With Colorado getting a new five-year big game season structure that is more in line with previous years prior to the last five years, this should help give bucks a break and give them more of an opportunity to elude hunters. Public pressure was the driving force behind pushing these dates back to their original date structure as everyone was a witness to the reduction of mature bucks across the board. The rifle dates will be the latest this year and start getting earlier each year thereafter. The third rifle season is now a nine-day season as well. That was the compromise to having the third rifle season earlier.
All mule deer tags are issued through the draw, and there is an archery, muzzleloader, and three rifle seasons in most units for mule deer. There are also units that have earlier rifle seasons that happen prior to the second rifle season (which is technically the first rifle season in most units for deer) that often have designated areas within the unit you can hunt. With the abundance of summer range in Colorado, deer will tend to be more spread out and harder to locate during the early archery and muzzleloader seasons. In those units with early rifle seasons, deer tend to still be spread out and could be harder to locate until they start to migrate to lower elevations during mid to late October. Once November hits, deer tend to start their migration down to lower elevations and become more concentrated, although there are always a few stragglers that will stay as high up on the mountain as possible and can be very difficult to reach.
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One thing that remains from the prior five-year season structure is that mature bucks are at a minimum. Depending on where you stand with your points, it might be wise to reconsider your strategy if you’re hoping for bucks over 180”. There are still a few units that remain strong contenders for mature bucks, but they are going to be difficult to find and draw. The only reason there are still mature bucks on the landscape after issuing the bulk of the rifle tags during the rut is if there are a few sanctuaries where they have been able to take refuge or tags were severely restricted. If you’re in the 1-3 point range, holding out for the next five years likely won’t improve your chances much. Instead, it may be smarter to burn those points on the best hunt available to you now and get out there hunting. With changes that will move the season dates earlier, you’ll likely have the chance to hunt two to three times over the next five to seven years, and the quality of bucks should continue to improve.
The same mindset that’s always been true still holds today – there’s always potential for a trophy buck in any unit across Colorado. However, the landscape has changed. With advances in technology, rut rifle hunts, and top-tier gear, it’s harder than ever to stumble upon a mature buck. Colorado is still a solid destination for regularly hunting big mulies, and that’s not likely to change due to its vast habitat and thriving alpine basins. However, mule deer hunting in Colorado is starting to resemble elk hunting more and more. There will always be plenty of opportunities to hunt, but they’ll mostly be younger bucks with an occasional mature one that managed to slip through the cracks for four or five years.
Eastern Plains hunting has become as difficult to find trophy class mule deer bucks as the western side. On average, the deer population in the eastern side of the state is drastically lower than the west, but in past years, we have seen better management on this side of the state because of the private land that dominates the landscape. As trophy mule deer on the western side of the state became more and more scarce, more interest was paid to the trophy bucks coming out of the Eastern Plains. With this came more competition for access to private ground and a sense of urgency to get more and more hunters in the field while the demand is high. With the high demand came price increases as landowners found themselves with competing bids to hunt their land, so natural lease prices became more expensive, and in turn, deer hunts followed suit.
Enter now with the increased pricing and decrease in trophy quality and the Eastern Plains of Colorado does not hold the same luster it once had. This is not to say that all the great bucks have been killed off and it’s a terrible hunt; the Plains still have good deer and controlled hunting on private is still meeting most of hunters’ needs. However, most hunts on the Eastern Plains with reputable outfitters will cost in the neighborhood of $15,000+, have a two- to five-year wait to book that hunt, and the trophy quality is not what it was 10 years ago when the price was closer to $9,000.
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The gem of the Eastern Plains might be the trophy whitetail bucks that have continued to be produced out here due to the large agriculture influence. Keep in mind that the densities are not what you are going to find in the Midwest or eastern U.S., but as far as western states, they are holding their own. As always, whitetails are concentrated around areas with high ag fields along with good river bottom type habitat for escapement and bedding. It is not uncommon to find solid 160” class bucks out there, and the cost on average is lower than mule deer and in recent years is better quality.
The Plains still have great mule deer hunting, but do your due diligence before rushing into a hunt that will cost you a pretty penny and might not have what you are looking for.
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| 2025 Colorado Deer Non-Resident Hunting Fees | |
|---|---|
| Fee | Cost |
| Annual Small Game Hunting License (required to apply) | $101.54 |
| Youth Annual Small Game Hunt License (under age 18, required to apply) | $1.50 |
| Habitat Stamp (required for adults to apply) | $12.47 |
| Draw Application (per species) | $11.00 |
| Adult Point Fee (per species for Sheep, Moose, and Mtn. Goat) | $100.00 |
| Youth Point Fee (all species) | None |
| Post Draw Fees (if successful) | |
| Deer | $494.47 |
| Youth Big Game (Elk, Deer, or Antelope) | $126.18 |
CO Deer Hunting Articles from Huntin' Fool Magazine
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