Colorado Unit 45 Mule Deer Hunting Guide

Colorado Unit 45 sits in the southwestern part of the state, spanning 214,928 acres of rugged, high-elevation terrain that ranges from 7,124 feet up to nearly 14,000 feet at its highest points. For hunters chasing mule deer, this unit represents one of Colorado's more demanding but potentially rewarding draw opportunities — a place where trophy history runs deep in the surrounding counties, but where the country itself will test even experienced backcountry hunters.

There is no general season here. Every mule deer hunt in Unit 45 is limited-quota, meaning hunters must draw a tag before they ever set foot in the unit — including for antlered bucks. That single fact shapes everything about how hunters should approach this unit, from application strategy to the level of physical preparation required once a tag is in hand. With 95% public land and 34% of the unit designated wilderness, access isn't the bottleneck here — the terrain and the draw itself are.

This article breaks down what the data actually shows about Unit 45: recent harvest trends, what the herd survey numbers suggest about buck availability, the qualitative trophy picture from surrounding counties, and how the application process works for both residents and nonresidents.

HuntPilot Analysis: Is Unit 45 Worth Applying For?

The honest answer is: it depends heavily on what a hunter is looking for, and hunters need to go in with clear eyes about the terrain and herd composition data.

Start with harvest trends. In the 2025 season, 2,273 hunters pursued deer in Unit 45 and posted a 42% success rate, with 965 animals harvested. That's a notable jump from 2024, when 873 hunters harvested 280 animals for a 32% success rate, and from 2023 (642 hunters, 202 harvested, 31% success). Go back to 2022 and the picture looks different again — 477 hunters, only 97 harvested, a 20% success rate. The trend line across these four years shows both hunter numbers and success rates climbing substantially, with 2025 representing the strongest success rate and by far the largest hunter turnout in the dataset. That's a meaningful shift worth noting for anyone using older reports or forum threads to size up this unit — the unit hunted very differently in 2022 than it did in 2025.

The buck-to-doe ratio data is where hunters need to exercise real caution. The 2024 survey recorded a ratio of 24 bucks per 100 does, based on a single survey year. A ratio that low suggests a herd with relatively few mature bucks relative to does, at least in the area and timing that survey captured. Because this is only one year of survey data, it's not possible to establish a multi-year trend or confirm whether 24:100 represents a typical year or an outlier. Hunters should treat this figure as a caution flag rather than a definitive verdict on herd health, and should look for updated survey data before finalizing expectations.

On the trophy side, the counties overlapping Unit 45 carry an extensive history of trophy-class mule deer records. That's a meaningful data point — it means the genetics and habitat in this broader region have consistently produced high-caliber bucks over time. But it comes with an important caveat: record-book entries are logged by county, not by specific hunt unit, so that trophy history is shared across Unit 45 and its neighboring units. A trophy buck attributed to the overlapping counties could have come from anywhere within that broader area, not necessarily from inside Unit 45's boundaries specifically. Still, extensive trophy history at the county level is a strong signal that the habitat and elevation gradient in this part of Colorado are capable of growing exceptional bucks, and forum accounts consistently describe Unit 45 as a unit with legitimate potential for a true trophy animal for hunters willing to grind for it.

Terrain is the other major factor. With elevation spanning from 7,124 feet to 13,981 feet and over a third of the unit in wilderness, this is not an easy walk-in hunt. Hunters describe the country as gnarly and physically demanding, with deer scattered across large expanses that require covering serious ground on foot. The payoff of 95% public land access means hunters aren't fighting for scraps of huntable ground behind locked gates — the vast majority of this unit is open to hunt — but that same public access means more country to cover and more competition for the better basins.

Bottom line: Unit 45 is worth applying for if a hunter wants a legitimate shot at a mature buck in genuinely wild, high-elevation country and is physically prepared for the demands of wilderness-adjacent terrain. It's a tougher recommendation for hunters wanting a high-percentage, low-effort hunt, and the thin buck:doe survey data means trophy expectations should be tempered until more recent survey years are available.

Access & Terrain

Unit 45 offers exceptional access on paper: 95% public land across 214,928 acres gives hunters enormous room to roam without needing special permission or facing locked private gates. That's about as good as public land access gets in Colorado's better mule deer country.

The catch is elevation and ruggedness. A span from 7,124 feet to 13,981 feet means hunters could be glassing sage-covered foothills one day and working alpine basins near timberline the next, depending on where in the unit they're hunting and what time of year the tag allows. The 34% wilderness designation adds another layer — a significant chunk of this unit is foot-and-horseback-only country, with no motorized access once a hunter crosses the wilderness boundary. That rules out ATV-assisted access on over a third of the unit and demands a higher level of physical conditioning and backcountry self-sufficiency from anyone planning to hunt those areas.

Forum accounts describe the terrain as "pretty gnarly," particularly in the more remote drainages, and note that a lot of country needs to be covered to consistently find better bucks. That matches the elevation data: this isn't a unit where hunters can expect to sit near a truck and glass a hillside. Success in Unit 45 likely requires a legitimate backcountry approach — multi-day camps, physical fitness for high-elevation hiking, and a willingness to get well off any road system.

Colorado does not restrict nonresident hunters from wilderness access the way some states do, so nonresidents can hunt the wilderness portions of Unit 45 without being required to hire an outfitter. That said, given the terrain difficulty and the size of the country, hunters unfamiliar with the area — resident or nonresident — may still find real value in scouting extensively beforehand or considering a guide service for the wilderness sections.

