Colorado GMU 711 Mule Deer Hunting
Dolores, Montezuma and San Miguel counties, southwest Colorado · 819 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 711 is like
Unit 711 spans 819 square miles across the southwestern corner of Colorado, covering portions of Dolores, Montezuma and San Miguel counties. The country is predominantly gentle and rolling, with 72 percent of the unit classified as gentle terrain, 18 percent moderate, 9 percent steep and 1 percent rugged by area. Elevations range from 5,400 feet to 9,700 feet, with typical elevation around 7,400 feet. The unit offers a mix of piñon-juniper foothills and higher-elevation mixed conifer country as elevation increases.
Public hunting ground comprises roughly 59 percent of the unit—approximately 484 square miles—split between National Forest, BLM and State Wildlife Areas. The remaining land is roughly 38 percent private and 2.3 percent unclassified in ownership. Access to public ground depends on specific roads, trailheads and entry points, which vary by ownership and season.
Mule deer occupy both seasonal ranges across the unit. Winter Range covers 78 percent of the unit, with 42 percent marked as Winter Concentration where deer cluster during the cold months. Summer Range extends across 58 percent of the unit. Migration Corridors account for 2 percent. Hunters should expect mule deer to concentrate on winter ground as the season advances and weather cools, though the timing and extent of this shift vary with snow and conditions.
The unit offers six seasons, five open to public applicants: Archery from September 2 to September 30 for bucks; Muzzleloader from September 12 to September 20 for bucks; a second rifle season from October 24 to November 1 for bucks; a third rifle season from November 7 to November 15 for bucks; and a fourth rifle season from November 18 to November 22 for bucks. A sixth season, open only to private-land hunters from October 24 to November 15, is not available to public-land applicants. All three rifle seasons span the transition into the primary rut. Draw difficulty for the easiest qualifying unit-wide hunt code available to adult Colorado residents is moderate, requiring one to two preference points.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 5,400–9,700 ft, typically around 7,400 ft
- Steepness
- Moderate — mean slope 9.1°
- Slope breakdown
- 72% gentle · 18% moderate · 9% steep · 1% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~484 sq mi, plus ~6 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About 59% of GMU 711 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest, BLM and State Wildlife Areas.
- National Forest36%
- BLM23%
- State Wildlife Area<1%
- State Trust Land<1%
- Unclassified ownership2%
- Private38%
“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 711 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 Range78%used in winter
- Summer Range58%used in summer
- Winter Concentration42%where mule deer bunch up in winter
- Migration Corridors2%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 |
| Private-land only | October 24 – 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 73°F, lows around 44°F (mid-elevation normals)
- October — highs around 61°F, lows around 34°F, about 0.4 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
- November — highs around 49°F, lows around 24°F, about 2.6 in of snow (mid-elevation normals)
GMU 711 mule deer hunting FAQ
How much public ground can I actually hunt here?
Approximately 484 square miles, or 59 percent of the unit, is open to public hunting across National Forest, BLM and State Wildlife Areas. The remaining land is private or unclassified in ownership. Access within that public ground depends on specific roads, trailheads and seasonal entry rules, which vary by managing agency.
Is this unit realistic for someone with no preference points?
The easiest qualifying unit-wide buck hunt for an adult Colorado resident draws at one to two preference points, making it accessible to newer applicants in the primary draw. Other seasons and weapon types may carry higher point requirements, and nonresident applicants face a different draw structure.
When should I expect to find concentrated deer during the rifle season?
Winter Concentration covers 42 percent of the unit, marking ground where mule deer cluster, particularly as the season advances into November and conditions cool. The second rifle season (October 24–November 1) falls early in the transition; the third and fourth rifle seasons (November 7 onward) align with the primary rut period when deer movement and behavior shift.
What weather should I prepare for across the fall hunts?
September archery and muzzleloader seasons see highs near 73°F and lows near 44°F with no typical snowfall. October rifle seasons average highs around 61°F and lows around 34°F with light snow possible. November hunts are significantly colder, with highs near 49°F and lows near 24°F, and average snowfall approaching 2.6 inches.
Is this terrain manageable for a hunter on foot?
The unit is predominantly gentle and rolling—72 percent gentle terrain overall—making it more walkable than steeper units. Steep and rugged ground comprises 10 percent combined, so a foot-mobile hunter can cover ground effectively on much of the unit, though specific access routes and private inholdings will shape which ground is actually reachable.
Which rifle season offers the best rut hunting?
The fourth rifle season (November 18–22) sits squarely in the primary rut, when buck behavior is most active and predictable. The third rifle season (November 7–15) begins in early pre-rut and extends into the primary rut. The second rifle season (October 24–November 1) falls earlier in the transition period and does not align with peak rut.
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.