Colorado OTC Mule Deer Units?

[bmoran93]

Hello friends,

I'm new to this whole out west hunting deal. I'm from IN and have never been on a western hunt but have the desire to start traveling out west to hunt on a regular basis. I'm hoping to do an OTC hunt for mule deer in CO to get my feet wet. Can any of you suggest units likely to have OTC tags available for Archery season? My schedule looks like it will have to be in the month of September. Any and all advice are welcome! Thanks everyone!

 

[Pelican]

Colorado doesn’t have OTC mule deer tags. All tags are draw, but you can buy the leftovers in August. Go to the CPW site and check out the hunting statistics. There are ~ 150 deer units in CO. If you narrow down your request to specific units, you might get some input.

 

[T Bone]

For OTC archery, I'd go Idaho or South Dakota.

 

[Jerky]

There are tags you can draw with 0 points.

 

[Bullshot]

Plenty of OTC elk units to get your feet wet on if the deer draw doesn't work out...

 

[bigcountry]

There are units you can apply for with 0 points and still draw. That would be a great way to get started. You'll run into other hunters since you don't need any points, but it's a good way to get started at least.

 

[WVgoodguy22]

Yeah for the last couple months of watching application strategy videos mostly for elk or even a big game overview from 2018 and thinking that CO had an OTC opportunity for mule deer in the 2nd and 3rd rifle I watched the HUSHIN one strictly on applying for mule deer he said that you have to apply for drawing a tag there was not OTC for mule deer. Here I am waiting for my Army bro to come home from serving overseas to make our plans, so we were thinking that both Idaho and CO had otc mule deer and cow elk opportunities. I can only afford the mule deer one and now I know after reading the CO regs, and doing more research that I would have to apply and only have one day for that, but don't want to force my brother into Colorado if he wants to do something else somewhere else. He was thinking cow elk and mule deer combo, so we would have to go Idaho and just buy preference points or bonus points for states that have a point system unlike Idaho and New Mexico.

 

[elkduds]

FYI. Tomorrow, Tuesday before 8 pm is the deadline to buy CO pref points or apply for the main limited tag drawing.

 

[WVgoodguy22]

FYI. Tomorrow, Tuesday before 8 pm is the deadline to buy CO pref points or apply for the main limited tag drawing.

Just bought my CO "qualifying" license and a preference point for both deer and elk for the first time. Thanks.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Just bought my CO "qualifying" license and a preference point for both deer and elk for the first time. Thanks.

Which is the perfect amount of points for a CO hunt

Don’t play the game too much, get out there as soon as possible.

 

[WVgoodguy22]

Which is the perfect amount of points for a CO hunt

Don’t play the game too much, get out there as soon as possible.

Next year hopefully. I have heard of quite a few people who are quite successful harvesting quality bucks and bulls in units that are 2 points or less. Planning on an OTC rifle mule deer hunt in Idaho this fall with my Army bro. Waiting for him to come home from overseas to make more concrete plans. Hopefully I can get enough time off for at least a 5 day hunt.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I’ve yet to hunt a unit in CO that takes more than a point, so yes I agree there are lots of opportunities in the 0-2 range. 5 days is a decent amount of time for a hunt, personally I like backpack hunting, it’s not any more productive than car camping but just makes it just bumps the authenticity factor for me.

 

[CampRipleyLF]

You can definitely get a left over tag for many units and if you are in the draw there are plenty of units that need a minimum of 0 points to draw. That being said, there are
plenty of quality deer throughout Colorado. You'll just have to find a unit that you like and put the boots to the ground. When you go through the leftovers, I'd look for the higher country tags, beautiful country and some great bucks. In general, I find it harder to get good information on good "OTC" units than units it takes years to draw. No one wants to give up there secret honey hole where they can go every year.

 

[Elkhunter24]

Colorado doesn’t have OTC mule deer tags. All tags are draw, but you can buy the leftovers in August. Go to the CPW site and check out the hunting statistics. There are ~ 150 deer units in CO. If you narrow down your request to specific units, you might get some input.

agree

 

[Topoman]

I know a guy who had success in the OTC whitetail hunt in Colorado also...not an easy hunt by any means, but better than staying home. I haven't hunted the OTC whitetail stuff there myself. PM me and I can give some more info.

 

[Neverevenseenanelk]

Hello friends,

I'm new to this whole out west hunting deal. I'm from IN and have never been on a western hunt but have the desire to start traveling out west to hunt on a regular basis. I'm hoping to do an OTC hunt for mule deer in CO to get my feet wet. Can any of you suggest units likely to have OTC tags available for Archery season? My schedule looks like it will have to be in the month of September. Any and all advice are welcome! Thanks everyone!

Colorado doesn’t have OTC mule deer tags. All tags are draw, but you can buy the leftovers in August. Go to the CPW site and check out the hunting statistics. There are ~ 150 deer units in CO. If you narrow down your request to specific units, you might get some input.

Can you draw a mule deer and an elk tag for the same Hunt units and date?

 

[publichunter1]

Can you draw a mule deer and an elk tag for the same Hunt units and date?

Welcome to hunt talk. Yes you can if you have the required points to get both tags. Or if you have the points for deer and the elk tag is OTC.

 

[Buffs35]

all the deer went to Utah.