Need A Little Guidance Please

[Colberjs]

I've spent several days staring at a computer screen with Randy's Youtube videos, OnX Maps, Google Earth and now with GoHunt trying to figure out a good plan to hunt Colorado this year for elk and mule deer at the same time. I decided to just apply for a pref point for elk and hunt an OTC elk tag and try to draw a mule deer tag with my single preference point. I've entered my filtering specifics into GoHunt and have found a few units that I can draw. I'm thinking I'd like to try for 2nd rifle instead of archery. I try to find units without a lot of trails through them but they all seem to have trails every 2-4 miles. With what I'm working with in mind, would anybody be willing to steer me in a promising direction to fill at least one of my tags while I'm there. Maybe just a couple units to give more consideration to than others? This will be my 4th trip to CO for elk and will be my first with a mule deer tag. I realize this is a taboo subject and I really am not asking for GPS coordinates. Just a general area. I've always hunted southern CO and always run into multiple hunters. I'm thinking of getting a little further in-state to try to get away from the OK/TX crowds that just try to get across the border to hunt.

It will be a backpack hunt and I am willing to walk 3-5 miles in before setting up camp. As a solo hunting flatlander, I will be realistic and mention that I am not looking to try to pack an elk out 10 miles by myself.

A big thank you to anybody willing to contribute to my cause!!

 

[Colberjs]

I will add that I am not opposed to an archery hunt if that increases my odds of success due to deer/elk location/activity.

Shoot, if somebody that knows what they're doing wanted to let me tag along and gets some on-the-job training I would be forever grateful. I realize that's a long shot but figured I'd throw it out there.

 

[marksjeep]

I'll offer a few suggestions based solely on my experience. Hunting deer and elk at the same time can be very difficult. They may cross paths and you may see both, but successfully hunting them both simultaneously in the same area is a setup for disappointment with both.

If you want the best chances at an elk, put in for a PP AND a limited tag as a second choice, skip the OTC and forget about deer. Find a 1st season tag that was available last year as a leftover and put that as your 2nd choice. While still crowded, 1st season generally has less people in the woods as it's limited, and there are no deer hunters.

If you are set on a deer tag, focus on that. You might have the OTC elk tag in your pocket, but being successful with a bull elk while you are chasing deer will be all about luck. Deer are much more migratory than the elk during the fall. They will move with the weather and vegetation, so that will dictate where (elevation wise) you need to hunt. Most likely, the deer will be in an area that has few bull elk. Bulls have holed up by then and are hiding in the nasty.

Again, this is just my approach based on my experience. Good luck with your hunts!

 

[Pagosa]

I'd recommend reading the SW and NW hunting guides on the Colorado DOW website, if you haven't yet. Like Mark said maybe focus on elk for the first five-six days of the season in one area and move to another area for the last 2-3 days to deer hunt that is more productive for deer. Moving camp for 2-3 days or staying in a motel is not that big of problem. Usually a lot of the non-resident hunters have gone home after Wednesday or Thursday in the rifle seasons in Colorado. You will be hard pressed to get away from hunters in the 2nd season. I'd recommend either the 1st season for elk, or 3rd season for elk/deer. Also, if you are in very good shape I'd skip the backpack hunting, and glass very steep oakbrush/aspen/pinyon/juniper canyons located throughout western Colorado or plan to still hunt steep heavy timbered canyons where there maybe only a road at the top and no bottom access. I'd stick with SW Colorado, but hunt a different part. Good luck and hope you fill your tags.

 

[Colberjs]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll keep that in mind.

What got me thinking about deer is because all three times that I've been elk hunting I've seen mule deer and two different trips could've easily killed a nice buck with the weapon I was

Looks like I took the wrong approach. Sent in my app for an elk pref point only yesterday so mule deer is my only draw option now.

My most recent encounter with a mule deer buck was in 2014 during archery elk. I saw the same buck 2 evenings in a row. Would it be advantageous at all to return to that area this year during archery season? Or would I be better served finding a rifle unit I can draw?