Colorado 2012 Backcountry Above Timberline deer Hunt

[Bubba19]

Ok, I'm trying to plan a deer hunt and cannot Make up my mind what unit I want to hunt. I have 3 deer PP's and really don't want to use them. I have looked all over the reg's and throughout the web ( just can't find a start). I'm not looking for any honey holes. I would be hunting Archery and would like to backpack in 3 to 5 miles preferable Wilderness Area's. Is there any unit that i could draw without using my points that has above timberline hunting. I know the deer herds are in bad shape in most of these areas. I have researched GMU 54,66,74,76,80,81. I would also like to have a OTC elk tag just in case. I'm not looking for a 200" deer just a 160+.

Is GMU 80, 81 worth the points.

Any recommendation or information would be greatly appreciated.

 

[dito]

I think 80/81 takes 0 points to draw. So you could put it as your 2nd choice.

 

[Graylight]

All the units you mentioned above aside from 80-81 will require your points to draw.... 43 could be drawn 2nd choice but that place has been torn wide the last two years, so you may not draw it this year either!

The above mentioned units can produce what you are looking for though... If you have not been there though, you gotta understand that you just listed hundreds of square miles of some of the roughest, steepest most beautiful country you could imagine and realistically, you wouldn't be able to cover all of what you listed in an entire lifetime!

Pick one unit... Blindfold yourself, Pin the tail on the donkey and commit to it... You will find what you are looking for in ANY of the above timber units in Colorado.

 

[Bubba19]

Dito and Graylight,

Thanks for the reply. I'm can't wait to do an above timberline hunt. I stay in pretty good shape throughout the year so I'm not to worried about that. Plus if i did draw i would hit the gym harder. I just want to find a spot i can return to every few years and hunt. I think i'm going to go with 80/81. Thanks

 

[Firearrow]

Have you ever hunted the high country. If you go to some of those units above timber line is 12,500 to 13,000. If you have never been that high give your self a day to get used to the elevation, and to have that head pounding headache go away. Stay hydrated, and take your time.

 

[8750]

It takes more than a day to acclimatize. The body needs to produce more red blood cells to carry more oxygen. This takes time and really needs to be done in intervals of increasing altitude. Show up to CO at least a week before and go on hikes up to treeline
(11,400') at first and then increase in altitude until you are hiking to 13,000" +. The important element to acclimatization is that you hike high then sleep at the lower elevation to give your body a chance to make more red blood cells. If you come here from a low elevation (even 4000') and only give yourself a day or two to adjust then try to sleep at 12000' you are going to be in trouble. Talk to your doctor about getting a prescription for Diamox. This can help.

 

[A3dhunter]

Unit 80/81 is the first place I ever had problems with altitude sickness, you can gain elevation quick there and once it sets in the only thing to do is head down the mountain.
I started using Diamox after the second year of having problems and last year was great. No problems at all.

Unit 80/81 has some good deer and is a great place to hunt, for some reason I seem to see more rain down there than in other places I hunt during the archery season. Seems over all pressure is less as well. Get away from the roads and you'll probably be by yourself. I can't think of a time I ran into hunters more than 1 mile from the road.

 

[Bubba19]

Hey thanks guys for all the helpful information. If we do hunt high we will be taking our time and camping lower in elevation. I so bad want to expierence the above timberline hunt. Don't really care if i'm successful just want to see some great country and some desent animals. Then the next time i come out "it game on". So this hunt would be a test to see what my body can take and to get familar with the country. If i'm successful, then that would be a bonus. But really, thanks for the info...

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

Unit 80/81 is the first place I ever had problems with altitude sickness, you can gain elevation quick there and once it sets in the only thing to do is head down the mountain.
I started using Diamox after the second year of having problems and last year was great. No problems at all.

Unit 80/81 has some good deer and is a great place to hunt, for some reason I seem to see more rain down there than in other places I hunt during the archery season. Seems over all pressure is less as well. Get away from the roads and you'll probably be by yourself. I can't think of a time I ran into hunters more than 1 mile from the road.

In August & September that area gets what we call summer monsoon rain that comes up from the south.

 

[Muleys 24/7]

I remember a deer hunting trip to utah a few years back, I was with a buddy of mine and he got altitude sickness but I didn't. It must affect everyone different? Some good advice about the Diamox, I didn't know about that.