 5 percent of the unit is State Trust Land. Access is not automatic—only parcels enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program are open to hunting, and enrollment varies by individual parcel. A hunter should contact CPW to identify which State Trust Land parcels are enrolled before planning a hunt.
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.