- Thread Starter
- #41
Colorado 3rd Season...big buck or bust!
- Thread starter VANDAL
- Start date
- Thread Starter
- #42
Decided to go to new area that's much higher in elevation. Right now at about 10k feet. In snow but patchy. Have seen 4 bucks and some does. Biggest buck is maybe low 170. Got video that ill post tonight. Just settling in to glass some awesome looking quakey patches till dark.
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doug in idaho
FNG
Keep it up. You'll find where the big one is at.
- Thread Starter
- #44
Thanks for the encouragement guys. Still not seeing as many deer as I like. After going high today (10.2k ft) I didn't see that much sign but there were still deer around. I think the deer are high and low and everywhere in between. Right now I think a shooter can be found at any elevation. Again the nights are very slow...I just saw a few more does and a small buck.
- Thread Starter
- #45
- Thread Starter
- #46
HellsCanyon
WKR
Keep it up man! Good luck and Go Vandals... lol
Mike
Mike
Keep sorting through them, you will find a good one!
a3dhunter
WKR
I would agree with you.
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- #50
- Thread Starter
- #51
3d, do you agree the video is not the clearest or he's 170? Lol.
Anyways, doesn't sound like fun right now but I plan on going back after that buck. Its about a 3 mile hike frorm the truck and some pretty good elevation gain. Tally for the day was 4 bucks and some more does.
This hunt is starting to wear on me.
Anyways, doesn't sound like fun right now but I plan on going back after that buck. Its about a 3 mile hike frorm the truck and some pretty good elevation gain. Tally for the day was 4 bucks and some more does.
This hunt is starting to wear on me.
- Thread Starter
- #52
HellsCanyon
WKR
a3dhunter
WKR
Both.
The video is clear enough to get a decent look. If I had looked over the other areas of the unit pretty good, would not hesitate to go back and shoot him.
Then get a true score with him on the ground. I'll guess 172 1/8".
Corey,
My two cents if you want a good deer:
Don't get wore down. Quit killing yourself. The weather is about to change and you should have snow by Saturday. You know where the does are. Stay close to those near the thick & nasty stuff. I can see the kind of country in your pictures that big deer hide in. The big boys are breeding does right now no matter what we perceive (we saw a good buck here October 30th chasing does and in full-lip curl).
If you're getting tired, rest. Take a day off, or at least an evening. The last day may be the best day.
God bless your hunt.
your friend,
Robby Denning
My two cents if you want a good deer:
Don't get wore down. Quit killing yourself. The weather is about to change and you should have snow by Saturday. You know where the does are. Stay close to those near the thick & nasty stuff. I can see the kind of country in your pictures that big deer hide in. The big boys are breeding does right now no matter what we perceive (we saw a good buck here October 30th chasing does and in full-lip curl).
If you're getting tired, rest. Take a day off, or at least an evening. The last day may be the best day.
God bless your hunt.
your friend,
Robby Denning
Ridgerunner
WKR
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2012
- Messages
- 444
Good advice Robby, I am headed to mt tomorrow but only have three days or do to hunt so if I find a buck I like I will be moving on him quickly rut should be going pretty good.
Ridgerunner, have fun. Three days can be plenty if you're in a decent area.
- Thread Starter
- #58
Robby, thanks man. I appreciate the advice. I have been running around the Colorado mountains as if my ass is on fire. Once again I covered a lot of ground today with the same result...a handfull of bucks and some does. Tonight I set up on the buck I put a stalk on last night. Does where there and the same small buck but no big guy.
Tomorrow I'll probably go lower where I saw all the does the first day...in the thick stuff.
Weather forecast shows a storm rolling in Friday and into Saturday. Should get some good snow. This might come down to the last day.
Tomorrow I'll probably go lower where I saw all the does the first day...in the thick stuff.
Weather forecast shows a storm rolling in Friday and into Saturday. Should get some good snow. This might come down to the last day.
Basinraider30
FNG
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2012
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- 10
robby do u have 2 more cents to spare?
Robby, or anyone else with advice .... I am in a unit that's alot harder to draw than the vandals (3rd season deer tag in colorado). Where I am seeing close to 70 does a day on average I cannot find a big buck. Its extremely warm, and no snow even on peaks above 12,000 ft. I've tried high and there are no deer. Go low and they are everywhere as we'll as hunters and roads. Stay low? Or try to find secluded deer up high, oh and some bucks have just rubbed their velvet. (1 deer had velvet still around the burrs). Its not the late season in snow type of hunt I had invisioned .... short sleeves most the day. Thanks in advance, Devin
Robby, or anyone else with advice .... I am in a unit that's alot harder to draw than the vandals (3rd season deer tag in colorado). Where I am seeing close to 70 does a day on average I cannot find a big buck. Its extremely warm, and no snow even on peaks above 12,000 ft. I've tried high and there are no deer. Go low and they are everywhere as we'll as hunters and roads. Stay low? Or try to find secluded deer up high, oh and some bucks have just rubbed their velvet. (1 deer had velvet still around the burrs). Its not the late season in snow type of hunt I had invisioned .... short sleeves most the day. Thanks in advance, Devin
Devin,
you're just dealing with tough weather conditions.
I'm not surprised you're not finding deer up high, as the bucks are looking for does and there aren't usually many does in the high rough stuff this late. Their priority is getting those fawns to the winter range and they have an internal calendar that tells them when to go.
Obviously you can't be hunting around a bunch of hunters and roads either. The does will stay in places like that but most respectable bucks this early in the rut are way to smart to venture there, except maybe at midnight.
When I've found myself in your situation, I just try to hunt near the most secluded does (thick brush, rough) I can. I don't always kill a big deer, but usually find their tracks, or other sign that they are around. Just have to keep hunting and get lucky, but to get lucky, you have to hunt the areas that have the potential to hold them. The bucks are near the does somewhere...
Also, in this warm weather, sunrise is about the end of the hunt for that day- really! If you are to catch a good buck near the does, it's usually about 40 minutes before sunrise to sunrise. He may be around after that, but he'll be in the cover and if you didn't see him go in there, you won't know where to hunt for the rest of the day. That is why snow and cold is so valuable, it keeps the does more active (more energy needs) and then the bucks are out a little more too. I promise this is the trend. I've watched it many times over the last 30 years.
If you keep hunting you might be surprised what this change in the weather brings. Keep us posted.
you're just dealing with tough weather conditions.
I'm not surprised you're not finding deer up high, as the bucks are looking for does and there aren't usually many does in the high rough stuff this late. Their priority is getting those fawns to the winter range and they have an internal calendar that tells them when to go.
Obviously you can't be hunting around a bunch of hunters and roads either. The does will stay in places like that but most respectable bucks this early in the rut are way to smart to venture there, except maybe at midnight.
When I've found myself in your situation, I just try to hunt near the most secluded does (thick brush, rough) I can. I don't always kill a big deer, but usually find their tracks, or other sign that they are around. Just have to keep hunting and get lucky, but to get lucky, you have to hunt the areas that have the potential to hold them. The bucks are near the does somewhere...
Also, in this warm weather, sunrise is about the end of the hunt for that day- really! If you are to catch a good buck near the does, it's usually about 40 minutes before sunrise to sunrise. He may be around after that, but he'll be in the cover and if you didn't see him go in there, you won't know where to hunt for the rest of the day. That is why snow and cold is so valuable, it keeps the does more active (more energy needs) and then the bucks are out a little more too. I promise this is the trend. I've watched it many times over the last 30 years.
If you keep hunting you might be surprised what this change in the weather brings. Keep us posted.
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