Best Antelope Hunting in Colorado

hawkbill

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I’m looking for advise from you guys on your take on the best Antelope hunting in the state for 2021. Points are not an issue! I know the quality has gone down hill in many units, but I’m thinking of bringing my daughter out on a trip before she heads off for collage. Any input would be appreciated.
 
As far as the coolest country to spend time in I would go 2/201. You’re going to be hard pressed to find anything pushing the 80in mark on public land in Colorado but you should be able to find something in the mid 70s just fine.

Coloradoboy
 
As far as the coolest country to spend time in I would go 2/201. You’re going to be hard pressed to find anything pushing the 80in mark on public land in Colorado but you should be able to find something in the mid 70s just fine.

Coloradoboy
Coloradoboy, I have 22 nonresident antelope points right now. Is 2/201 where you would use them if you were in my shoes? I've never killed a speedgoat before. They don't do a whole lot for me personally, but id like to do it once to finally use all these points i have accumulated and see some new country.
 
Coloradoboy, I have 22 nonresident antelope points right now. Is 2/201 where you would use them if you were in my shoes? I've never killed a speedgoat before. They don't do a whole lot for me personally, but id like to do it once to finally use all these points i have accumulated and see some new country.

Wouldn’t be a bad option, or dig into some of the units in the south central part of the state.
 
Thank you guys for replying, I will look into everything you have mentioned, It looks like Walden, Trinidad and Browns Park. OrionTheHunter do you know any.thing about Pinion Canyon Maneuver Base
 
Thank you guys for replying, I will look into everything you have mentioned, It looks like Walden, Trinidad and Browns Park. OrionTheHunter do you know any.thing about Pinion Canyon Maneuver Base
The north park herds have really been struggling as of late. I initially was chasing unit 6 before I dumped points on 3/301 back in 2018. You honestly can’t go wrong with 2/201 if you want to hunt the NW part of the state and have the points to do so. Just make sure you’re willing to camp out and bring plenty of fuel because it’s a a long haul in any direction to get fuel.

Coloradoboy
 
Might want to consider 66 or 67 as well.. limited tags and u get to hunt lopes in a mountain type environment. A friend took a mid 70s type antelope a couple years ago in those units.
 
Hunted 2/201 two years ago with a smoke pole. Beautiful country with a bunch of antelope. It was fun to go listen to the bulls bugle when not hunting antelope.
I'm a resident with 21 points and interested in 2/201. Intrigued with the muzzleloader season with fewer folks and trying to get one with my flintlock instead of rifle. Not looking for trophies just hoping for opportunities for a representative adult buck. How tricky was it getting within 100 yards?
 
It’s always tricky getting a hundred yards from a buck Antelope, unless your sitting water. You only live once, I think you should go for it, a real Antelope hunt. I am going to go after the rifle tag, I know quality is down but maybe I can find a freak
 
I'm a resident with 21 points and interested in 2/201. Intrigued with the muzzleloader season with fewer folks and trying to get one with my flintlock instead of rifle. Not looking for trophies just hoping for opportunities for a representative adult buck. How tricky was it getting within 100 yards?
Really wasn't all that hard. They were rutting hard and had several under 100 yards the first day. Ended up shooting the last one at 40 yards. He was chasing a doe and I was able to crawl in close. The doe spotted me first and he never did. Pretty easy shoot. Had a blast and saw a truck load of good bucks.
 
Excellent - thanks so much for the info! Sounds like a lot of fun and a good excuse to set up the tipi for a week! I assume the number people should be much lower than during rifle. Any advice on some good or interesting areas to camp?
 
Excellent - thanks so much for the info! Sounds like a lot of fun and a good excuse to set up the tipi for a week! I assume the number people should be much lower than during rifle. Any advice on some good or interesting areas to camp?
I saw one other hunter on the opener which made it even more exciting. We camped on the northern end of Irish Canyon in a small camp ground. With a Tipi you might camp closer to the elk so you can listen to them talk. If the wolves haven't eaten all of them yet. Ha ha. Only one other camp where we were and I think it was the hunter we saw later. I was surprised by how many water sources we found scattered around on the east side of Diamond Peak. You'll have a great hunt!
 
Like to see how you guys do this year. I am sitting on 21 NR points myself and would like to use them in the next few years. Going to try and take my son to Wyoming this year. Taking the Hawkens out for antelope sounds fun.

Now meaning to hijack this, but why does Colorado not produce more top end bucks? It seems to offer everything Wyoming and other states do that produce better bucks. What am I missing?
Thanks
 
Like to see how you guys do this year. I am sitting on 21 NR points myself and would like to use them in the next few years. Going to try and take my son to Wyoming this year. Taking the Hawkens out for antelope sounds fun.

