Contributors to this thread:
Drew fourth season deer tag after 11 years! Unit 15. Will be once in a lifetime muley hunt given I'm considered an old timer! I'm a veteran Colorado elk bowhunter with good success. Have never hunted 15 but I'm going out in late July to recon/ scout. Obvious it will be a rifle hunt so don't have to confess! Any comments on the unit and season from bowsiters? For elk I do solo public land hunts. Have a favorite wilderness I backpack into. Been enjoying the whole month solo hunting since I retired 11 years ago. Thanks for any feedback.
Best bucks in the unit are usually in flower beds of neighborhoods
I live in 15.
4th season should be a pretty good hunt in this unit, but I have never hunted late here. I would focus on the southern part of the unit along the Colorado River for that late hunt. Would imagine most of the bucks will migrate down that way. Figure out the private/public access down in that area. There won't be many deer down there in July, but they tend to migrate down when the snow flies.
These deer are really weird up here. I live at 7200' and these deer migrate out in October. Almost like the the deer I hunt above 11,500. Guess it has to do with the higher snow fall up here in Routt County.
Study the CPW interactive map with the migration routes and the winter range. Hunt the lower end of the migration routes in 4th season.
Like Treeline, I live in a N. CO unit where the deer are GONE after about the first week of November. People draw 4th season buck tags and don't see anything because they've started moving down to the winter range. The hunters who have tags in the lower elevation units on the migration routes kill some great bucks.
July will be a good time to figure out roads, private-public interface, and foot access, but don't expect the deer you see then to be where they will be when you're hunting. The good thing is that this year the 4th season dates coincide with the rut so you'll see mature bucks out in the open with does. Good luck, dress warm, bring tire chains and good optics and winter gear and hope for decent weather.
By decent weather, Jaquomo is talking about snow... A couple of feet will really help move those bucks out of the timber where you can see them! Good luck!
PS, bring your bow:)
Ha, yeah I should have clarified that! A couple feet of snow higher up in second and third season with a prolonged storm front, then it clears and turns sunny on the day before 4th season starts. Everything will be out in the open and moving, and visible. That's what I'd want for "decent" weather for that hunt!
Thanks for the feedback. A little more about me. From Northern Minnesota and hunted whitetail all my life. Hopefully that patience will help with the first time muley hunt. I have two daughters living in Kremmling so am out there several times a year exploring the backcountry. Was out there in April so spent a day in the south part of that unit in anticipation of being drawn. So now in late July I will wander in there to get more familiar. I've been around the north end quite often up on the Gore and ruled that out for late season. Looking forward to this! Even sighting my rifle in for longer range than the 50 yds. in the bush up here will be fun. Of course the September elk hunt has me fired up again even for a 70 year old. I'll likely pack in to my favorite elk country in July too, just to make sure it's still there!
Treeline - what part of the unit you live in?
Actually, 50 yards may not be a bad zero for western hunting. You hit zero again around 180 yards depending on your set-up. :^)
I live near Stagecoach Reservoir.
As Glunt said - 50 yds might be pretty darn good for mule deer:)
Spend some time looking at mule deer racks. A small buck can really fool a long-time whitetail hunter! For your hunt, you should put your minimum at around 180" gross and should be able to find several of those out there.
Here is a Unit 15 buck.
Very nice Treeline! You're right. I do need to get an eye to judge racks. I go out in the winter and we observe some awesome wintering bucks around Kremmling. But I need to learn how to evaluate through a spotting scope or binocs. Will be part of the fun.
Just be sure to recheck your rifle sight when you get out here.
