Unit 44 Colorado as bad as they said??

[dieseldog]

How has the deer hunting been in unit 44 this year? Any pigs come out of there yet i know it is only start of 3rd season but was the winterkill as bad as the talk last spring. How is the herd in general. I am sitting on 5 points and just looking for some info from the ground.

 

[mulebuck]

All I know is that the winter kill was worse than what they predicted. Not sure if they'll close the unit next year or not.

 

[SirGlassalot]

We hunted the second season and were very dissapointed. Very few deer were seen. My brother and my nephew scored on a couple of nice bucks and were checked by a warden on the wednesday after opener. The warden said that they were the first bucks he'd seen taken. Dad went home with an empty tag. I stayed longer, holding out for a good one and was resigned to the fact I would go home empty handed also but ended up taking a very nice buck with about a half our of light left on my hunt.

We hunted hard, all day everyday and I think we saw a total of about 12 bucks the whole trip. Maybe twice that many doe.
Also, my dad talked to a Forest Ranger and he said the winter kill was much worse than expected and that they may consider closing the unit next year.

 

[Dinkshooter]

Close the unit...............haha that is a hoot. Where do people come up with this stuff?

IMO 4th season has not been kind to unit 44. It is to accessible and the good bucks have been getting smeared for 5 years now.

But I guess if my opinion counted my paycheck would be from the CDOW.

 

[mulebuck]

>Close the unit...............haha that is a
>hoot. Where do people
>come up with this stuff?

Maybe you need to read the post again Dink. That talk about closing the unit came from a FS ranger and a warden, not anyone on MM.

 

[Dinkshooter]

>>Close the unit...............haha that is a
>>hoot. Where do people
>>come up with this stuff?
>
>Maybe you need to read the
>post again Dink. That talk
>about closing the unit came
>from a FS ranger and
>a warden, not anyone on
>MM.

I did read it and I am telling you..............there is no way a FS ranger has ANY input/knowledge on the deer harvest or seasons. So I ask.......where does this stuff come from?

 

[SirGlassalot]

>I did read it and I
>am telling you..............there is no
>way a FS ranger has
>ANY input/knowledge on the deer
>harvest or seasons. So
>I ask.......where does this stuff
>come from?

Looks like an opinion to me. Same as this:


>IMO 4th season has not been
>kind to unit 44.
>It is to accessible and
>the good bucks have been
>getting smeared for 5 years
>now.

 

[bobcatbess]

HEY Dink!!!

JUST WONDERING HOW MUCH TIME YOU'VE SPENT IN 44 THIS YEAR???

SURE THEY SMACKED EM HARD LAST YEAR!!!

I JUST SPENT SOME TIME IN 44 AND I'M TELLING YOU IT AIN'T GOOD!!!

I'M TELLING YOU DEER NUMBERS ARE PISS POOR!!!

AND YES THERE IS TALK OF CLOSING THE UNIT BY THE COLORADO GAME & FISH!!!

UNREAL IT COULD BE THAT GOOD ONE YEAR & THIS PISS POOR THIS YEAR!!!

IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME MAYBE CHECK IT OUT FOR YOURSELF!!!

I'M NOT SAYING THERE AIN'T SOME GOOD BUCKS LEFT,I'M SAYING DEER NUMBERS ARE WAY DOWN!!!

bobcat OVER & OUT!!!



THIS IS MY NEW GUN,YOU MAY NOT LIKE IT,YOU'LL LIKE IT A HELL OF A LOT LESS WHEN IT HITS ITS DESTINATION!!!

THE ONLY bobcat THAT KNOWS ALOT OF YOU HAVE HAD THIS IMAGE IN YOUR PEA BRAIN BUT DUE TO POOR SHOOTING TACTICS I'M STILL KICKIN!!!

 

[bobcatbess]

HEY SIRGLASSALOT!!!

HEY SirGlassAlot!!!

I SENT YOU A PM!!!

