Colorado deer GMU 2 or 201?

[MikeL]

Hi,
Looking for a little help from those of you who have hunted deer in Colorado's unit 2 or 201. We have enough points to draw either unit this year and are looking for recommendations before the application deadline (does it matter or are the units about equal access etc). We will be hunting the Nov 1-9 season. Also and ideas on starting points or areas to begin the summer scouting trips would be appreciated. Thanks in advance! Mike

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

Please don't use all those points on the NW corner. Trophy quality in the NW corner has been off for many years, although it would likely still be a fun low pressure hunt, I believe there are far better units with those points.

Do some homework on:

44 4th season (if you have the points, one of the best)
35 4th season (number of applicants has been soaring the past few years)
53 4th season (I think this would be hard to beat, check it out)
66 3rd season (give it a couple years would be even better)
67 3rd season (give it a couple years would be even better)
70 4th season (report are tons of deer with a few nice bucks, low pressure)


If I had the points, I would go for a 4th season tag. Fourth season tags in a good unit are sooooo much better then the third season tags and less weather dependent since you are closer to the peak of the rut.

If you would start a thread in the new members section and let us know more about you.

 

[Sawfish]

Years ago, we hunted units 77, 78, 771 every year. I have been thinking about a return trip before Obamacare wipes out any possibilities for future hunts. Any idea what the current situation is for Mule Deer and Elk. Thanks.

 

[MikeL]

Thanks for the information and we have hunted 35 (a great unit), but 44 sounds interesting. We would much rather go 4th season, so we will start researching those. Do you know area 44 at all? Thanks again for those areas and your time!

 

[mattdeere]

Please don't use all those points on the NW corner. Trophy quality in the NW corner has been off for many years, although it would likely still be a fun low pressure hunt, I believe there are far better units with those points.

Do some homework on:

44 4th season (if you have the points, one of the best)
35 4th season (number of applicants has been soaring the past few years)
53 4th season (I think this would be hard to beat, check it out)
66 3rd season (give it a couple years would be even better)
67 3rd season (give it a couple years would be even better)
70 4th season (report are tons of deer with a few nice bucks, low pressure)


If I had the points, I would go for a 4th season tag. Fourth season tags in a good unit are sooooo much better then the third season tags and less weather dependent since you are closer to the peak of the rut.

If you would start a thread in the new members section and let us know more about you.

Some good info from UH. Maybe you can share something about yourself?

 

[ColoradoV]

Lots of opinions but there are many good bucks are being taken out of 201,2, and 10 since the big numbers cut a few years back or they are starting to recover. Take into account that all of the NW part of the state is having a mild winter and IMO it is not a bad place to look at. 201 and 2 are recovering better than 10 at this point. Fair to say that the NW units after this winter will have recovered better than the gunnison units. Many elk hunters are reporting seeing groups of 170" to 190" bucks in 201 with no one hunting them.

You also will not have to compete with 1000's of otc elk hunters but you will see some guys with cow tags that will point you to where they saw a big buck if you choose to hunt 2 or 201...

All ths units in the Gunnison Basin are seeing hardest winter since 07/08.. Sad but true the mid Feb blizzard was one of the top 3 in snow water equivalent since 1995. With some places got up to 9.5 in of snow water equivalent or 10+ feet of snow in one 7 day storm. That was up high but the valley floor still has its share of snow down here or it has settled to 2/3 rds as high as the cattle fences in many wintering areas. Since then it warmed up then froze so the crust is above the sage in many places at this point and solid ice that animals cant break through. The big bucks just have not recovered in many of the gunny units and if I had a nickle for all the 18" to 24" wide bucks that are getting taken now I could retire. Just not the amount of 170" bucks out there so hunters are hammering the smaller bucks just to take something home after not seeing a big buck. Will some good bucks be taken yea are there some good ones out there yea - but they are far and few between now. I have hunted off and on in the gunny basin since the 80's and have chosen to hunt a neighboring 0 point unit as the quality is better than the over hyped "Gunnison Basin"...

I would not rule out 2 or 201 and I would wait to see what this winter brings as IMO the Gunnsion units are 1 bilzzard (that it looks like will show up here friday) away from a "very bad to horrible" winter kill and while it may not be as bad as the 07/08 winter this one will be the hardest we have seen since then.. Just have to see what April and March bring. I would take this years winter kill into my thinking before I committed a bucket load of points in either the Gunnison or Eagle units.

As far as 44 it is a tough hunt, know your private land boundaries or hire a guide as it is not the slam dunk hunt that many think it has to be. I would not over look 74 early season or 61 3rd as both have not seen the hard winters that some of Colorado has and both throw out several 200+" bucks each year.

So I would not rule out 201 or 2 as if I had to bet you will end up with a big buck, not much hunting pressure, and a good experience if you choose either.

 

[Yooper Bob]

Thank You ColoradoV for the very good up to date info,you just answered a lot of questions for me,good luck hunting this year

 

[minn elk chaser]

You said we have enough pp to draw eithe unit. If you are resident you would be ok but not a nr as there would not be enough tags for more than one . I have 21pp nr and have considered each of those units. Have hunted 44 with a friend do you home work as that unit can be tough.

 

[J Deck]

I had the nonresident muzzle loader deer tag for unit 2 in 2011. I know it is considered a low density deer unit, but I was impressed with both the quality and quantity of bucks.

