Colorado GMU 60 Mule Deer Hunting
Mesa and Montrose counties, southwest Colorado · 238 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 60 is like
GMU 60 spans 238 square miles across Mesa and Montrose counties in the southwest region, ranging from 4,500 feet to 8,700 feet in elevation with a typical mid-elevation around 6,200 feet. The terrain is rolling to moderately steep, with 46 percent of the unit in gentle slopes, 32 percent moderate, 18 percent steep, and 5 percent rugged. This elevation and terrain diversity creates varied country suitable for foot travel, though hunters should expect considerable elevation gain and variable ground conditions across the unit.
Approximately 82 percent of the unit is publicly huntable—about 195 square miles managed by the Bureau of Land Management (64 percent) and U.S. Forest Service (18 percent). The remaining 18 percent is private land. This substantial public acreage provides genuine ground-access opportunity, though as always roads, trailheads and seasonal restrictions apply to specific locations. BLM holdings dominate the unit's public share and form the primary public-hunting resource.
Mule deer occupy the unit across a broad seasonal range. Winter Range covers 89 percent of the unit, with an additional 13 percent classified as Winter Concentration, indicating clustering on specific ground as the season advances into late fall. Summer Range covers 71 percent, suggesting that some mule deer shift elevation or location during the warmer months, though exact timing and extent of any movement vary with weather and snow. Hunters should expect to find deer across most of the unit in early fall and increasing concentration as winter approaches.
The unit offers seven seasons total, six of which are open to the public. Archery runs September 2 to September 30 for bucks, occurring during the velvet-shed phase when bucks are transitioning into early fall movement patterns. Muzzleloader follows September 12 to September 20, also in the velvet-shed phase and same timeframe. Four rifle seasons follow: the 1st Rifle October 14 to October 18, 2nd Rifle October 24 to November 1, 3rd Rifle November 7 to November 15, and 4th Rifle November 18 to November 22. These rifle seasons span the early fall migration phase through the primary rut in mid-to-late November, meaning later rifle hunts align with peak breeding activity. A private-land-only doe and buck season runs October 14 to November 15 on enrolled private ground. The draw for public-land hunts carries easy difficulty, often requiring zero preference points for the simplest qualifying buck or either-sex tag. Moderate hunter pressure means the unit sees regular use but is not consistently crowded.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 4,500–8,700 ft, typically around 6,200 ft
- Steepness
- Steep — mean slope 15.5°
- Slope breakdown
- 46% gentle · 32% moderate · 18% steep · 5% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~195 sq mi
Land & access
About 82% of GMU 60 is public land a hunter can count on — BLM and National Forest.
- BLM64%
- National Forest18%
- Private18%
Where mule deer live in the unit
Colorado Parks & Wildlife maps mule deer seasonal ranges statewide. This is how much of GMU 60 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
- Winter Range89%used in winter
- Summer Range71%used in summer
- Winter Concentration13%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 | Buck |
| 1st Rifle | October 14 – October 18 | Buck |
| 2nd Rifle | October 24 – November 1 | Buck |
| 3rd Rifle | November 7 – November 15 | Buck |
| 4th Rifle | November 18 – November 22 | Buck |
| Private-land only | October 14 – 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 77°F, lows around 48°F (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 64°F, lows around 36°F, about 0.2 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 51°F, lows around 26°F, about 1.3 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 60 mule deer hunting FAQ
Can a hunter with no preference points draw a tag here?
Yes. The easiest qualifying buck or either-sex hunt on public land draws at zero points most years, making this unit accessible to first-time applicants and those without a preference-point history. Other seasons and weapon types may require additional points, but at least one public-land opportunity typically requires none.
Is this unit realistic for a foot-access-only hunter?
Terrain is rolling to moderately steep and ranges from 4,500 to 8,700 feet elevation, making it hikeable for hunters on foot, though elevation gain will be substantial in places. BLM and Forest Service ground totaling 82 percent of the unit should provide dispersed access, but specific trailheads and seasonal closures vary by location and should be checked site-specifically before planning.
Which seasons fall during the rut, and which are pre-rut?
Archery and muzzleloader (mid-September) occur during velvet shed, before breeding begins. The 1st and 2nd rifle seasons (mid-October through early November) fall in early fall migration and early pre-rut phases. The 3rd rifle season (November 7–15) straddles early pre-rut and primary rut, while the 4th rifle season (November 18–22) sits entirely in the primary rut when bucks are most active.
Do mule deer move around the unit across the fall, or stay in one area?
Winter Concentration ground covers 13 percent of the unit, meaning mule deer cluster on specific locations as the season advances toward winter rather than staying dispersed across the 89 percent Winter Range. Hunters should expect deer to become more concentrated and predictable in location as November progresses, especially as the rut peaks and winter pressure increases.
What weather should a hunter expect through the fall?
September highs average around 77°F, cooling to October highs near 64°F, then dropping to November highs around 51°F. Snowfall is minimal in September and October (averaging zero to 0.2 inches per month) but picks up in November to around 1.3 inches, making late-season ground conditions variable but generally hikeable.
What share of the unit is actually open to hunting versus on paper only?
About 82 percent (roughly 195 square miles) is open to public hunting on BLM and Forest Service ground. The remaining 18 percent is private land and closed unless the hunter has permission. The public portion is substantial, but actual access depends on roads, trailheads and seasonal restrictions at specific locations.
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.