Mule Deer Counties

[Hiker of the Woods]

What counties in CO would everyone consider to produce the worst/smallest antler size even for older age class bucks?

 

[Gunnihunter]

The absolute worst is Denver County.

 

[Hiker of the Woods]

>The absolute worst is Denver County.
>

I kind of figured that one out. Looking for the top 3-5 worst counties in CO where mule deer are found.

 

[The_Coloradoboy]

Interesting why you seek such info....?

Coloradoboy

 

[HiMtnHntr]

Probably lookin for a place he can actually get a tag...

 

[txhunter58]

Be a lot easier just to look at drawing stats if that is what he seeks. I think we are seeing some reverse psycology. Or a research paper?? LOL

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)

 

[Hiker of the Woods]

Not looking for tags. A research paper is correct.

 

[buckhorn]

I agree with you guys. I've been trying to make sense out of this topic but can't come up with anything. Somethings seems a bit off here but I'm usually skeptical about everything ha ha.

 

[Bluehair]

I agree that a little background might garner a few more responses. For example Az has 15 counties and Co has something like 64. Seems like apples and oranges?

Bluehair
Splitting my time time between the winter and summer range......
May you live long enough to cash in those preference points. Amen

 

[Hiker of the Woods]

The number of counties per state or the size of the counties will not matter for this project. The project is going to look at different things that affect blacktail, mule, and whitetail deer antler size.

I'm not asking for the top/best counties or units. All I'm looking for is the top 3-5 Worst Counties for Mule Deer. I have all the other information I need before running analysis for the project.

 

[The_Coloradoboy]

It's a really hard question to answer for Colorado generally because any country listed on here could throw a 200 plus incher on any given year from out of no where.

Coloradoboy

 

[Bluehair]

If you are just looking for the 3 worst, wouldnt that be over on the plains somewhere? Pick 3 - together they will have less area combined than 1 in az.

Bluehair
Splitting my time time between the winter and summer range......
May you live long enough to cash in those preference points. Amen

 

[The_Coloradoboy]

The plains actually produce some of the largest deer in the state year in and year out.

Coloradoboy

 

[Bluehair]

I agree there are big deer on the plains - and maybe even every county has them. My point is I dont think you can characterize mule deer quality in Adams county based on what's running around on the arsenal.

The whole thing is pretty much over my head.

Bluehair
Splitting my time time between the winter and summer range......
May you live long enough to cash in those preference points. Amen

 

[walltenthunter]

I see all counties in Colorado having the propensity of producing mature bucks. Given that one needs hunt every year here, hunt the terrain you seem to prefer, hunt all day in the field, hunt away from vehicular and OHV traffic, walk in further than other hunters, and look for places other hunters avoid or overlook. Also know the boundaries of private to public grounds. Ask yourself where you would be if your were a 190 B&C buck? Good luck.

 

[Fauntleroy]

Interesting topic where I imagine the only quantifiable data you're going to find is Boone & Crockett along with Pope & Young. You should be able to find the counties producing the fewest entries and there's your answer in the most scientific manner possible. However, there are many side notes to that data.

1) Some counties are managed by the CPW (historically speaking) for quality and others for quantity. Could the genetics in the quantity managed counties produce if given the chance?

2) There are bucks all over the eastern plains that never know what a human hunter is and die of old age. Private land is either a free for all or locked up tighter than a nuns buns. Those bucks live peaceful lives never ending up in some database logging the inches of bone he grew that year. I know mine ended up in such a database last year but thats an irregularity out where I live. Elbert County grows some great looking deer, but there's a serious front crab claw gene that runs rampant unless you pay big money/wait in line to hunt RFW type stuff.

My guess is if you're serious and go through the data you'll find just what someone posted above and you'll get 3 counties on the plains. I'd bet my bottom dollar that there's probably a 200"+ running around wherever you end up posting. In the end, the true "poor genetics" question you're asking doesn't have a database to test against that won't have logical holes in it. Still fun to think about. I'm a firm believer that there's at least (1) 190"+ buck running around every single unit in Colorado.

 

[nripepi]

Lots of good thoughts from Fauntleroy here....how about the following:

1. B&C entries over 180" in the last ___ years (maybe 10)
2. divided by average Mule Deer population for those areas so you are comparing apples to apples (Counties or GMUs or DAUs)
3. then you need to normalize for average Buck to Doe ratios somehow to better understand the genetics issue.

We would all love to see what you come up with on where not to hunt!

 

[Fauntleroy]

nripepi - I imagine developing a z-score wouldn't be too hard if you charted the buck to doe ratio for every county and found the mean. At that point it's just a statistical math problem.

 

[Buffs35]

>The plains actually produce some of
>the largest deer in the
>state year in and year
>out.
>
>Coloradoboy

Agreed. Neighboring property in Morgan County has produced monsters consistently. Eastern plains bucks can get real big. And the corn and alfalfa they eat makes them delicious.

 

[Hiker of the Woods]

Thanks everyone. I'm guessing there probably won't be any counties I can use in CO for this project. I need to absolute worst which seems like WA, OR, SW California coast. I may have 1 ID, 1 WY, 1 AZ, and 2-3 MT counties to add to the list.