Newbie DIY mule deer CO

Hey guys,

I just joined the forum a couple of weeks ago after I had decided I wanted to give western DIY hunting a shot (thanks in large part to the Hunt Talk podcast). I am from Georgia and have hunted whitetails all my life, but I am not necessarily a flatlander, as I have done a good bit of hunting in the North GA Mountains, particularly Cohutta WMA. This year I have decided to give up the middle GA hunting lease/club and hunt the mountain national forests and WMAs full time. I have also decided to use the money I would have spent on my lease to do a DIY mule deer hunt in Colorado during the 3rd seasdeerI have done the research and identified several units that I would have a very good chance of drawing with 0 points and several that will probably have leftover tags that I would put as my 3rd or 4th choice. The main unit I am looking at has a good mix of high elevation wilderness/NF and lower elevation BLM land that should give me an opportunity no matter where the weather has the deer. I had the opportunity to elk hunt the 3rd season about 10 years ago on private land in a nearby unit and remember seeing a lot of mule deer, so I have somewhat of an idea about what I'm getting into. My main question is how much snow will start to push the deer out of the high country and what elevation determines high country? If there is a lot of snow in the 10000' range, does that mean there will be a lot of snow at the 9000-8000' range and I should just start in the 7000-8000' range? Any advice is much appreciated. Thanks.

Sounds like you are on the right track. One big advantage of hunting a zone or unit that can be drawn with -0- points is that you can learn from your first trip to have even better hunts in the future. Most of the Colo muley hunts we did years ago, were not effected very much by heavy snow or a migration so i'm no help there. Hunt it like you know that he's got to be there, good luck!

Welcome aboard.

Welcome!

welcome! It's tough to tell you how much snow will be there at that time, every year varies. We hunt the second season in Colorado and we have killed them from 8500 to 11000. The rut should be getting started for you though in the 3rd season and have the bucks moving. hope this helps.. Good luck to you!

I cant tell you where to hunt but I can help with where not to. Deer summer up to 13K+. They generally leave when it frosts the willows and the browse under them, snow does not necessarily do this.

They will not be in the wide open sage until everything else is white above and some snow patches are in the open sage. if not a few inches deep there as well.

For third you can bet the upper will be barren. Usually the lower will be also with a few does possible, especially in wet gullies with some bushes.

This means a huge chunk of transition for you to cover using exposure, topography, and cover as your variables... nuttin to it!

You will need 18 inches of snow to move them down into the low country. But they will be in the transition country even if no snow on top, you just wont see them because they will be in the thick shit.

On normal years (aka little or no snow) you will find deer from the lowest country, all the way up to 11,000 ft. even during 3rd season. But best to look between 10k and 8k. There is a lot of country between those elevations, so it wont be easy, but that's what makes it a hunt. If it were easy then it wouldn't be great.

By the end of 3rd season the rut can be in or near full swing. I would look for high concentrations of does and your will be into the bucks especially towards the end of the season (Nov. 11). Get away from the roads and look for does! Best of luck!

Welcome aboard

Thanks for all the replies. How important is it to have a spotting scope for CO 3rd season mule deer? I am not looking for a giant, so I don't think I would need to closely examine a buck through a spotting scope to determine if I want to go after him. I have 10x42 binos, so I am thinking they will suffice.

Bring a spotting scope, you will find deer that you miss with just binos. Plus you can cover more ground with higher magnification.

Welcome, the deer will be where there is browse readily available and where it doesn't take much effort to travel through the snow. Deeper snow will push the deer down. Seems like you are on the right track! Always start high and work your way down.

If you can bring a spotting scope, you will be amazed at what else you can find and how much more ground you cover with your optics.

This is good info. I just put in for a point for mule deer (now x1) in addition to my elk (now x2). I'm on black bear now and have no definite plans to hunt either but if I do ever hunt either I think it will probably be in Colorado (as this is where I now have points!).