Is Gunnison basin a must see?

Extrapale

Active Member
Messages
219
I have the points to draw a decent Gunnison basin deer hunt (66) this year as a NR. I will never have the points to hunt this area for deer again. With these points I can hunt second season in GB, or a multitude of other units 2nd, 3rd, or 4th.

Is it a must see hunt? Honestly, the main reasons I want to go there are because it the GB. A place I have never been, but it has its rep as an all time place. Same reason I plan to hunt the Kaibab on an early rifle tag. It will be my only opportunity for either spot.

FWIW, I can cover ground and locate deer as good as most guys. I will shoot the biggest buck I can find, and I am not concerened about the trophy as much as the experience. Just wondering if my thinking that I should use my points here just to see it is ridiculous.




________________________________________

If Hunting and Angling Ended
There is no alternative funding system
in place to replace the potential lost
funds for conservation. If hunting and
angling end, funding for wildlife
conservation, including enforcement of
all wildlife laws, will be jeopardized.
Hunters, anglers and shooters actively
support wildlife conservation through
tangible actions such as buying licenses
and paying taxes on hunting, fishing and
shooting equipment. Why are hunters and
anglers so willing to support
conservation through their pocketbooks?
Because people place added value on ?
and are willing to pay for ? what they
can use.
 
Sounds like you need to see it for yourself. The country is neat. In terms of a deer hunt, the 2nd in Gunny is just ok. If it's warm, which it could easily be 2nd season, it can be tough to find mature bucks.
 
The basin is the classic gold standard for mule deer hunting and habitat. The area just about has it all, from high timberline country, to open sage brush vistas. It's great binocular country for the experienced eye to spot bucks over a mile away. I especially love the sage brush country with steep draws and a thin ribbon of golden quakies in them. It's just classic mule deer country and a magazine cover type place.

But you know deer numbers are nothing like they used to be, so that would make it tempting to hunt a 3rd or 4th season rut somewhere else.

The GB does have a history for having great genetics, but I don't don't have enough current info to help you make the decision. You're on the horns of a dilemma. But if it's too tough for ya, just transfer your PP points to me and I'll take care of it. :)
 
The 2nd season 66 isn't a bad hunt. Probably one of the best 2nd season hunts in the state. But I personally would rather hunt something else with November season dates. I don't honestly think we will ever see anything close to the glory years of pre 07/08 any time soon if ever again. 66 and 67 seem to hang year to year but 54,55 and 551 will about make you cry now days if had previous experience in before 07 when things were too good to be true.

Coloradoboy
 
Boy your not kidding The_Coloradoboy!! Use to hunt 551 in the 90's and we took some smokers out of there. I think what killed us the most at first was the atv's pushing those big bucks out of their little hidey holes out in the middle of the sage. I noticed it starting to slide even in the late 90's, but you could still find a good one occasionally. Haven't been there in over 15yrs now since it takes 10 points for the 3rd season now.
 
>CB...Glory years. Thought that was
>the 60?s. Did you
>hunt GB prior to 2007?
>


I did get the chance to see it couple times in the early 2000s when my dad had tags in 54 and 67. I didn't start guiding it until 2011. I think most can agree that seen it around the early 2000s that it was flat out incredible as far as numbers of 200 plus inch deer went.

Coloradoboy
 
EP, It's a tough question. The second season isn't the easiest hunt, but you'll be hunting the Gunnison Basin. I've hunted Gunnison since the the early 70's. While it may not be as good as many years ago, it's pretty good right now. The deer numbers are up and there are big bucks available. From what I've heard, the deer are doing ok in the valleys. The snow is deep up high, but Gunnison as been spared the deep killing snow. Maybe the "good old days" are right now. According to the DOW, there is no CWD in the GB yet! But it's getting closer every year. I know if you hunt hard, you will have an opportunity for a good buck in 66. You can't make a bad decision by hunting the GB. Give the Gunnison P&W office a call to see what they say about winter kill. Good luck with whatever you decide.
 
Thanks all. I appreciate all the feedback.


________________________________________

If Hunting and Angling Ended
There is no alternative funding system
in place to replace the potential lost
funds for conservation. If hunting and
angling end, funding for wildlife
conservation, including enforcement of
all wildlife laws, will be jeopardized.
Hunters, anglers and shooters actively
support wildlife conservation through
tangible actions such as buying licenses
and paying taxes on hunting, fishing and
shooting equipment. Why are hunters and
anglers so willing to support
conservation through their pocketbooks?
Because people place added value on ?
and are willing to pay for ? what they
can use.
 
LAST EDITED ON Mar-21-19 AT 07:14PM (MST)[p]The Gunnison Basin is more than twice the area of Yellowstone NP. A guy could hunt it for decades and not see half of it.
 
I have hunted it last 3 years 3rd seasons in a row with land owner tags. No slam dunk and i have hunted very hard.

160, 170, and 180 class bucks killed.

No monsters seen- ya very cool country. But so is alot of Colorado/Idaho/Utah in terms of scenery.

2nd season there is a bust. Deer are nocturnal. I scout 2nd season. Nada
 
It'll never be like it was pre-07/08. Even managers know now that deer numbers were too high for the available severe winter habitat. The above post is on the money. With typical second season weather, a 25" 4 pt would be a good deer to see out during daylight. If you pound it and hunt the whole season you could find a decent buck...
 
