Colorado publishes deer harvest in a form FDR could rank for 186 hunt units. GMU 52 is highest at 2.1 deer harvested per square mile in 2024. GMU 92 has 2.0 in 2024 and GMU 191 has 1.9 in 2024. For success rate GMU 512 leads at 95% in 2024 and GMU 201 has 91% in 2024. Harvest in a hunt unit includes private land, so the public share is shown next to each unit. The rankings describe reported harvest and do not measure access or hunting pressure.
KEY FINDINGS
- GMU 52 has the highest harvest per square mile at 2.1. The agency reported 549 deer on 167,047 acres in 2024.
- GMU 512 has the best success rate at 95%. Its harvest per square mile ranks 21 of 186.
- 186 hunt units are ranked. Ranks compare areas measured in 2024 and each row shows its own newest year.
Colorado public land rankings
Best public land in Colorado
Derived FDR figures from state agency numbers. Season measured 2024. Captured October 18, 2026. Harvest per square mile is the agency's deer harvest divided by the area's size. Success rate is the agency's published rate or harvest divided by hunters. Areas smaller than one square mile are left out of the rankings. Order uses the unrounded values and tied values share a rank. Blank cells mean the agency did not publish the figure.
Public share includes the state trust land that Colorado Parks and Wildlife leases for public hunting.
Download all ranked rows (CSV)
Hunt units
Top 15 of 186 ranked hunt units by deer harvest per square mile. Hunt units include private land, so the public share column shows how much of each unit is public land open to hunting.
15 of 186 hunt units shown
| 1 | GMU 52 | Delta/Gunnison | 167,047 | 2024 | 549 | 2.1 | 55% | 21 | 123.2 | 47.2% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | GMU 92 | Logan/Sedgwick | 36,863 | 2024 | 114 | 2.0 | 33% | 43 | 4.5 | 7.9% |
| 3 | GMU 191 | Larimer | 202,062 | 2024 | 594 | 1.9 | 43% | 33 | 153.0 | 48.5% |
| 4 | GMU 25 | Garfield/Eagle | 147,928 | 2024 | 415 | 1.8 | 30% | 46 | 193.1 | 83.5% |
| 5 | GMU 91 | Sedgwick | 49,056 | 2024 | 132 | 1.7 | 40% | 36 | 13.4 | 17.5% |
| 6 | GMU 35 | Eagle | 170,765 | 2024 | 442 | 1.7 | 44% | 32 | 187.8 | 70.4% |
| 7 | GMU 69 | Custer/Fremont | 186,424 | 2024 | 441 | 1.5 | 48% | 28 | 101.3 | 34.8% |
| 8 | GMU 26 | Eagle/Garfield/Routt | 153,019 | 2024 | 353 | 1.5 | 36% | 40 | 116.0 | 48.5% |
| 9 | GMU 77 | Archuleta/Hinsdale/La Plata/Mineral | 355,551 | 2024 | 612 | 1.1 | 45% | 31 | 459.6 | 82.7% |
| 10 | GMU 36 | Eagle/Grand | 175,818 | 2024 | 302 | 1.1 | 34% | 42 | 228.5 | 83.2% |
| 11 | GMU 33 | Garfield/Rio Blanco | 265,329 | 2024 | 429 | 1.0 | 35% | 41 | 311.3 | 75.1% |
| 12 | GMU 15 | Routt/Grand/Eagle | 313,494 | 2024 | 502 | 1.0 | 34% | 42 | 319.5 | 65.2% |
| 13 | GMU 301 | Moffat | 234,434 | 2024 | 367 | 1.0 | 67% | 12 | 48.7 | 13.3% |
| 14 | GMU 771 | Archuleta | 231,189 | 2024 | 354 | 1.0 | 56% | 20 | 70.6 | 19.5% |
| 15 | GMU 103 | Yuma | 80,506 | 2024 | 123 | 1.0 | 32% | 44 | 13.2 | 10.5% |
Top 10 by success rate
10 of 186 hunt units with a success rate shown
| 21 | GMU 512 | El Paso | 17,630 | 2024 | 24 | 0.9 | 95% | 1 | 27.5 | 100.0% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 103 | GMU 201 | Moffat | 152,959 | 2024 | 53 | 0.2 | 91% | 2 | 219.0 | 91.6% |
| 159 | GMU 10 | Moffat/Rio Blanco | 531,555 | 2024 | 58 | 0.1 | 86% | 3 | 531.0 | 63.9% |
| 77 | GMU 21 | Rio Blanco/Garfield | 568,271 | 2024 | 333 | 0.4 | 79% | 4 | 775.9 | 87.4% |
| 134 | GMU 123 | El Paso/Pueblo | 335,203 | 2024 | 54 | 0.1 | 77% | 5 | 46.9 | 9.0% |
| 176 | GMU 791 | Alamosa/Mineral/Rio Grande/Saguache | 261,143 | 2024 | 15 | 0.0 | 76% | 6 | 4.4 | 1.1% |
| 166 | GMU 83 | Alamosa/Costilla | 798,959 | 2024 | 75 | 0.1 | 75% | 7 | 53.4 | 4.3% |
| 76 | GMU 66 | Gunnison/Hinsdale/Saguache | 570,051 | 2024 | 346 | 0.4 | 74% | 8 | 716.1 | 80.4% |
| 80 | GMU 40 | Mesa | 473,170 | 2024 | 268 | 0.4 | 74% | 8 | 427.9 | 57.9% |
| 31 | GMU 53 | Delta/Gunnison | 253,468 | 2024 | 280 | 0.7 | 72% | 9 | 304.4 | 76.8% |
01Hunt units
186 hunt units ranked on harvest per square mile
GMU 52 has the most deer harvested per square mile at 2.1 in 2024. GMU 92 has 2.0 in 2024 and GMU 191 has 1.9 in 2024.
The public share is the part of each unit that is public land open to hunting. Public share includes the state trust land that Colorado Parks and Wildlife leases for public hunting.
02Success rate
Top 10 hunt units by success rate
GMU 512 has the best success rate at 95% in 2024. GMU 201 has 91% in 2024 and GMU 10 has 86% in 2024.
Success rate is the agency's published figure or harvest divided by hunters. Every ranked unit has one.
03Basis of this report
Sources and method
FDR divided the agency's deer harvest by the area's size to get harvest per square mile. Areas smaller than one square mile are left out of the rankings. Ranks compare areas measured in 2024 and each row shows its own newest year.
Success rate is the agency's published figure or harvest divided by hunters. Tied values share a rank and the order uses the unrounded values.
A ranking does not evaluate an individual property and does not confirm that it is open to hunting for you.
Sources
NOTES AND SOURCES
- Derived FDR figures from state agency numbers. Season measured 2024. Captured October 18, 2026. Harvest per square mile is the agency's deer harvest divided by the area's size. Success rate is the agency's published rate or harvest divided by hunters. Areas smaller than one square mile are left out of the rankings. Order uses the unrounded values and tied values share a rank. Blank cells mean the agency did not publish the figure.
Fully Drawn Research is an independent data analysis desk, not affiliated with any state wildlife agency, transportation agency, mapping provider or outfitter. FDR rankings are independent analysis of state agency numbers. A ranking does not evaluate an individual property.
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