colorado trophy units for muledeer

[thicketmaster]

I have been deer hunting colorado for about 5 years and have been hunting a gmu with leftover tags. i was wondering what are some of the best units to put in for trophy deer? my plan is to keep hunting the unit i have been but make it my second choice till i get a hard to get tag. so what are the best units and seasons? any info would be helpful thanks.

 

[accubond]

thicketmaster, I am no pro on this subject but I do know that units 21,10 and 61 are some well known trophy units. I will probably get pummeled for saying that because I have seen these units take a beating by those who beg to differ. I can tell you I know a few guys that have hunted unit 21 both 2nd and 3rd season and they decribed as "like nothing I have ever seen" passing on over 50 lesser bucks a day until they saw the buck they wanted. The biggest deer they took was in the high 180's and the smallest about 165 but they invested alot of time to the tune of twelve years for the 3rd season and 8 or 9 for the second. I have asked this same question on this site and got some realy good feedback and decided to not waste that much time hunting pumkin patch units for that once in a lifetime hunt. Instead I'm gonna start buy finding a good 2 preference point unit and evaluate it from there. Just my two cents, I wish you success on whatever you decide.

 

[txhunter58]

Your best bet about getting ideas is to be a little more specific. The best place to start is the hunt odds on this website. Figure out how many years you are willing to wait and see which units can be had for that number of points. However, like accubond, most people feel like good deer can be had in 1-3 point units.

txhunter58

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

 

[thicketmaster]

LAST EDITED ON Jun-15-08 AT 10:24PM (MST)[p]accubond and tex thanks for your post i have a good place to hunt just looking for that once in a life time hunt dont care how many years it takes. but when i do get drawn i wont the best chance i can get for that monster muledeer that we all dream about.a friend of mine keeps telling me that i should put in for utah in places like the pausgaunt or book cliffs.but i would rather hunt colorado just trying to get others 2 cents worth were they think the best trophy unit in colorado is? thanks.

 

[tooele]

55 3rd or 4th season, 54 4th season, 44 fourth season, 61, 62 late seasons. 30 late season, most of the western side 4th will get you in that range. Go to the colorado fish and game and look at the units and season with the highest number of points needed. It doesn't spell it out, but is pretty obvious.

T

 

[NickJ1980]

I spend a LOT of time in 21 and 30 and I'll say it again--they are not "trophy units." The area is managed for "quality" meaning that success rates are expected to be high due to limited tags, high populations, and good buck/doe ratios, but genetics keep it from producing bucks like the Uncompahgre or the Gunnison units, or even some of the San Juans. I've seen half a dozen bucks on the Grand Mesa bigger than the biggest I've seen in 21.

If you like crab claws, 3x4's, 4x4 w/ shallow forks with okay mass, or big 3 points then these are dream units for you.

 

[thicketmaster]

THANKS NICK IF YOU COULD HUNT ANY UNIT FOR TROPHY MULEDEER WHICH 1 WOULD IT BE AND WHY?

 

[NickJ1980]

All I know for sure is that year after year the biggest bucks I see aren't in 21 or 30, even though I spend more time there than any other unit.

I've heard good things about the later hunt in unit 44 south of Eagle, and I have seen lots of pictures to back it up, but the winter we just had may have an affect for a couple of years.

Unit 61 has a very consistent record for producing "book" bucks, both typical and non-typical. 61 is a huge unit and access is good to lots of public land, and now there are 4th Rifle season tags which can only mean that the herds are doing well. It would take a hell of a winter to damage the herd there much, so it can be a good bet year after year. Within an hour and a half from almost anywhere in the unit are hotels, restaurants, hospitals, meat cutters, and sporting goods stores should the need or desire arise.

Mesa and Montrose Counties have more B&C entries than Rio Blanco and Garfield Counties; for that matter, Mesa and Montrose have more B&C entries than almost anywhere else in the state.

 

[BeanMan]

LAST EDITED ON Jun-23-08 AT 06:25AM (MST)[p]The Unc should look a bit like this undisclosed honey hole. It did yesterday anyway.

We saw around 14 bucks which were pretty all carbon copies of this dink.

Ought to get a bear tag one of these days, they are thick in there.

Bean

 

[Elkcrzy1]

66, 61, 55, 551, 851 (Hill RAnch), 140 (pinyon canyon), and numerous areas in eastern colorado are the top spots that I know of right now. There are probably a lot more. 44 late was mentioned and that is one. There are also some early high country hunts that put out some huge deer too. Just a matter of when and how you want to hunt them ? Gary

 

[thicketmaster]

beanman thats some nice looking muledeer country great pics watchout bears eat beans!!!

 

[Califelkslayer]

My choices would be 66 (4th) 61 (4th) Any of the other Gunnison areas 4th (54,55) 2, 10, 21 would be up there too. By next year these hunts will all take 15+ points. There may be other, better areas but these are great. At this point, I'd rather hunt a lesser unit 4th season 2-3X's then any of these once. Thats just me though.

 

[Riggo]

Nick, sounds like you spend time within 21/30 GMU. My brother and i recently drew a deer muzzle tag for this area and have spent time visiting w/ BLM personel, biologists, etc. I assume they'll be in bachelor groups up high and we're prepared to do what it takes to have a quality experience. The dates are in mid- Sept. so hopefully the bow hunters are dwindling? Everything we've heard is that there will be lots of activity w/ people almost everywhere. Any info will be MUCH appreciated

 

[treedagain]

where ever you can get a tag...make the best of it....

 

[one_dryboot]

68 is the best unit!!! cuz thats where i will be!!!

 

[BigPig]

What about 61 on the archery hunt? Everyone always talks about the late seasons on the Unc. Those deer gotta be somewhere during the early seasons. It's not that high.