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First real season hunting deer

TJack

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Aug 23, 2015
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My wife and I got a leftover deer tag last year for 2nd season rifle in unit 27 and seen no deer and tons of hunters. We couldn't do the draw because we didn't have our hunters ed before the deadline. That said, we are looking for some advice on where to go this year. We obviously are not looking for trophy deer, just some good places with a better shot of filling the freezer I'm still trying to wrap my head around the whole preference point system, but think I kind of got it down.

My thought is that I put a preference point as my first option, then I was thinking of going for unit 3/301 as my second choice based on data from 2014 and the fact it doesn't take any preference points. For my wife I was thinking of doing a different unit in second season. Or possibly going out east to unit 92 as I've heard there's a good chance of getting a doe out there.

Good plan? Bad plan? How many and what kind of rookie mistakes am I making lol. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

This is in colorado
 
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Yes colorado, kinda forgot that part. It's only a little important
 
If you want a tag in 3/301 you need to put it in for it as your 1st choice. You will not draw it as a second choice. Residents have a 56% chance of drawings the 2nd rifle tag with zero points if you put it as your 1st choice. For the 3rd rifle tag (which in my opinion is waaaaay better) you have a 31% chance as a res with no points. If you are a non resident you will need at least a point to draw these tags. I got all of the info mentioned above here:http://cpw.state.co.us/thingstodo/Pages/Statistics-Deer.aspx. Watch the video at the top of the page.

I also use the hunt atlas a ton: http://ndismaps.nrel.colostate.edu/index.html?app=HuntingAtlas

I'm not surprised you had a frustrating hunt, as unit 27 second rifle deer usually has success rates in the teens. Not a very good deer unit, but that is why it's a leftover. The last few years none of the leftovers for deer are worth anything. You are better off getting a landowner voucher or a montana deer combo.

Unit 3 is excellent for a quantity hunt. Lots of bucks there, but finding a decent one can be tough. It's kinda known as the deer factory in CO. If you want a better chance at getting a tag this year I would look at the units around Collbran. Success rates aren't as good as 3/301 but they are still pretty dang good, and you have a very good shot of drawing a tag. Hope this helps.
 
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I was camped in the campground in Maybell a couple of years ago with BigSlick and his wife during 3rd season, which would be in 301, and right down the roads onto public there would be deer. We saw one monster of a buck, but he was well onto private land, and I think he knew it. But, you can definitely kill a buck there on public land. The campground has showers and electricity and isn't all that overpriced.
 
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