Colorado Deer — GMU 3

Colorado GMU 3 covers 542,835 acres and lies 26 miles north-west of Craig and 61 miles west of Steamboat Springs. 54% of it is public land, mostly BLM (45%) and county or city land (8%). In 2024, 867 people hunted deer here and took 486 — 56% of them killed something. The 2026 draw put up 758 tags here for 359 first-choice applicants.

Tags (2026):2,754 Nonresident share:capped at 25% Applicants:1,767 Hunter success (2024):56% Public land:54% Size:542,835 acres

Your chance of drawing here

Every deer license type on offer in GMU 3, with the prior-draw chance for a first-choice nonresident applicant. Type your points in to see your own number.

Chances are from the 2026 draw (the most recent) for a first-choice nonresident. "Points needed" = the cut in the last draw.

Simple view Odds at every point level

DE003O1A deer either-sex archery season 1 GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 14, 214, 301, 441] 140 tags · 210 applicants · needed 1 pts · Standard

0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
DE003O1A deer either-sex archery season 1 GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 14, 214, 301, 441] 550 tags · 14 applicants · Youth

92% Likely draw 9% as 2nd choice
DE003P2R deer either-sex rifle private-land-only GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 14, 214, 301, 441] 616 tags · 314 applicants · needed 0 pts · Standard

88% Likely draw 0% as 2nd choice
DE003P2R deer either-sex rifle private-land-only GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 14, 214, 301, 441] 16 tags · 12 applicants · Youth

89% Likely draw 20% as 2nd choice
DE003P3R deer either-sex rifle private-land-only GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 14, 214, 301, 441] 758 tags · 359 applicants · Standard

100% Undersubscribed 33% as 2nd choice
DE003P3R deer either-sex rifle private-land-only GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 14, 214, 301, 441] 8 tags · 20 applicants · Youth

100% Undersubscribed 13% as 2nd choice
DE003P4R deer either-sex rifle private-land-only GMU 3 [3, 301] 100 tags · 50 applicants · needed 0 pts · Standard

66% Real chance 0% as 2nd choice
DE003P4R deer either-sex rifle private-land-only GMU 3 [3, 301] 100 tags · 4 applicants · needed 0 pts · Youth

100% Undersubscribed 0% as 2nd choice
DE004W1R deer either-sex rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 4 2 tags · 0 applicants · Standard

100% No first-choice applicants
DE004W2R deer either-sex rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 4 7 tags · 0 applicants · Standard

100% No first-choice applicants
DE004W3R deer either-sex rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 4 2 tags · 0 applicants · Standard

100% No first-choice applicants
DE005W2R deer either-sex rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 5 7 tags · 0 applicants · Standard

100% No first-choice applicants
DE214W2R deer either-sex rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 214 2 tags · 0 applicants · Standard

100% No first-choice applicants
DE441W1R deer either-sex rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 441 2 tags · 0 applicants · Standard

100% No first-choice applicants
DF003O1M deer female muzzleloader season 1 GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 14, 214, 301, 441] 2 tags · 1 applicants · needed 3 pts · Standard

0% Undersubscribed 0% as 2nd choice
DF003O2R deer female rifle season 2 GMU 3 0 tags · 4 applicants · Standard

— Not open to nonresidents 0% as 2nd choice
DF003O2R deer female rifle season 2 GMU 3 10 tags · 0 applicants · Youth

100% No first-choice applicants 0% as 2nd choice
DF003O3R deer female rifle season 3 GMU 3 1 tags · 3 applicants · needed 16 pts · Standard

0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
DF003O3R deer female rifle season 3 GMU 3 10 tags · 0 applicants · Youth

100% No first-choice applicants 0% as 2nd choice
DF003W1R deer female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 3 1 tags · 0 applicants · Standard

100% No first-choice applicants
DF004W1R deer female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 4 1 tags · 0 applicants · Standard

100% No first-choice applicants
DF004W2R deer female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 4 1 tags · 0 applicants · Standard

100% No first-choice applicants
DF004W3R deer female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 4 1 tags · 0 applicants · Standard

100% No first-choice applicants
DF005W2R deer female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 5 1 tags · 0 applicants · Standard

100% No first-choice applicants
DF214W2R deer female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 214 1 tags · 0 applicants · Standard

100% No first-choice applicants
DF214W4R deer female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 214 1 tags · 0 applicants · Standard

100% No first-choice applicants
DF301W2R deer female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 301 1 tags · 0 applicants · Standard

100% No first-choice applicants
DF441W1R deer female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 441 1 tags · 0 applicants · Standard

100% No first-choice applicants
DM003O1M deer male muzzleloader season 1 GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 14, 214, 301, 441] 23 tags · 92 applicants · needed 4 pts · Standard

0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
DM003O1M deer male muzzleloader season 1 GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 14, 214, 301, 441] 3 tags · 3 applicants · Youth

0% Point builder
DM003O2R deer male rifle season 2 GMU 3 168 tags · 202 applicants · needed 0 pts · Standard

45% Real chance 0% as 2nd choice
DM003O2R deer male rifle season 2 GMU 3 9 tags · 16 applicants · needed 0 pts · Youth

