Help planning mule deer trip to Colorado please

[hmbleservant]

Hello, I decided a couple days ago I was going to hunt mule deer with my brother in the Colorado mountains next hunting season 2016.

I am trying to decide on which units to try for and then plan from there. I'm already overwheled from a couple of days of researching. I was hoping that there was someone on the forum that considered them self pretty knowledgeable on the topic and wouldn't mind giving me a phone call to get me started down the right path here with a little direction. I would really appreciate it. I guess send me a private message and include phone number?

Thanks in advance. Much appreciated.

 

[dbs1]

Many years ago we hunted several areas in Co. Lots of areas around Mancos Co that holds lots of deer. Lots of oak brush to negotiate. More open country out further in dissapointment valley. Very BIG bucks and get ready to shoot 500+ yards.

 

[eshorebwhntr]

Just my opinion...

There are a ton of units in CO that can hold nice bucks. That is different from most other western states. Some more than others but CO is unique for sure.

Many, if not all units have land owner tags available. They can be tough to get and expensive when available. The landowner tags purchased for a particular unit may or may not include access to the private land they were associated with. A landowner tag for any given unit is good for any and all public land in that unit.

There are in most units 4 rifle seasons. The later you get, the closer to the rut it gets, the more highly sought after those tags get, hence they are harder to draw/more expensive (landowner).

If you don't already have quite a few bonus points forget drawing a decent tag next year. You can draw one but it's probably going to be in a unit with 90%+ private. If it's just a fun hunt, there may be units you can draw as a NR to accommodate that. I'm not sure about "fun hunt" quality units out there.

Depending on your budget and willingness to go on a ranch hunt your best bet would be to find a source to purchase a landowner tag that comes with private access to a nice sized ranch. There are ranches in the eastern plains but there are also quite a few ranches in the central/western mountains if a mountain hunt is what you're after. At that point you would have to decide between guided or DIY and everything that comes with each.

 

[hmbleservant]

I think I've narrowed our unit down to 444. Probably hunt near Meredith or Basalt. Do you have any intel on this area? I've never hunted muleys before. I've never hunted Colorado either. What elevation do you find oakbrush and aspen? This is where the mule deer supposedly are during 2nd season rifle, typically, according to regional info on Colorado's website.

Do you have any pointers or tips for me as a first time mountain/mule deer hunter?

Thanks.
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[hmbleservant]

Thanks, eshore. I am doing a fairly low budget hunt. No landowner tags if they cost more and no guide for me. I am primarily trying to get into the mountains and experience the DIY world. I will spend a lot of time obsessively researching between now and 2016 hunt in hopes to increase my odds, but success is not priority here (over cost). I also am interested in learning the point game/DIY for public lands not only in Colorado but a few other states also. I will rotate hunts so that I have more points per hunt in the future.

If you have any tips for me regarding mule deer hunting in general or unit 444 specifically, I would really appreciate a PM.

Thanks.

 

[eshorebwhntr]

Understood. I don't have any info for unit 444. Never hunted CO before, hope to in a few years. Been saving points since 09.

Best of luck.

 

[dbs1]

I was going to point you toward a landowner tag in Monticello Ut where you could hunt in Sept/Oct but the tags are probably going to be at least $3500. Really not bad for the chance to take a 160-180 buck. I shot 3-4 in that category before getting a 202" Mulie there the last year I hunted, which was a few days after killing a 407" bull within a few miles of where I killed the B&C buck.

You would see lots of deer, mostly down in flatland and open country, but there is some hill country with up and down hiking if you prefer that.

 

[hmbleservant]

I appreciate the reply, but I am just not in a place to where I can plan a hunt like that right now financially. Congrats on the trophies though. Very nice!

 

[dogdinger]

If you read my two articles about hunting high country mulies that are published on this website you may pick up some pointers. The early season high country hunt tag is very hard to draw but you can hunt the same area during the regular rifle.seasons. depending on weather/ snow conditions. A J

 

[hmbleservant]

Hunting High Country Mule Deer Bucks

Just read one of your articles. Cool article. I found it very interesting that you hunted these bucks so high. It goes against all the advice I have been given so far regarding target elevations.

Do you think that this is a tip for all the units that contain this elevation or is it unique to this particular unit that those deer were that high? There is highcountry in the unit I intend to hunt as well, but I hadn't planned on going that high as most say deer stay well below this elevation.

What do you think?

 

[dogdinger]

Mulies love the high country, esp the bigger bucks.

 

[hmbleservant]

When you say highcountry, you mean above treeline...where there are no trees, right? I'm still learning what is meant by "highcountry" as it is all highcountry to this texan!

 

[dogdinger]

Yes I do mean above timber line. I think they like it so well because it's a lot cooler up there in the flies and mosquitoes do not bother them so much, plus it is just a lot more inaccessable.

 

[Buck300]

Unit 444 has a lot of private land on the western half of the unit (this is the wintering area), the eastern half is very steep, and rough.