How over rated is CO unit 21

whipknot

Active Member
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185
I wanted to get the opinion of those that have spent time in Unit 21 in Colorado. I see the crazy prices that some of these landowner tags are going for in that unit and can't help but think that it must be an amazing hunt. Then I have heard from others that it way over rated. Is 21 completely dependant on migration? What is your overall take on the unit?
 
My family used to hunt there in the 80's and early 90's before the tag's went to all draw, and then in 2003 I used my points on a second season tag. In my opinion it may not be worth $6000-$10000 for a 3rd season landowner tag but it is probly one of the top 5 units in Colorado which is saying something. I saw alot of 170-180 class bucks even in the 2nd season and the buck to doe ratios have been very good since the draw was put in place. So while there were not 200+ class bucks on every hillside, I still think it is a great unit and with it taking 13 points to get a 3rd season tag obviously alot of other people who have alot of time invested in Colorado's draw process feel the same way.
 
I hunted 3rd season in 2003. Had a great hunt and shot a very nice buck. Passed a lot of nice deer also.

We all know, that even on that unit, you need some luck with weather, moon phase, rut phase, season dates, hunter pressure, etc. to score on a whopper of 185+. Without some of that good luck, you might see lots of 175 deer, but is that what you are spending $6-$10K to hunt?

If money is not a problem, I guess a landowner tag would be great. For those who use sanity in spending their hunting dollars, the prices being asked are stupid, given the quality available in other CO units that are less expensive and can be drawn with far fewer points.

I drew a NV tag in a premier unit in 2006, and chased deer as big as anything I saw in CO in Unit 21, and did so for a twenty day season. I think the landowner tags in that NV unit are around $4,000.

Unit 21 is a great hunt, but I think it is somewhat over rated when you consider how good some of the other CO units can be.

Good luck!

"Hunt when you can - You're gonna' run out of health before you run out of money!"
 
LAST EDITED ON Jun-19-08 AT 05:46PM (MST)[p]I'll just say I have a hard time believing that there are "a lot" of bucks over 175" in unit 21. I think a 175 buck is an accomplishment there. I'm not the foremost expert, but I work, live and play in units 21 and 30 year round and I have somewhat of an idea.
 
I have been looking for a unit in colorado to invest some years trying to draw a trophy tag. I was considering unit 21 and after some research and the post by nickj1980 i think unit 61 is a better choice. go to the colorado fourm and read the fourm colorado units for trophy muledeer. i am looking to hunt the 2nd season of unit 61 before the snow gets deep ,i am hunting with my dad and he is a cancer surviver so i need an easy hunt for him. any one have any pics from these units please post them. thanks allen
 
Was in Unit 21 3rd season last year. Made a big mistake thinking my tag was for the 3rd season dates instead of 2nd!! I discovered this terrible mistake between 2nd and 3rd season, but couldn't get the DOW to refund preference points, but had to try! So, we decided to go hunting elk anyway in look in some of the special deer spots we know.

Anyway we didn't see an elk but I enjoyed seeing a lot of bucks, but they weren't trophy quality! You could tell that they had never been shot at. In fact we had a 30-inch buck 30 yards from the pickup, good mass but shallow forks. The rut was just starting. It would have been like taking candy from a baby. I would guestimate we saw about 3-4 bucks that were 170 class that I would have been happy with.

The 2003 season was a good year for racks and better than any season since. I think unit 21 is good for someone who can't hunt real hard but would like a decent buck. The guys with all the preference points are not going to get the kind of buck they want. I hope the DOW doesn't give out 4th season tags. We saw a lot of does and enjoyed seeing the deer numbers!
 
All I know is even with 13 points, we didn't draw NR 21 Third season this year. That means that there are still lots of points out there to burn and with what I have heard, I am not sure 21 is where to burn them.
 
There are some good deer in GMU's that do not take only 2-3 points to draw,I don't know why 21 is so popular?
 
i hunted last year 2nd hunt as a res, had the hunt of a life time. saw an avg of 30 to 50 bucks per day.could only hunt the first 5 days,work you know.ended up with a 187 net. i know of a 245 being seen alot on one of the main dirt roads.another being seen by several elk hunters going 200 .in the 5 days of hunting i saw 1 hunter off the two track 50 yards. people writting on here saying too many elk hunters,too many oil rigs,they never left the roads.yes you can shoot driving the roads,just don,t complain .and as some of the complants of hunters crying about the new game warden int the area.what a great guy.very friendly, he,s only doing his job.as far as migrations,there in there 2nd season.better hunting for trophy,s last 4 days.it was worth all 6 p.p,s
 
>I'd love to hunt it again.
>

>>Ransom


Me too, but I don't want COHunter to give me a hard time if I shoot another nice deer up there!

MSgt, USAF
1984 to present
 
I can think of at least 1/2 dozen other units I rather hunt in CO.

There is not a unit in CO worth 13 points IMO.....3-5 point areas are producing some gagger bucks, and even a few 0 point units. Do your research!

Mike
 
Ha Ha Ha TennVol

I might go back there too, its just a shame that the magazine's feel the need to hype the place up and send the points needed to draw up faster than the rate of oil!!!

In 2004 when I hunted there a resident could draw 2nd season with 1 point, now you pretty much need 4.
 

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