Now meaning to hijack this, but why does Colorado not produce more top end bucks? It seems to offer everything Wyoming and other states do that produce better bucks. What am I missing?
Thanks
That is a great question,,, the KEY in Pronghorns is genetics...there just doesn't seem to be a Colorado sweets spot for genetics. Also Pronghorn are funny head gear growers. One buck might have the same set of 12 inch horns for a long life when another is mid 80's as a three year old. Its not like deer and elk that get bigger each year until they are dead or way past prime.
 
Genetics are here and I have seen many in local units that well break the 80" mark. Habitat is terrible as are the water sources that we once promulgated by CPW and BLM that no longer receive little if any attention. Focus of these agencies have changed. CPW contends they have budget constraints and that's a load of BS. Same with BLM. Takes water and feed to grow big critters.
 
I was in NM for my pronghorn hunt two years ago you wouldn't think a lizard.... a skinny lizard.... could survive, Saw two of the biggest Pronghorns I ever saw taking one. Lincoln County,,,Hugo Limon region lots of water stock tanks everyplace and enough feed to support lots of cattle has like one or zero BC entries. I have shot several 15 inchers and one 16 incher over the decades near Hugo and they all were mid 70's seems to be top end in that one of the most populous antelope hunting areas in the state
 
The NW corner of Colo USED to produce a few B&C bucks but very few have come from Moffat County for quite a few years. As Tailchasers mentioned water has been sparse for years and years. Where there were hundreds of antelope years ago in 2, 3 and 11 there are a fraction. There were some super droughty years many years ago and the antelope on BLM in 2, 3, and 11 moved closer to Craig where there were livestock tanks and other water sources on large 40 acre homesteads.

North Park has fantastic genetics but unfortunately there's been some severe winters in that area. The antelope in that area are pretty much closed in by mountains and if there is deep snow it can be super tough on that herd.

There are other scattered units across Colo that have produced a very few B&C contenders but there is pretty much slim pickings.

The CPW is caught in a hard place with eastern Colo antelope. Ranchers complain about antelope in their crop fields.

Like all big game species in Colo the CPW is pretty much into handing out more tags with less quality bucks, bulls, rams, and billies. Although it only takes 3 1/2 years to produce a B&C antelope buck most bucks get hammered pretty hard so the cream of the crop is usually harvested every year.

As mentioned in several posts above, Colo genetics for B&C bucks just isn't there like it is in Wyoming. MASS is what produces B&C bucks and bucks in most Colo units just don't have the mass it takes to score well.
 
Can anyone elaborate on the units near the Pawnee Grasslands? Tactics etc?

Send me a PM if you like.
Bring a blaze orange helmet and flax jacket on the opener. With limited public land and a ton of tags it’s battle hunting.
Private land is probably better but I never tried asking permission.
 
Headed to 2/201 muzzy hunt chasing antelope in late September. Any insight or tips welcome. Taking a couple of the kids and more interested in the experience than horn size. Thanks
 
I hunted deer in 3/301 on the 6 or 7 road, I forget, Mathers Ranch, I saw a ton of nice thick goats, unfortunately, I couldn't tell you if they were 60", 70" or 80". This was in 2010 but they were plentiful.
 
I used up near 20 pts and went for 81, it is as big as any unit and only had 25 tags, I couldn't pass that up. I never did see another hunter, and I took a 78 in. and would have taken anything over 65, you have every type of habitat that ant. inhabit in that unit
 
I used up near 20 pts and went for 81, it is as big as any unit and only had 25 tags, I couldn't pass that up. I never did see another hunter, and I took a 78 in. and would have taken anything over 65, you have every type of habitat that ant. inhabit in that unit
Where’s some pics of this so called 78”
 
Congratulations on drawing the tag. You'll have an exciting hunt. I drew the muzzy tag two years ago. I shot mine at the end of the first day. Spot and stalk. Not huge, low 70s. But it was a blast!!
 
Good luck on your Muzzy hunt, I did not put in for the tag this year, I’m focusing on Deer which I drew. Please post pics. I plan on taking family to Browns Park next year
 
The north park herds have really been struggling as of late. I initially was chasing unit 6 before I dumped points on 3/301 back in 2018. You honestly can’t go wrong with 2/201 if you want to hunt the NW part of the state and have the points to do so. Just make sure you’re willing to camp out and bring plenty of fuel because it’s a a long haul in any direction to get fuel.

Coloradoboy
Did I see somewhere that the store at Brown’s Park closed? It was always a little sketchy getting diesel there, but it was nice to know you could.
 
I was by my self so photos are out but measuring an antelope is very basic and I don't know how I could get more or less out of the tape
 
Thanks for the reply’s. I’ll definitely post up how the hunt goes. Just camping with the kids will be great time. An antelope would be a great bonus. First decent sized beast under about 75 yards might be in trouble.
 

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