Colorado Unit 34 deer

wrkn2hunt

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Hey guys, a buddy and myself drew Colorado unit 34 3rd season deer tags. We have hunted all over out west but first time hunting Colorado. I know its about getting away from road and hunting hard. We have the whole season to work with and have great packing gear to get back and stay back even in snow and cold so that is not an issue. Anybody hunt this unit before?

Thanks!
 
I've hunted it on 3rd season and 4th season tags. Toughest mule deer area I have ever hunted. The access is poor. The deer are scarce- many days we were lucky to see half a dozen, some days it was zero. The glassing is rough. I went back each time just to prove to myself I could do it. Finally killed a mature buck on the fourth trip. There is a reason 34 has leftovers after the left over draw.....

That said, there is always a chance. Best of luck.
 
I hunted it with a bow about 10 years ago. We saw more sheep than we did deer, and we only saw 2 sheep. It was covered with OTC elk hunters. I plan to go back some day, but I want to be in better shape. There are some RUGGED canyons that I want to try, but the pack out will be beyond brutal. For access, we went through BLM on the Dotsero Road to the top. Hopefully you will have better luck than we did.
 
I would agree with the others on this. It is a very rough place to hunt. People everywhere. I have never been anywhere with this many people. I grew up hunting this unit and the only time it was ever any good for deer was when there were split seasons. I stopped going up there a long time ago. I have been back in recent years 2-3. And nothing had changed only the extra number of people. We did start finding better success by going the last part of the season. A whole lot less people. And more game. But if you are thinking of packing in for better quality of bucks, I think you will be disappointed. If the snow comes and the forest service says get out, GET OUT!! Bright side the fishing is awesome that time of year, so take your pole. Hope this helps, hope you prove me wrong. I'm willing to take the I told you so.
 
Hunted it 2 years ago, hunted hard for 3 days and only seen deer on the private ranch. Heard of some good ones being killed there but deer numbers were dreadful. All lower access is private so everyone uses the one main road taking you to the top. Much better units to be had for the out of state hunter that cant watch the unit daily to know whats there!

"I'll see you all this coming fall in the Big Rock Candy Mountains!"

 
Most of the responses here are pretty spot on. I grew up in Glenwood Springs and have spent majority of my life in the valley and have never had the urge to hunt it.. low deer numbers, tough access etc... alot of the resident deer in 34 dont winter or rut in 34. However there are a few pockets. If you're motivated and arent scared of some tough hikes, Storm King mountain is where i would focus my efforts.

Coloradoboy
 
Hunted it a few years ago. Horrible access, Absolutely horrible deer numbers in 34, there's way more people than deer in that unit.
Don?t go with high expectations, go to enjoy the outdoors and make some memories. Cause honestly the deer just are not there.
 
Wow, never hunted there, but after all the negatives, I decided to look up the stats. Last year, 183 hunters took 19 bucks!

Obviously had some weather the year before because they took 61 out of 158, but you can't count on weather most years.



txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)
 
Thanks for the info. Sounds about like the same thing we ran into in Idaho last year. We hunt hard and are not afraid to hike and stay back a few days at a time.
 
We hunted it in 2015. I agree with everyone else. We had a big snow and access was impossible with just a pickup. We saw more deer from Chili?s parking lot looking across the valley behind homes. We tried trading our tags for any other unit, but were unable as the season had already started.

We did see some bucks on private off of Teapot? Road looking North. Ran into the ranch owner and he said they charge a $2500 access fee. The bucks we saw weren't worth it.
 
I think Unit 34 is an excellent unit to practice and prepare for the direction that the sport of hunting in Colorado is headed. Animals are extremely adaptive and intelligent and 34 is a textbook example of how animals will adapt to human pressure. You look around and the habitat looks so perfect that you expect to glass deer and elk up in every pocket you glass. You'll quickly realize that that is not the case. In my experience the animals in 34 are almost entirely nocturnal, regardless of the moon. I hunt this unit every year that I don't draw one of my higher choices (34 is my 4th choice every year... and I have never not drawn it if I didn't draw anything else.. pretty telling of the hunt quality). Since I'm in there most years (including this year) I would like to refrain from sharing specific locations, but if there's two things I wish someone would have told me my first time hunting the unit, it's this:

1) Know the EXACT minutes of legal shooting hours, morning and night, of every day of your hunt. Be set up before they start and don't leave until after they end.

2) If you are within one (maybe even two) mile(s) of any road that a 4 wheeler or side by side can get down, you will be relying solely on luck of something traveling through or getting spooked by other hunters.
 
My cousin is coming out from Virginia to join me for a 4th season hunt in this unit this year. I am hunting 444 because I like to bounce around and check new spots out, but this will be our first muley hunt out there together, so he'll be hunting 34 and I'll be trying to chase the deer to him;) I'll make sure to report back with news of our hunts. We're excited to get out and explore and we always come back with a story or two. I appreciate all of the advice here and will take that all under consideration. Thanks to everyone for sharing. And good luck this fall!
 

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