Deer hunts 2020?

mickeyelk · Feb 17, 2020

Every year I put in for Colorado deer hunts in a shot gun application manner. Guessing and then closing my eyes and pointing at one and taking the one I landed on. Never being to any of the areas makes it hard to figure out where to go. That's why forums like this are good for info purposes. Now to my question! I'm looking for an area that has high desert open sage, good access, holds deer, and can draw with 3 points or less and have a chance at any decent deer. Season doesn't manner. What I really want is an area that I can hunt year after year. I use to hunt 41/42/421 for deer during the 2nd season, but deer were scarce and hunters were many. I retired 2 years ago so now I can scout areas that I draw, but I need a starting point. Help! Thanks in advance.

shootem · Feb 17, 2020

Steer clear of those units you mentioned! I’m in the same boat as you and would like a unit I can draw every year or every other. I hunted those units in 3rd season last year and was very disappointed. 8 days of hunting without seeing a single buck and very low deer numbers. I really doubt that scouting the unit would have made much of a difference. I will tell you that I hunted a 3 point unit in 2018 and was pleased with the outcome.

like you said, this is a forum designed to help people who can’t scout get a better idea of particular units, however everything is top secret info and most wont give unit specific information out over the internet. Since the unit I hunted in 2018 is definitely not top secret, I hunted unit 11/211 and had a good hunt. My suggestion would be to try that area with your 3 points.

mickeyelk · Feb 18, 2020

shootem said:
Steer clear of those units you mentioned! I’m in the same boat as you and would like a unit I can draw every year or every other. I hunted those units in 3rd season last year and was very disappointed. 8 days of hunting without seeing a single buck and very low deer numbers. I really doubt that scouting the unit would have made much of a difference. I will tell you that I hunted a 3 point unit in 2018 and was pleased with the outcome.

like you said, this is a forum designed to help people who can’t scout get a better idea of particular units, however everything is top secret info and most wont give unit specific information out over the internet. Since the unit I hunted in 2018 is definitely not top secret, I hunted unit 11/211 and had a good hunt. My suggestion would be to try that area with your 3 points.

Thanks for the info. I did a little research of what units you said and it seems they might be what I'm looking for. Thanks again for your honesty and assistance.

The_Coloradoboy · Feb 18, 2020

Don’t expect sunshine and daisy’s on the horizon in NW units this year with the huge tag increases in CPW’s efforts to rid the land of mule deer in the name of CWD. Going to be a lot of guys in the woods chasing a small number of mature deer this year in places like 3/301,4, 11/211, 12, 22 etc..:

blacktailBC · Feb 18, 2020

Unit 5 comes to mind also

coloradoman · Feb 18, 2020

The_Coloradoboy said:
Don’t expect sunshine and daisy’s on the horizon in NW units this year with the huge tag increases in CPW’s efforts to rid the land of mule deer in the name of CWD. Going to be a lot of guys in the woods chasing a small number of mature deer this year in places like 3/301,4, 11/211, 12, 22 etc..:

I think that applies to the whole western slope from what I’ve seen!

The_Coloradoboy · Feb 18, 2020

coloradoman said:
I think that applies to the whole western slope from what I’ve seen!

Yup.... it’s honestly ugly out here. Our deer herds are really showing the effects of what poor management in conjunction with over harvest can do to a frail/fragile deer herd. Epic outdoors, huntin fool go hunt and every other tom, dick and Harry application service in Utah can give all the best advice from a office chair hundreds of miles away but from someone with boots and eyes on the ground on a daily basis it’s FUBAR at this point.