Hunting Colorado???

[Big TULE]

Looking to hunt colorado in about 2-3 years.We are puting in for our preference points untill then. Does anybody hunt colorado and have any advice?

[Big TULE]

Nobody hunts Colorado???

[horseskull]

Colorado has an excellent website http://wildlife.state.co.us/hunt/. Has all of the harvest results and draw stats online. I been saving up on points also (5 pts now) waiting for the right time to cash in. Never hunted there, but my choices, Units 10,2 or 201 for mule deer. Unit 61 for elk.

[mcknerkneykak]

My dad hunted colorado in the sixties--fantastic! He and I hunted it in 1973--fantastic! About 10 yrs. ago he and I hunted it again--worked hard--nothing like it used to be. Took us three days to get our bearings(never hunted this area) then the season ended. IMO--on public land, not knowing the area- it takes time to figure it out. All the above was for deer.---------Elk--public land... After the first few shots opening morning on Colorado public, the elk head for private where they know they're safe. The last time we hunted for deer(10 yrs ago) was 100 miles north of Grand Jct. With enough preference points--quality goes up. Now that I've been there and paid my dues, I'm pretty sure I could connect with a wallhanger deer on a 7 to 10 day hunt. Oregon public land hunting for elk is every bit as good as Colorado's, but the trip/adventure is worth it. Bottom line--I have had just as good/successful hunts in Oregon as I've had out of state BUT, I have forgotten about some of the Oregon trips--I will remember every detail of those out of state trips forever.

[Jakers]

I would take the advise of going online with the DOW for COL., you have to focus on either Deer or Elk, hard to find a spot that's good for both (trophy wise) and you can get picked for the same time. On-line info. ususally gives you info. on recently opened hunter acess areas, these have always been successfull for the first couple of years before word gets out and they get over-crowded.

[strato fisher]

I Have hunted in Colorado numerous times. The best mule deer hunting is on the Eastern plains near Brush, CO. If you are after elk I would try the area around Taylor Lake in the central part of the state. The state record was taken in that area, and it is near Gunnison. If you have a topo map you might look at Sanford Basin just south of Cottonwood pass. This area is loaded with elk. These are some of the places that I found success during my 5 seasons out there. Good Luck!

[Big TULE]

Thanks for the info, i think taylor lake is in one of the units we have been looking at. 48 or 49. hunting at 12,000 feet will be an adventure...

[gottafish]

I have a lot of family there and what ever you do don't apply for the CWD area hunts. the fish and game kills off all the deer in those areas tring to stop the spread the ranch that my family hunted they killed over 300 deer teasted them then burned them in a insenerator. they said it will take about 10 years for the herds to rebound but the firt couple years they continue to issue tags to try and get any they missed. this area is very near steam boat springs. by the white river area.

[chummer]

I'm fairly certain you will need a hunter education card to hunt Colorado, either thier's or your home state.

[Big TULE]

Went through hunter ed in 1988... I was 12.