EAGLE COUNTY, COLORADO • GMU 44 • 2027 RIFLE HUNT
An exceptionally rare transferable landowner voucher opportunity offering private-property access and a landowner-authorized route into more than 100,000 acres of remote public land in one of Colorado’s most coveted trophy mule deer units. Only available through this charity auction.
PRIVATE PROPERTY
175 ACRES
PUBLIC LAND ACCESS
100,000+ ACRES
OPENING BID / BUY NOW
$20,000 / $100,000
A Rare GMU 44 Trophy Mule Deer Hunting Opportunity
Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of a local donor, the highest bidder will receive an opportunity that cannot simply be purchased from Colorado Parks and Wildlife: the right to receive a transferable Landowner Preference Program voucher for an antlered mule deer hunt in Colorado’s highly sought-after Game Management Unit 44.
The qualifying property consists of approximately 175 acres of private land in Eagle County’s scenic Brush Creek Valley, near Sylvan Lake and the White River National Forest. Through Colorado’s Landowner Preference Program, the property owner may apply for a limited GMU 44 buck mule deer voucher and, if successfully drawn, transfer that voucher directly to the winning hunter.
The value of this opportunity extends far beyond the private acreage. The property provides landowner-authorized access into more than 100,000 acres of BLM and National Forest land. Although this surrounding ground is publicly owned, the landowner reports that much of it is extraordinarily difficult to reach through conventional access points because of the terrain and complex pattern of public and private ownership. This property is one of a limited number in the area capable of providing a practical, lawful route into that backcountry without crossing neighboring private land or creating unnecessary trespass concerns.
The result is an opportunity to hunt not only the registered private property, but also an immense expanse of remote public country that is effectively inaccessible to most hunters. The landowner will provide the winning hunter with detailed maps, authorized access routes, property boundaries and extensive firsthand knowledge of the surrounding terrain.
Why This Opportunity Is So Rare
Colorado’s Landowner Preference Program provides a limited voucher allocation to qualifying private agricultural landowners whose properties support wildlife habitat and huntable populations. With approximately 175 qualifying acres, this property receives one application in the annual Landowner Preference Program draw.
GMU 44 rifle licenses are among Colorado’s most difficult mule deer licenses to obtain through the general public draw. In the 2026 draw, the drawn-out preference-point levels reached approximately:
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Second rifle: Six resident points and 20 nonresident points
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Third rifle: 23 resident points and 30 nonresident points
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Fourth rifle: 27 resident points and 29 nonresident points
By comparison, unrestricted GMU 44 landowner vouchers for these rifle seasons were awarded at the two-point level in the 2026 Landowner Preference Program draw. The landowner reports that the property’s application has substantial accumulated preference and has historically been successful.
For the winning hunter, one of the greatest benefits is that redeeming a landowner voucher does not use or affect any of the hunter’s personal deer preference points. This creates an extraordinary pathway into a hunt that could otherwise require decades of applications.
Trophy Potential
The Sylvan Lake and Brush Creek Valley area offers the steep, heavily timbered and high-elevation terrain associated with Colorado’s renowned mountain mule deer hunting. The landowner reports firsthand observations of bucks estimated in the 210 to 215 gross-inch class in the surrounding area.
A mule deer of that caliber would be exceptional. For context, the Boone and Crockett Club’s all-time minimum for a typical mule deer is 190 net inches, while 215 net inches is the awards minimum for a non-typical mule deer. The landowner’s observations are field estimates of gross antler size and are not represented as official Boone and Crockett scores. As with any fair-chase hunt, no harvest, shot opportunity, antler size or trophy classification can be guaranteed.
Hunt and Voucher Details
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Species: Antlered mule deer
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Location: GMU 44, Brush Creek Valley and Sylvan Lake area, Eagle County, Colorado
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Voucher: Intended unrestricted, unit-wide Landowner Preference Program voucher
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Anticipated hunt year: 2027, with a possible 2028 option if necessary
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Method of take: Rifle
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Proposed seasons: Second, third or fourth rifle
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Application process: The landowner will submit ranked hunt-code choices through the Landowner Preference Program in consultation with the winning bidder
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Application deadline: The first Tuesday in April of the applicable license year
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Draw notification: Landowner draw results are generally available in late May or early June, with successful vouchers mailed later in June
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Residency: The voucher may be transferred to either a Colorado resident or a nonresident hunter
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Voucher transfer: The successful voucher will be transferred directly from the landowner or designated land manager to the winning hunter
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Transfer restriction: The voucher may be transferred only once. After it has been transferred to the winning hunter, it may not be resold, reassigned, gifted or otherwise transferred to another person
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License requirement: The winning hunter must use the voucher to purchase and possess the corresponding Colorado deer license for the exact hunt code printed on the voucher before hunting
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License expenses: The winning hunter is responsible for purchasing the corresponding Colorado deer license and paying all applicable resident or nonresident license fees, habitat stamp fees and other required charges
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Preference points: Redeeming the voucher will not use or affect the hunter’s personal Colorado deer preference points
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Valid area: An unrestricted voucher is valid throughout the GMU for the exact hunt code printed on the voucher, including legally accessible public land
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Private access: The voucher transfer includes permission to access and hunt the registered private property for the applicable season
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Eligibility: The winning hunter must satisfy all Colorado identification, hunter education, licensing and legal eligibility requirements
Although Colorado’s second, third and fourth rifle seasons are structured as combined deer and elk seasons, this auction package is for an antlered mule deer opportunity only. No elk license or elk voucher is included.
