Best Area for big MD in Co with 12 NR preferance points

inditex

Member
Messages
8
LAST EDITED ON Jan-25-19 AT 03:44PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Jan-25-19 AT 03:30?PM (MST)

I have 12 Colorado Non Res MD preferance points, Looking for an area with best odds for a Trophy Mule Deer.
 
LAST EDITED ON Jan-25-19 AT 06:43PM (MST)[p]
I'm not sure how many non-residents have at least 12 or more preference points but I'm sure it's in the thousands including me.
If you get on the Colorado Parks and wildlife website you can look up the hunt statistics and the ones that take 20 or more preference points to draw will probably give you the best odds to kill a trophy Buck.
Then you can look at the hunts that take around 12 points to draw and you will see where you're at.
Colorado is a preferential draw system so the guys with the most points that apply for a particular hunt will get drawn first but I'm sure you are aware of that.
Good luck and welcome to MM
 
LAST EDITED ON Jan-28-19 AT 07:33AM (MST)[p]Choose between hunts that took close to 11 points last year to draw. Probably only a couple that took exactly 11.

From a quick look, those with 11 were:

Unit 30 3rd rifle
61 3rd rifle
54 3rd rifle
551 3rd rifle

Unit 1 2nd rifle

Units 4, 12 and 71 4th rifle

Unit 65 early rifle

Unit 21 muzzleloader

Units 55, 76, 61, 2, 21 archery are options as well.

Tough call on all of those units, I think 21 muzzle or 551 or 54 3rd would be decent options...depending if you have time to scout (think 21) or not (choose a 3rd or 4th). You could take a chance on some 12 point units last year or drop down to the 8 or 9 or 10 point units or less as well (think 2nd season in 21, 66, 44...or 22nd 3rd).
 
THEN AGAIN, THIS FELLA WITH A GRAND TOTAL OF 2 POSTS WANTS TROPHY UNIT INFO FOR DEER & ELK (ELK SECTION) W/O ANY PREVIOUS CONTACT. BOOM...........JUST LIKE THAT, I'M NOT FEELING IT !!!!

NORMALLY.............MOST GUYS PAY THEIR DUES TO SOME DEGREE. SURPRISED HE GOT THIS FAR.............YD.
 
Just looking for some info. Did not mean to get some of your panties in a bind. I am in no hurry to use preference points. I will accumulate for a few more years. I have not hunted Colorado for a few years. I did hunt 5 different states last year along with Mexico and Canada. A trophy Whitetail to me is a 180. I do have one. I have a couple MD in the 170's. A trophy MD to me would be a 190+. As far as Elk. I have 4 over 300. A trophy to me would be 370+. I do my homework on hunts. I am just looking for some info to prepare for the future. I read articles and look at The Colorado info online. I was asking input from the professionals. Thanks for the input.
 
!

Thanks for your resume. We now know more than we did about you and that you have lots of time off and spendable funds! But if you do a search for other posts like this, you will find that almost all of them end up the same way: with very little info.

Why would anyone post this kind of info on an open forum? People that know where to go don't want to spread that around, especially to a stranger and on an open forum. Why increase the competition? Even 10 people that read: "this is best unit for trophy mule deer with X points" and then put in for that unit, can really reduce their odds of drawing that unit.

I kind of understand your goal: cast a Wide net. But don't be surprised when it doesn't get much traction. So, don't really have my panties in a wad, but just kind of shake my head that someone would make a post like this would expect much real info. There are lots of knowlegable people on here and you will get a ton of good info if you stick around, but like Yukon, I am not feeling it. You sound like you are a avid hunter, and I hope you get a big-un. Good luck.

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)
 
RE: !

You may hunt a lifetime for a 180 whitetail, 190 muledeer, and 370 bull on public land. Those are generally once in a lifetime type critters that often require once in a lifetime type tags to draw with or without a pref pt system! Most guys aren't too terribly open about sharing units and areas within units with public land that take few pref pts to draw.

If you have the cash you may want to check out units with private land or a landowner tag? Generally speaking you can do outfitted hunts on private land in units with trophy animals that don't require as many pref pts to draw (Eastern Colo muledeer and whitetails as examples). Some of the better outfitters may have a waiting list for their best hunts.

If you want potential for a 190 muley buck or 370+ bull elk that you can hunt just about every year you might check out NM landowner tag outfitters. You will likely pay a pretty penny for a tag plus guided hunt!
 
RE: !

TXHUNTER58.......WELL STATED,,,,,THANKS !!! OUR NEW FRIEND WAS THINKING IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION, .....ITS NOT WHAT HE HAS ACCOMPLISHED IN THE HUNTING WORLD. ITS THAT HE APPEARS ON MM WEBSITE AND CASTS A WIDE NET FOR ANSWERS ABOUT TROPHY DEER & ELK AS SOON AS HIS POST # 2. IF HE MAKES A FEW POSTS HERE OVER TIME HE WILL GET BETTER INFORMATION.

THANKS AGAIN...............YD.
 
I've been sitting here trying to think of something nice to say and here?s what I have.
It appears this guy is not a rookie and has checked into the Colorado Hunt stats. already.
Where he did make a rookie mistake is by coming on here and asking such a question.
He did mention he wanted professional advice so my suggestion for him would be to contact some outfitters. They would probably recommend the areas they hunt and if he booked with them I'm sure they would do the best they could to get him what he wanted.
I'm pretty sure I asked some stupid questions like that when I first started posting on here also.
By the way I am well past 12 preference points and still can't draw the hunts I want.
Hope he finds what he's looking for and welcome him on MM. It does take time for sure.
 
