Deer hunting in 18/28/37/371

[COLOelkman]

I have a 3rd season buck tag for those units and am aware of where the fires are/were. Curious what any 2nd season hunters in those units experienced particularly in 18 and 37 which is the areas I know best. I'd heard much of 18 is closed which doesn't leave me a whole lot of areas that I'm familiar with but I do know some. Last year was pretty bleak for deer and crowded as always so wondering how the 2nd season was this year. I'm fearful that the already overcrowded areas outside the fire zones will be far worse this year so considering whether it'd be worth it. I'm likely hunting solo most of the time but may have friends join me on the weekends. My gut says just go and see how bad it is as a tag isn't too expensive but I'm not too excited about the thought of finding orange blobs under every tree. I can usually hike to some tougher areas and get away from most of it but if a new wave of hunters show up that might not be much better. So anyone hunt those units care to share what they found?

 

[Kmartin68]

My dad and I hunted the second Saturday of the season and only saw 3 does. Hunted the BLM area near the Henderson Mill and they just opened up a lot of the areas in the Williams Fork fire area on the East side of county rd 3. Also found a good chunk of BLM south of Kremmling that looked very promising when they start rutting but it would be a pumpkin patch. I believe most of unit 18 remains closed.

 

[COLOelkman]

I heard from another hunter that the FS opened all of 18 up last Thursday nite. I just returned yesterday and was a bit surprised with less hunters than I'd seen previously (unit 37) but I hunted 2nd season last year. I ended up shooting a meat buck just to be done and consider myself lucky to get anything as I only saw 1 other buck that a couple other hunters busted as I was working my way towards them. Saw 2 groups of elk, one of maybe 150 and the other maybe 40 but one was headed to private and the others also bordered private. I hadn't seen many elk there previously in 2nd or 3rd season so seeing these big groups clarified to me that they group up pretty early and know where the private land boundaries are.