Should I move on?

[CornDoggy]

Gents,

I started hunting deer in colorado 2 years ago. Picked an easier to draw 3rd season tag and went hunting. BIG learning curve hunting late season deer in the mountains and pretty much got my butt kicked. Well, i went back again last year (because why not?) and hunted 2nd season, still no success but saw a lot of deer just no takers. I was able to figure the elk out tho which helps the confidence.

Well here I am thinking about applying for this unit again.. should i keep going back? Or start all over on a POSSIBLY greener pasture??

I had to vent, wife didnt seem to listen last night when i explained my horrible dilemma.

Good luck in the draws!
-Corndoggy

 

[ORIONTHEHUNTER]

unfortunately and i hate to say it, but deer hunting is only going to get worse in this state.

 

[BGbasbhat]

I have trouble with this as well. Good looking spot/unit/area, nothing there....stay or go? I usually stay and keep up my stubbornness, and eat tag soup.

 

[elkantlers]

You know what they say about doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result.

 

[fallguy]

I'd move on.

 

[AZGuy]

Gents,

I started hunting deer in colorado 2 years ago. Picked an easier to draw 3rd season tag and went hunting. BIG learning curve hunting late season deer in the mountains and pretty much got my butt kicked. Well, i went back again last year (because why not?) and hunted 2nd season, still no success but saw a lot of deer just no takers. I was able to figure the elk out tho which helps the confidence.

Well here I am thinking about applying for this unit again.. should i keep going back? Or start all over on a POSSIBLY greener pasture??

I had to vent, wife didnt seem to listen last night when i explained my horrible dilemma.

Good luck in the draws!
-Corndoggy

An honest take; quality is down everywhere. While unit familiarity and scouting are huge, the true giants are getting thinned out and much harder to find. I hunt 2nd or 3rd re-issue every year in the SW and it’s just getting worse.

 

[Sambo_1503]

I think you see the trend here across the state. Fewer and fewer deer it sounds like and less big bucks. As tempting as it is to jump ships and go for the so called greener pasture I think you’ll find that other areas are in the same boat. I would go based off faith and keep hunting the same unit learning as much as you can and you never know what you’ll find or luck into and if it so happens that cpw changes their management and start improving our deer herds. You’ll have knowledge of the unit and a far better chance at being successful. And if things aren’t getting better or you feel there aren’t any deer period. Then start over.

 

[Sako76]

Get an elk tag and keep hunting the same unit!

 

[feddoc]

Im not sure spending two years in a unit is enough to pattern the animals.

 

[Katoom]

On the flip side, it’s just plain fun to hunt new areas. Variety is the spice of life!

 

[schmalie79]

Well what r u considering given the feedback? Kinda leaning towards stay the course for u myself. Solid advise on getting the elk tag and hunting as well!. With a handle of corn doggy seems like you could fire back!

 

[txhunter58]

What is the success rate for this unit for the last 5 years. If it is decent, and you seemed to find more about where the deer hang out, you might stay the course.

Remember that all seasons are roughly a week later This year.

 

[Focoelkman]

Go 4th season and give it a go !!! Or get in there archery !

 

[6x6 bull]

On the flip side, it’s just plain fun to hunt new areas. Variety is the spice of life!

I try to tell my lady that

 

[CornDoggy]

Love all the feedback! I am leaning towards goin back. Hoping to chat with the district wf manager in the next week, pick his brain a bit about where the deer ended up last year during third. My unit has a lot of terrain above 8,500 so concerned they might be moved off this year come 3rd.

 

[270Whatelse]

Grass isn't always greener somewhere else. It's a tough call either way. I personally like to hunt the same unit or units over and over. Learn a few new spots every year

 

[coloradoman]

We hunt 2 units most every year and always kill deer and elk. That being said it’s polar opposite year to year. Take this year elk hunting for example, many years I kill on the first day on Wednesday when the season opens this year we killed on the last day on Sunday. Learn the area and realize it’s always different. If I went a couple years without filling a tag I would personally move on but that’s just the way I roll.
Keep in mind I’ve been hunting the western slope all my life so I have paid my dues

 

[timbuck2]

Keep hunting it! You’ll learn it better each time and be more efficient in the unit!

 

[Bowhunt160bucks]

And this is where you give too much credit to CPW and their management strategies. If you drive 3 hours east you won't see a deer. As you cross the state line, look left at the field full of deer. This will happen over and over for as far as you care to drive east. They aren't their by chance or because they don't don't like Colorado politics.
I can remember when I was a kid 35 years ago. Seeing hundreds of mule deer in alfalfa in the evening. Now if you see a deer, you feel lucky.

 

[oljc]

Private land in any unit will increase your success,find some private land in a unit you like and if it works out re book on the spot and go year after year and you will learn the habits and hot spots and will be successful every year.On private land with no other hunters you can pass on smaller bucks and take good bucks every year.I have hunted the same ranch for 25+ years and it's definitely not doom and gloom out there like everyone is saying,sure the numbers of mature books are down some, but the over crowded public lands for good deer are a thing of the past.Good luck.