Inditex

These guys are not your friends! I just don't understand why they all make this rule that if you never post on a forum means you are a looser or are not deserving of some intel. Who are you all thinking you're the forum police? Give me a break and go get a job for hell sakes.

As for your question: I understand that you want to find some bucks in an area that would score 190? and you have 12 points to try and draw that unit?

Ok if that's what the question is I'm going to tell you, despite your resume which I don't think you needed to give as a prerequisite to get some help.

Colorado has those kind of bucks in most areas. You can find a buck like that in units that take 0 points and also 20 pts. You know how to hunt and Colorado offers many kind of styles. Archery (above timberline) September muzzy bucks in the high country, October bucks in timber, late rut hunts in November.

Now I know you are aware of all that, but I point it out because in any one of those scenarios you can find a 190? buck.

My advice would be to look for a unit that produces these kind of trophies on a regular basis. Don?t be married to your 12 points or 13,14,15 etc when you decide to draw. If you find intel on a unit that can fit the bill on finding 190? bucks then decide what weapon you are most passionate about and draw the tag.

For example unit 44 is known to produce huge bucks with awesome genetics, however, the hunt is tough because the deer numbers are low and the country is real timbered making it hard to glass up deer. At rut time those big bucks come out and show themselves. It's a tough draw to get a tag in November, but if you are willing to use 12 points on a unit like 75 which takes 0 to draw an archery or muzzy tag and hunt hard and be dedicated to only hunting a 190? buck you're going to find one guaranteed. Those types of bucks are definitely roaming the San Juan?s!

Honestly, it comes down to what weapon, style you like, and then how hard you want to hunt. Colorado is your best opportunity to find a buck somewhere that is going to tape out at least 190?. I wouldn't over think it I really wouldn't.

12 points is a lot for a Colorado MD hunt and there are lots of options.

Personally I know a unit I'd apply for this season 19? with your 12 points that only takes 8-9 3rd season and then hunt it as late as I could giving me time to finish out the season in the field. It has a fair amount of privet but still enough public to get it done if you are patient. Look to the far west side of the state. How?s that for a lead without just throwing up the actual spot?
 
Bravo and well said. I love the keyboard warriors on here who are Gods gift to hunting. If you don't want to participate and exchange information than don't. Just shut up.

I agree with your accessment on Colorado. Nice bucks can be found everywhere . Drilling down on an area in a unit is most important it seems to me.
 
>So glad NM doesn't have a
>point system. Waiting 20 years
>for a tag is ridiculous.
>


No Joke! I drew CO Unit 44 in 2002 with three points, and now I doubt I will ever draw it again. I have 16 points. By the time I get to 20, it will take 25. I think next year I will look for another unit and burn my points.
 
A 190" muley is a big deer. If that's your goal and you won't be happy with one less than I would book a hunt on private land in Eastern CO. Purchase a Landowner tag and keep building your preference points for a hunt sometime in the future where maybe you'll have enough to draw one of the top hunts in CO. You don't have that now with 12 points.

A lot of the mountain units are getting pounded with snow so it remains to be seen if there will be significant winter kill.

Good luck on your quest.
 
12 points is plenty to get you to a unit that has the 190+ potential. What it doesn't do, (even if you have 20) is find and kill that buck for you. A man still has to know the unit and patterns of that certain migration to key in on this type of animal. For instance, I personally have taken 5 bucks north of your 190 ?trophy? barrier and only one was killed in Colorado out of the 5 tags I've had there(all public land hunts). Points taken to draw these tags would have ranged from 6 to 18. The other 4 were taken on general units in Utah and Wyoming(all 100% public land also). My point here is, you can hunt many many many units and states before the why and how come together for you. I personally had to dig deep to determine what type of terrain I was best at hunting and chose units that carried similar habitat and migration tendencies as the units I had found success in the neighboring states. Out of the dozens of mule deer tags I have had, I have put full attention to maybe 15 with the outcome of 6 north of 185. .........you have to absolutely love the ?how and why? because the odds just ain?t that favorable if a guy puts it all in perspective.



Sit tall in the saddle, hold your head up high, keep your eyes fixed to where the trail meets the sky...
 
>+100

This should be added to every post that asks about 180 plus mule deer.

Rich



12 points is plenty to get
>you to a unit that
>has the 190+ potential.
> What it doesn't do,
>(even if you have 20)
>is find and kill that
>buck for you.
> A man still has
>to know the unit and
>patterns of that certain migration
>to key in on this
>type of animal.
>For instance, I personally have
>taken 5 bucks north of
>your 190 ?trophy? barrier and
>only one was killed in
>Colorado out of the 5
>tags I've had there(all public
>land hunts). Points
>taken to draw these tags
>would have ranged from 6
> to 18.
>The other 4 were taken
>on general units in Utah
>and Wyoming(all 100% public land
>also). My point
>here is, you can hunt
>many many many units and
>states before the why and
>how come together for you.
> I personally had
>to dig deep to determine
>what type of terrain I
>was best at hunting and
>chose units that carried similar
>habitat and migration tendencies as
>the units I had found
>success in the neighboring states.
> Out of
>the dozens of mule deer
>tags I have had, I
>have put full attention to
>maybe 15 with the outcome
>of 6 north of 185.
>.........you have to absolutely love
>the ?how and why? because
>the odds just ain?t that
>favorable if a guy puts
>it all in perspective.
>
>
>
>Sit tall in the saddle, hold
>your head up high, keep
>your eyes fixed to where
>the trail meets the sky...
>
 

Click-a-Pic ... Details & Bigger Photos
Back
Top Bottom