Colorado 35.36.361.45

[wyo_gasman]

From what Ive read, it looks like a third season tag is pretty much a gamble with the weather. I have a friend working over there and he tells me how great the country looks for deer hunting. Does anyone have any input different from what Ive been reading?

 

[Jimss]

The rifle deer hunts in those units are pretty much dependent upon snow depth. It can often be feast or famine. 2016 was a famine year with little snow so the hunting was likely pretty tough. There really aren't that many years with lots of snow and prime conditions. They are OTC elk units so lots of orange to contend with on public land. Every 2 track will likely have gobs of 4 wheelers. Even if you hike miles back in to remote country it may still be tough to get away from orange. If you have access to private land it can be an entirely different story. You better get your $ out if you want to hunt private land!

 

[JustHunt]

Ill echo what Jimss had to say.

Ill add this, it is good looking deer country in, the problem with 35,36,361 is that the vast majority (almost all) of the country 8,000 feet and lower is private. Couple of big ranches (1 really big one) own most of the low country who "prosecute to the fullest extent of the law" if caught trespassing. You'll see some deer off limits to you on the private, even if its warm. But the rest will be in the black timber. Really tough when they are in the black timber. That's why it takes 1 point for 3rd, and 12 or so for 4th. 45 is a lot of black timber, North facing slopes and ski lodges. Reason why there are ski lodges there is because it can get a lot of snow that wont melt=not as good for wintering deer, so naturally it isn't as good of deer country. I've hunted it a few times but looking into new units because your really limited in options for prime deer country. Lots of public is black timber or above tree line, but its hard to hunt if you cant see them in the timber, and you cant hunt them above timberline if they are not there.

 

[LongWayAround]

I thought about picking up a muzzleloader tag for this unit group but have opted not too after doing a fair amount of research.

 

[wyo_gasman]

Thanks, this all pretty much falls in line with what Ive been reading.

 

[kcm2]

I no longer hunt that area, but I have seen some massive bucks there. Not sure how this winter will affect the herds. My primary experience is in 36, and I've seen several good bucks, including one that didn't make B&C because it had 35 or 40 point of deductions. And he weight 276 on a butcher's scale, field dressed.

The trick is finding them.