Colorado GMU 87 Mule Deer Hunting
Larimer and Weld counties, northeast Colorado · 1,117 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 87 is like
Unit 87 covers 1,117 square miles across Larimer and Weld counties in Colorado's northeast region. The unit is gentle and rolling, with elevations ranging from 4,800 feet to 6,400 feet and typical terrain at 5,200 feet. Nearly all of the unit (99%) is gentle terrain, with only 1% moderate slopes and no steep or rugged ground. This is an accessible landscape for hunters traveling on foot, though elevation gain and descent occur within modest bounds.
About 15% of the unit (roughly 162 square miles) is open to public hunting, managed by the US Forest Service and Colorado Parks and Wildlife as State Wildlife Areas. An additional 6.3% (roughly 70 square miles) consists of Colorado State Trust Land where hunting is possible only on parcels enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program; access to these tracts depends on current enrollment status. The remaining ground is split between private land (77%) and ownership unclassified in CPW records (2.5%). Legal access is the dominant constraint here, since only the National Forest and enrolled State Wildlife Areas can be counted on for public-land hunting.
Mule deer occupy the unit across a broad seasonal range, with winter concentration on 36% of the unit's area. As the fall progresses from September through December, mule deer move through predictable phenological phases. Early archery and muzzleloader seasons coincide with velvet shedding and early fall transition patterns when bucks remain in higher-elevation bachelor groups. The two rifle seasons track the migration and rut progression: the early rifle season from early October through early November overlaps the onset of fall migration and early pre-rut staging, while the late rifle season in December aligns with late rut and winter consolidation as deer congregate on winter concentration ground.
The unit offers four seasons: archery September 2–30, muzzleloader September 12–20, a plains early rifle season October 1–November 3, and a plains late rifle season December 1–14. Both rifle seasons are available to public applicants. Draw difficulty on this unit is easy, with the easiest unit-wide either-sex or buck hunt code for adult Colorado residents often drawing at zero preference points. Hunter pressure is moderate overall.
Terrain & elevation
- Elevation
- 4,800–6,400 ft, typically around 5,200 ft
- Steepness
- Gentle — mean slope 1.9°
- Slope breakdown
- 99% gentle · 1% moderate · 0% steep · 0% rugged
- Ground you can count on
- ~162 sq mi, plus ~70 sq mi of State Trust Land where access depends on enrollment
Land & access
About 15% of GMU 87 is public land a hunter can count on — National Forest and State Wildlife Areas. A further 6% is State Trust Land, which is huntable only where CPW has enrolled it.
- National Forest14%
- State Wildlife Area<1%
- State Trust Land6%
- Unclassified ownership2%
- Private77%
Colorado State Trust Land is open to public hunting only where it is enrolled in CPW's Public Access Program. Check current enrollment before planning around it.
“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 87 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 Range69%used in winter
- Winter Concentration36%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 |
| Plains Early Rifle | October 1 – November 3 | Either-sex, Doe, Buck |
| Plains Late Rifle | December 1 – December 14 | 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 87 mule deer hunting FAQ
How much public land can a hunter actually hunt in this unit?
Approximately 15% of the unit (162 square miles) is dependably open to public hunting on USFS and State Wildlife Areas. An additional 6.3% is State Trust Land where hunting access depends on current CPW Public Access Program enrollment. The rest is private (77%) or unclassified, making legal public access the limiting factor despite the gentle and accessible terrain throughout.
Is this unit realistic for someone with no preference points?
Yes. The easiest unit-wide either-sex or buck hunt codes for adult Colorado residents typically draw at zero preference points, making this unit accessible to first-time applicants. Nonresidents and applicants targeting specific season-weapon combinations may face higher point requirements, but the baseline is easy to draw.
When do mule deer rut, and which seasons coincide with the rut?
Mule deer rut in mid-to-late November. The archery and muzzleloader seasons (September 2–30 and September 12–20) fall during velvet shedding before the rut. The early rifle season (October 1–November 3) spans the early pre-rut phase. The late rifle season (December 1–14) occurs after the primary rut, as deer consolidate on winter ground.
Does the terrain get steeper or more difficult to walk as the season progresses?
No. The unit remains gentle and rolling throughout, with 99% gentle terrain and only 1% moderate slopes. Elevation spans from 4,800 to 6,400 feet, but the mean slope is 1.9 degrees. Walkability is consistent across seasons; legal access to public ground is the primary constraint.
Where do mule deer concentrate on this unit?
Winter concentration ground covers 36% of the unit, marking areas where mule deer cluster during the late fall and winter periods. The mapping does not specify the location of these concentrations by elevation or aspect, but as seasons progress into December and January, hunters should expect deer to move toward and congregate on these concentrated-use areas.
Is this a good option for a hunter focused on the rut?
The late rifle season (December 1–14) overlaps late rut and winter consolidation, when mule deer are actively rutting and then settling into winter patterns. However, the primary rut peaks in mid-to-late November, which falls between the early rifle season (ending November 3) and the late rifle season (beginning December 1), limiting the direct overlap with peak rut timing.
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.