CO High Country Deer

[Vids]

I was able to snag a unit 551 archery deer tag off the leftover list this afternoon. I know the area well, so I don't have any of the typical "honeyhole" questions.

The question I do have for folks is this - With the heavy snowfall and late snow pack this year, what observations have you all been making during scouting for your high country deer hunts?

Did the food sources up high grow enough for the deer to move up? I thought I read on a forum somewhere that elk and deer were staying a lot lower this year. Please share some feedback so I know whether or not to hit my usual spots above treeline or look lower for them. Thanks!

 

[veganhunter]

With the heavy snowfall and late snow pack this year, what observations have you all been making during scouting for your high country deer hunts?

Mosquitoes. Everywhere.

 

[Vids]

Mosquitoes. Everywhere.

I’m from Minnesota, Colorado mosquitoes don’t frighten me.

See any deer up high?


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[Dos Perros]

I went to a well known unit last week July. Not a single deer seen up high. But I did glass up some elk above treeline over 4 miles away.

The skeeters made a nice addition to my chicken curry.

 

[Newtosavage]

I’m from Minnesota, Colorado mosquitoes don’t frighten me.

Congrat's on the tag!

Took the family to Colorado a couple weeks ago. All the reports and all the locals were telling us how "awful" the mosquitoes were. I was like yea right. I lived on the gulf coast for 6 years and in east TX for most of my childhood. Like you said, it's all relative.

We saw campers hosing their kids down with OFF at the first sight of a mosquito. My wife and daughter and I never even bothered to put spray on. It was quite comical the reactions we were seeing. Those folks don't EVER need to venture near the TX coast. LOL

 

[street]

It's not usually the mosquitoes that bother me too much, it's the horse flies.

 

[Bigjay73]

I lived in eastern North Carolina for years, and was stationed in Haiti for a bit in the 90s . I know mosquitoes, the mosquitoes in some areas of Colorado are the worst I've ever seen in my life. Now its only in some areas that they're around, but if you find them, you will be flabbergasted as to the amount that are flying around. They were horrendous in the indian peaks wilderness around the lakes, down in 551 last weekend, I barely saw any while fishing.

 

[Slick2Slide]

The bucks that I've seen are just as high as usual, if not higher. I've seen a few at 12,900' this summer.

 

[BrokenArrow]

I’ve also seen many bucks around tree line. The only unusual thing I’ve noticed is that since there is feed everywhere, they are just scattered all over the place. Usually they are restricted to certain “pastures” in lower growth production years.

 

[Jaden Bales]

I'll echo what these other dudes are saying. I scout 2-3 days a week, usually one of those days above 10k ft. Places in late June on the edge of the low timber/pasture country where I saw a 30-40 elk and deer are now virtually vacant, but everything looks to be business as usual up high.

Just seems like everything moved uphill later, but they're all where they should be this year, from my experience.

 

[Trr15]

Mosquitoes. Everywhere.

I got back from the CO high country a week ago and the mosquitoes were unbelievable. Damn near immune to bug spray too. I’ve never seen so much moisture this time of year in northern CO/southern WY.


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