Colorado Unit 87 Mule Deer Hunting Guide

Colorado Unit 87 is a limited-quota mule deer unit that draws attention from both resident and nonresident hunters looking for a legitimate shot at a mature buck in a landscape that spans nearly 715,000 acres. Unlike many Colorado units where an over-the-counter or general license covers at least part of the season, Unit 87 operates entirely on a draw basis — there is no general season here for any class of mule deer. Every hunter afield in this unit has gone through the application process and drawn a specific license.

That structure matters. It means hunting pressure is capped by quota rather than left open-ended, and it means the hunters who do draw tags are hunting alongside a controlled number of other tag holders rather than an unlimited field. For hunters evaluating whether to spend points or take a chance on Unit 87, understanding the harvest trends, terrain realities, and herd data is essential before committing an application to this unit.

This article breaks down what the data actually shows for Unit 87 — recent harvest performance, what the buck:doe survey numbers suggest about herd composition, the access situation across a unit that's only 24% public land, and what trophy potential looks like based on regional record history. All figures below come from HuntPilot's unit database.

HuntPilot Analysis: Is Unit 87 Worth Applying For?

Unit 87 presents a mixed but workable picture. On the positive side, success rates have been trending upward in the most recent data. In the 2025 season, 833 hunters harvested 304 bucks for a 36% success rate — the best mark in the four years of data available, and a meaningful improvement over 2023's 17% success rate. The 2024 season also posted a strong 34% success rate with the same 304-buck harvest total, spread across more hunters (900).

Go back to 2022 and the picture looked different: 1,370 hunters harvested 326 animals for a 24% success rate. That's a wider hunter pool with a lower success percentage, which combined with the sharp dip to 17% in 2023 suggests either tighter quotas in recent years, improving herd conditions, or both. The trend line from 2022 through 2025 — declining hunter numbers paired with rising success — is the kind of pattern that typically reflects a unit where quota management is working in the hunters' favor.

The complicating factor is access. Only 24% of Unit 87 is public land, meaning roughly three-quarters of the unit's 714,794 acres sits in private ownership. That's a significant constraint for any hunter planning a DIY approach. Hunters without existing landowner relationships, lease arrangements, or outfitter connections will be competing for a relatively narrow slice of huntable public ground, which concentrates pressure on whatever public parcels exist within unit boundaries.

The herd data adds another layer of nuance. The 2024 survey recorded a 36:100 buck:doe ratio, but this comes from a single survey year, which limits confidence in using it as a long-term indicator. A 36:100 ratio is within a biologically normal range for mule deer — it doesn't suggest either an exceptional or a depleted buck segment, but with only one year of data to go on, hunters should treat it as a snapshot rather than a trend.

Bottom line: Unit 87 is worth serious consideration for hunters who have access solved — either through private land connections or a willingness to work the limited public ground hard — and who are drawn by the improving success rates. Hunters without an access plan should weigh the 24% public land figure carefully before committing points or applications here.

Harvest Success Rates

Unit 87's harvest data over the past four seasons shows real volatility followed by recent stabilization at higher success levels:

• 2025: 833 hunters, 304 harvested, 36% success
• 2024: 900 hunters, 304 harvested, 34% success
• 2023: 1,162 hunters, 201 harvested, 17% success
• 2022: 1,370 hunters, 326 harvested, 24% success

The headline trend is the reduction in hunter numbers alongside improved success. Hunter participation dropped from 1,370 in 2022 to 833 in 2025 — a reduction of roughly 39% — while success rate more than doubled from the 2023 low of 17% to 36% in 2025. This pattern is consistent with a unit where quotas have been tightened to reduce pressure, which typically benefits both herd health and individual hunter odds. It's also possible that fewer, better-informed hunters applied in recent cycles as word spread about tougher conditions in 2023.

Whatever the driver, the net effect for a hunter drawing a tag today is favorable compared to the 2022–2023 window. A 36% success rate, as posted in 2025, means better-than-one-in-three odds of filling a tag — solid numbers for a limited-quota mule deer unit, though still far from a guarantee.

Trophy Quality

Trophy record data for the counties overlapping Unit 87 shows a moderate history of record-book entries. This isn't a unit with an extensive, heavily-decorated trophy pedigree, but it has produced trophy-class bucks over time. As with all unit-level trophy assessments, it's important to understand that record-book entries are logged by county, not by specific hunt unit — so the moderate trophy history associated with this area reflects entries from the broader overlapping counties, which may include animals taken in neighboring units as well as Unit 87 itself.

For hunters evaluating Unit 87 purely on trophy potential, the realistic expectation should be a solid, representative mule deer unit rather than a unit with an outsized reputation for producing giant bucks. That said, moderate trophy history combined with improving success rates and a controlled-quota structure can still produce opportunities at mature, respectable bucks — particularly for hunters willing to put in the scouting time on the limited public land available, or who have access to quality private ground.

