Unit 67 Colorado Mule Deer 3rd season

[xtreme]

I have the tag. Scouting started last weekend with a quick drive from Gunnison toward Sawtooth Mt. I went out Willow Creek thru Vulcan and past Right Springs. I think I am in big trouble. It looks like weather is in control of this hunt, I know it will be cold in nov and I assume migration will be finished by 11/3-11/11.
What is Basil Basin like?
Any help will be very much appreciated.

 

[nwwa huner]

I hunted elk higher there a few years ago and saw little deer sign and no deer. Not alpine but there was a fair amount of snow in the alpine on the first season. I have researched the deer some and heard a lot are in the lower aspen country. Don't overlook that. It's probably where I would start but I am not sure as I haven't quite done enough research yet.

 

[xtreme]

Anyone know how the drought will affect the mule deer in unit 67 Co. What kind of antler growth can we expect? I finally get the tag and now a drought.

 

[adbowhunter]

Xtreme,

Unfortunately deer still haven't recovered fully from the bad winter a couple of years. I headed there scouting for a buddy that drew an elk tag for third season. My recommendation is go to the south end of the unit towards Stewart peak. The old agency area should hold some deer if the migrate. Being that our weather patterns are most certainly unpredictable it could be 70 degrees during third season. You just never know. Pray for snow and hunt the sage areas. 67 has some great deer they just don't hang out in the open areas as much as other unit.

Hope that helps. If you want more specific info, PM me.

 

[xtreme]

I sent you a pm

 

[In God We Trust]

I have talked to a couple of state biologists and from the info relayed to me we can expect 85%-90% antler growth. They said even though we have a drought this year they were able to pack on weight last summer/ fall and then had an easy winter so they came into the spring very healthy.

 

[ThreeTikkas]

I hunted 67 for elk last fall. We were camped about halfway between Old Agency and Porcupine Gulch. We hunted (6) of us, pretty much from Porcupine to the park. Saw 2 very nice muleys even in the early rifle elk season. One up close and personal from the front side and back that would green score 170". The other was nearly as good. Several juvenile bucks and a bunch of doe off and on through out the week. If I had been deer hunting,it would have been a banner trip. BUT! I'm not sure I would want to burn a bunch of p-points in there for anything other than the 3rd rifle season. I think with the rut in gear a fella just might tag a nice one in there. Not sure about the warmer weathr early on. They came alive the day we had a little snow and a front move in. Even the day after. I'm currently saving points for a Powderhorn deer hunt, but might consider a late rifle hunt in 67 if the biologists and taxidermists thought it prudent. +1 on the aspen country. Between that and the sage. Even as early in the year as it was,there were deer in the aspens at 9,000 / 9,500 ft.

 

[dito]

Xtreme,

Unfortunately deer still haven't recovered fully from the bad winter a couple of years. I headed there scouting for a buddy that drew an elk tag for third season. My recommendation is go to the south end of the unit towards Stewart peak. The old agency area should hold some deer if the migrate. Being that our weather patterns are most certainly unpredictable it could be 70 degrees during third season. You just never know. Pray for snow and hunt the sage areas. 67 has some great deer they just don't hang out in the open areas as much as other unit.

Hope that helps. If you want more specific info, PM me.

Saw one in the Stewart Creek area in the summer right off the road. But other then that haven't seen a lot of deer there.

 

[xtreme]

What season did you hunt Three Tikkas? I may get to scout the end of this month. I will probably begin looking close to Old Agency. I just don't know what to expect for weather except cold.
One of the forum members was scouting last weekend but I don't have a report yet.

 

[ThreeTikkas]

It was the first rifle elk season.

 

[xtreme]

Made my third scouting trip into unit 67 without finding anything to get excited about. I know I will be hunting migratory deer in the third season, but I covered lots of ground without seeingany deer or elk on public land.

 

[ThreeTikkas]

The next time I'm in the "Man cave", I'll grab my GPS. I have some stuff marked on it that may be of some service to you. I can get you into where we saw the 2 big boys,and where the most sign was.

