Mule Deer and Elk Unit advice for 0 pts

[Ltsheets]

Hey guys and gals,

This past year I only put in for tags in NM, where I currently live as it was my first full season hunting out west. Now that I'm starting to get a handle on more of how these different draw systems work,I'm going to start branching out to apply for some other states as well for hunts that if drawn, will give me a good chance at a great animal! I'm still learning about how the points systems work for each state but I'm posting here to get some direction on which units would be good ones to start researching in CO for putting in for the draw with 0 pts. At this point, I don't care if the odds are <5% if the hunt quality is high. I'm busy enough that if I draw an out of state hunt, I want it to be well worth the trip and time away from the family. I love bow hunting but would consider rifle as well. Any advice of which units for Mule deer and Elk in CO that would be a good place to start researching, that would produce high quality animals would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Ltsheets]

Also, though this may be lower than some people's idea of quality...I would be very happy with a 160+ Muley and 300+ Bull so that people get an idea of what I'm looking for. I'm probably more looking for a hunt where the deer or elk populations are very high to give me the most opportunities as possible at a quality animal seeing as how I'm still very much a rookie at this type of hunting.

 

[Coloradoboy]

Welcome to the west sir. Good number of options for you in Colorado. Southern Colorado is obviously the closest for you but it's not my area of expertise. For elk I'd look into areas 66/67 or 49. Deer options are countless... Units 35/36, 22, 25/26, 55, 551 might be some good places to look into.

Coloradoboy

 

[Ltsheets]

Thanks! I've completely fallen in love with this type of hunting. I'm actually leaving base here in 40 mins to do a late season 6x+ Elk hunt here in NM. Gonna be a tough hunt but it was a lot of fun last year. I'll check out those units and see what the draw odds are like for non-res types. I also don't mind driving to any part of CO for the hunt. I did an elk hunt in Craig this year though it turned out to be a bad experience due to the outfitter's incompetence.

 

[Ltsheets]

I'm surprised how good th draw odds are for 35/36 for both archery and rifle...how are the bucks in those units?

>Welcome to the west sir. Good
>number of options for you
>in Colorado. Southern Colorado is
>obviously the closest for you
>but it's not my area
>of expertise. For elk I'd
>look into areas 66/67 or
>49. Deer options are countless...
>Units 35/36, 22, 25/26, 55,
>551 might be some good
>places to look into.
>
>Coloradoboy

 

[Cohntr62]

LAST EDITED ON Dec-12-14 AT 02:00PM (MST)[p]Just so that you understand, Colorado uses a pure PP system. Someone with more points than you will draw ahead of you every time. I love it that way as it is pretty consistent and predictable, allowing me to plan and schedule vacation ahead of time. Since you have 0 points, you should only look at units and seasons requiring 0 PPs for a NR.

 

[BaldBeaver]

LT, Are you at Holloman, or Kirtland?


~Jason Peterson


"No man should go through life without once experiencing healthy, even bored solitude in the wilderness, finding himself depending solely on himself and thereby learning his true and hidden strength."~Jack Kerouac

 

[Ltsheets]

Neither. I'm stationed at Cannon in Clovis.

>LT, Are you at Holloman, or
>Kirtland?
>
>
>~Jason Peterson
>
>
>"No man should go through life
>without once experiencing healthy, even
>bored solitude in the
>wilderness, finding himself depending solely
>on himself and thereby learning
>his true and hidden strength."~Jack
>Kerouac

 

[Ltsheets]

Yeah I understand. Looking at draw results from the past it looks like there are lots of units that do have a chance for a NR to draw even with 0 pts though the odds are small. That's fine with me as my focus is on NM where I'm considered a Res. I just want to start putting in other states for draws where if I draw, it will give me a chance at a quality animal. I'm not trying to up my overall odds of hunting more each year but more trying to up my odds of hunting quality each year if that makes sense.

>LAST EDITED ON Dec-12-14
>AT 02:00?PM (MST)
>
>Just so that you understand, Colorado
>uses a pure PP system.
>Someone with more points than
>you will draw ahead of
>you every time. I love
>it that way as it
>is pretty consistent and predictable,
>allowing me to plan and
>schedule vacation ahead of time.
>Since you have 0 points,
>you should only look at
>units and seasons requiring 0
>PPs for a NR.

 

[cmbbulldog]

Where do you hunt in nm?

 

[Ltsheets]

I've hunted in 36, 33, and will hunt 32 this yr for Muleys. I've hunted 34 for elk. Will hunt 29/30 in Feb for Barbary. This is only my second season in NM.

>Where do you hunt in nm?
>