need info on unit 53

[adirondack]

thinking of going to unit 53 on a landowner tag during 3RD season 2010. Looking for some tips, and what kind of deer might be there this year.

 

[YukonDall]

I KNOW IT GOT HIT HARD BY THE 2007 WINTER SNOW....THIS HURT THE OLDER AGE CLASS BUCK POPULATION. KEEP AN EYE ON THIS WINTER AS FAR AS DIE OFF....AS I UNDERSTAND IT NOW....THIS MIGHT BE A BAD WINTER ALSO. SOUTHERN COLORADO JUST GOT POUNDED....AND NORMALLY THEY DONT. I KNOW I WONT BLOW 5 POINTS UNTIL THE TIME IS RIGHT ON ANY UNIT........YD.

 

[Gunnar2323]

I agree. I hunted in 08 and it was very tough hunting. Not many bucks. I would wait a few more years until the area bounces back....hunted very hard and only saw 5 bucks in 6 days. Walked in off the road 2-3 miles to get away from other hunters too.

 

[jcmuleys]

I live in and hunt that unit. There was not a big winter die off. The deer in this unit can drop all the way down to 5000 ft if they needed to. The 08 hunting season was hot and dry and deer didn't move down like they normally do. There were many mature bucks that i videod and photographed that winter. The die off in 53 was no more than a normal winter.
JC
Colorado Hunting Consultants LLC
www.cohunthelp.com

 

[piper]

I could swear there had to be a die off, we hunted in 08 muzzy season and they weren't up high either, I noted a substantial decrease in deer from 2005, and it seemed like there were slightly less deer than before Colorado went to the lottery hunts. If they were all just hiding, they were very good at it.

 

[NickJ1980]

2005 Post Hunt Deer Population DAU 20-GMU 53: 7,140
http://wildlife.state.co.us/NR/rdon...09A/0/2005posthuntDeerpopulationestimates.pdf

2008 Post Hunt Deer Population DAU 20-GMU 53: 5,770
http://wildlife.state.co.us/NR/rdon...BB3/0/2008posthuntDeerpopulationestimates.pdf

Looks like a 19.2% decrease since 2005 to me. Pretty big difference to be a fluke. If you look at the years between, it looks like a steady decline.

http://wildlife.state.co.us/NR/rdon...8AD/0/2006posthuntDeerpopulationestimates.pdf

http://wildlife.state.co.us/NR/rdon...21E/0/2007posthuntDeerpopulationestimates.pdf

 

[NickJ1980]

By landowner tag I assume you mean a voucher? To answer the original question, I'd be bartering on that one right now--it could be worth buying one, but not for the prices of a few years ago.

You should be asking the landowner about the quality and quantity. Chances are that the best bucks in the unit are on the farmland, so depending on what piece of private you get access to it may not matter what's happening in the rest of the unit.

 

[jcmuleys]

From 05 to current there has definitely been a decrease in deer numbers. The whole state has seen that. It was not because of one winter, it has been steady for a while. Some units did get wiped out but not 53. We all learned how inaccurate the DOW's counting methods were during the winter of 07 when the deer where concentrated and they realized they didn't have as many deer as they thought. Just trying to give some of you first hand info. There are good bucks in the unit and it will be a good hunt.
JC
Colorado Hunting Consultants LLC
www.cohunthelp.com

 

[rradams]

jcmuleys pm sent.