I drew a muzzleloder Deer tag for GMU 22 in Colorado, and wasnt sure where to go. I had found the cathedral bluffs on my map and thought it looked good. I also saw where a few people here on monstermuleys were talking about Calamity Ridge, and the Cathedrals. Saying that there were alot of good bucks up their. So I decided that was the place to go for a scouting trip. I just went for a short trip, last night and this mourning, hoping to see a dozen or so bucks and a few good ones. When I first got their late afternoon I was excited about how the country looked, in my opinion it is the most ideal deer country I have ever seen in my life. I started to think that I might see a lot more than expected. But it was all down hill from their. I saw about a dozen elk, but not one deer! Not even one doe in a mourning and evening of driving around and glassing every hill and draw I could find. Does anyone know what the deal is? Their has to be deer in that country, it is perfect, their should be deer every where, am I just the most unludcky person to ever go up their?
Where are all the Deer
- Thread starter HuntinFoo
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ColoradoOak
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That's tough country to spot deer, with the thick vegetation. I've spent the last month (6 days a week) hiking around in the lower BLM country in that unit for work, and have seen exactly 3 deer. When we get up higher on some of the big private parcels, we see a lot more deer. I know there are deer in the lower country, but I think it will take a lot of time behind a spotting scope to locate them, and you're not going to find large numbers.
Here's one of the three deer I saw, and this was clearest view I got of him.
Here's one of the three deer I saw, and this was clearest view I got of him.
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NickJ1980
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I've got a GMU 22 archery deer tag and I've had the same trouble, and I thought the same thing of the country--It looks ideal... My guess is that many of the deer there during the rifle hunts are moving into GMU's 21, 31, and 32 for the summer.
I even hiked in to some springs in the higher elevations and there is very little deer sign. There are deer around, there have to be, but I'm getting just as worried and I've even contemplated taking my tag and turning it in.
Maybe we could get together in the next few weeks and see if we can find anything.
I even hiked in to some springs in the higher elevations and there is very little deer sign. There are deer around, there have to be, but I'm getting just as worried and I've even contemplated taking my tag and turning it in.
Maybe we could get together in the next few weeks and see if we can find anything.
NickJ1980
Where do you live? Have you scouted any where else than calamity and the cathedrals? Their is alot of country our tags will let us hunt, but up their is one of only a few places their is large chuncks of public land, that is high enough for deer to be that early in the year. I dont know if I am going to get another chance to go scouting in the next few weeks or not, but it might be possible.
Where do you live? Have you scouted any where else than calamity and the cathedrals? Their is alot of country our tags will let us hunt, but up their is one of only a few places their is large chuncks of public land, that is high enough for deer to be that early in the year. I dont know if I am going to get another chance to go scouting in the next few weeks or not, but it might be possible.
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NickJ1980
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I live in Grand Junction, and I've at least laid eyes on everything that is accessible to the public over 7,000' in GMU 22. I've walked some of it and driven to or through a lot of it. I worked up there for a few weeks last summer.
I've been told that it might be worthwhile to look into GMU 11 and especially 231--I believe your tags are good there as well.
Maybe the sign about the migratory deer herd applies to deer that migrate into the unit? I'm excited to be able to hunt, but it is a little disappointing to not even spot a deer in your unit on several scouting trips.
I've been told that it might be worthwhile to look into GMU 11 and especially 231--I believe your tags are good there as well.
Maybe the sign about the migratory deer herd applies to deer that migrate into the unit? I'm excited to be able to hunt, but it is a little disappointing to not even spot a deer in your unit on several scouting trips.
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tmbrlinewarden
Guest
I don't know anything about that unit or CO in general, but unit 2B here in NM is one of our best, and in the area I hunt you will NOT find a deer there during the summer. It's a whole different story in the Fall. You might find out what from the CDOW if maybe it's a similar winter habitat situation before you go turning in your tags.
I just thought I'd throw that in there- I know a lot of folks draw the 2B tag and show up all excited in July to scout and leave kicking rocks.
http://www.naweoa.org/mod.php?mod=userpage&page_id=15&menu=1500
I just thought I'd throw that in there- I know a lot of folks draw the 2B tag and show up all excited in July to scout and leave kicking rocks.
http://www.naweoa.org/mod.php?mod=userpage&page_id=15&menu=1500
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NickJ1980
Guest
LAST EDITED ON Jul-25-07 AT 05:25PM (MST)[p]I'm positive that a lot of the later season deer spend the summer in different units, but checking past statistics during archery season shows some pretty phenomenal success rates, and mostly on bucks.
I think part of the problem is the high temps from the past few weeks keeping them in cooler cover until dark, and the lack of precipitation has concentrated them in some of the darker holes where there are perennial springs. The monsoons started last week and I haven't been scouting since that, but I'm hoping things will have changed.
Edit: HuntinFoo--I replied to your PM
I think part of the problem is the high temps from the past few weeks keeping them in cooler cover until dark, and the lack of precipitation has concentrated them in some of the darker holes where there are perennial springs. The monsoons started last week and I haven't been scouting since that, but I'm hoping things will have changed.
Edit: HuntinFoo--I replied to your PM
ColoradoOak
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Here are a couple I found today that would be good ML or archery bucks. Wish I could have gotten closer than 400 yards. Sorry, they're still up on private property.
His partner has a little dropper.
Not big, but interesting.
His partner has a little dropper.
Not big, but interesting.
