Colorado GMU 771 Mule Deer Hunting
Archuleta County, southwest Colorado · 366 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 771 is like
GMU 771 is a 366-square-mile unit in Archuleta County in the southwest region of Colorado. Elevation ranges from 6,000 feet to 9,000 feet, with typical terrain at 7,100 feet. The country is rolling to moderately steep, with 42 percent gentle slopes, 43 percent moderate slopes, 14 percent steep slopes, and 1 percent rugged terrain by area.
Approximately 18 percent of the unit—roughly 67 square miles—is generally open to public hunting on National Forest and BLM land. The remaining land is split between private holdings at approximately 79 percent, State Trust Land at approximately 0.3 percent, and unclassified ownership at approximately 2.1 percent. Legal access is the primary constraint on where a public-land hunter can operate, since nearly four-fifths of the unit is private.
Mule deer occupy summer range across the full unit and overall range mapped at 100 percent. Winter range covers 94 percent of the unit, and migration corridors extend across 60 percent. Winter concentration grounds, where mule deer cluster during the season, cover 53 percent of the unit. As season advances from fall into winter, mule deer should be expected to consolidate toward concentration areas, though the timing and extent of this shift vary with weather and snow.
The unit offers seven seasons in total, six of which are open to public applicants. Archery runs September 2 to September 30 and is either-sex. Muzzleloader runs September 12 to September 20 and is buck or doe. Four rifle seasons follow: 1st Rifle, October 14 to October 18, buck only; 2nd Rifle, October 24 to November 1, buck or doe; 3rd Rifle, November 7 to November 15, buck or doe; and 4th Rifle, November 18 to November 22, buck or doe. A seventh season, October 24 to January 15 on private land only, is excluded from public-land counts. The draw for this unit is easy—often achievable at zero points—for the easiest unit-wide buck or either-sex hunt code available to adult Colorado residents, though other weapons, seasons, and nonresident applicants may require substantially more preference points. Hunter pressure on the unit is extreme.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 6,000–9,000 ft, typically around 7,100 ft
- Steepness
- Steep — mean slope 13.8°
- Slope breakdown
- 42% gentle · 43% moderate · 14% steep · 1% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~67 sq mi, plus ~1 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About 18% of GMU 771 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest and BLM.
- National Forest18%
- BLM<1%
- State Trust Land<1%
- Unclassified ownership2%
- Private79%
“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 771 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 Range94%used in winter
- Migration Corridors60%movement between ranges, not residence
- Winter Concentration53%where mule deer bunch up in winter
Mule Deer seasons & weapons (2026)
| Season | Dates | Tags offered |
|---|---|---|
| Archery | September 2 – September 30 | Either-sex |
| Muzzleloader | September 12 – September 20 | Doe, Buck |
| 1st Rifle | October 14 – October 18 | Buck |
| 2nd Rifle | October 24 – November 1 | Doe, Buck |
| 3rd Rifle | November 7 – November 15 | Doe, Buck |
| 4th Rifle | November 18 – November 22 | Doe, Buck |
| Private-land only | October 24 – January 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.
GMU 771 mule deer hunting FAQ
Is this unit realistic for someone with no preference points?
Yes, for the easiest unit-wide buck or either-sex hunt code available to adult Colorado residents in the primary draw, this unit often draws at zero points. Other seasons and weapons, and nonresident applicants, may require substantially more points. A hunter should verify the specific hunt code against current draw results to confirm current point requirements.
How much ground can a public-land hunter actually count on hunting here?
Approximately 18 percent of the unit—roughly 67 square miles—is generally open to public hunting on National Forest and BLM land. The remaining 82 percent is private, state trust, or unclassified ownership. Legal access is the primary constraint; a hunter cannot count on roaming the unit freely even where terrain is walkable.
Is this a better unit for early-season or late-season hunting?
Archery and muzzleloader seasons occur in early September while bucks are still in velvet or transitioning out of it. The four rifle seasons span October through late November, with the later three coinciding with the pre-rut and primary rut phases when buck movement increases. Late-season rifle hunts may offer better opportunities for hunters targeting rutting behavior, while early seasons target bucks before the rut.
What does extreme hunter pressure actually mean on the ground?
Extreme pressure indicates very heavy hunter presence and competition for ground, particularly on the limited public acreage available. This does not mean the unit is uncatchable—the draw is easy—but rather that hunters who do draw should expect crowded conditions during popular seasons, especially rifle weeks in October and November.
Where should a hunter focus as the season advances into winter?
Mule deer should be expected to consolidate toward the 53 percent of the unit mapped as winter concentration grounds as the season progresses and snow accumulates. The timing and extent of this shift depend on weather; a hunter should plan to adjust from general summer and fall range toward these concentration areas as winter approaches. However, the mapping does not specify where these concentration areas sit within the unit geography.
Can a hunter actually reach and hunt the public land here given the terrain?
The unit's terrain is rolling to moderately steep and generally walkable, but legal access is the limiting factor. Only 18 percent of the unit is open to public hunting; the rest is private. Even where the terrain is gentle enough to cover on foot, a hunter must have legal right-of-way to reach it, and the private inholdings and ownership pattern make access challenging. Road conditions, trailhead locations, and seasonal closures will govern what ground a specific hunter can actually reach.
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.