2026 Colorado season · Mule Deer
2026 Colorado mule deer hunting season.
CPW season windows for the 2026 mule deer season, with GMU 59 limited-entry notes and how the dates map to the Elk Glade guided program.
- 2026
- Season year
- GMU 59
- Hunt unit
- Sep 2
- Archery opener
- Nov 22
- Rifle close
The 2026 Colorado mule deer season runs concurrent with elk on the combined seasons (rifle 2nd, 3rd, 4th) plus the archery and muzzleloader windows. GMU 59 is limited entry across the board. The country here holds mature bucks because of the south-facing aspect, the mixed cover, and the low pressure.
Elk Glade sits on GMU 59 — the south slope of Pikes Peak — and runs guided hunts in every season below. GMU 59 mule deer is limited entry — you must draw the tag. We coordinate the CPW application with you starting in early March. See the licenses + draws page for CPW’s current rules, and ask us about landowner voucher availability.
2026 CPW windows
All mule deer seasons, by weapon.
Dates below are statewide CPW windows. Check the CPW big-game brochure for the official current-year publication.
| Weapon class | Opens | Closes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | Wed, Sep 2 | Wed, Sep 30 | Limited entry on GMU 59. Pre-rut into early rut. |
| Muzzleloader | Sat, Sep 12 | Sun, Sep 20 | 9-day. Limited entry. |
| Rifle 2nd (combined) | Sat, Oct 24 | Sun, Nov 1 | 9-day. Combined deer-and-elk. |
| Rifle 3rd (combined) | Sat, Nov 7 | Sun, Nov 15 | 9-day. Combined deer-and-elk. |
| Rifle 4th (limited) | Wed, Nov 18 | Sun, Nov 22 | 5-day. Limited entry. |
GMU 59 specifics
How mule deer hunts on this unit work.
GMU 59 mule deer is limited entry. The country holds bucks because the south face has water year-round and low hunter density. Most bucks in the 150–170 class; occasional 180+. There's no standalone mule-deer package in 2026 — you take a buck on the Elk + Deer or Bear combo ($11,450, if successful) or add a $750 deer voucher to an elk hunt when one's available. Combined deer-and-elk hunts are the most common booking — see the rifle 2nd/3rd lines above; we set the specifics at /quote.
Read the mule deer hunt page →Why this country, this species
Open ponderosa, water, low pressure.
GMU 59 wraps the south face of Pikes Peak. South-facing aspect, three miles of private East Beaver Creek water, mixed conifer to aspen cover, and one of the lowest hunter densities of any draw unit on the Front Range. We’ve run hunts here for many seasons.
Species profile →Plan a 2026 hunt
Apply by March 15. Hunt with us in 2026.
Send a note with your weapon preference, point count, and target window — we’ll come back with a candidate week, walk you through the CPW application, and check landowner voucher availability if you want to bypass the draw.
