CO 2nd Choice

Daxter · Feb 14, 2006

I really want to hunt a CO 2nd choice 3rd season this next fall. I would be extremely happy with a 22"-26" 150-170 B&C type buck. I am willing to hike, climb, swim, anything to get it. Does anybody have a good idea on a unit I might have a decent chance at finding the kind of buck I am looking for? PM me if you want. Thanks for any info, I really appreciate it.
Dax

Prism · Feb 14, 2006

Dax,

Check out the Colorado hunting info deal that Brian and Steve have put together here at MM. Well worth the money if you're seriously looking into Colorado.

Good luck! After Colorado you may never want to hunt a general area in Utah again

200incher · Feb 14, 2006

area 43, 47, 471
3rd season rifle

lots of deer with a chance at a big one.

Daxter · Feb 14, 2006

Thanks for the info guys. Prism, I did buy the CO hunt report, just trying to get as many guys opinions on good units as I can. I will be going somewhere in CO this fall, just not sure where yet. I sure hope that my experience in CO makes me never want to hunt general season Utah again

Thanks again, and keep those CO tips rolling in. I might also be looking for guys to hunt with if some of my buddies don't start putting their money where their mouths are and start buying tags out of state. I have friends that make more money than me, and love to hunt, but just won't put up the money or make a committment to go out of state. What do you do?

Another question for Prism, did you use the same video production company for NEBG Vol II? I am friends with one of the guys that works there but haven't talked with him in a while. He had nothing but good things to say about working on the 1st one with you.

Dax

peanut · Feb 14, 2006

Dax,
Check out this info on the DOW website.
http://wildlife.state.co.us/NR/rdonlyres/4FE3E59A-CC85-40B8-BB80-981AC26515E2/0/DEER05huntrecap.pdf

For you to even be considered with a second choice, the quota column number has to be larger than the number of apps choice1 column.
So if you take the earlier advice in this thread and apply for DM04303R (Deer, Male, unit 043, 03 season, Rifle), looking at that hunt code on the hunt recap 9page 141 you will see there were 1020 licenses available split between the second and third seasons and 891 people applied for them with their first choice. All who applied for this tag with their first choice drew. That means there were 129 licenses left for people who put that as their second choice. 887 people applied with their second choice. One in eight second choice would have drawn, completely random since preference points are not taken into consideration for choices 2-4. Lots of information there, but it may help.
Good luck!

Prism · Feb 14, 2006

Dax,

Sent you a PM.

sealer · Feb 14, 2006

PM'd you Dax

Drew

txhunter58 · Feb 14, 2006

2nd choice data can be tricky. Even though the book show 887 people applied for that tag as a second choice, the odds of drawing were probably significantly higher than 129 out of 887. The reason is we don't know how many people that put this as their second choice got picked on their first choice. If 200 people got picked on their first choice, that raises the odds to 329 out of 887. There is really no way to know, but it should be somewhat higher odds that would appear form the raw numbers.

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)

Grasshopper · Feb 15, 2006

With the Big Game CD from Huntdata, it is actually quite easy to plan for and determine second choice hunt draw odds. You can also trend over time.

www.biggamecd.com

txhunter58 · Feb 15, 2006

Are you saying that it includes data to let you know how many of the 887 were actually picked on first choice, and not really in the secondary drawing? That would be very useful.

As I understand the raw data, it just tells you that 887 people put in for this tag as a second choice, but not really whether they got pulled on a first choice.

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)

gunnut · Feb 17, 2006

Hello Daxter. I will be hunting in the thrid season in unit 43. If you dont get you buddys to get busy let me know. I set up a nice camp and have extra room most of the time. There are also a few other units that would be good to hunt. E-mail me at [email protected] if you want to talk about anything. THanks Jovan

Daxter · Feb 19, 2006

Thanks to everybody for the tips, info, and generous offers. My buddy from Denver has committed so I have somebody to go with. We are still in the process of narrowing it down to a good unit, but have some ideas where we might want to try. I appreciate eveyones help. There are a lot of dang good guys on this site. Thanks.
Dax