Deer hunt Colorado 2011 in Unit 53, 3rd season any advice

[faughnmuley]

Currently have 8 NR deer points and plan to take son with me. Would like to make this hunt, a hunt of a lifetime. I am thankful for any help or advice. I have a few questions. Never hunted this area, what do you recommend? What is the terrain like, access points and what can I expect in weather during Nov.5th-13th? Recommend staying in Hotel or camping out (where). Are camping out conditions to cold? Hunting vehicle 4x4 Ford Expedition ok for roads? Is this dreaming or resonable when hunting public land, expectation of harvesting 170+ buck. Any advice would be helpful. Be glad to help anyone who is hunting Ca X zones.

Thanks, Mike

 

[piper]

I hunted the earlier season once since the die off, and it was pretty dissapointing, there is quite a bit of private land also, with all those points, why this area? That said, You never know about the weather at that time, snow, rain, sun or cold, come prepared,and don't be afraid to look down low. Im sure there are some 170 plus bucks in that area,and I hope you have a great hunt.

 

[YukonDall]

IT MIGHT BE WISE TO HOLD OFF A YEAR OR TWO, LET HERDS REBOUND SO YOU CAN FIND THOSE 4,5, & 6 YEAR OLD CLASS BUCKS. TRY NOT TO WASTE YOUR DEER POINTS ON A AVERAGE BUCK. I AM IN THE SAME BOAT WITH 6 POINTS.....I WILL GIVE IT A COUPLE YEARS.........YD.

 

[WhiskeyMan]

As far as winterkill and waiting........what if this or next winter (or both) is a tailkicker and kills the rest of 'em? Might this be the year to apply then? Things don't always get better with time......sometimes they get worse. Look at this economy for instance.

Faughn, a 3-4 year old buck in a super gene pool area such as western CO might grow a 170" rack. You don't necessarily need a 6-7 year old mature buck.

One way of gaining insight into the quality of a unit is to check how many points it takes to draw versus other units in the area. Not to mention the price of landowner tags listed on voucher dealers websites. Sometimes numbers speak for themselves. On the other hand.......many units have higher value cuz they are over-hyped due to this information age.

I chose the exact hunt you are asking about with my 6 NR points this year. It took 5 last year.

 

[jcmuleys]

Due to a steady decline in deer numbers in that unit the DOW will be cutting 10% of the deer tags. Remember that the amount of points it takes to draw a unit does not directly reflect the quality that is in the unit. I have noticed that the area doesn't have the mature bucks like it used to.
JC

 

[WhiskeyMan]

""Remember that the amount of points it takes to draw a unit does not directly reflect the quality that is in the unit.""

Correction to your statement JC....points "may" not. They also may. Is your statement true of the Arizona Strip and the Henrys??




""I have noticed that the area doesn't have the mature bucks like it used to.""

JC.....you've just described most units in the west, partner. This is life in America these days. We can accept this and go huntin'......or we can stay home. I vote for goin'.

 

[blacktailBC]

Hunted 3rd season last year......Spent 9 days hunting hard, and saw maybe 2 bucks that were 170". Fun hunt, but wallhangers were not around every corner.

 

[jcmuleys]

Whiskeyman, As we are in the Colorado Forum i am talking about Colorado not the Strip or the Henerys. Your right we can accept this or we can be proactive in changing things so our children can enjoy some great opportunity also.
JC

 

[coyote]

I live in unit 53 it is my back yard. I spend alot of time shed hunting this area. Seems like for the last 3 springs I'm seeing less and less deer. Places I used to see 100 deer now I might see 15 to twenty if I am lucky. Last spring I picked up 75 sheds. This spring I have spent more time and hunted harder and have only picked up 40 bad thing is only about half have been in 53. I know everyone blames it on the bad winter a few years ago but thats only part of the problem. There are way to many coyotes and other predators plus the later hunting seasons are killing us also. With the later seasons the deer are down in the low country problem is when hunter don't see that dream buck towards the end of season they kill a 150 to 160 inch 4 pt to fill there tag. Now there are very few bucks that reach that older class of buck we all want. I try to do my part by hunting coyotes all summer which is alot of fun they come running to a pup in distress call and I try to get a bear tag every year. Thats my 2 cents worth