THANKS!!!

THIS IS MY NEW GUN,YOU MAY NOT LIKE IT,YOU'LL LIKE IT A HELL OF A LOT LESS WHEN IT HITS ITS DESTINATION!!!

THE ONLY bobcat THAT KNOWS ALOT OF YOU HAVE HAD THIS IMAGE IN YOUR PEA BRAIN BUT DUE TO POOR SHOOTING TACTICS I'M STILL KICKIN!!!

 

[Dinkshooter]

>HEY Dink!!!
>
>JUST WONDERING HOW MUCH TIME YOU'VE
>SPENT IN 44 THIS YEAR???
>IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME MAYBE
>CHECK IT OUT FOR YOURSELF!!!
>
>

>
>
>
>THIS IS MY NEW GUN,YOU MAY
>NOT LIKE IT,YOU'LL LIKE IT
>A HELL OF A LOT
>LESS WHEN IT HITS ITS
>DESTINATION!!!
>

>
>

>
>THE ONLY bobcat THAT KNOWS ALOT
>OF YOU HAVE HAD THIS
>IMAGE IN YOUR PEA BRAIN
>BUT DUE TO POOR SHOOTING
>TACTICS I'M STILL KICKIN!!!


HAHAHAHAHA good ones.

They wouldn't have to close it if they just dropped 4th season.

He said, she said. Find something better than that documenting this talk and I will believe it.

 

[bobcatbess]

HEY Dink!!!

HOW MUCH TIME YOU SPENT IN 44 RECENTLY???

THIS IS MY NEW GUN,YOU MAY NOT LIKE IT,YOU'LL LIKE IT A HELL OF A LOT LESS WHEN IT HITS ITS DESTINATION!!!

THE ONLY bobcat THAT KNOWS ALOT OF YOU HAVE HAD THIS IMAGE IN YOUR PEA BRAIN BUT DUE TO POOR SHOOTING TACTICS I'M STILL KICKIN!!!

 

[Dinkshooter]

I guess I will just rely on you Utah deer experts for breakdowns/shakedowns on Colorado deer units. Reasons for upswings, reasons for downswings. Thanks for all the information.

 

[bobcatbess]

I'M ASKING QUESTIONS Dink!!!

YOU AIN'T ANSWERING!!!

WTF???


THIS IS MY NEW GUN,YOU MAY NOT LIKE IT,YOU'LL LIKE IT A HELL OF A LOT LESS WHEN IT HITS ITS DESTINATION!!!

THE ONLY bobcat THAT KNOWS ALOT OF YOU HAVE HAD THIS IMAGE IN YOUR PEA BRAIN BUT DUE TO POOR SHOOTING TACTICS I'M STILL KICKIN!!!

 

[jims]

RE: HEY SIRGLASSALOT!!!

I drew a 3rd season 44 tag this year and after getting first-hand advice from a couple guys I know and trust very well decided to turn in my tag. Only time will tell how bad it really is and whether I should have held on to my tag. Just keep your fingers crossed that Central and Western Colo doesn't get hammered by 2 tough winter/springs in a row or we could be in some real trouble!

 

[bobcatbess]

RE: HEY SIRGLASSALOT!!!

HEY jims!!!

I WAS OVER IN 44 THIS LAST WEEKEND & I'M TELLING YOU THIS UNIT IS DAY & NIGHT DIFFERENCE FROM LAST YEAR!!!

IT TOOK COLORADO QUITE A FEW YEARS TO BRING THEM DEER BACK & YES YOU ARE RIGHT,IF WE GET ANOTHER WINTER LIKE THIS LAST ONE THIS COULD PUT SEVERAL UNITS IN VERY SERIOUS SHAPE!!!

I ALSO AGREE WITH "Dink" ON ONE THING,I BELIEVE ALOT OF THE BIG BUCKS GET HAMMERED ON THE 4TH SEASON HUNTS!!!

