Deer (mule deer and white-tailed deer) hunting in Colorado: 2026-27 seasons, limits and where to hunt

Every 2026-27 season row for mule deer and white-tailed deer

Each deer row keeps its own license type, so OTC, limited, private-land-only and youth windows sit side by side.

• Rifle doe, private land only (deer, GMUs 52, 53, 63, 411, 481): List B/C (List A = one per year; B = up to two; C = any number).
• Muzzleloader doe, limited (deer, GMUs 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19): List A/B (List A = one per year; B = up to two; C = any number).

D-E-048-U6-R, D-F-075-P5-R, D-F-077-P5-R and D-F-085-P5-R: dates missing from the parsed deer tables; read the brochure page for them.

From 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 30, 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 32, 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 33 and 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 34, checked November 5, 2026.

Deer (mule deer and white-tailed deer): draw, points and leftovers

Draw only: each of the 126 deer rows is a limited license.

• Primary round (deer): Applications March 1-April 7, 2026 (8 pm MT) online or 1-800-244-5613; results May 26-29; surrender deadline June 1; payment deadline June 12; licenses mailed by June 26; Deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bear (sheep and goat also April 7).
• Secondary round (deer): June 18-30 (8 pm MT); results July 7; surrender July 9; payment July 21; no preference points used or earned; youth 12-17 get priority; deer, elk, pronghorn, bear.
• Leftover sale (deer): Leftover/reissued limited and unlimited OTC licenses on sale August 4, 9 am MT; Reissue Preview List each Tuesday 11 am; sales Wednesdays 11 am-1 pm MT.
• How points work (deer): One point per species for an unsuccessful first choice (or point-only code X-P-999-99-P) in the primary draw; points void after a first-choice draw or 10 years without applying/buying; group priority = member with fewest points; youth may apply from age 11 if 12 by season end.
• Hybrid draw (deer): Hunt codes needing 10+ resident points: up to 20% of licenses drawn randomly among applicants with 5+ points who list the code first.
• Out-of-state share (deer): Up to 20% of licenses to nonresidents for codes that needed 6+ resident points (+ in sex column), 25% for fewer than 6; not applied to PLO and RFW licenses; Sheep/goat: 10% to nonresidents.
• Youth priority (deer): At least 15% of limited doe pronghorn, antlerless/either-sex deer and antlerless elk licenses per GMU for youth 12-17 (50% for antlerless deer in GMUs 54, 55, 66, 67, 551 and D-F-006-P5-R).
• Qualifying license (deer): A current-year qualifying license is required to apply in either big game draw: annual small game (resident/nonresident), resident small game/fishing combo, senior combo, spring turkey (both draws), fall turkey (secondary draw only), veteran or first responder lifetime combo, senior small game for lifetime fishing holders; Not needed for OTC or leftover licenses.

From 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 14, 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 19 and 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 16, checked November 5, 2026.

Deer (mule deer and white-tailed deer) bag and license limits

List letters on the deer rows: List A 86, List A/B 9, List B 24, List B/C 3, List C 4. List A allows one license a year, List B up to two, List C any number.

• One doe per license (deer, 61 rows)
• One buck per license (deer, 37 rows)
• One either sex per license (deer, 28 rows)
• deer, elk, pronghorn, bear (deer): One animal per license; Licenses per year: one List A; up to two if List B (A+B or B+B); any number of List C; Annual bag = animals taken on all licenses legally obtained; The unit in the hunt code sets the license count when a license covers several GMUs.
• CPW rule (deer): Two licenses only if one is private-land-only antlered (GMUs 29, 38, 51, 391, 461), private-land-only antlerless, OTC either-sex whitetail, or another List B license; List C: whitetail-only antlerless (not RFW), auction/raffle, damage, outreach, TIPs; No antler-point restriction for deer (buck = antlers 5 inches+).

From 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 13 and 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 30, checked November 5, 2026.

Legal weapons for mule deer and white-tailed deer

• Big game archery (deer), legal gear: Hand-held bows (35 lb+ draw, 7/8 inches broadheads with 2+ steel edges); lighted nocks and non-aiding cameras OK.
• Big game archery (deer), prohibited: Crossbows (except by disability permit), scopes or electronics on bow/arrow, hydraulic/pneumatic bows, explosive arrows.
• Big game muzzleloader (deer), legal gear: Single-barrel muzzleloaders; .40 conical/.50 ball deer, pronghorn, bear; .50 conical/.54 ball elk, moose; 170/210 gr minimums; open/iron sights.
• Big game muzzleloader (deer), prohibited: Scopes, sabots, pelletized or smokeless powder, breech loading, electronics.
• Big game rifle and associated methods (deer), legal gear: Centerfire .24 cal+ (6 mm; .264 for bison), 16 inches barrel/26 inches overall, expanding bullets 70 gr (deer, pronghorn, bear) or 85 gr (elk, moose), 1,000 foot-pounds at 100 yd; semiauto max 6 rounds; shotguns 20 ga+ single slug (18 inches barrel); handguns 4 inches barrel, .24 cal+, 550 foot-pounds at 50 yd; muzzleloaders; hand-held bows; crossbows (125 lb+, 14 inches draw length, 16 inches bolts).
• Big game rifle and associated methods (deer), prohibited: Buckshot, smart rifles (tracking/ballistic computers), fully automatic firearms, electronic calls.

From 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 24 and 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 38, checked November 5, 2026.

Where to hunt mule deer and white-tailed deer on public ground

Mule deer and white-tailed deer appear on 591 public land records, most of them State Trust Land, SWA. Species lists come from CPW, Forest Service, BLM and refuge pages; check each place for deer rules and seasons.

From CPW website, CPW website and 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 16, checked November 5, 2026.

Deer (mule deer and white-tailed deer) hours across Colorado

Times for mule deer and white-tailed deer use the NOAA solar formula at each county centre. Rule: one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset (deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bear, lion).

From 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, PDF p. 23 and 2026 Small Game & Waterfowl brochure, PDF p. 8, checked November 5, 2026.

Next species after mule deer and white-tailed deer