Harvest Success Rates

The four years of harvest data available for Unit 45 show a clear upward trajectory in both participation and success:

• 2025: 2,273 hunters, 965 harvested — 42% success
• 2024: 873 hunters, 280 harvested — 32% success
• 2023: 642 hunters, 202 harvested — 31% success
• 2022: 477 hunters, 97 harvested — 20% success

The jump in hunter numbers between 2024 and 2025 — from 873 to 2,273 — is substantial and worth flagging. It's possible this reflects an increase in tags allocated for that season, a change in how hunts were structured or counted, or increased demand for this unit following strong word-of-mouth about the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Whatever the cause, more than double the hunters in 2025 still produced the highest success rate of the four years, which suggests the herd was able to support significantly more hunting pressure without a corresponding crash in success — a reasonably positive sign for herd density, even as the buck:doe ratio data raises separate questions about buck age structure.

The steady climb from 20% success in 2022 to 42% in 2025 is a meaningful trend for hunters weighing this unit against others. A unit trending in the right direction on success rate, even as hunter numbers grow, is generally a better sign than a unit where success is declining as pressure increases.

Trophy Quality

Data sourced from HuntPilot indicates the counties overlapping Unit 45 hold an extensive history of trophy-class mule deer records — a strong qualitative signal about this region's genetic potential and habitat quality for growing mature bucks. This aligns with what hunters describe anecdotally: a real, if difficult, chance at a true trophy buck for those willing to cover ground and hunt hard in rugged terrain.

It's important to reiterate that trophy records are attributed at the county level, not the specific unit level, so this extensive trophy history is shared with neighboring units that fall within the same overlapping counties. A trophy-class buck credited to this region could have come from anywhere across that broader county footprint. Even so, an extensive trophy record history at the county level is one of the stronger qualitative indicators available, and it suggests hunters willing to put in the physical work in Unit 45's higher, more remote terrain have a legitimate shot at encountering an exceptional buck — not just an average one.

Herd Health & Population Trends

The only survey data available for Unit 45 comes from a single year, 2024, showing a buck-to-doe ratio of 24:100. That's a low ratio in the context of healthy mule deer herds, and with only one year of data, it's not possible to determine whether this represents a consistent pattern or an anomaly tied to survey timing, sample size, or location within the unit.

Hunters should treat this figure with caution rather than alarm. A single-year snapshot is not sufficient to draw firm conclusions about long-term herd trends, buck age structure, or overall population health. What can be said is that the harvest data shows rising success rates through 2025 even as hunter numbers grew substantially, which is a more reliable multi-year signal of a herd that's holding up under pressure. Hunters serious about Unit 45 should watch for updated survey data in future years before making final judgments about buck availability.

How to Apply

Because Unit 45 has no general season, every mule deer hunt here — including hunts for antlered bucks — requires a limited-quota draw tag. There is no over-the-counter option and no general license that covers this unit; hunters must apply and be selected before they can legally hunt deer here.

Colorado's draw system uses true preference points, meaning the highest point holders in a given applicant pool are awarded tags first. This is not a weighted lottery — a hunter who accumulates enough preference points for a specific hunt code in Unit 45 can reach a guarantee level over time, unlike states that use bonus-squared or random-draw systems. Resident and nonresident applicants apply through separate pools, so nonresident competition doesn't directly affect resident odds, though nonresident quotas are typically smaller.

Hunters should decide early whether they're applying as a resident or nonresident, and should check current point requirements before committing to Unit 45 over another unit, since draw dynamics shift from year to year as quotas and applicant pools change.

Application dates, fees, and current draw odds all change every cycle. For the most current deadlines, costs, and draw data for Unit 45, see HuntPilot's Colorado page at /states/CO.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Colorado Unit 45 worth applying for? Based on available data, yes — for hunters prioritizing trophy potential and willing to hunt rugged, high-elevation terrain. The extensive trophy history in the overlapping counties combined with rising harvest success rates through 2025 (up to 42%) make this a unit with real upside. It's a less ideal fit for hunters wanting an easy, high-percentage hunt, given the demanding terrain and the caution flag raised by the low 2024 buck:doe ratio.

What is the terrain like in Unit 45? Terrain is extremely varied and demanding, spanning elevations from 7,124 feet to 13,981 feet across 214,928 acres. With 34% of the unit in wilderness, a large portion is foot-and-horseback-only country. Hunters describe the unit as physically tough, requiring hunters to cover significant ground to find better bucks, particularly in the more remote basins and drainages.

What is harvest success like in Unit 45? Success rates have climbed steadily over the last four recorded seasons — from 20% in 2022, to 31% in 2023, to 32% in 2024, and up to 42% in 2025. Hunter participation also grew substantially, especially between 2024 and 2025, without a drop in success rate, which is a positive sign for overall herd density.

How big are the mule deer in Unit 45? Specific scores aren't available, but the counties overlapping Unit 45 carry an extensive history of trophy-class record-book entries, indicating this region has consistently produced exceptional bucks. That trophy history is shared across neighboring units within the same counties, so it reflects the broader region's potential rather than a unit-exclusive statistic.

Do I need an outfitter to hunt Unit 45? Colorado does not require nonresidents to hire a guide for wilderness access, unlike some other western states. That said, given the ruggedness of the terrain and the physical demands of the 34% wilderness portion of the unit, hunters unfamiliar with the area may benefit from a guide service or extensive pre-season scouting, particularly for the more remote high-elevation basins.