CO 71/711 3rd deer

[WYelk]

Hi everyone, new to the forum and pretty new to mule deer hunting as well.

A friend and I drew 3rd deer in 71/711. I scouted the units 10 days ago and seem to have generated more questions than answers. I primarily spent the time in 711. It seems like most of 71 is too high for mid November deer. Is that correct? The low BLM ground generally appears to be choked with pinyon and juniper, but is that where the deer concentrate later? The oak brush appears very thick in most places, but does it tend to hold deer?

Is private access needed to have a reasonable chance at larger deer?

I printed a fairly new motor vehicle map (2020) for the area and noted that some signs say road closures start Nov 15 north of Dolores along FS 526 yet the map says Nov 30. I have called the FS and have not yet gotten an answer on the discrepancy. Does anyone have direct knowledge of the road closure situation there?

How are the crowds in Nov for 3rd deer?

We are debating between light backpack tents, wall tent (or similar base camp), or camper. any advise based on weather and access this time of year?

Any help sorting out this unit would be appreciated.

TIA

 

[Ed]

If you can get private access around Pleasant View, Cahone, Dove Creek or Egnar it would be a good thing. East of the 491 and almost to the river is filled with agricultural fields and usually hold a lot of deer but 100% you would need permission. The 3rd season is later this year and it will be cold so I would at least be in a wall tent.
If I had that tag (I do but turning it in), I would start low and move up. Download OnX maps and take a look at the topography and access points. It’s not too hard to figure out what those deer are doing mid November. Not sure about hunter density because I’ve never had the 3rd tag. I had the 2nd several years ago and density
wasn’t bad.
There is a gas plant on the 526 near where the road closes and the closure is weather dependent. If it’s closed you can come in off the Disappointment Creek road.
I spend a lot of time in those units just not in November. Deer populations and fawn recruitment seem to be down the last two years but with a 3rd tag you can find decent bucks

 

[slamdunk]

Those 71/711 PLO tags are pretty dang fun if you can get your hands on one!

 

[AZGuy]

The 526 closes at the compressor station when there is enough snow to create a problem. 3rd season will have plenty of pressure w/ OTC elk. My advise is to hunt high and find the biggest bucks waiting to get pushed down, obviously that means less deer.

 

[Bluehair]

They’ve been sticking to the posted closure dates the last couple of years (it shuts me out of my cabin). The Dolores USFS office can tell you for sure.

The gate at the compressor station is because of doughheads following their GPS’s to grandma’s house.

When we all signed the petition agreeing to closures in certain areas in exchange for extended access in others, we were supposed to be able to drive to Groundhog all winter. Wonder if we‘ll ever live long enough to see that one.

For the most part snow is what will push them down. Lots of deer winter in the ponderosa/oak woods.

 

[elkassassin]

Anybody Wanna Take A Guess Who Got The 1st Shot off opening Morning in that Unit a few Years Back?

 

[AZGuy]

Anybody Wanna Take A Guess Who Got The 1st Shot off opening Morning in that Unit a few Years Back?

Me?

 

[elkassassin]

Well!

I Don't Know Who 'Me' Is?

Me?

 

[AZGuy]

Well!

I Don't Know Who 'Me' Is?

You?

 

[elkassassin]

No!

Not Me!

You?

 

[AZGuy]

No!

Not Me!

Well?

 

[Ed]

Kirt Darner?

 

[elkassassin]

I Think Kirt Mighta Got The Last/Latest Shots!

Kirt Darner?

 

[utfireman]

Well!

I Don't Know Who 'Me' Is?

?‍?‍?‍ I know

 

[slamdunk]

Anybody Wanna Take A Guess Who Got The 1st Shot off opening Morning in that Unit a few Years Back?

I'm a witness!?

 

[Bluehair]

Out of the local paper for what it’s worth.

2021 Southwest Colorado Hunting & Fishing Guide

Read 2021 Southwest Colorado Hunting & Fishing Guide by Ballantine Communications on Issuu and browse thousands of other publications on our platfo...

issuu.com

 

[Largebull]

I had that tag 3 years ago and it sucked. I was solo and a little bit of a cold but still covered a lot of Ground . I am a Glassing fool and I couldn't find chit. 3rd Morn found a Spike and a fork Feeding at 250 yards ,but wasn't interested. All bigger Bucks were on Private. I left after 3 days . Will never go back. Never saw an Elk either. Good Luck................BULL!

 

[SS!]

