As soon as this wind quits (supposed to be windy a couple of more days), I plan on starting my summer scouting sessions. None to soon for sure. Plan is to go at least once or twice a month.
Summer Scouting
- Thread starter Colorado Cowboy
- Start date
badgerbob
Active Member
Yea, I need to do the same. Moving locations this year since Oregon has gone draw only on archery elk. Hunting sure isn't like it used to be...
I will get out a couple of times in August and see what happens. Usually find a couple of good ones to chase!
ColoradoV
Very Active Member
- Oct 4, 2011
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I hope to start about July 1. Only 6 weeks away at this point so getting here fast. As usual I hope to get in about 20-25 days scouting for mulies..
Getting to be less and less deer every year. Easy winters help but hunting them on Thanksgiving easily erases any gains a easy winter would provide.
As usual looking forward to the process most of all and hoping to turn up a 1%er..
Getting to be less and less deer every year. Easy winters help but hunting them on Thanksgiving easily erases any gains a easy winter would provide.
As usual looking forward to the process most of all and hoping to turn up a 1%er..
mallardsx2
Veteran member
- Jul 8, 2015
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Sad future outlook coming from a guy who lives in the heart of some of the best Deer Country in Colorado. Hopefully with now that we are on the downswing of the late seasons things will get better. This year will tell us a lot about how those later season affected the older age category bucks I would think? Looking forward to your scouting photos as usual!
I hunt deer here in Colorado and I have hunted a lot in 4th season. Last year it opened the day before Thanksgiving. The last 3 or 4 years the seasons after first season have gotten later as P & W has been setting aside more days between seasons. There arn't a lot of tags available for the unit I hunt during 4th season, but 3rd season has a lot. This year we saw lots of deer and plenty of young bucks. Saw only one large buck and didn't get close enough to close the deal. After talking to a lot of friends who hunted 3rd season in that unit, my take is that lots of the bucks that we used to see in 4th season were taken during 3rd season. IMHO P & W needs to cut out 4th season totally and limit the number of tags in 3rd season. In the last 10 years, the numbers of good, trophy bucks has really taken a hit.
Here are the tag numbers that were issued:
YEAR 3rd Season 4th Season
2021 405 70
2020 450 75
2019 500 75
2018 450 45
2017 500 50
2016 400 40
2015 400 40
This particular unit is prime winter habitat for deer and elk. That along with the late seasons usually happen during the rut, the big buck population really takes a hit. I would like to see 4th season closed and 3rd season tags cut in half in this unit.
I am not generally a big buck hunter. Sure if the opportunity is there, I'll take it. If the choice is take a smaller 4 x4 or eat tag soup, I'm taking the 4 x 4. Last year I took a really nice, fat 3x3 and filled my freezer. But I can see the writing on the wall and what is happening and am not in favor of the current situation.
Here are the tag numbers that were issued:
YEAR 3rd Season 4th Season
2021 405 70
2020 450 75
2019 500 75
2018 450 45
2017 500 50
2016 400 40
2015 400 40
This particular unit is prime winter habitat for deer and elk. That along with the late seasons usually happen during the rut, the big buck population really takes a hit. I would like to see 4th season closed and 3rd season tags cut in half in this unit.
I am not generally a big buck hunter. Sure if the opportunity is there, I'll take it. If the choice is take a smaller 4 x4 or eat tag soup, I'm taking the 4 x 4. Last year I took a really nice, fat 3x3 and filled my freezer. But I can see the writing on the wall and what is happening and am not in favor of the current situation.
Last edited:
mallardsx2
Veteran member
- Jul 8, 2015
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I noticed the success rates for 3rd season were MUCH higher than the 4th season in a couple of the units that I was eyeballing.....I wondered if a lot of the better bucks were actually getting killed in the third season these last few years.
They are intentionally doing this to knock down the upper age class. Over reacting to CWD in my opinion
SW Colorado, according to the latest press release from P & W, has the lowest CWD in the whole state. The unit I am talking about is in the SW part of the state less than 100 mile from my place. If that is what they are wanting to do, it looks like they are accomplishing it.
mallardsx2
Veteran member
- Jul 8, 2015
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It feels like holding my Colorado deer points is like betting on the stock market.