Herd Health & Population Trends

The only survey data available for Unit 87 comes from a single year — 2024 — which recorded a buck:doe ratio of 36:100. This figure sits in a normal biological range and doesn't raise any red flags, but hunters should be cautious about drawing strong conclusions from a single survey year. Without multi-year survey data to establish a trend, it's difficult to say definitively whether the herd's buck segment is improving, declining, or holding steady over time.

What can be said is that the harvest data's recent improvement in success rates (34-36% in 2024-2025 versus 17-24% in 2022-2023) is at least consistent with a herd that's being managed conservatively enough to support better hunter outcomes. Hunters considering Unit 87 should watch for updated survey data in future years to confirm whether the 36:100 ratio holds or shifts, and should check HuntPilot's unit page for the most current survey updates before finalizing an application strategy.

Access & Terrain

Unit 87 spans an elevation range of 4,819 to 6,385 feet — relatively moderate compared to Colorado's higher alpine units, which puts much of this unit's terrain in lower-elevation foothill and transitional habitat rather than high mountain country. This elevation band typically supports a mix of terrain types including open country and more vegetated draws and drainages, though specific terrain features beyond elevation aren't detailed in the available data.

The defining access characteristic of Unit 87 is its public land percentage: just 24% of the unit's 714,794 total acres is publicly accessible. With roughly three-quarters of the unit under private ownership, this is not a unit where DIY hunters should expect abundant open access. Hunters planning to hunt Unit 87 without a private land arrangement need to identify the specific public parcels within the unit boundary well before the season and expect to share that ground with other tag holders, since the limited public footprint concentrates hunting pressure.

There is no wilderness acreage recorded for this unit (0%), so there are no wilderness-specific access restrictions or guide requirements tied to designated wilderness area regulations here. That's a non-issue for Unit 87 — the access challenge is purely about the private/public land split, not wilderness logistics.

Hunters serious about scouting Unit 87's public ground should use mapping tools — including HuntPilot's own public land overlays — to precisely identify where that 24% public footprint sits relative to access points, before investing time or application points in this unit.

How to Apply

Unit 87 operates entirely through Colorado's limited-quota draw system — there is no general-season option for mule deer in this unit. Every hunter who wants to hunt deer here, regardless of residency, must apply through Colorado's draw and receive an allocated license before the season.

Colorado's system differs for residents and nonresidents in a few key structural ways. Residents and nonresidents apply through separate pools, and Colorado uses a preference point system where hunters accumulate points in years they don't draw, improving their position in future draws. A high enough point level has historically guaranteed a tag on many hunts in Colorado's system, though this varies significantly by unit and hunt code — it is a true preference system, not a weighted lottery, meaning the highest point holders are prioritized ahead of lower point holders.

Because Unit 87 is limited-quota only, demand for tags here should be expected to be competitive, particularly for nonresidents who face separate, typically more limited allocations than residents. Hunters should not assume a given point level will guarantee a draw in this specific unit — application strategy should be built around checking current data for Unit 87 specifically rather than assuming point levels that worked in other units or other states will transfer directly.

For current application deadlines, fees, and draw odds for Unit 87, hunters should check HuntPilot's Colorado state page at /states/CO and the specific Unit 87 page for the most up-to-date figures, since these details change with every draw cycle.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the terrain like in Unit 87? Unit 87 ranges from 4,819 to 6,385 feet in elevation, putting it in a moderate, lower-to-mid elevation band rather than high alpine country. This elevation profile typically supports a transitional mix of habitat types. Beyond elevation, specific terrain features for this unit aren't detailed in the available data, so hunters should use mapping tools to study the public parcels directly before the season.

What is harvest success in Unit 87? Recent harvest success has trended favorably. The 2025 season posted a 36% success rate (304 harvested out of 833 hunters), and 2024 was similar at 34% (304 of 900 hunters). That's a notable improvement from 2023's 17% success rate and 2022's 24%, suggesting conditions have gotten better for hunters over the past two seasons.

How big are the mule deer in Unit 87? Trophy record data shows a moderate history of record-book entries from the counties overlapping Unit 87. This isn't among Colorado's premier trophy units, but it has produced trophy-class bucks historically. Hunters should treat this as a solid, workable mule deer unit rather than one with a reputation for exceptional giants, while recognizing that quality bucks are present for hunters willing to scout hard.

Is Unit 87 worth applying for? Unit 87 is worth considering for hunters with an access plan already in place, given that only 24% of the unit is public land. The recent harvest trend — rising success rates alongside falling hunter numbers — is a positive signal, and the moderate trophy history suggests genuine opportunity at mature bucks. Hunters without private land access or outfitter arrangements should weigh the public land constraint heavily before applying, since competition for the limited public footprint will be real.

What is the public land access situation in Unit 87? Only 24% of Unit 87's 714,794 total acres is public land, meaning the majority — about 76% — is privately owned. This is below the threshold typically considered DIY-friendly, and hunters planning an unguided public-land hunt should identify exact public parcels in advance and expect concentrated pressure on that ground during the season.