 

[HiMtnHnter]

I had the nonresident muzzle loader deer tag for unit 2 in 2011. I know it is considered a low density deer unit, but I was impressed with both the quality and quantity of bucks.

Depends on the kind of hunt you are after. If you are chasing the B&C book it's just not realistic for the most part in the NW corner. If you're looking for a great mature buck and aren't concerned with score, hunting some awesome country and seeing virtually nobody else hunting, the NW corner is a great choice. Unit 2 has lower density, but certain areas hold good numbers. 201 probably has more deer in smaller areas. Quality is about the same in each. A 170"+ buck is very realistic in either area. Bigger deer are taken there each year. I would hunt it in a heartbeat if I could.

 

[MikeL]

Depends on the kind of hunt you are after. If you are chasing the B&C book it's just not realistic for the most part in the NW corner. If you're looking for a great mature buck and aren't concerned with score, hunting some awesome country and seeing virtually nobody else hunting, the NW corner is a great choice. Unit 2 has lower density, but certain areas hold good numbers. 201 probably has more deer in smaller areas. Quality is about the same in each. A 170"+ buck is very realistic in either area. Bigger deer are taken there each year. I would hunt it in a heartbeat if I could.

HiMtnHnter,
Thanks for the post and your thoughts on the area. We are looking to shoot a quality buck in the 170-180 range and not too concerned with the B&C book animal as we both have one of those. The lack of pressure and not competing for a hunting spot is the reason we are looking at these units, as well as seeing lots of mature bucks.

 

[packmule]

If the winter kill isn't bad in the southern Gunnison units then those quality of deer can be found. You have to go in with the mentality of not passing on something you'd shoot on the last day or you'll end up eating tag soup if you don't already know where the mature bucks tend to hole up. There were 180+" deer to be found right after the 07-08 winter kill, but it wasn't advertised heavily bc it was an easier draw & vouchers were much cheaper.

70 is iffy, it's one of those where an outfitter with access to private really comes in handy.

 

[HiMtnHnter]

HiMtnHnter,
Thanks for the post and your thoughts on the area. We are looking to shoot a quality buck in the 170-180 range and not too concerned with the B&C book animal as we both have one of those. The lack of pressure and not competing for a hunting spot is the reason we are looking at these units, as well as seeing lots of mature bucks.

I bet you guys would have a great time in 2 or 201. You will be virtually alone in some remote and beautiful country. Bucks the size you are after live there, although not in great numbers (do they anywhere?).

 

[Granby guy]

Either unit would be a great hunt. The deer in 2 and 201 didn't seem to take quite the beating that the deer in unit 10 did. There are some mega deer in those units.

 

[BKC]

I had a 201 ml tag last year. I scouted the hell out of it and hunted it hard. I never saw a buck over the mid 160's. I was only there in the late summer, Sept. and early Oct so I don't know what the Nov. and December hunts would be like. I would have thought in all the days I scouted/hunted it ( in excess of 20 days during 3 years) that I would have seen at least 1 decent buck, nope. I have seen pictures of good deer from 201 but most of these are from the local landowners and those bucks come from creek bottoms where public can't hunt unless you pay big $

 

[MikeL]

I had a 201 ml tag last year. I scouted the hell out of it and hunted it hard. I never saw a buck over the mid 160's. I was only there in the late summer, Sept. and early Oct so I don't know what the Nov. and December hunts would be like. I would have thought in all the days I scouted/hunted it ( in excess of 20 days during 3 years) that I would have seen at least 1 decent buck, nope. I have seen pictures of good deer from 201 but most of these are from the local landowners and those bucks come from creek bottoms where public can't hunt unless you pay big $

Thanks BKC! I have a friend that works the Colorado oil fields in area 2 and he is saying about the same thing. The 180 + bucks exist there but they live by the private alfalfa fields or creek bottoms and don't travel more than a half mile until the rut hits. Still time to consider.

 

[MikeL]

Thanks Granby guy! We are just over the pass on the front range from you, had all of the flooding last year! We hunted area 10 for both deer and elk and it was Ok, but nothing great. We are still tossing around the idea of area 35 4th season and hitting the rut. Thanks!

 

[Stevo]

I am considering those areas as well, but during second season as I only have 16 NR points. Other possibility is unit 44 3rd rifle, but not a guarantee since it took 16 NR points to draw last year. Would it be worth using these points or continuing to save? I will be going with my 67 year old dad, so really don't feel like I can wait too many more years. This will be my first mule deer hunt, so I would be thrilled with a 160+ class deer. I'm leaning towards 201 due to it's smaller size and I don't have the ability to take off work enough to really do a lot of scouting. On the CPW website hunting atlas, there are several areas in blue, Vermillion hunting Lease, Cold Springs Mountain STL, Raftopulous hunting lease etc, are these public hunting areas or private areas? I apologize for my ignorance, but the map legend doesn't really explain those areas. Any help is much appreciated.

 

[BKC]

If you are looking at a map, yes, 201 is small compared to other units that are adjoining. You will NOT be able to look into every drainage and glass all the unit in a week of scouting. Call the Meeker DOW office and have them send you a map of that unit. A lot of gound is leased up by the dow from the local landowners. Some of it, The better parts to hunt, are off limits. But still a ton of country to hunt.