2020 Mule Deer Plan

[CiK]

I have 4 mule deer preference points for Colorado and I think I am going to use them in 2020. I am planning for a 4th season hunt. I have the gear for a cold, backcountry, wilderness hunt but this year, to my delight, my wife and kids want to come with for a vacation/hunt. We will most likely be staying in an AirBnB to accommodate the young ones.

I have never hunted for mule deer. What prevailing strategy I should be thinking about knowing my base camp is an AirBnB? I expect to be burning a lot of time driving to and from. It feels road hunting and spot/stalk will be a better use of my time than still hunting areas. My wife has no qualms with me camping (road camping) on a buck if I see one at dusk and need to be there super early and without noise in the morning. I am just trying to play it all out in my head and don’t want to miss anything.

As far as areas, what type of characteristics should I be looking for in a 4th season hunt? I know if I find the does the bucks won’t be far behind for that time of year. Should I focus on sage brush flats? Burns? Aspen patches? Dark timber? The only time I have seen mule deer is when I have hunted elk in September. I wouldn’t expect to find mule deer in those same high altitude places.

Sorry for the long post, again.........just wondering about it all and don’t want to miss anything. Thanks for any advice for me to scratch that mule deer itch.

 

[LCH]

Have you filtered the units you can draw a 4th season hunt with your points? That will probably help narrow things down quite a bit, especially given your requirements to be within reasonable driving distance of a place you'd like to vacation.

I've only hunted 3rd season in Colorado, but my typical strategy in November is to start low then work up from there.

I think in most units, deer will be easy enough to find that time of year.

My recommendation would be to make sure you have adequate gear in case of mishaps along the road; multiple spares, good jack, tow strap, shovel, extra fuel, water, blankets, etc. A night stranded in zero-degree temps becomes a more serious ordeal with young kids along.

 

[CiK]

Have you filtered the units you can draw a 4th season hunt with your points? That will probably help narrow things down quite a bit, especially given your requirements to be within reasonable driving distance of a place you'd like to vacation.

Yep, I am using TopRut right now. The areas I am looking at are front range areas. Even so, my wife's vacation expectations is a 'cabin in the woods' instead of a house in the city. I am feeling good about that because we can be a little bit further away from civilization no matter where we go.

Good call on the multiples and preparation. I will probably pack all my gear, just in case, like I am winter camping. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. I doubt her and the kids will come with me during the days anyway, but I could use it if needed. She just likes to be away from our normal and a rental in the woods fits that very well for her.

 

[CiK]

My wife talks to me only so much about this, so here I am posting again. LOL

How much should I pay attention to the winter range / winter range concentration layers? I feel its a good starting point, but don't want to be singularly focused on it. Anybody have experience with them being accurate?

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

My wife talks to me only so much about this, so here I am posting again. LOL

How much should I pay attention to the winter range / winter range concentration layers? I feel its a good starting point, but don't want to be singularly focused on it. Anybody have experience with them being accurate?

That’s were I would start.

 

[Foldem]

I would look further west than the front range personally, unless you like hunting small parcels of public and running into lots of hikers and mountain bikers.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

I would look further west than the front range personally, unless you like hunting small parcels of public and running into lots of hikers and mountain bikers.

I think colloquially the front range is defined as boulder/golden/evergreen, but geographically it’s units 8 south to 851... which encompasses a lot of vast swaths of national forest.

 

[CiK]

I don't know why I stress so much about this stuff. I am sure I will see deer and I am sure I will have fun. I have never been to Colorado, so it will be exciting no matter where I end up. The family is looking forward to it too, so that is a plus.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

I don't know why I stress so much about this stuff. I am sure I will see deer and I am sure I will have fun. I have never been to Colorado, so it will be exciting no matter where I end up. The family is looking forward to it too, so that is a plus.

If you can get a couple hours off 70 and 25 you will quickly find solitude. There are lots of good spots.

 

[TOGIE]

i've had friends that have tried the front range units, which I also think of as the boulder/golden/evergreen area, and i have also tried one with a 3rd season leftover tag.

generally i'd say you will see deer, but you will see them on private land. nor are the units great for glassing. 4th season will be worse, the lower elevations are very predominately private

look further west. and maybe consider using those points for a 3rd season hunt in a non front range unit. "front range" units further north could be more worth it, think fort collins area, say perhaps... cherokee

 

[CiK]

Not ever being out there, I was working from the assumption Front Range was from Unit 8 to 851 like described above. I wasn't thinking about right outside Denver.

 

[Muley_Stalker]

I prefer the muzzleloader season before the game get spooked by all the rifle hunters.

 

[CiK]

I didn't say this in the original post, but I am only leaning towards late season (4th) because we are picking up and heading to South Dakota Black Hills for a whitetail rifle hunt right after the hunt in Colorado. We are basically killing two birds with 1 stone (2 hunts with 1 drive out). That hunt goes from 11/1 to 11/30.