IF THEY HAD A RUT DEER HUNT HERE IN UTAH THEY'D SLAY THE LAST FEW WE GOT LEFT IN ONE SEASON!!!

IMO,I DO BELIEVE THERE WAS A HIGH NUMBER OF BUCKS HARVESTED IN 2007 IN 44 AND THEN THE WINTER TOOK ITS TOLL!!!

SO IF DinkShooter DON'T BELIEVE ME HE BETTER GO CHECK IT OUT FOR HIMSELF!!!



THIS IS MY NEW GUN,YOU MAY NOT LIKE IT,YOU'LL LIKE IT A HELL OF A LOT LESS WHEN IT HITS ITS DESTINATION!!!

THE ONLY bobcat THAT KNOWS ALOT OF YOU HAVE HAD THIS IMAGE IN YOUR PEA BRAIN BUT DUE TO POOR SHOOTING TACTICS I'M STILL KICKIN!!!

 

[Dinkshooter]

RE: HEY SIRGLASSALOT!!!

LAST EDITED ON Nov-04-08 AT 08:55AM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Nov-04-08 AT 08:54?AM (MST)

We both agree that it is way down, just not on how it got to this point. And we don't agree on silly rumor mills about closing the season without proof.

As far as the last time I was there in 44, I look out my dining room window at it.

You would be hard pressed to find someone that put as many miles in last April/May as I. I found TONS of dead fawns, lots of does but I only found 1 dead buck and he was not very big.

Most of the locals were complaining about the # of sheds they found, way down. Last Thanksgiving was the worst buck watching weekend I have seen since 2002 (although the weather was to nice). That is one of my favorite things to do each Thanksgiving and it was not very fun in 2007

So you tell me, winter kill or they were not there before the snow came?

What is funny, is they cut the # of tags this year. With the number of dead fawns from 2007, just wait 3-4 years when the 2007 age class of bucks doens't exist. Then you will hear people complaining.

 

[jims]

RE: HEY SIRGLASSALOT!!!

LAST EDITED ON Nov-04-08 AT 09:38AM (MST)[p]I agree that the 4th season in Colo units that were hammered by tough winters ought to be eliminated! According to the CDOW they opened up 4th seasons in units when buck:doe ratios were high enough. Overall deer numbers and older age class bucks are currently dwindling in many of these units.

Obviously buck tags have been cut which means there will be a lot of guys whining and complaining that it is a lot tougher to draw Colo deer tags! I don't know about you, but I would much rather wait it out a year or 2 without drawing a tag to allow deer numbers and quality of bucks to return rather than being faced with something like UT's current muledeer situation! Obviously not all Colo units got hammered last winter but some units definitely need a break!

 

[westernhunter1]

RE: HEY SIRGLASSALOT!!!

LAST EDITED ON Nov-04-08 AT 02:21PM (MST)[p]the deer numbers are way down, all over the valley not just 44. i didnt have a problem with finding sheds but i do believe that most of the winter kill came right around or after they had shed. my opinion. found a lot of winter kill. deer are in deep shizzle if the snow hits hard again. definately waitin a few years. and btw i have lived in this area for 15 years and have never seen the deer numbers so low! and the 4th season has slayed the mature bucks in 44...

 

[bobcatbess]

RE: HEY SIRGLASSALOT!!!

NOT TRYING TO STIR ANYTHING WITH YOU Dink!!!

I'M SURE YOU SEE WAY MORE THAN ME ON A YEAR AROUND BASIS SINCE YOU LIVE THERE THAN ME!!!

I DO KNOW THEY HAMMERED 44 ON MOST OF THE HUNTS IN O7!!!

THEN WINTER SMACKS & RAISES HELL I GUESS???

MAYBE COLORADO IS GONNA MANAGE DEER KINDA LIKE THE UTAH PISSCUTTER HERD???

IT'S TOO DAMN BAD A UNIT LIKE THIS ONE HAS BEEN HIT SO HARD!!!

