Colorado GMU 681 Mule Deer Hunting
Saguache County, southwest Colorado · 444 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 681 is like
GMU 681 spans 444 square miles in southwestern Colorado at elevations ranging from 7,700 feet to 13,300 feet, with a typical mid-elevation around 9,300 feet. The terrain is rolling to moderately steep, with 37 percent gentle slopes, 51 percent moderate slopes, and 11 percent steep terrain. Mule deer inhabit the full range of the unit across the fall hunting season.
The unit is approximately 87 percent open to public hunting on National Forest and BLM land, totaling roughly 389 square miles. Private ground makes up about 12 percent of the unit. The public land is split between United States Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management holdings in roughly equal proportions, providing hunters access to a substantial majority of the available terrain.
Mule deer use the unit broadly across its full mapped range. Summer Range covers 90 percent of the unit, while Winter Range covers 54 percent. A Winter Concentration layer marks 16 percent of the unit where mule deer cluster during the winter period. As fall progresses and temperatures drop from September highs around 68 degrees Fahrenheit to November highs around 43 degrees Fahrenheit, hunters should expect deer to gradually shift toward winter ground, though the timing and extent of that movement vary with weather and snow.
The unit offers five seasons for mule deer: Archery from September 2 to September 30 for bucks; Muzzleloader from September 12 to September 20 for bucks; and three rifle seasons—2nd Rifle from October 24 to November 1 for bucks, 3rd Rifle from November 7 to November 15 for bucks, and 4th Rifle from November 18 to November 22 for bucks. Draw difficulty is moderate, requiring one to two preference points for the easiest unit-wide buck code available to adult Colorado residents. Hunter pressure on the unit is moderate overall.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 7,700–13,300 ft, typically around 9,300 ft
- Steepness
- Steep — mean slope 13.9°
- Slope breakdown
- 37% gentle · 51% moderate · 11% steep · 0% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~389 sq mi, plus ~4 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About 87% of GMU 681 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest and BLM.
- National Forest50%
- BLM37%
- State Wildlife Area<1%
- State Trust Land<1%
- Private12%
Where mule deer live in the unit
Colorado Parks & Wildlife maps mule deer seasonal ranges statewide. This is how much of GMU 681 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 Range90%used in summer
- Winter Range54%used in winter
- Winter Concentration16%where mule deer bunch up in winter
- Migration Corridors<1%movement between ranges, not residence
Mule Deer seasons & weapons (2026)
| Season | Dates | Tags offered |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | September 2 – September 30 | Buck |
| Muzzleloader | September 12 – September 20 | Buck |
| 2nd Rifle | October 24 – November 1 | Buck |
| 3rd Rifle | November 7 – November 15 | Buck |
| 4th Rifle | November 18 – November 22 | 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 68°F, lows around 37°F (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 56°F, lows around 27°F, about 1.5 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 43°F, lows around 17°F, about 6.6 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 681 mule deer hunting FAQ
How much of this unit can a public-land hunter realistically access?
Approximately 87 percent of the unit, or 389 square miles, is open to public hunting on National Forest and BLM land. This does not guarantee easy access to every acre, as roads, trailheads, private inholdings, and seasonal closures still apply—but it represents the ground a hunter can count on hunting if the approach is feasible.
Is this a unit for a hunter with no preference points?
The easiest unit-wide buck code for adult Colorado residents draws at moderate difficulty, meaning one to two preference points. A hunter with zero points should research the specific buck codes available and their point requirements before applying, as some codes may require more.
Which season is best for hunters targeting the rut?
The 4th Rifle season from November 18 to November 22 falls entirely in the Primary Rut phase, when mule deer exhibit rut behavior. The 3rd Rifle season from November 7 to November 15 spans both the Early Pre-Rut and the opening of the Primary Rut, making it also relevant for rut hunting. Earlier seasons sit in the velvet-shed or early migration phases and do not coincide with the rut.
Does deer distribution shift significantly across the fall season?
Yes. Summer Range covers 90 percent of the unit, but Winter Range covers only 54 percent, and Winter Concentration marks 16 percent. As September temperatures cool to November—dropping from 68 degrees to 43 degrees Fahrenheit and with November snowfall averaging 6.6 inches—hunters should expect mule deer to gradually move toward winter ground. The pace and extent of that shift depend on weather and snow timing.
Is the terrain steep enough to be challenging for foot travel?
The unit is rolling to moderately steep overall, with 88 percent of the area in gentle or moderate slopes. Only 11 percent is steep terrain, so most of the unit is manageable for hunters on foot, though the steeper sections still require physical fitness.
What should a hunter expect in terms of weather through the fall?
September highs average 68 degrees Fahrenheit with virtually no snowfall. October cools to highs around 56 degrees with about 1.5 inches of snowfall. November is notably colder with highs around 43 degrees and 6.6 inches of average snowfall, creating changing conditions across the four-month hunting window.
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.