44% Real chance 0% as 2nd choice
DM003O3R deer male rifle season 3 GMU 3 175 tags · 352 applicants · needed 2 pts · Standard

0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
DM003O3R deer male rifle season 3 GMU 3 10 tags · 37 applicants · needed 2 pts · Youth

0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
DM003O4R deer male rifle season 4 GMU 3 [3, 301] 16 tags · 66 applicants · needed 4 pts · Standard

0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
DM003O4R deer male rifle season 4 GMU 3 [3, 301] 1 tags · 8 applicants · needed 4 pts · Youth

0% Point builder 0% as 2nd choice
DM003W1R deer male rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 3 6 tags · 0 applicants · Standard

100% No first-choice applicants
DM301W2R deer male rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 301 1 tags · 0 applicants · Standard

100% No first-choice applicants

Hunt	Your odds (0 pts)	As 2nd choice	Points needed	Tags / applicants	License	Season
DE003O1A ↗ deer either-sex archery season 1 GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 14, 214, 301, 441] Archery	0% Point builder	0%	1 +1 since 2021	140 / 210	Standard	Sep 2–30, 2026
DE003O1A ↗ deer either-sex archery season 1 GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 14, 214, 301, 441] Archery	92% Likely draw	9%	— steady since 2021	550 / 14	Youth	Sep 2–30, 2026
DE003P2R ↗ deer either-sex rifle private-land-only GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 14, 214, 301, 441] Rifle	88% Likely draw	0%	0 steady since 2021	616 / 314	Standard	Oct 24 – Nov 1, 2026
DE003P2R ↗ deer either-sex rifle private-land-only GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 14, 214, 301, 441] Rifle	89% Likely draw	20%	— steady since 2022	16 / 12	Youth	Oct 24 – Nov 1, 2026
DE003P3R ↗ deer either-sex rifle private-land-only GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 14, 214, 301, 441] Rifle	100% Undersubscribed	33%	— steady since 2023	758 / 359 undersubscribed	Standard	Nov 7–15, 2026
DE003P3R ↗ deer either-sex rifle private-land-only GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 14, 214, 301, 441] Rifle	100% Undersubscribed	13%	—	8 / 20 undersubscribed	Youth	Nov 7–15, 2026
DE003P4R ↗ deer either-sex rifle private-land-only GMU 3 [3, 301] Rifle	66% Real chance	0%	0 steady since 2021	100 / 50	Standard	Nov 18–22, 2026
DE003P4R ↗ deer either-sex rifle private-land-only GMU 3 [3, 301] Rifle	100% Undersubscribed	0%	0 steady since 2022	100 / 4 undersubscribed	Youth	Nov 18–22, 2026
DE004W1R ↗ deer either-sex rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 4 Rifle	100% No first-choice applicants	—	—	2 / 0	Standard	Dec 18–22, 2026
DE004W2R ↗ deer either-sex rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 4 Rifle	100% No first-choice applicants	—	—	7 / 0	Standard	Sep 30 – Oct 9, 2026
DE004W3R ↗ deer either-sex rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 4 Rifle	100% No first-choice applicants	—	—	2 / 0	Standard	Dec 12–21, 2026
DE005W2R ↗ deer either-sex rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 5 Rifle	100% No first-choice applicants	—	—	7 / 0	Standard	Oct 24–28, 2026
DE214W2R ↗ deer either-sex rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 214 Rifle	100% No first-choice applicants	—	—	2 / 0	Standard	Nov 28 – Dec 2, 2026
DE441W1R ↗ deer either-sex rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 441 Rifle	100% No first-choice applicants	—	—	2 / 0	Standard	Nov 21–30, 2026
DF003O1M ↗ deer female muzzleloader season 1 GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 14, 214, 301, 441] Muzzleloader	0% Undersubscribed	0%	3 +3 since 2021	2 / 1 undersubscribed	Standard	Sep 12–20, 2026
DF003O2R ↗ deer female rifle season 2 GMU 3 Rifle	Not open to nonresidents	0%	— steady since 2021	0 / 4	Standard	Oct 24 – Nov 1, 2026
DF003O2R ↗ deer female rifle season 2 GMU 3 Rifle	100% No first-choice applicants	0%	— +1 since 2021	10 / 0	Youth	Oct 24 – Nov 1, 2026
DF003O3R ↗ deer female rifle season 3 GMU 3 Rifle	0% Point builder	0%	16	1 / 3	Standard	Nov 7–15, 2026
DF003O3R ↗ deer female rifle season 3 GMU 3 Rifle	100% No first-choice applicants	0%	—	10 / 0	Youth	Nov 7–15, 2026
DF003W1R ↗ deer female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 3 Rifle	100% No first-choice applicants	—	—	1 / 0	Standard	Oct 7–11, 2026
DF004W1R ↗ deer female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 4 Rifle	100% No first-choice applicants	—	—	1 / 0	Standard	Oct 3–7, 2026
DF004W2R ↗ deer female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 4 Rifle	100% No first-choice applicants	—	—	1 / 0	Standard	Sep 30 – Oct 9, 2026
DF004W3R ↗ deer female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 4 Rifle	100% No first-choice applicants	—	—	1 / 0	Standard	Dec 12–16, 2026
DF005W2R ↗ deer female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 5 Rifle	100% No first-choice applicants	—	—	1 / 0	Standard	Dec 12–16, 2026
DF214W2R ↗ deer female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 214 Rifle	100% No first-choice applicants	—	—	1 / 0	Standard	Nov 28 – Dec 2, 2026
DF214W4R ↗ deer female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 214 Rifle	100% No first-choice applicants	—	—	1 / 0	Standard	Dec 5–9, 2026
DF301W2R ↗ deer female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 301 Rifle	100% No first-choice applicants	—	—	1 / 0	Standard	Sep 5–14, 2026
DF441W1R ↗ deer female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 441 Rifle	100% No first-choice applicants	—	—	1 / 0	Standard	Nov 28 – Dec 7, 2026
DM003O1M ↗ deer male muzzleloader season 1 GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 14, 214, 301, 441] Muzzleloader	0% Point builder	0%	4 +1 since 2021	23 / 92	Standard	Sep 12–20, 2026
DM003O1M ↗ deer male muzzleloader season 1 GMU 3 [3, 4, 5, 14, 214, 301, 441] Muzzleloader	0% Point builder	—	—	3 / 3	Youth	Sep 12–20, 2026
DM003O2R ↗ deer male rifle season 2 GMU 3 Rifle	45% Real chance	0%	0 steady since 2021	168 / 202	Standard	Oct 24 – Nov 1, 2026
DM003O2R ↗ deer male rifle season 2 GMU 3 Rifle	44% Real chance	0%	0 steady since 2021	9 / 16	Youth	Oct 24 – Nov 1, 2026
DM003O3R ↗ deer male rifle season 3 GMU 3 Rifle	0% Point builder	0%	2 +2 since 2021	175 / 352	Standard	Nov 7–15, 2026
DM003O3R ↗ deer male rifle season 3 GMU 3 Rifle	0% Point builder	0%	2 +1 since 2021	10 / 37	Youth	Nov 7–15, 2026
DM003O4R ↗ deer male rifle season 4 GMU 3 [3, 301] Rifle	0% Point builder	0%	4 steady since 2021	16 / 66	Standard	Nov 18–22, 2026
DM003O4R ↗ deer male rifle season 4 GMU 3 [3, 301] Rifle	0% Point builder	0%	4	1 / 8	Youth	Nov 18–22, 2026
DM003W1R ↗ deer male rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 3 Rifle	100% No first-choice applicants	—	—	6 / 0	Standard	Oct 7–11, 2026
DM301W2R ↗ deer male rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 301 Rifle	100% No first-choice applicants	—	—	1 / 0	Standard	Sep 5–14, 2026

