Colorado Unit 4 help!

[big_daddy]

I will be hunting Oct. 22-30 rifle mule deer unit 4,14,214.441.
Have any of you hunted there in the past? The info. I've been given is to look towards Quaker Mnt. and the Slater Creek drainage. Can anyone shed some light on the size of deer I should expect from this leftover tag or any other areas to check out? Thanks.

 

[big_daddy]

After 5 days posted---nothing! Has anybody hunted anywhere around craig, colorado for mule deer?

Is anyone even looking at this question or does it just exist in my mind?

Happy huntin'

 

[Scipio]

My youngest boy and I were up there last weekend scouting the area out. We drew tags for myself and my two boys for these units for third rifle. I have never been in Unit 4 so I thought we should get up there to see what the access and camping areas were like. Went on quite a long hike Saturday and saw not one animal of either species. Some fresh sign though. Did run across some people who were scouting elk in a different area and they said they had seen a large buck.

From the DOW hunting reports for 2004 Unit 4 seems to have the highest number of kills of all Colorado, but also some of the highest hunter numbers. Probably the lack of response to your question is that this is not a "Trophy Buck" area so there is little interest in it. My plan is to get as far away from the roads as possible.

Good luck to you.

 

[InterpolNY]

There are some good bucks in this area. The BLM bordering on the west side of Bears Ear's is very good. Hunt the sage/ aspen transition and you should get into deer. Even though the unit gets hammered most hunters are there for elk and weather pemitting will be up higher in the National Forest. Hunted elk here for years in unit 5 and did well. Good luck.
Paul

 

[big_daddy]

Hey guys, thanks for the input. I agree that this is not a trophy unit, as this was not 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th choice. This is a leftover tag in which I at least get to be hunting, thank goodness! I'm wondering if it would be better to hunt up high, about 10,000 ft in most of the unit, or try the low land. Most bucks that are lower seem to be on private land. We will be camping (with 2000 others!) at California Park/Slater creek area. Would it be better to hunt Saddle Mountain or the south side of Quaker Mountain near private land? Does anyone know?
Good huntin'

 

[DougW]

Paul-did you ever get up into the Bible Back/Camel Back area and that taller mt. just to the south (is it Long Mt.?)? This is bringing back memories of deer hunts back in the 80s. Killed a cow elk just north of Camel Back one year and buddies got 2 3-yr. old bulls off Long. We were getting average-sized bucks but we didn't know what we were doing. Are they still having gunfights over trespassing up near Bible Back these days?

 

[bryan7]

GOOD HUNTING UNIT IF YOUR WILLING TO HIKE A LONGGGGGGGGGGG WAYS FROM YHE ROAD. LOTS OF ANIMALS BUT MORE PEOPLE. i HAVE HAD LUCK THERE IN THE PAST BUT THEN AGAIN i HIKE SEVERAL MILES FROM MAIN ROADS. GOOD LUCK AND TRY QUACKER MOUNTAIN AREA FOR BEST LUCK.

 

[Montanafan]

I haven't hunted Unit 4 for the last 5 years, so take what I say with a grain of salt. That being said, I had a good size lease NE of Bakers Peak, encompassing Slater Creek, up to the Little Snake River. For approximately 10 years the hunting was outstanding, both deer and elk. Unfortunately, the owner passed away and the property has changed hands, I think it was subdivided. There is quite a bit of BLM, very scattered parcels, throughout this area.
The last time I was up there, hunting public land, we tried to camp at Bears Ears, but were snowed off the mountain. Camped on the North side of Bakers Peak. There were lots and lots of hunters, but still managed to see a few nice bucks. Also, saw a number of good bucks over on Serviceberry Mountain. But as stated previously, be prepared for some long hikes and lots of hunters. Good luck!

 

[Scipio]

Big_D

Let us know how you do.

Good luck good hunting.

 

[big_daddy]

Well, I'm countin' the time now, 34 hours till I leave for colorado. My Dad and Uncle are already there and called to say they are already seeing deer. Won't be back till the 30th. Can't wait to get going!
Big_daddy