I had that tag 3 years ago and it sucked. I was solo and a little bit of a cold but still covered a lot of Ground . I am a Glassing fool and I couldn't find chit. 3rd Morn found a Spike and a fork Feeding at 250 yards ,but wasn't interested. All bigger Bucks were on Private. I left after 3 days . Will never go back. Never saw an Elk either. Good Luck................BULL!

Covered a lot of ground is a fancy way of saying road hunted. Thank you to all the guys who go home early!!!

 

[WYelk]

Thanks for all the replies. For some reason, I couldn't view all these replies until today.

I called the Dolores FS office and they claimed the road closures are dependent on the snow depth and that the county closes 526 not the FS. The amount of conflicting information published by them is rather ridiculous. The signs say 11/15, the map says 11/30, and the guy answering the phone at the FS says whenever snow depth is too great. It's important to know where you can and can't be for hunt planning. Both situations have advantages and disadvantages.

I will look into some private access. Does anyone have a lead they would be willing to share in PM?

 

[AZGuy]

I think I stated this earlier in the thread.

 

[Bluehair]

Thanks for all the replies. For some reason, I couldn't view all these replies until today.

I called the Dolores FS office and they claimed the road closures are dependent on the snow depth and that the county closes 526 not the FS. The amount of conflicting information published by them is rather ridiculous. The signs say 11/15, the map says 11/30, and the guy answering the phone at the FS says whenever snow depth is too great. It's important to know where you can and can't be for hunt planning. Both situations have advantages and disadvantages.

I will look into some private access. Does anyone have a lead they would be willing to share in PM?

Most of the private land is tied up by outfitters.
FWIW there is a TON of public land in those units - probably more than you could look over in a month. That’s not to discourage you from looking for some private - for sure it improves your odds of putting meat in the freezer.

 

[AZGuy]

3rd season i would be hanging by Bradfield and Cahone on the BLM. Not paying for private access.

 

[MoyersJ]

I have a 3rd season tag this year as well. I am curious to see any difference in the deer movement with the season being a week later. We usually hunt on near glade and have had a lot of success over the years. But wanting to cover some more ground this year. The BLM near Cahone... Is that the BLM land that is SW of Cahone?

 

[WYelk]

We leave for the hunt in 3 days! Can anyone who hunted 2nd season or a local give me any updates on deer movements, snow depths (both high and mid elevations), hunting pressure, etc.? Oh and if you spotted a giant and couldn't get him, feel free to PM me!

 

[Bluehair]

Unseasonably warm. There is snow hanging around in the shade, so water isn’t a factor. There isn’t enough snow to push them out of the high country IMO. Bring diesel to start a fire.

Have fun.

 

[Ed]

Buddy’s wife shot a crabby 4pt on PLO last week. Not much else going on where in years past there were plenty of big bucks to choose from

 

[WYelk]

Quick update. We had a rough hunt with no tags filled. The weather was warm with short sleeves most days and the full moon kicked in the last half of the week. We saw quite a few deer each day but never saw one bigger than a 3 point. There was very little rut behavior observed even though our hunt dates were 11/13-11/19. We scouted the medium elevations in 71 (9,000-10,000) the day before the season and found almost no sign of deer, elk, or hunters. Therefore, we moved lower. I now wonder if this was a mistake, but hard to to know.

We hunted mostly the south slopes above disappointment creek and it is named accordingly I guess!

For other hunters considering this unit in future years, I would say research the unit really hard. Where we saw the most deer and sign was in the oak brush and pinyon and juniper terrain. There is almost no spot and stalk opportunity in these types of cover. Most people appeared to be road hunting or staying very close to roads for one reason or another. We did see some of our bigger deer driving from one area to another within the thick cover so there is some chance of that working if you want to hunt that way. We didn't.

All and all, the terrain was pretty easy to hike and we did see quite a few deer. I would not go back to this unit with the intention of shooting a giant. However, it was still a pretty fun hunt and we may go back with our eyes wide open knowing that it can be a fun deer camp and if you want to shoot a meat buck you can with the small chance of something bigger.

 

[txhunter58]

If you saw plenty of deer this trip and the weather had been better (more snow), you would have seen some better bucks. Just the luck of the draw on weather this year. Even the 4th season hunters didn’t do as well as expected. Heck you could drive to the high country in 71 until about 10 days ago.

I hunted unit 75 this year and it was a pretty tough hunt for bucks. But we found some does and as the week progressed, a new buck would show up every day. We both got decent 4x4s but nothing to brag about.