Unit 43 Early Deer

bcmulie · Mar 18, 2011

I'm considering burning my Colorado points (6) this year on the early deer hunt in Unit 43. My plan would be to hunt the high country in the Maroon Bells Wilderness area. Is this hunt worth 6 points? How badly were the deer hit by the 07/08 winter? Am I likely to find many mature bucks? I'll be looking for a 180+ buck, and am used to tough, high country hunting. Any opinions or information on this unit and hunt would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

bcmulie

Coloradoboy · Mar 18, 2011

Pm sent

huntaddict · Mar 18, 2011

The maroon bells is the only area you can hunt with that tag. You'll hunt your ass off looking for a 180+ buck but they are there. If you know the area you should be alright. If you got time to scout I think it could be worth 6 points.

ElmerFudd · Mar 18, 2011

You really want to talk to someone who has hunted it since they moved the season to run concurrent with the muzzleloader season a couple of years ago. A huge part of why it was such a cool hunt was never seeing another hunter.

jims · Mar 19, 2011

My main word of advice is you better be in super shape if you plan on hunting 43 early! There is an incredible amount of country with few deer. Find the few pockets of deer and you may find a decent buck? 2nd....the bucks generally shed their velvet by the time the early season opens. Once they shed velvet they often head to the trees and are tougher to find. From velvet shedding time until the rut is often known as the toughest time to hunt monster muley bucks. They definitely change their every day locations and patterns from where they are found all summer.

bcmulie · Mar 20, 2011

Thanks for the replies everyone - I appreciate any help I can get. As for being in shape, I'm a marathon runner, so that's not an issue. I'll work as hard as I need to in order to fill my tag. Wish me luck!

bcmulie

cantclosethedeal · Mar 21, 2011

PM me. I Archery hunted this unit last year. Lot's of competition in this unit. Really tough to get away from other hunters. Didn't see a single 180 buck scouting or hunting, but I know they are there.

Coloradoboy · Mar 21, 2011

Im not really sure as to what areas you are hunting and having to deal with lots of competition?? I've been hunting the bells/raggeds for the past five years and it seems to be one of the least pressured areas that I've found due to the rough country and tough access. I typically have entire basins to myself during the archery season.

huntaddict · Mar 21, 2011

I archery hunted it one year and saw very few hunters. I've muzzy hunted it twice and the first year we had an awesome area all to ourselves except for a goat hunter. I returned the following year and there 6 other people in there!

cantclosethedeal · Mar 22, 2011

May have been bad timing, but we hunted 3 separate areas before we found relative solitude. If we could have found better quality animals, the opportunities were there. Lots of archery elk hunters in the mix.
With a couple more years of recovery, this could be a tough draw and a great hunt.