 

[xtreme]

That would be good.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I am going to say something that a lot of you may take exception to....but here goes anyway. Late season hunts (3rd & 4th) are so unpredictable weatherwise that productive scouting is very limited. Looking for access routes, gaining hunting permission on private land and getting a general lay of the land is really important for newcomers. But seeing animals is limited to their summer range, which can (and usually is) very different and can be pretty far from where they could be during late seasons.

 

[xtreme]

I am glad you reinterated that point CC. I know that hunting migratory herds is a lot different than animals that stay in an area year round. I did like you said and looked for access routes and what looked like a good hunting area for season, just a little discourageing not to see any sign. I did get close to summer range for deer and elk but I was by myself and started hearing funny noises from the front of the jeep so I turned back. Third season up there could produce a winter storm.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I definately have an advantage as I live right near (and in) great hunting areas for deer and elk. I see them year round and get a good feel for how and when they migrate here. Someone coming here to hunt from out of the area can be at a disadvantage, especially the first few times they are here. The big variable IS the winters. Some are really mild and some are really harsh and the animals act very differently depending on this variability.

Just thought I should emphasize this for some of the members who are just starting out. Always ready to help when I can.

 

[xtreme]

I sent my friend, Dan into a canyon that had no sign and told him elk would come there as soon as the orange coats arrived. His bull encounter started at 0930. We had shot at Weddington Center concentrating on 400yds. I thought that would be his shot instead it was 40ft and after the first shot the bull charged him, he missed him the second shot. The bull made it 36ft bumped a tree and fell dead. Dan had the first shot right from his 270wsm. He called me for help and we got home with the bull at 1830, thanks to the Can Am. Dans first bull, too.

 

[xtreme]

Anyone been in unit 67 lately? I have watched the weather all fall and it looks like weather has been favorable. I will be hunting mule deer third season, probaly in the aspens. Looking for help.

 

[Awise1]

I just returned yesterday from GMU67 2nd rifle elk. I think I have some good news for you. Wish I would have had a buck tag in my pocket instead of a bull tag. Last year 67 was fine for elk but I saw very few deer; it was just the opposite for me this year. I hunt the North side of Sawtooth, camping at the North end of Long Park and hunting my way toward the mountain above Long and Soldiers parks and up into Slaughter park. There is an area in the transition zone from dark timber to the quakies above Soldiers park that is holding good numbers of bucks. I hunted for 7 of the 9 day season, and went in a week early to scout. One day when scouting, I dropped down out of the quakies into the sage above Soldiers park and was glassing the camps setting at the bottom of the park. I jumped a high-racked 4x4 with a heavy kicker on his right and a lesser kicker on his left. As elk season started, I saw at minimum 4 to 5 bucks per day. Some spikes, a few forkies and 3x3's, but mostly 4x4's and a 4x5. One morning as I approached a 100ft contour increase to a flat I favor, at the top of the rise was a deer standing broadwise with his head hidden in the pine branches. The body was massive with a swayed back and pot belly. As I raised my binnos he turned facing me directly and lowered his head under the branches to look at me. I'd only seen pictures of bucks like this but never in the field. His antlers are perfectly straight, running parallel and upturning perfectly into 4 points each side. There is no way a man's hand could wrap half-way around the antler bases, the mass is so great. The mass extends into all the tines which makes the antlers look small for the massive body, until a tape is put on them and he's probably pushing 200 inches or more. He's probably about at his end of life and this might be his last winter. Sure would like to read on here after the season that you made it his last fall! I wanted a picture of him but by the time I got the camera out, he had quietly slipped away. I punched a lot of numbers in my GPS for buck sightings if you want them. Good hunting!

 

[xtreme]

You bet I want those gps numbers. This is really awesome news and I sure hope I can live up to expectations. I will be heading that way in the AM with a non hunting friend. We will be going by Conejos first to winter proof the house there and I still have dsl there. I have been in there (unit 67) three times this year. Love your post.