CO DIY Mule Deer Unit Recommendations

[MI Hunter]

Hey Guys, I'm new to Rokslide but love all the feedback. I've elk hunted a few times in CO, but would like to start saving up points for a good mule deer unit. Any recommendations would be great.

Thanks.

 

[sndmn11]

Points are not unit specific, and things can change by the time you have your desired number of points. Scout around where you are elk hunting as there are good deer in every unit.

 

[robby denning]

....Scout around where you are elk hunting as there are good deer in every unit.

Great advice



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[OFFHNTN]

Hey Guys, I'm new to Rokslide but love all the feedback. I've elk hunted a few times in CO, but would like to start saving up points for a good mule deer unit. Any recommendations would be great.

Thanks.

Welcome. Like sndmn11 said the problem is, depending on how long you plan to get points, the deer quality in any given unit can change drastically from year to year. My advise would be to not worry about a specific unit, but start getting points. Once you have a few points decide you want to go hunting, then start looking at what units/areas you can draw with those points.
Example: I hunted a unit a couple of years ago that took 5 points to draw, that unit got hammered over the winter, the next year it took 15 points to draw due to reduced tag numbers.

 

[coloyooper]

What part of Michigan ya from?

From what I've seen, you can get into some good deer with just a couple points. What kind of hunting are you looking for? Archery? Rifle?

 

[Elktaco]

Plenty of decent/good deer hunts can be drawn with 1-2 points so don't think you need to save up 10 or anything!

 

[452b264]

I would find a unit where the terrain and season suits you. Do you like the open sage/grassland or the steep timbered high country? There are good bucks in almost every unit, you just need to learn that unit by hunting it for several years. Since you have elk hunted a unit already I would start there.

 

[Osprey]

Dont over think it pick a unit that fits the style you are looking to hunt. If your willing to hunt archery, muzzy, or 2nd rifle you have a lot of easy draw areas with good bucks. The hunter has a lot to do with getting on big bucks but most people blame the unit.

 

[Casual Poacher]

unit 60
bomb dot com

 

[MI Hunter]

Thanks guys for all the feedback. I've been out several times elk hunting over in area 42 - shot 2 bulls a missed one, but usually didn't see that many deer. I spent a couple days in the high country last year and I'm hooked on that so back country hunting is the plan going forward.

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Near Ann Arbor - love Colorado mountains; prefer rifle hunting.

 

[Azone]

Look into areas you can draw every year and get familiar with them. There is gonna be NO magic formula to short cut time not spent in a place learning what deer are doing. In Colorado odds are you will be dealing with a lot of pressure if you go 3rd rifle (all those pesky elk hunters lol) 2nd rifle can give you a tag in alot of good units. Also point creep is out of control and since you no longer are required to send in the whole tag fee when applications are due, point creep will only get worse in the coming years. Not trying to be a downer or anything, good luck.

 

[30338]

Point creep may get better now that you have to pay $89 for a small game license as a non-resident to apply for a big game tag. Or it might not since Colorado is the place for big mule deer. Good luck in your research.

 

[blackdawg]

Point creep may get better now that you have to pay $89 for a small game license as a non-resident to apply for a big game tag. Or it might not since Colorado is the place for big mule deer. Good luck in your research.

Where did you see this $89 license requirement?


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[30338]

Its new this year, and brings us in line with other western states.

 

[Fatcamp]

So they increased the tags by $89. Gotcha. Arizona does the same thing. Wyoming doesn't. Neither does South Dakota.

What about just buying points? Does a fishing license still qualify? Or to buy points do I now have to buy an $89 license, and pay for points? I looked at what was available online and couldn't figure it out.

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LOL. I suppose it doesn't matter as they raised the non-resident fishing license to $95.

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Honestly, it's getting so expensive to deal with Colorado we could just fly to New Zealand and hunt Tahr for about the same money.

We are already buying points in South Dakota and Wyoming, not sure I want to deal with Colorado when I have zero idea where the fees are going.

 

[dirtytough]

So they increased the tags by $89. Gotcha. Arizona does the same thing. Wyoming doesn't. Neither does South Dakota.

What about just buying points? Does a fishing license still qualify? Or to buy points do I now have to buy an $89 license, and pay for points? I looked at what was available online and couldn't figure it out.

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LOL. I suppose it doesn't matter as they raised the non-resident fishing license to $95.

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Honestly, it's getting so expensive to deal with Colorado we could just fly to New Zealand and hunt Tahr for about the same money.

We are already buying points in South Dakota and Wyoming, not sure I want to deal with Colorado when I have zero idea where the fees are going.

Wyoming is more expensive then Colorado is. In fact if you apply for everything and get points Wyoming is the most expensive state for a non res to apply in. I did some quick figuring and it’s over $850 as a non res to apply and build points in Wyoming for all species.

 

[KHNC]

Damn, and i couldnt care less about a small game license in CO. What a waste of money.

 

[robby denning]

Dont over think it pick a unit that fits the style you are looking to hunt...The hunter has a lot to do with getting on big bucks but most people blame the unit.

Wisdom!


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[Lowke01]

Gohunt is a great resource for making decisions like this.

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[Sleeperls]

I talked with a guy at the office the other morning. I'm going mule deer hunting no matter what and still want to fish in the summer etc. He couldn't find a small game/fish combo. I asked if it was still part of the preference points system and he was not a 100% on that either.

Hopefully when the book comes out it'll be ironed out more.

But cost to hunt mule deer after all fees etc looks to be 500.00 for nr