2024 Plans Utah or CO?

ccoffey

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Looking at rifle mule deer for next year. Utah and Colorado have a pretty decent amount of opportunity hunts that are low or no points. If you had to pick one, which would you choose and why?
 

realunlucky

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I've been on a bunch of units in Utah this season and deer numbers are noticeably down.

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Ken Swenson

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Are you a non-resident to both states? If so, I’d say Colorado. Higher deer population, gives 30% of tags to nonresidents compared to 10% of Utah tags.
 
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ccoffey

ccoffey

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Are you a non-resident to both states? If so, I’d say Colorado. Higher deer population, gives 30% of tags to nonresidents compared to 10% of Utah tags.
Yeah, non resident in both states. I haven’t hunted either of them. I was thinking Colorado because they have so many season options, but have heard it can get pretty crowded.
 

CorbLand

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Why drive through a state that has NR OTC tags to go to Utah or Colorado?
 

Hnthrdr

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Utah, any mule deer tag you can easily draw in Co is marginal at best. Unless you want to spend 500ish bucks plus the trip to shoot a forkie…
 
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Same thing in Utah. I would say the easy draw tags are not worthy the NR cost and I wouldn't do it, unless in was just looking to do a cool hunting trip
 
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Haha Hntrdr isn't wrong. But I can tell you Utah is way down. Ive been going to Colorado every year and there is a noticeable difference.
 

Hnthrdr

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Noticeable difference is you are hard pressed to find anything over a 2.5 year old in a lot of the state after the rut hunts for 4 years have bashed any age class that we were cultivating…
 
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I agree with you on that. But, have you been to Utah?? Just sayin, we've really figured out how to manage our deer herds.
 

Hnthrdr

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I agree with you on that. But, have you been to Utah?? Just sayin, we've really figured out how to manage our deer herds.
Just wait till the no lion hunting and wolves kick in… I would burn points in Co and not look back and I don’t think I’d invest if I was NR, glad Utah is doing something about predators… co will be in awful shape in 10 years
 

IdahoBeav

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Why drive through a state that has NR OTC tags to go to Utah or Colorado?
A couple reasons

Idaho's tag sale is a fiasco. There is a very good chance a tag cannot be had.

All of Idaho was hit hard by winterkill. South Utah wasn't so bad. Colorado may have some areas that weren't hit too hard.
 

Rich M

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I haven't been to Utah but liked my time in CO. Didn't go crazy but got a 160 on first time DIY hunt. They are where you find them.
 

CorbLand

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A couple reasons

Idaho's tag sale is a fiasco. There is a very good chance a tag cannot be had.

All of Idaho was hit hard by winterkill. South Utah wasn't so bad. Colorado may have some areas that weren't hit too hard.
Southern Utah doesnt have low or no point general season ALW deer tags. Unless we are now classifying 4-7 points as low...

Based on some of the proposals for southern units in Utah, if approved, those draw odds are going to get worse.
 
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