Got 17 NR points this year. I was going to wait for archery in Unit 10 but I'm afraid the winter kill will make that unit garbage for the near future and it wasn't that great before winter (I live close in UT and we broke our all time snow record a while back.) I was thinking 3rd rifle unit 53 but I'm unsure about the winter kill there. Where would you suggest?
Where would you burn 17 points in CO?
- Thread starter ktg
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sb2017
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The NW corner is getting the most hype because the brutality of the conditions there has stood out more than other places, but Western CO as a whole is having a very rough winter. If your main concern is winter kill, there won't be a single quality unit that doesn't see noticeable effects of the winter.
My take, and it might be an unpopular opinion, but there will always be "x" that will make someone question if it's the right year to burn points or not. Rough winter, dry summer, recent fires, etc... Each tag gets harder to draw each year as it is. You never know when your last opportunity to hunt a unit might be.
Try for the tag you want, and hunt the heck out of the tag if you draw it. I am in the same boat with Wyoming this year, I did the math and realized I will never have a realistic chance at drawing the top few units, so I picked a mid-range one that I can (likely) draw with my current points and will start looking into hunts that I can draw there every 4-5 years or so after this year, assuming I draw.
My main point being: if you're worried about the winter kill in the NW corner, just know that the effects of this winter will not be confined to just the NW corner. It will permeate through all of Western CO.
My take, and it might be an unpopular opinion, but there will always be "x" that will make someone question if it's the right year to burn points or not. Rough winter, dry summer, recent fires, etc... Each tag gets harder to draw each year as it is. You never know when your last opportunity to hunt a unit might be.
Try for the tag you want, and hunt the heck out of the tag if you draw it. I am in the same boat with Wyoming this year, I did the math and realized I will never have a realistic chance at drawing the top few units, so I picked a mid-range one that I can (likely) draw with my current points and will start looking into hunts that I can draw there every 4-5 years or so after this year, assuming I draw.
My main point being: if you're worried about the winter kill in the NW corner, just know that the effects of this winter will not be confined to just the NW corner. It will permeate through all of Western CO.
JakeH
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I'm assuming you are the lone applicant at 16 points, with only 1 guy ahead of you that drew out with 21 points last year.
My advice stay the course on unit 10 this year, hope nobody jumps in front of you again and go kill a buck. The winter kill has been bad on the young and really old, those prime age bucks will likely make it through. And this will be the year to have the tag. 3-5 years from now will really suck as all the young from this year died leaving Nothing to grow up in 3-5 years so there will a complete age class gone in the future, but this year and possibly next year could still pay off.
That is my advice.
My advice stay the course on unit 10 this year, hope nobody jumps in front of you again and go kill a buck. The winter kill has been bad on the young and really old, those prime age bucks will likely make it through. And this will be the year to have the tag. 3-5 years from now will really suck as all the young from this year died leaving Nothing to grow up in 3-5 years so there will a complete age class gone in the future, but this year and possibly next year could still pay off.
That is my advice.
Stillwater165
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I agree, there will be less critters around this fall but down the road it definitely will get worse……
The_Coloradoboy
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I’d probably either wait this year out and get another point or pick a unit and not get your expectations or hopes to high and go hunting
antlerradar
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I agree, What I have seen over the years is that antler growth will be down 5 to 10% on the bucks that do survive the year.
With 17 points you clearly are not just looking to fill your tag. There will be some exceptions, but most of those top end bucks are not going to be that special this fall. Just too much energy needed to rebuild body condition and that means antler growth is going to suffer.
All things considered, I decided to go with 3rd rifle in 53. I didn't like that unit 10 only has 1 nr archery tag (I'm not the one who applied with 16 points last year) and anyone with more points than I have could jump in, and we love to spend the first half of Sept hunting OTC elk in Utah. Now, anybody got any hot tips for 53 deer? Is it worth buying an elk tag just in case?
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Battlewagon
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53 has potential. 3rd season is a migration hunt as you probably know. Some years migrating deer are in accessible parts of unit. Other years they have migrated past accessible parts to private ground. My last two sentences could be repeated for a lot of CO 3rd season deer hunts, especially those in Gunnison basin. IM me if you desire more specifics.
270Whatelse
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Best use of 17 points in CO would have been drawing any one point unit in 2006! Not kidding, every unit about that time frame was kicking out big deer!
coloradoman
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Agreed.
