Ones that got away - CO

[Doe Nob]

Spent 5 points and drew a high country deer tag. We saw 2 does the whole time hunting, but constant high winds and getting blown off the mountain by a blizzard on day 5 didn't help. The state has pushed this hunt start date back to past labor day to minimize hunter/hiker conflict and I think it's a mistake. That week made all the difference this year with the weather rolling in. Or maybe it didn't and I'm just a bad hunter, ha.

But oh the scouting trip was exciting. We saw some big deer in mid August and had high hopes going in, here's a couple

The biggest was "fifteen". Very Unique antler configuration with a flyer on every fork.

He lit up nicely in the sun:

We saw this group as well. I guess 3 shooters 180 or over - but again we didn't have a chance to ground check anything. Sorry for the clarity - very nice scope but very long way off.

The pain of striking out has abated. I'm not sure I'd hold that tag again, maybe I'll go back with a bow and see if I can find any of these guys or their offspring again.

 

[HuskyMusky]

only 5 pts? seems like some quality bucks for a 5pt unit?

 

[RICMIC]

That big boy would have been keeping me awake at night. I agree with you on the changed dates ref. the ER rifle seasons, as it also puts you in with (in some cases), a whole bunch of muzzle-loader deer and elk hunters.

 

[ColoradoV]

Congrats to you that is a big buck or by my eye it will go a nickle over 210". You should feel fortunate to see and get photos of a buck of that caliber.

High country hunts with any weapon are not easy and a buck like that usually has many suitors or you might not have been the only one to know about him.

Sounds like you saw some great country and the weather sure was rough from about a week pre archery opener through most of the first 2 weeks and that was a bit unusual this year.

As far as the later rifle opener the deer are still there and just to offer another view point. As a archer I think the rifle buck hunts are timed just about right as I will not archery hunt bucks in a unit after the rifle opener. It changes the entire unit and hunt. Most years when the high country rifle starts it is just about time to start hunting elk again and plan my hunts this way.

 

[ridgetop]

That's one good looking buck. I'd love to see one like that in person.

 

[BKC]

The Colorado high country buck tag is my next goal, I want to be up there by myself, this is why I am waiting a couple of years to put in for this tag when the rifle hunters get a week jump on the muzzleloaders. For the next two years, the rifle and Ml tags happen at the same time. With some of these new muzzleloaders, you almost get rifle and scope accuracy and that brings a lot more ml's to the high country. Last year there were some high country units that started a week before others. I Have never paid much attention to it up until now but being able to hunt closer to the 1st week of September would be better than waiting until the 2nd week and having to compete with ml's

 

[packmule]

Great buck! Looks very similar to one I was getting updates on all Summer to only get gut shot and lost during ML season.