So i dont have any preference points but im looking to start putting in for hunts for Mule Deer but really dont know where to start. Having a hard time navigating on their fish and game website to see good drawing odds and a good place to go after a mature buck. Any help would be great.
Non-resident looking for a Mule Deer Hunt
- Thread starter blakebow8
- Start date
Old Hunter
Banned
eye in sky
Active Member
Start buying preference points. There is an entry on the application for preference points only. You'll probably need three to five to get a decent hunt. Archery hunts usually require less points then the rifle rut hunts.
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JEandAsGuide
Active Member
Go to the hunting link on CO DOW website and click on Plan Your Hunt. This page should get you the info you are looking for.
Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
The first thing I'd do is call Colorado Parks & Wildlife (303-297-1192) and get the 2012 Colorado Big Game hunting booklet, assuming you don't have one already. It's pretty easy to read thru it and get an understanding of all the procedures for tags, points, units, etc. THEN I would get on the website and start looking. You want to get to the Statistics section and start checking there. All the units are listed by species and have total number of tags, allocation between Res/NRs, number of applicants and points needed.
Once you've narrowed it down, call the regional office in the area you pick and talk to them. Usually pretty helpful. At least this way you can narrow the field and get some kind of idea of where you want to start. Everyone here on this site will give you lots of advice and help, but you will have to be a little more specific.
Good Luck!!
Once you've narrowed it down, call the regional office in the area you pick and talk to them. Usually pretty helpful. At least this way you can narrow the field and get some kind of idea of where you want to start. Everyone here on this site will give you lots of advice and help, but you will have to be a little more specific.
Good Luck!!
xtreme
Very Active Member
I don't think I would wait, hunt unit 78 without PP. I think you can accumulate PP and hunt some units with mature deer at the same time. A true trophy will require PP. I did that and it is sure the right way to enjoy the hunt of a life time, just don't wait to get started. My unit produced a 230 Mule deer. I had seen that deer at 166yds without him ever knowing I was in the woods. I saw him a total of three times and my brother and a friend also got to see him. He was only a 1/2 mile straight above my cabin. I don't have any PP so I will be looking to hunt the same kind of unit you can hunt.
A dream hunt, if young enough, would be early along the continental divide.
A dream hunt, if young enough, would be early along the continental divide.
JEandAsGuide
Active Member
Unless I'm looking at it wrong, you only have about a 20% chance as a NR to draw the 78 archery tag without a PP.
hoshour
Veteran member
If you want to hunt with no ppts, go to the CO Parks and Wildlife stats page. http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/BigGame/Statistics/Pages/Statistics.aspx
Start with the Preference Points Required tab to see how many preference pts it takes to draw each hunt code. You want the ones with zeros of course.
Then, look at the GMU Atlas page to see which of those units are mainly composed of public land, either Ntl. Forest or BLM. You'll want to be west of I-25.
Next, from the stat page click on the Estimated Harvest reports to see what the success was for the different areas in different seasons.
Finally, click on the Hunt Recap Summaries to look more closely at the ppts required to make sure you can get drawn either with 0 pts or as a 2nd choice hunt.
Also, the guys that help callers with hunt planning are surprisingly helpful (303) 297-1192.
I hunted Area 86 in 3rd season a couple years ago with 0 points. The listed success rate is low but the country is beautiful and I passed on three bucks, including one about 140-150.
Start with the Preference Points Required tab to see how many preference pts it takes to draw each hunt code. You want the ones with zeros of course.
Then, look at the GMU Atlas page to see which of those units are mainly composed of public land, either Ntl. Forest or BLM. You'll want to be west of I-25.
Next, from the stat page click on the Estimated Harvest reports to see what the success was for the different areas in different seasons.
Finally, click on the Hunt Recap Summaries to look more closely at the ppts required to make sure you can get drawn either with 0 pts or as a 2nd choice hunt.
Also, the guys that help callers with hunt planning are surprisingly helpful (303) 297-1192.
I hunted Area 86 in 3rd season a couple years ago with 0 points. The listed success rate is low but the country is beautiful and I passed on three bucks, including one about 140-150.
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