Colorado whitetail

[PBenjamin]

Anyone have any experience with whitetail otc tag on public land in Colorado?

 

[Bluffgruff]

If you're talking west of I25, it's going to be near impossible without private access.

 

[PBenjamin]

If you're talking west of I25, it's going to be near impossible without private access.

thats seems to be the consistent theme

 

[backcountrymuzzy]

I shot a whitetail doe on a riverbottom at 8000 feet last year during archery in a NF west of I25. I've never tried the OTC whitetail tags out East though, seems like they'd be pretty tough. I was duck hunting on Jean K Tool SWA a couple years ago and saw some whitetails, not sure if that's part of the OTC area though

 

[TOGIE]

there are no otc whitetail tags east of 25. it's select units west of 25, generally south central colorado.

tough hunting without private access. i've wanted to give it a shot one of these years, but i always seem to have a december cow elk tag... seems like a better use of time

edit: technically there is one unit available east of 25

 

[land7601]

I tried it last year. Was able to find enough places to hunt to fill an entire day, but overall it was extremely difficult and I didn't see a thing (outside of mulies). Feel free to PM if you have additional questions.

 

[PBenjamin]

I’m a new hunter and have no tags this year. I’m not comfortable going for a bull elk. Although chances are slim, otc tags for whitetail west of 25 are at least a opportunity. I’m definitely going to give a go no matter what. So thanks for the replies.

 

[Mudranger1]

Hit the search. there are usually posts on this every year

 

[vanish]

Get a deer tag off the reissues instead. You'll have a lot more success.

 

[land7601]

I absolutely agree with Vanish. I was naive and thought with all of the units this tag encompassed I'd be able to find something. There just aren't whitetails living west of I-25. If you have OnX, chances are we selected the same places to hunt. Shoot me a PM and I can give you details of exactly how things went and exactly what I saw (or didn't see).

 

[rideold]

It would be interesting to know if the program to control Whitetail has been found effective. Seems like I've heard from multiple sources that the public land option on this late season tag is pretty futile.

 

[LuketheDog]

There just aren't whitetails living west of I-25.

Sure there are, and the odds of killing them on public are very slim, but guys do get them on occasion...I've tried twice for 3-4 days total, and been blanked on both tags, but I DID find whitetail sign where I hunted. The game warden where I used to live also told me a number of mule deer does get killed on that tag by hunters who have no idea how to properly identify deer...

 

[AggieHunter]

Be sure to identify what you shoot. Almost pulled bak on a small buck while hunting in the mountains and it turned out to be a whitetail. Don't know what it was doing there

 

[vanish]

Be sure to identify what you shoot. Almost pulled bak on a small buck while hunting in the mountains and it turned out to be a whitetail. Don't know what it was doing there

It would have been legal. No such thing as a "mule deer only" tag in Colorado. ( though there are some whitetail only tags )

 

[jlmatthew]

Pueblo SWA use to have a pretty good whitetail population until that OTC tag came about. They are spreading, seen a whitetail doe along the Colorado river near Burns in GMU 35

 

[LuketheDog]

Pueblo SWA use to have a pretty good whitetail population until that OTC tag came about. They are spreading, seen a whitetail doe along the Colorado river near Burns in GMU 35

I think they get pushed out of that SWA pretty darn quick once the season opens...