I AGREE,PEOPLE WILL COMPLAIN,BUT WHATEVER IT TAKES SHOULD BE DONE SWIFT & ACT NOW TO HELP BRING EM BACK!!!

THESE 4TH SEASONS HUNTS NEVER REALLY MADE ALOT OF SENSE TO ME???

I'LL GUARANDAMNTEE YOU IF WE HAD HUNTS LIKE THAT HERE IN TARDVILLE OUR PISSCUTTER HERDS WOULD BE DECIMATED IN ONE YEAR!!!

JUDAS FRICKEN PRIEST!!!





THIS IS MY NEW GUN,YOU MAY NOT LIKE IT,YOU'LL LIKE IT A HELL OF A LOT LESS WHEN IT HITS ITS DESTINATION!!!

THE ONLY bobcat THAT KNOWS ALOT OF YOU HAVE HAD THIS IMAGE IN YOUR PEA BRAIN BUT DUE TO POOR SHOOTING TACTICS I'M STILL KICKIN!!!

 

[MulieKing]

44 Blows

I hunted 44 in the third season last year and let me tell you the deer hunting sucked and numbers were low last year. There is no way last year was considered a great year. I can only imagine how bad it is this year after the bad winter they had. I have heard the Gunnison area is really bad off.

 

[goldhunter]

RE: 44 Blows

I was also in 44 for the 4th season, elk. It was really tough. It was just too nice weather wise. I would be really suprised if they hammered them in the 4th season. The year before I saw maybe 6 or 7 180+ bucks with a couple of monsters. Nothing like that last year.

 

[Dinkshooter]

RE: 44 Blows

LAST EDITED ON Nov-05-08 AT 03:24PM (MST)[p]Something interesting I didn't know till I just looked at the stats. It appears they started hunting antlerless again in 2006. In 2006 and 2007 they smoked 379 does and fawns. In hindsight that was probably not a good idea.

Don't know how long before that the anterless hunt was off. First year on the stats is 2004.

 

[Dinkshooter]

RE: 44 Blows

LAST EDITED ON Nov-05-08 AT 03:35PM (MST)[p]Wow, I guess you don't need to be on the ground in 44 to see a decrease.

Per the CDOW web site, post hunt populations for unit 44:

2004-7520
2005-8790
2006-10160
2007------------3660

Not sure what date they do the counts, but that is a huge decrease.

 

[cdunn]

RE: 44 Blows

I just got home from unit 44. We saw 6 does total. No bucks at all, and no elk at all. We hunted our butts off! We saw nothing in any of the other camps either. I did score on a nice bear. Bear sign everywhere! And lots of hikers w dogs, and mountain bikers riding the roads. Have been hunting this unit for many years, and the past two have been pretty bad!

chris

 

[Avsman]

RE: 44 Blows

LAST EDITED ON Nov-05-08 AT 04:36PM (MST)[p]To get strait to the point, Yes winter kill was bad, Last year was not a great year, I had a 3rd season buck tag and knew of 5 others with 3rd season tags outa the 6 of us we only killed 2 bucks and the biggest was 184 gross, I knew 2 guys with 4th season tags last year and they didnt kill anything never even seen a buck over 180, so IMO 44 will be down for atleast 5 years with proper management, If you get a bunch of guys that say they are there to kill a big buck and wait till the last day and shoot a 2 point then it might take as long as 10 years, The good thing about 44 is that now a lot of people are watching the entire unit all winter and spring and poaching has been reduced I also think the shed hunting record book is reducing the numbers of bucks poached because guys can still get their name in a book and let the animal grow another year. I wouldnt burn 5 years on 44. But good luck picking another unit because everyone else is doing the same thing.

Oh by the way I also live in the unit and havent been seeing near as many deer as I did two and three years ago.

