Colorado GMU 7&8 New Hunter

[CoreyS]

I’m a brand new big game hunter. Ive really only hunted rabbits for two years or so. I drew a tag for mule deer in Colorado gmu 7&8 for season 2. Ive done some rabbit hunting in Cherokee swa (over in gmu 191), and that’s what really started getting me fired up.

Anyway, any tips for a brand new big game hunter in this area? Ive done a good amount of backpacking so I’m happy to hike in ~10 miles or so. I was thinking shipman park must hold game, but I’m sure it’s dependent on weather/time of year. Any ideas would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

[Newtosavage]

I don't know those units but one thing you need to consider is packing out meat.

Backpacking is one thing. Hauling loads of meat is something completely different.

There are a lot of really good places I can get to but I won't hunt because I'm not willing to haul meat out from those places or I can't expect to get it out before it spoils. For every hunter, that should be priority #1

 

[cnelk]

Shipment Park is a hellhole of beetle kill blow down.
In fact most of 7/8 is a full of blowdown.

You aint going 10 miles thru that sh!t

 

[Overdrive]

7/8 it's going to be an interesting year so see what happens with the Forest Service closure area due to the Cameron Peak fire. It will force all the hunters into a smaller area and there's going to be some unhappy hunters this year and in the future until they reopen the burn scar, I'm guessing 5-7 years on that.
I wouldn't spend my time up in Shipman Park for deer I'd look to areas where I can let my binocs and spotting scope do 90% of the work for me until I find the buck I want to go after. You won't have to get 10 miles back, most of the hunters in these units drive the roads and don't put in much effort especially after the first Day.