Colorado Population and Management Archive - Colorado Page
View the archive by scrolling through the window below. Historic deer hunt data is below the Archive window on the left column with links to sources.
Estimated Annual Deer Kill
2000: 38,000
2001: 31,500
2002* 36,000
2003: 37,602
2004: 41,743
2005: 41,665
2006: 44,800
2007: 45,000
2008: 35,500
2009: 33,922
2010: 34,768
2011: 33,217
2012: 33,486
2013: 32,941
2014: 27,492
2015: 34,005
2016: 36,824
2017: 37,761
2018: 38,303
2019: 36,389
2020: 38,899
2021: 40,561
2022: 38,049
2023: 31,590
Hunting and populations statistics.
Deer Population Estimates, Post-hunt
2004 600,900
2005 613,450
2006 623,760
2007 538,770
2008 466,750
2009 460,520
2010 430,390
2011 417,950
2012 408,010
2013 390,660
2014 424,190
2015: 435,660
2016: 418,560
2017: 418,800
2018: 433,140
2019: 418,000
2020: 427,570
2021: 416,426
2022:
Hunting estimates are based on surveys of hunters, not reported kills as used by some states.
*2000 to 2002 data estimated from graph
Poor survival for mule deer fawns. Results of the deer hunt are based on surveys of deer hunters. Whitetails increasing west of I-25. One half to one third of the herd size in the 1940s and far below the pre-settlement numbers.
Elk Hunt
2005 56,462
2006 56,933
2007 49,012
2008 45,271
2009 47,543
2010 48,018
2011 43,480
2012 43,490
2013 43,606
2014 41,900
2015: 44,852
2016: 39,306
2017: 38,555
2021:
Elk Population
2005 258,370
2006 271,840
2007 291,960
2008 283,210
2009 286,510
2010 283,430
2011 264,170
2012 266,300
2013 264,025
2014 278,490
2015 275,000
2016 277,750
2017 281,700
2018 286,680
2019 292,760
2020 293,590
2021 308,901
2022 303,190
Moose Hunt
2021: 411
2022: 458
2023: 473
Moose Population
2021 3,505
2022 3,460