52/521 Deer 3rd Season

[JRice]

Hey guys,
I've been mostly a lurker since finding this site, but seems like a good bunch here. A buddy and I are planning to do a 3rd season deer hunt in CO in 2014, and two of the units we're considering are 52/521. My question is whether the deer are typically mostly down off the public by 3rd? I realize this will vary with weather year to year, but on an average year would most of them be down?

We have 3 pp's and the only other CO hunt we've done was 62 3rd season for deer back in 2010, which we could draw again this year, but that hunt was super slim pickens as far as deer. Later we heard that the kill from the big winter a few years before was worse in 62 than previously thought. Plenty of lions and bears in there too. I get the impression from what I'm reading that 62 is not bouncing back very well.

Like so many people, we'd like to find a CO 3rd season deer hunt we could do every couple of years with decent quality potential, and begin to learn the area. I'd be willing to trade info on eastern Idaho or western Wyoming. Thanks
John

 

[GOAT]

That's a pretty good tag for 3rd season. It will include 411 in addition to 52 and 521. The success rates are a little inflated because a lot of hunting is done on private land down low in 411 and 52. There are resident bucks in the lower agricultural areas and they kill some dingers. If you don't find access to any private there is still a lot of public that will hold a ton of deer in the 3rd season in all three units. 411 is tougher to access though an you may have to come in from the top. 521 is huge and has more public land than you can hunt in a lifetime. Where the deer will be is largely dependent upon how much snow is on the ground. It has a mix of high and low country so you would not be shut out of the low areas if the bucks are low. Come out a couple days before the season so you can locate the bucks. They will be starting to check does during that time. I don't think you can go wrong with that tag with 3 points. If you draw let me know and I can give you some good spots to scout. Good luck in the draw.

 

[JRice]

Thanks for the info Goat.

 

[hoshour]

We hunted 2nd season on private land in 52 last year with only 1 point. It was a down year for antler growth but the ranch usually gets some really good bucks that stay for a while as they migrate down. The rancher said that on his ranch 2nd season is better than 3rd even though it takes fewer points to draw.

 

[HiMtnHnter]

We hunted 2nd season on private land in 52 last year with only 1 point. It was a down year for antler growth but the ranch usually gets some really good bucks that stay for a while as they migrate down. The rancher said that on his ranch 2nd season is better than 3rd even though it takes fewer points to draw.

So how did you do?