We went for it. Hunted 6 days after scouting four. We took a couple 4x3's out of the gene pool. Nothing big. We hunted from 12,600 down to 8,500. We shot both bucks at 9,600 in the timber.

The unit is a road hunters dream. You can drive and glass all day. Word is if the migration is on you can look over a lot of bucks. Not our thing though. We day hunted in the wilderness areas, and did a lot of still hunting.

There are lots of cougars in this unit. Espacially in the migration corridors.


________________________________________

If Hunting and Angling Ended
There is no alternative funding system
in place to replace the potential lost
funds for conservation. If hunting and
angling end, funding for wildlife
conservation, including enforcement of
all wildlife laws, will be jeopardized.
Hunters, anglers and shooters actively
support wildlife conservation through
tangible actions such as buying licenses
and paying taxes on hunting, fishing and
shooting equipment. Why are hunters and
anglers so willing to support
conservation through their pocketbooks?
Because people place added value on ?
and are willing to pay for ? what they
can use.
 
LAST EDITED ON Oct-27-19 AT 12:21PM (MST)[p]Photo pending

________________________________________

If Hunting and Angling Ended
There is no alternative funding system
in place to replace the potential lost
funds for conservation. If hunting and
angling end, funding for wildlife
conservation, including enforcement of
all wildlife laws, will be jeopardized.
Hunters, anglers and shooters actively
support wildlife conservation through
tangible actions such as buying licenses
and paying taxes on hunting, fishing and
shooting equipment. Why are hunters and
anglers so willing to support
conservation through their pocketbooks?
Because people place added value on ?
and are willing to pay for ? what they
can use.
 
Hunted the entire 2nd season in unit 66 this year, tag soup. Honestly, it was terrible. First few days of the hunt I was lucky to see 20 deer a day. The last few days I was seeing 60-100 deer a day. In general not a lot of bucks, a few 160 type deer, but nothing even close to big enough for its reputation. That unit is huge and extremely vast. It felt like the deer were on the verge of really starting to show up in the lower, huntable country. Unbelievable how many roads are in the lower country, too many in my opinion. 3rd season could be real interesting, but there is no way I would put in for the 2nd season for the amount of points it takes.
 
25850b7fe080295874d66ba1d29049384f907.jpeg



________________________________________

If Hunting and Angling Ended
There is no alternative funding system
in place to replace the potential lost
funds for conservation. If hunting and
angling end, funding for wildlife
conservation, including enforcement of
all wildlife laws, will be jeopardized.
Hunters, anglers and shooters actively
support wildlife conservation through
tangible actions such as buying licenses
and paying taxes on hunting, fishing and
shooting equipment. Why are hunters and
anglers so willing to support
conservation through their pocketbooks?
Because people place added value on ?
and are willing to pay for ? what they
can use.
 
Yep. I didn't even see a 160. From talking to a couple locals, I guess there are usually more deer around.

________________________________________

If Hunting and Angling Ended
There is no alternative funding system
in place to replace the potential lost
funds for conservation. If hunting and
angling end, funding for wildlife
conservation, including enforcement of
all wildlife laws, will be jeopardized.
Hunters, anglers and shooters actively
support wildlife conservation through
tangible actions such as buying licenses
and paying taxes on hunting, fishing and
shooting equipment. Why are hunters and
anglers so willing to support
conservation through their pocketbooks?
Because people place added value on ?
and are willing to pay for ? what they
can use.
 
I was back in GB in 54. Was with a friend who has prime time private. Not a deer over 160. I was hunting elk. But he had a deer tag. There was perfect weather to. There is just super low deer densities in 54. He tells me some awsome stories though of pre 2007.

1. He tells of a year they shot a 230 and it was the 3rd biggest on the property.

2. He tells of a year there were 12 bucks over 200 on the property.

Hard to believe. I hear it. But man i have never seen a buck over 170 there the last 3 years. And bucks in general are just hard to find.
 
Congrat's on the buck. Heading out on Thursday morning for the long drive to hunt the 3rd season but not the GB. Hope you had a great time.
 
LAST EDITED ON Oct-28-19 AT 00:53AM (MST)[p]The Gunnison Basin has really gone down hill I don't think anyone should even try to draw a tag in that area next year. The resident hunters will still hunt the area but it's not worth hunting anymore in my opinion
 
He was a mature buck with a big body.

________________________________________

If Hunting and Angling Ended
There is no alternative funding system
in place to replace the potential lost
funds for conservation. If hunting and
angling end, funding for wildlife
conservation, including enforcement of
all wildlife laws, will be jeopardized.
Hunters, anglers and shooters actively
support wildlife conservation through
tangible actions such as buying licenses
and paying taxes on hunting, fishing and
shooting equipment. Why are hunters and
anglers so willing to support
conservation through their pocketbooks?
Because people place added value on ?
and are willing to pay for ? what they
can use.
 
It was up a little, followed by straight down, then straight up, and finally up and down for the last couple miles.



________________________________________

If Hunting and Angling Ended
There is no alternative funding system
in place to replace the potential lost
funds for conservation. If hunting and
angling end, funding for wildlife
conservation, including enforcement of
all wildlife laws, will be jeopardized.
Hunters, anglers and shooters actively
support wildlife conservation through
tangible actions such as buying licenses
and paying taxes on hunting, fishing and
shooting equipment. Why are hunters and
anglers so willing to support
conservation through their pocketbooks?
Because people place added value on ?
and are willing to pay for ? what they
can use.
 

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