 

[mulebuck]

RE: 44 Blows

>I just got home from unit
>44. We saw
>nothing in any of the
>other camps either. I
>did score on a nice
>bear. Bear sign everywhere!
>And lots of hikers w
>dogs, and mountain bikers riding
>the roads.

>
>chris


I'll second that. We did see quite a few elk though. However, I have never seen so much bear sign in my life. While hiking in the dark I managed to step in a couple yogi piles. One day I saw more bears than I did deer.

 

[Buckman]

RE: 44 Blows

Don't you guys think that the rat racers on the highway and the influx of the urban sprall manages the herd pretty well. ( if not then you need to look in the bar ditches as you are driving to and from work) I have never been a fan of the issuance of doe tags.

 

[4000fps]

RE: 44 Blows

Laughin' here...

Maybe someday people will wise up and stop listening to Barf Carter. I have said this before, and this is a fact...Eagle County is made up of multiple units, and the majority of the booners DID NOT come out of 44. Not that hard to look at a map and see how many units are in the county. And the funniest part is, 44 is the hardest to draw, thanks to Barf, and the internet.

I have probably spent more time in 44 than anyone on this site. One thing I will agree on, winterkill sucked, but not as bad as the lead poisoning from everyone murdering the breeders during 4th season.

You want to see what a deer unit looks like, that doesn't have a 4th season, take a drive through 21 sometime.

 

[bobcatbess]

RE: 44 Blows

WELL BOYS!!!

I ONLY SPENT A SHORT TIME IN 44!!!

I'M NOT SAYING THERE AIN'T A FEW GOOD BUCKS LEFT!!!

I'M SAYING THE UNIT IS IN SERIOUS SHAPE!!!

NO I'M NOT A BIOLOGIST!!!

NO I'M NOT A LIEING BIOLOGIST!!!

NO I'M NOT A BIOLOGIST SAYING THINGS THAT AIN'T TRUE TO PROTECT MY JOB!!!

WHEN MY HOMETOWN PISSCUTTER AREA/REGION LOOKS BETTER THAN UNIT 44 THERES DEFINATELY SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE PICTURE!!!

AS MENTIONED BY SOME OF THE LOCALS ABOVE,SURE THERE WAS WINTER KILL,BUT I BELIEVE ALOT OF THE BUCKS WERE SHOT OUT IN 2007!!!

YOU MIGHT SAY A LITTLE TARDVILLLE MANAGEMENT GOING ON IN COLORADO!!!

THAT 4TH SEASON RUT HUNT JUST DOESN'T IMPRESS ME AS A HUNT THAT CAN KEEP GOING ON & ON YEAR AFTER YEAR WITHOUT DEPLETING THE HERD!!!

WAKE THE HELL UP COLORADO GAME & FISH!!!

THIS IS MY NEW GUN,YOU MAY NOT LIKE IT,YOU'LL LIKE IT A HELL OF A LOT LESS WHEN IT HITS ITS DESTINATION!!!

THE ONLY bobcat THAT KNOWS ALOT OF YOU HAVE HAD THIS IMAGE IN YOUR PEA BRAIN BUT DUE TO POOR SHOOTING TACTICS I'M STILL KICKIN!!!

 

[Buckman]

RE: 44 Blows

Hey 4K
"I have probably spent more time in 44 than anyone on this site."

Thems pretty big words!

 

[Dinkshooter]

RE: 44 Blows

"I have probably spent more time in 44 driving around on roads and making new ATV trails than anyone on this site".


Is that better?!!!!!!!!

 

[Buckman]

RE: 44 Blows

LAST EDITED ON Nov-08-08 AT 07:37PM (MST)[p]Yea dinker your right.

 

[SirGlassalot]

RE: 44 Blows

You make new ATV trails?

 

[4000fps]

RE: 44 Blows

lolz.

I have certainly spent more time than the Utards, who claim to be experts.

Hey if you guys want to keep burning up 8 points, to hunt Eagle county, thinking you need to be in 44, go ahead!