Unit 15 help

[El_Gringo]

My Dad and I drew 4th season deer in 15. We live in AZ and are not big on the idea of hauling our camper trailer all the way up there, so I am looking at getting us a motel room. All I need to know from you locals and others that have hunted there is, should we focus on hunting the south part of the unit or the north part? That will help me decide where to stay. And any other help you want to give is always welcome as well. Thanks in advance

Jim

 

[Cohntr62]

I'm not local and haven't hunted unit 15, but I have hunted NW Colo. for years and have been in the area. I assume you'll be hunting public land. If so, your main challenge will be to find an area to hunt at a lower elevation. During the 4th season, the deer will be low and most of the public land in that unit is NF high country. You may want to try to find private land you can hunt for a tresspass fee. Good luck.

 

[El_Gringo]

I think you may be right. Does anyone know of a good trespass DIY ranch in 15?

 

[kilowatt]

Top left corner of this page there is a "Find a Guide/Outfitter and click on COLO and then Rocky Mountain Ranches. Give him a try he might be of help to you.


Brian
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[Cohntr62]

Sometimes, you can find listings at the chamber of commerce websites for local towns. Try Steamboat Springs. Plus, I didn't say you can't find deer on public land, but that you'll want to look for lower elevation areas and they're limited. There is some BLM around Stagecoach State Park and scattered parcels of state land. You have to make sure these public lands aren't landlocked by private. Your advantage is that with the limited licenses for 4th season, you'll have little competition from other hunters. You just have to find the deer in a place you can hunt. Public land saves money, but a tresspass hunt doesn't require as much scouting to achieve success.

 

[Daxter]

The advice on 4th season deer distribution is pretty sound. On the COW website there are some helpful tools. One is the mapping program where you can look at public lands and mule deer winter range (http://ndis-flex.nrel.colostate.edu/HuntingAtlas/). That is where I would start.

Unless you can secure access to private lands it looks like the south end of the unit is your best bet to find public lands with mule deer winter range. Yarmony Mtn and Radium State Wildlife Area might be your best bets at big blocks of open public lands. I hunted that area 3rd season a few years back and saw some good bucks on private lands and I struck out on public. Good luck.


Dax

There is no such thing as a sure thing in trophy mule deer hunting.

 

[El_Gringo]

Thanks for your help guys. I have taken your advice and have found 2 or 3 ranches that I can lease. Now we just have to come up with the $4k to do it. In the long run I believe it will be worth it. We have cow tags as well and the odds for both deer and elk should improve dramatically on the private leases. We also may look into getting either sex elk leftovers.

Thanks again, Jim

 

[sangreboneman]

The best deer will be on public land. Bring your camper! Theres not that many places close to the unit that have rooms, be ready for any type of weather, and you can cover alot more ground with a good atv, have chains for your truck also, theres a good place on the colorado river on the south end of the unit to set up the camper, plug ins and a restroom, weather helps push the deer down, but theres some toads in 15 year round, I was good friends with the dow ranch worker that lived in the dow,s cabin in radium, and have hunted it with good sucsess many times, Ive only had the 4th season tag one time and I ate tag soup, but my partner droped a dandy buck during the same hunt.save your 4k stay on the south side of the unit

 

[El_Gringo]

Thanks for the input Sangre, it's much appreciated. I have been to Radium years ago and know exactly where you are talking. Did you see any elk while you were looking for deer 4th season? Also, if you have a picture of your buddies deer, I would love to see it.

 

[sangreboneman]

If you would like to talk via pm or email hit me up
Yes and yes

 

[Whiterock]

I plan on hunting muzzleloader season in Unit 15 for buck deer and cow elk next year . I havebeen in the area east of Oak Creek and have seen several nice mule deer bucks in that area .Mostly where public borders the private land.That would be a good place to check along with the southern most part of the unit.