What these columns mean

Your odds: the share of applicants at your point level who drew this tag in the 2026 draw. Not a forecast: quotas and demand move every year.
The badge: plain language for that number. Likely draw 75% or better · Real chance 40%+ · Long shot 15%+ · Point builder below that, so you are applying mainly to bank a point · Undersubscribed means fewer first-choice applicants than tags, so everyone who applied drew.
As 2nd choice: Colorado lets you name more than one hunt on the application. Miss on your first choice and you go into the pot for whatever tags are left, alongside everyone else's second choices. Points never help a lower choice, so this number is the same whatever you have banked — it is usually worth naming a hunt that goes undersubscribed.
Points needed: the lowest point total that still got a tag in the 2026 draw, and how that cut has moved since the earliest draw we hold.
Tags / applicants: tags on offer and first-choice applicants for them, as the agency published them. Under five tags we print counts instead of a percentage, because one applicant either way swings it.

3 hunts not offered in 2026 are hidden — show discontinued hunts.

What it costs to apply (2026 nonresident fees)

License	Up front	Gone if you miss	If you draw
Standard license	$129.11	$129.11	$636.03
Youth license	$129.11	$129.11	$636.03

Application window: opens Mar 1, closes Apr 7, 2027 (expected). Full fee breakdown.

Other licenses valid in GMU 3

Not in the table above because they had no result in the 2026 draw.

DF003W2R — deer female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 3 Standard DF301W4R — deer female rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 301 Standard DM003W2R — deer male rifle Ranching for Wildlife GMU 3 Standard

The country

GMU 3 within Colorado

GMU 3 and its neighbours

Zoomable USGS topo, aerial imagery and shaded relief, with the neighboring areas drawn on.

Boundaries are drawn for orientation only — the written boundary description in the regulations governs.

Who owns the ground

Private 248,909 ac · 46%
BLM 242,027 ac · 45%
County or city land 41,360 ac · 8%
State land 10,533 ac · 2%

Source: BLM Colorado Surface Management Agency

Nearby areas

How the hunting has gone

What Colorado Parks and Wildlife publishes for this area after each season — harvest statistics for everyone who hunted it, not draw odds and not a forecast. Colorado's figures come from CPW's post-season hunter survey. CPW's 2025 report dropped the per-GMU table in favour of hunt-code rows, so the newest year shown here is 2024.