Colorado Flattops Wilderness Deer Hunting

[Work2hunt]

If all goes as planned, next year is finally going to be the year that I burn my mule deer points and hunt for mule deer during an early seasonrifle high country mule deer hunt.

I have been researching this hunt for several years and have narrowed my choice to a couple units. One possiblity that I struggle to make a decision on is hunting the Flattops Wilderness area in the units consisting of 12, 24, 25, 26, and 231. Eastmans' has ranked it good in the past and it has taken 8 or more PP's lately to draw. However, Colorado's harvest statistics have shown a big 0% success rate the past few years.

What am I missing? Has anyone hunted this area or been in the Flattops during the early season time frame and seen deer? I can't seem to figure out what might be causing this unit to be a good unit or require 8-9 PPs if the year after year harvest success is 0.

Eastmans, I would love to understand how you come to a green chip unit and I believe in the past even a blue chip unit for this hunt.

I'm thouroughly confused on this unit and if anyone has some info they want to share by PM or otherwise I would appreciate it.

 

[Musket Man]

These hunts can and do produce big bucks but a NR that doesnt know the area finding them can be a different story. I drew a ML tag in 43 a few years ago and didnt see alot of deer or a buck I thought was worth the points the rifle tag takes. I didnt know the area and I didnt get to some places I would of liked to of hunted but it took me a while to figure that out. I know the unit has produced some big bucks in the past but you need to know where to look for them and that can be hard to figure out if you dont know the area. Alot of why these hunts take so many points is because there are so few tags. In alot of them you can have an archery or ML tag for little to no points. I drew my tag 2nd choice. Im not trying to turn you away from the early rifle hunts but it you dont know the area or have alot of time to scout they might not be the best place to use the points you have.

 

[Granby guy]

Since there are few licenses available for that hunt it is possible that none of the tag holders were contacted for the survey. I know for a fact that the success rate for this hunt is not 0%. There are some nice deer available to those that can get to them and know where to look. Good luck.

 

[Work2hunt]

Thanks guys. I should have also mentioned I have spoken to the Biologists that cover this area and none of them paint this area as a good deer area. Thus my state of confusion. It seems like somebody knows something but the people I have talked to are not talking.

I have been researching several units for the last 3 years and plan to put my time scouting next summer after I draw, but deciding which unit to pick is the hard part.

Granby guy,
Thanks for the confirmation that at least deer are killed during this hunt. I know the past several years worth of hunt stats show 0% success, but you may be correct in that none of the tag holders were contacted.

 

[mallardsx2]

I seen a hell of a buck in 231 when I was elk hunting one year.


I will say this....that area gets hunted so heavily by elk hunters I couldn't imagine the panic that the mule deer are in come the mule deer rifle season.

I would not waste my points on that specific area unless you had a lot of time to scout.

 

[jmwyoming]

check your p.m.

 

[Musket Man]

Some of these high country hunts get lots of hikers. I think some of the flattops get quits a few but I have not been there. The biologist I talked to did not give me very good or accurate advise. All I found was mountain goats and hikers where he recommended I go.

 

[Slugz]

Did you get help from JMWY?

 

[Work2hunt]

Thanks JM.

 

[jmwyoming]

yes sir. you are very welcome.