Colorado mule deer unit 53

[Bprebola]

I have 15 points and was considering unit 53 Mike deer draw 3rd season rifle. Any information for a guide or dyi style hunt out of motel in hotchkiss or Crawford! Appreciate feedback!

 

[Gadjet]

I have 15 points and was considering unit 53 Mike deer draw 3rd season rifle. Any information for a guide or dyi style hunt out of motel in hotchkiss or Crawford! Appreciate feedback!

I would assume that you're a non resident?

 

[Bprebola]

I would assume that you're a non resident?

Correct

 

[Gadjet]

This winter has been and still is pretty rough on the deer herds in that area. You may want to rethink burning 15 points on 53.

 

[oilcan]

Regarding the motel depending on where you want to hunt it is very doable. I have stayed in Crawford and Paonia on different hunts in 53 and it worked out well.

 

[grt67]

I only know a little bit about 53 and in the early archery season, so first week of September or so, those bucks will still be really high, except for the low pinyon/juniper private land bucks. The elk won't typically be above timberline so yes, for the most part you'd have to hunt different spots. Need a local to chime in.

 

[MontanaRick]

I have 15 points and was considering unit 53 Mike deer draw 3rd season rifle. Any information for a guide or dyi style hunt out of motel in hotchkiss or Crawford! Appreciate feedback!

Hey, I also have put in for Unit 53 this year and if youre interested we can compare notes.

 

[DESKPOP]

Winter is rough up that way....be interesting to see what the winter kill is going to be.

 

[accubond]

Winter is rough up that way....be interesting to see what the winter kill is going to be.

It looks like the low country around Paonia, Hotchkiss and Crawford are right at normal snow cover with much higher than normal snow depth on what I would guess to be summer range. Do these deer winter higher than normal or is there deer that get trapped high before getting to the valley floor?

 

[lostinOregon]

They winter at the base of the mountains. They don’t get trapped but are susceptible to winter kill.

 

[DESKPOP]

It looks like the low country around Paonia, Hotchkiss and Crawford are right at normal snow cover with much higher than normal snow depth on what I would guess to be summer range. Do these deer winter higher than normal or is there deer that get trapped high before getting to the valley floor?

It's not just the depth of the snow. It's the fact that the snow is deep and frozen on top for multiple months. Deer struggle to get food and die.

 

[accubond]

It's not just the depth of the snow. It's the fact that the snow is deep and frozen on top for multiple months. Deer struggle to get food and die.

Makes perfect sense, I was just assuming they had access to areas with no snow but that is strictly based on my interpretation of the NOHRSC interactive snow map.

 

[liecabucks]

I’ve hunted that three times in the last 8 years……It’s kicked my ass all but one and I swore after hunting the 2022 season I won’t be back but we shall see I suppose ?