Colorado GMU 591 Mule Deer Hunting
Pueblo, Fremont and El Paso counties, central Colorado · 216 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 591 is like
GMU 591 covers 216 square miles across Pueblo, Fremont and El Paso counties in south-central Colorado. The terrain is predominantly gentle and rolling, with 84% of the unit in gentle slopes, 15% moderate, 2% steep, and no rugged terrain. Elevations range from 5,200 feet to 7,000 feet, with typical elevations around 5,800 feet. This is foothill and front-range country with relatively easy walking in most places.
The unit is almost entirely private land, with approximately 100% of the acreage in private ownership. Only about 0.0% of the unit is generally open to public hunting. This means that aside from very limited public access, a hunter must secure permission on private ground to hunt here. Public access is the primary constraint on hunting opportunity, regardless of how walkable the terrain is.
Summer Range covers 100% of the unit and Winter Range covers 96%, while Winter Concentration accounts for 4% of the unit. During winter, mule deer cluster on roughly one-twentieth of the total area. Hunters should expect mule deer to concentrate on specific winter ground as the season progresses into late fall and winter, particularly after November.
Three seasons are offered: Archery from September 2 to September 30 for buck; Muzzleloader from September 12 to September 20 for doe or buck; and Late Rifle from October 1 to January 31 for doe or buck. The archery and muzzleloader seasons fall during the velvet-shed and early fall transition period. Late rifle spans the rut, pre-rut staging, early winter consolidation and post-rut recovery phases. Draw difficulty is rated Moderate, reflecting the ease of drawing the most accessible unit-wide code for an adult Colorado resident, typically with 1–2 preference points.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 5,200–7,000 ft, typically around 5,800 ft
- Steepness
- Gentle — mean slope 5.7°
- Slope breakdown
- 84% gentle · 15% moderate · 2% steep · 0% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~0 sq mi
Land & access
About 0% of GMU 591 is public land a hunter can count on.
- Unclassified ownership<1%
- Private100%
Where mule deer live in the unit
Colorado Parks & Wildlife maps mule deer seasonal ranges statewide. This is how much of GMU 591 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 Range96%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 |
| Late Rifle | October 1 – January 31 | 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.
GMU 591 mule deer hunting FAQ
Is there actually huntable public land on this unit?
No; approximately 0.0% of GMU 591 is generally open to public hunting. Nearly the entire unit is private land, so access depends entirely on securing permission from private landowners. Without private-land access, there is effectively no ground to hunt here.
Is the archery season before or during the rut?
The archery season (September 2–30) falls during the velvet-shed and early fall transition phase, well before the primary rut. Bucks are still in bachelor groups and not yet in rut behavior. The late rifle season (October 1–January 31) extends into the primary rut (November 11–25) and beyond.
When should a hunter expect mule deer to concentrate?
Four percent of the unit is mapped as winter concentration ground, where mule deer cluster during winter. As the season advances into late fall and winter, hunters should expect deer to move onto this concentrated ground, particularly after November as weather and snow drive consolidation.
How much ground is steep enough to be difficult to walk?
Only 2% of the unit is steep terrain, and there is no rugged ground. The landscape is 84% gentle slopes and 15% moderate, making walking accessible in most places. Terrain difficulty is not the limiting factor on this unit; legal access to private land is.
What does the Moderate draw rating mean for an applicant with no preference points?
An adult Colorado resident applying for the most accessible unit-wide buck or either-sex code in the primary draw typically needs 1–2 preference points to draw reliably. Applicants with zero points should not expect to draw the Moderate-difficulty hunts, though odds vary by specific season and code.
Is this a realistic option for a public-land hunter?
No. With 100% private ownership and 0.0% open public land, this unit is not viable for hunters without private-land access. Hunters relying entirely on public ground should apply elsewhere.
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.