3rd or 4th season is the question….

[Yooper906]

I know this is a very vague question and weather/area specific, but hear me out. With the dates for CO this coming year, I’m looking to burn my points (6).

I’m torn with what season to try for, 3rd or 4th. I like the fact that 3rd is nine days long and that is a good chunk of time to find the deer. Obviously, 4th is going to be prime rut. Another factor with 3rd is I can draw some units, that I won’t be able to draw 4th for quite some time.

I know there some of you that are in the same predicament as me or have hunted both. Just would like some experiences/opinions.

 

[WeiserBucks]

4th is almost always better than 3rd if you can draw it.

 

[Brianb3]

3rd


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[bigmoose]

I would go 3rd season. Depending on the unit, by the 4th season the deer could be mostly on private ground.

 

[cnelk]

Definitely 4th if you have the PPs [or Early Season]

 

[Yooper906]

Appreciate all the suggestions. I have enough preference points to draw some 4th rifle, more 3rd rifle, but not in the same exact units. Tough decision.

 

[Poser]

Where I live, I'd go for 4th, but it may very well be the case that the further South you go, the better the later dates get: 3rd rifle hunted near the WY border may be a similar experience to hunting 4th rifle near the NM border.

 

[Ktm500]

We hunted 3rd season this year and we never seen any rutting. Not even by a little buck. I would go fourth season and scout a few days before season if I wanted a longer hunt.

 

[robby denning]

4th is almost always better than 3rd if you can draw it.

You read my mind

OP, some guys worry by fourth season. the better bucks may have been shot, I agree in a fairly accessible unit where the deer reach winter range by third season that could happen.

But there are some fourth season units that have enough protection and elevation change that not all the bucks make it to the winter range where everybody’s at by third. And what @bigmoose said can be a real issue

Just a question you might ask as you narrow down your units.

But at the end of the day, you can’t go deer hunting if you don’t draw the tag. Building many points in Colorado right now seems to be the road to nowhere so I’d get hunting pretty soon if it were me.

Take it for what it’s worth

 

[Plainsman79]

The last 3-4 days of 3rd can bring some really good rutting action. Taking into account the 9 day season length, most (but not all) of the hunters are either filled or burned out and went home.

Something else to think about, are the units your looking at OTC bull tags during 3rd and limited draw during 4th? What’s the number of cow tags during each hunt? Elk hunting pressure will definitely put more people on the hill.

Do your units have enough accessible public land winter range for 4th? Don’t overlook mid elevation hardwood browse country.

 

[Yooper906]

But at the end of the day, you can’t go deer hunting if you don’t draw the tag. Building many points in Colorado right now seems to be the road to nowhere so I’d get hunting pretty soon if it were me.

Yeah, that’s what I’m thinking as well. I am going to be hunting mule deer in Colorado this year with the points I have! Just need to get a tag!