A tag in the hand vs secondary draw?

[guitarpreston]

Let me first start with, I've never been out west, I live in Texas, and I am a freaking idiot...I have a week off in Sept and drew a CO mule deer tag in 444, but didn't consider the drive taking over a day, its about 1000 miles and that's a bit more than I feel like I can manage. So now I have an internal debate, return that tag and try in the secondary for something a bit closer (actually use my head this time) and if I don't get drawn, go OTC elk or just stick with what I have..Closer would give me a full extra day to hunt. Obviously since it's that far, boots on the ground scouting beforehand is out for me, as is taking more time away from the family and job.

So what would you do?

 

[displacedtexan]

Con a friend into going with me to split the driving.

 

[Megalodon]

fly

 

[11boo]

Put it off till you have more time. Even the closest units are a day drive

 

[Timberline001]

Do you have the weekend on both sides of the week available? If you have 2 days of travel and 7 days to hunt I’d definitely do it. That’s plenty of time.

 

[guitarpreston]

Do you have the weekend on both sides of the week available? If you have 2 days of travel and 7 days to hunt I’d definitely do it. That’s plenty of time.

No I just have Sunday-Sat or Monday-Sunday. Only 5 days off work and a weekend.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

fly if you live within 2 hours of a decent sized airport, a boned out deer isn't that big.

 

[Timberline001]

I’d still hunt but I just take every chance I get. I applied for Colorado this year with the intention of driving overnight then hunting 3 days and heading back the 3rd night because that’s all I had available in November. If there’s a chance to hunt I’m taking it, you never know what could happen.

 

[guitarpreston]

I’d still hunt but I just take every chance I get. I applied for Colorado this year with the intention of driving overnight then hunting 3 days and heading back the 3rd night because that’s all I had available in November. If there’s a chance to hunt I’m taking it, you never know what could happen.

For sure! Im just debating this hunt unit vs a secondary draw unit with OTC elk as a backup. Regardless I am going. Just trying to get the most out of my time.

 

[displacedtexan]

I’d still hunt but I just take every chance I get. I applied for Colorado this year with the intention of driving overnight then hunting 3 days and heading back the 3rd night because that’s all I had available in November. If there’s a chance to hunt I’m taking it, you never know what could happen.

But you know what won't happen if you don't go!

 

[displacedtexan]

How many driving hours from your place to the unit?

 

[Timberline001]

For sure! Im just debating this hunt unit vs a secondary draw unit with OTC elk as a backup. Regardless I am going. Just trying to get the most out of my time.

I would keep the tag you have, personally there isn’t a tag in Colorado I’d want to hunt that’s close enough to make a big even ouch difference in travel time. And I’d definitely rather hunt that hunt for 4 days effectively than have 4 days to hunt otc elk. 444 is about as in the middle of Colorado’s good hunting as you’ll find. Most areas arnt going to be hardly any closer.

 

[guitarpreston]

How many driving hours from your place to the unit?

GPS is showing 16 hours, but that includes driving through all of DFW, Amarillo, then up through Denver. Not sure what the traffic is like up through Colorado Springs to Denver, but I know DFW is a nightmare.

 

[DanColorado]

Secondary draw tags give preference to under 18 hunters so most of the good tags go that direction. I would stay with what you have!

 

[MuleyFever]

Secondary draw tags give preference to under 18 hunters so most of the good tags go that direction. I would stay with what you have!

This is what I was going to say. Dont most of the tags get taken by youth hunters?

 

[displacedtexan]

GPS is showing 16 hours, but that includes driving through all of DFW, Amarillo, then up through Denver. Not sure what the traffic is like up through Colorado Springs to Denver, but I know DFW is a nightmare.

I'd leave after work, drive till I was exhausted and sleep a few hours in the truck.

Same thing on the way home.

It'll give you an extra day in your unit, and put you through DFW not at rush hour so you'll make good time. I've hauled trailers through the Metroplex and never gone under 80. Lol

 

[MallardSX2]

Man up. Drive it.

I drove from PA to western Colorado 4 different times and never turned the truck off on any of the trips......

 

[Wrench]

Leave late at night. Winning the tag is the first prize.

Sincerely,

Me, who hasn't drawn a bull tag ever in my life.....trying since 92'.

 

[JFK]

I’d either find a way to hunt the tag you have or return it. No point in trading it in for a lesser tag with a slightly shorter drive. Personally I’d find a way to make it work as not hunting it and wondering what could have been would suck more than the temporary suck of the driving.

 

[sndmn11]

@guitarpreston if you used any points, keep the tag.