Anticipated 2027 Rifle Season Dates
Under Colorado’s adopted 2025 through 2029 big-game season structure, the anticipated 2027 dates are:
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Second rifle: October 23 through October 31, 2027 (nine days)
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Third rifle: November 6 through November 14, 2027 (nine days)
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Fourth rifle: November 17 through November 21, 2027 (five days)
If the hunt takes place in 2028, the currently adopted dates are:
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Second rifle: October 21 through October 29, 2028 (nine days)
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Third rifle: November 4 through November 12, 2028 (nine days)
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Fourth rifle: November 15 through November 19, 2028 (five days)
All season dates, hunt codes, license quotas and regulations remain subject to final Colorado Parks and Wildlife rules for the applicable license year.
Included With the Opportunity
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Permission to access and hunt approximately 175 acres of registered private property for the awarded season
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Landowner-authorized access through the property into more than 100,000 acres of difficult-to-reach BLM and National Forest land
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Detailed maps showing authorized access routes, property boundaries and surrounding public lands
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Direct consultation with a landowner who has extensive firsthand knowledge of the property, terrain, wildlife movement and surrounding hunting areas
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Use of a primitive hunting cabin on the property, if requested; the cabin has no utilities
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Use of two ATVs, if requested and subject to weather, trail conditions, landowner approval and all applicable public-land restrictions
General Location of GMU 44
GMU 44 Boundaries
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North: Colorado River
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East: Roaring Fork River and Castle Creek
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South: Divide between the Roaring Fork-Crystal River and East River-Muddy Creek drainages, passing through McClure Pass
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West: Muddy Creek-Crystal River divide and Divide Creek-Baldy Creek divide
Terms & Limitations
This opportunity is only available through PorchLight, A Family Justice Center's Fifth Annual Be the Light Benefit Silent Auction. The silent auction will open online to anyone on Monday, September 14, and will close at approximately 6:30 PM (MST) on Thursday, September 17, 2026. Bidding will begin at $20,000 USD, with $2,500 bid increments. A buy now price of $100,000 is available.
Bidding and purchases are conducted through the AES platform.
Please consult your tax advisor before making any tax deductible considerations.
This is not a commercially guided hunt. Unless separately agreed to in writing, the package does not include:
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A licensed outfitter or professional hunting guide
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Meals or provisions
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Transportation to or from Eagle County
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Firearms, ammunition, optics or other hunting equipment
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Field dressing, game retrieval or packing services
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Meat processing, taxidermy or trophy shipping
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Hotels or lodging other than the primitive cabin
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Colorado license fees, habitat stamp fees or other government charges
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Permission to cross any neighboring private property not controlled by the landowner
Public-land access and vehicle use remain subject to seasonal closures, road and trail designations, weather conditions, fire restrictions and all other applicable federal, state and local regulations. The winning hunter is responsible for remaining within authorized areas and complying with all property boundaries and hunting laws.
Draw Contingency and Winning Bidder Protection
Landowner Preference Program applications receive preferential consideration but are not guaranteed. The property has historically been successful in receiving a voucher, but future quotas, hunt codes, draw demand and regulations may change.
If a GMU 44 rifle voucher is not awarded through the program for the 2027 season, the winning bidder may elect either:
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To have the landowner apply again for an acceptable GMU 44 rifle voucher for the 2028 season, or
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To receive a full refund of the auction purchase price.
The specific ranked hunt-code choices and any decision to move the opportunity to 2028 will be documented in writing among PorchLight, the landowner and the winning bidder.
A Landowner Preference Program voucher may be transferred only once. The landowner or designated land manager must transfer the voucher directly to the winning hunter. Once the hunter’s name is placed on the voucher or the voucher is delivered to the hunter, it may not be transferred to another person. If the winning hunter later becomes unable to use it, the voucher may become void and cannot be reissued.
No harvest, shot opportunity or minimum trophy size is guaranteed. This opportunity is subject to all final Colorado Parks and Wildlife regulations and the written terms of the auction agreement.
Estimated Fair Market Value: $25,000
Please direct any technical questions for the land owner to Brandon Bowles, Development & Communications Director at PorchLight, A Family Justice Center
brandon@porchlightfjc.org • (720) 853-8985
Did we mention it's all for a good cause?
Our mission is to bring together essential services for victims, survivors and their children to create a positive pathway forward, and to foster health and public safety.
PorchLight is a 501(c)3 non-profit in Colorado that provides comprehensive services to survivors of domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, elder abuse and at-risk individual abuse.