Hold them too long and they might be worth nothing. Burn them too soon and I feel like I could miss out. lol
I'm certainly not getting a warm fuzzy feeling about holding out for the 4th rifle like I had considered when success rates are 50% higher during the third rifle seasons. I like to think that the lower success rates are from people who are not as mobile as me but I don't know if that's the case or not.
Hold them too long and they might be worth nothing. Burn them too soon and I feel like I could miss out. lol
I'm certainly not getting a warm fuzzy feeling about holding out for the 4th rifle like I had considered when success rates are 50% higher during the third rifle seasons. I like to think that the lower success rates are from people who are not as mobile as me but I don't know if that's the case or not.
I will keep looking at the 4th season situation and decide what to do when the time comes. I now have only 1 point (from this year) and it will be several years down the road when I have enough points to draw again. I do like 4th season because of the small number of tags available as it is a lot less crowded.
ColoradoV
Very Active Member
- Oct 4, 2011
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Some places there has not even been 1 case of cwd found or I concur w Scott’s opinion that the later seasons are misguided as best. Hope to see some pushback during the next 5 year for getting a more normal season structure.
What mallard saw is correct or guys are not actually killing all big bucks or overall guys are killing a lot of deer and that will have a impact. With that said there are still deer around last year I found a buck close to 35” wide, one with over 70” of mass, and one that was a 220” + type buck. The 35” was wounded in rifle and never found, 70” of mass was killed by gov tag holder, and 220+ ended up on the cover of a mag and discussed over a pod cast….
Interesting but not even one was killed by a diy guy all by guided big big big money guys w the radios secret service type ear pieces, a bunch of guides, and a run in front to cut the next guy off attitude. Don’t doubt the outfitters as well as others are using the radio and ear bud and these tactics as this is the norm now.
I guess for me if you said no hunting or no scouting it would be a easy decision I would hand over my tag and get ready for July 1. This year I will have my first grade daughter packing in on some trips and I will bring my 4 th grade daughter on a couple others. They are looking forward to it as am I.
Anyway with how this snow is melting = the paved passes will be open by Memorial Day and all the backcountry passes will open by late June so looks to be another fun late summer here in Colo. Or the lazy days chomping on sunflower seeds and lookin through glass for days on end is almost here.
Good luck to all that get out and a pic of a buck that ended up 31 1/4” wide just for good measure
.
What mallard saw is correct or guys are not actually killing all big bucks or overall guys are killing a lot of deer and that will have a impact. With that said there are still deer around last year I found a buck close to 35” wide, one with over 70” of mass, and one that was a 220” + type buck. The 35” was wounded in rifle and never found, 70” of mass was killed by gov tag holder, and 220+ ended up on the cover of a mag and discussed over a pod cast….
Interesting but not even one was killed by a diy guy all by guided big big big money guys w the radios secret service type ear pieces, a bunch of guides, and a run in front to cut the next guy off attitude. Don’t doubt the outfitters as well as others are using the radio and ear bud and these tactics as this is the norm now.
I guess for me if you said no hunting or no scouting it would be a easy decision I would hand over my tag and get ready for July 1. This year I will have my first grade daughter packing in on some trips and I will bring my 4 th grade daughter on a couple others. They are looking forward to it as am I.
Anyway with how this snow is melting = the paved passes will be open by Memorial Day and all the backcountry passes will open by late June so looks to be another fun late summer here in Colo. Or the lazy days chomping on sunflower seeds and lookin through glass for days on end is almost here.
Good luck to all that get out and a pic of a buck that ended up 31 1/4” wide just for good measure
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Winchester
Veteran member
Zoom in real close, this big typical might even get @ColoradoV ’s attention…
Finally got almost all the Dr appointments behind me (just the surgeon left now) so I can get some field time looking. If this wind would settle down it would be even better.