I want to say hello to everyone. I just joined the forum, but I've read through some of the threads in the past and I like how helpful most of the guys are. I live on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and haven't hunted Colorado in many years. Me and a buddy have been accumulating points for the past 16 yrs in the hopes of one day having enough go hunt big muley bucks and big bulls. Right now we are just looking at deer tags. My buddy is in his mid 60's and feels like he needs to go pretty soon while he's still able to get around in the mountains. I've heard good and bad news about all of the trophy areas. We have looked into units 21,44,66, & 201 but don't know which one to put in for. I've talked to CDOW and they weren't a whole lot of help. Any help would be greatly appreciated. You can PM me if you prefer.
Say hello and need help!!
- Thread starter huntnwego
- Start date
Umpqua Hunter
Veteran member
Don't mess with anything but a 3rd season, and preferably a 4th season tag.
Unit 21 sounds like it has peaked and is headed down. The numbers of applicants is sliding down big time, but the 3rd season tag still takes more points than you have.
Haven't heard much from the NW corner (Unit 201) for deer in years, even so it requires more points than you have for a 3rd season tag.
Gunnison basin is coming back (Unit 66) but is probably a couple years from being prime. It could be a good hunt though.
Unit 44 has some killer bucks but the deer numbers are way way down, and ideally you'd want a 4th season tag which will take more points than you have.
Do some research on Unit 35 4th season, the applicant pressure is strongly trending up there.
Unit 21 sounds like it has peaked and is headed down. The numbers of applicants is sliding down big time, but the 3rd season tag still takes more points than you have.
Haven't heard much from the NW corner (Unit 201) for deer in years, even so it requires more points than you have for a 3rd season tag.
Gunnison basin is coming back (Unit 66) but is probably a couple years from being prime. It could be a good hunt though.
Unit 44 has some killer bucks but the deer numbers are way way down, and ideally you'd want a 4th season tag which will take more points than you have.
Do some research on Unit 35 4th season, the applicant pressure is strongly trending up there.
Last edited:
Umpqua Hunter
Veteran member
I have some contacts, but not sure they would be open to talk with someone they don't know. Call the local bio. Ask which unit is further along in recovery Unit 66 or Unit 67. Don't skip looking into Unit 35 4th season. I would far, far, far, rather have a 4th season tag over a 3rd season tag, and I would not even consider a 2nd season tag with the number of point you have.
If you draw, buy a Huntin Fool membership and get their member draw list. Talking to several guys who have had the tag would be well worth the $100 after the number of years you have invested.
66 is a ways away from being back to what it was. I have a cpl buddies who hunt it 3rd season every year and the quality numbers are just better elsewhere. That's not saying that you can't luck into a good deer b/c that's always a possibility in the Basin, but high grading has become a problem when people go expecting big bucks all over the place and end up settling for the best they can find.
Granby guy
Active Member
I have hunted a few of those areas in the past and I can help you out if you want to send me a pm.