CO unit 54 - newb in need

[smoothie25]

Hey guys, new to the forum. I've found this forum to be extremely helpful and has some great content relating to backpack hunting. It seems like most of the knuckleheads that lurk on other forums to verbally abuse anyone who comments aren't on this one.

Me and a couple buddies pulled the trigger and applied for Colorado 2nd rifle season mule deer tags in unit 54. Looking to backpack in to the West Elk Wilderness and hopefully see a few deer. We don't have a whole of experience hunting out west being from the east side of the Mississippi. I've been listening to the Gritty Bowmen podcast with Brian Call and Aron Snyder just trying to absorb as much info as I can before we hopefully head out to CO this October. The GB podcast has been very informative and I can't listen to them fast enough! Definitely worth checking out if you haven't already.

Anyway.. just looking for some pointers on this unit and what to expect. Any help is greatly appreciated!

Nick

 

[Bar]

You should wait until you get the tags first.

 

[robby denning]

Do you know if you have enough points to draw?

Bucks will be in transition and can be hit or miss on that season. It's a good unit with a few really big bucks and more than a few that'll make you happy. I have NOT heard how the winter is finishing out down there but it's prone to winter kill.

But depending on the weather during your season, you might not want to be in the wilderness. Bucks may have migrated by then or at least starting. Long hikes to deerless country can be the result.

You really need to have some exact places to hunt in the mid-elevation zones. It's huge country especially if you're coming from east of the Mississippi.

If you can make a summer trip out there and talk to some locals, learn some access, it'll go miles come season in keeping you encouraged. There won't be many bucks to scout come summer unless you get in the high country but all that quakie/oak country holds big bucks.


Don't know if you'll find exactly what you're hoping for on any forum, but glad you checked in.

 

[smoothie25]

Much appreciated. You've confirmed my thoughts on the weather... Expect the unexpected. Is there a correlation between temperature and the elevation deer will be at? Or is it more dependent on snow cover? I guess my question is... What makes the deer move from high to low elevation?

 

[Bar]

Snow makes them come down, but they'll come down anyway as the days shorten. Even without snow. They aren't like elk and don't deal with snow well. They don't want to be caught in it.

 

[oopslala]

PM sent

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

I suggest if you can afford it that someone pick up an OTC bull tag too, never know what you'll run into. I did that hunt last year and ended up coming home with a 5x4 bull rather than a buck. I wasted much of my hunt on the northern edge of 54 due to some of my hunting camp wanting to hit 521. Bailed down to the south side midweek and got into much better deer sign, just ended up tagging a bull instead that day. Got him packed out and then all the camp bailed but one guy so I helped him in 521 for a couple days and didn't make it back into 54. I want to go back.

If you're going in deep I heard from a few different folks I stopped and talked to that the north side of the chains had some solid bucks running around on it, I didn't get in that far myself.

One recommendation I have is get tire chains for all 4 tires, not even joking. There is a really slick mud there that clogs up tire tread. We dealt with a lot of rain and it made that stuff slick/snotty. Without chains the slightest slope to the road had vehicles sliding to the side, etc. or spinning out on mellow inclines.

 

[Josh Wright]

Whatever you do, come prepared for the worst. Just like the above post, chains, etc. The mountains will chew you up and spit you out. At the least, it can make your trip miserable if you aren't prepared.

 

[Ono]

Think that non-res tag is 3 pts or better. Serious steep rugged country. I would certainly pick up an elk tag. Also second rifle is later this year than previous years.

 

[Bulldawg]

I suggest if you can afford it that someone pick up an OTC bull tag too, never know what you'll run into.

This is a nice thought but they don't offer OTC bull tags for 54. They have capped either sex tags available on a first come first serve bases in the summer, so if you get one it's a good idea but just buying an OTC tag won't work out for you in 54.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

This is a nice thought but they don't offer OTC bull tags for 54. They have capped either sex tags available on a first come first serve bases in the summer, so if you get one it's a good idea but just buying an OTC tag won't work out for you in 54.

Oops!! I was thinking of 53, my bad. (Still bring chains ).

By the way I think this year its capped bull tags for 54 rather than either sex during O2.

 

[Bar]

This is a nice thought but they don't offer OTC bull tags for 54. They have capped either sex tags available on a first come first serve bases in the summer, so if you get one it's a good idea but just buying an OTC tag won't work out for you in 54.

It's still an OTC tag which means they don't draw for the tags. You just need to be ready to buy it when it opens up. I have never failed to get an OTC with caps tag. Only those who wait until the next day to buy it that fail.

 

[jm1607]

From what I understand 54 still hasn't quite recovered from the big winter die off of 07/08 (I think those are the years?).

Also, I just read in Eastman's recently that there's a major mountain lion problem in that unit currently and they are hurting the deer population..

 

[bogeyboy555]

Spent a lot of time down there..... Words of advice - use the Colorado Hunt Atlas planner and stay away from the Mill Creek Drainage, South Castle Creek and north castle creek. TONS of day hikers go there to see the famed "The Castles" of West Elk Wilderness. There are a lot of animals in general in there. Be careful, there are a ton of bears in that area as well. TONS.

 

[jm1607]

Do you know if you have enough points to draw?

Bucks will be in transition and can be hit or miss on that season. It's a good unit with a few really big bucks and more than a few that'll make you happy. I have NOT heard how the winter is finishing out down there but it's prone to winter kill.

But depending on the weather during your season, you might not want to be in the wilderness. Bucks may have migrated by then or at least starting. Long hikes to deerless country can be the result.

You really need to have some exact places to hunt in the mid-elevation zones. It's huge country especially if you're coming from east of the Mississippi.

If you can make a summer trip out there and talk to some locals, learn some access, it'll go miles come season in keeping you encouraged. There won't be many bucks to scout come summer unless you get in the high country but all that quakie/oak country holds big bucks.


Don't know if you'll find exactly what you're hoping for on any forum, but glad you checked in.

Would this be a better hunt a little earlier or a little later?

 

[Ono]

This is a nice thought but they don't offer OTC bull tags for 54. They have capped either sex tags available on a first come first serve bases in the summer, so if you get one it's a good idea but just buying an OTC tag won't work out for you in 54.

Not to derail, but If I'm looking at the regs correctly, 54 Second rifle bull elk is OTC with caps. No either sex tags in the unit any more unless on private.

Yep, bears, lots of bears in this unit.

 

[Bulldawg]

Not to derail, but If I'm looking at the regs correctly, 54 Second rifle bull elk is OTC with caps. No either sex tags in the unit any more unless on private.

Yep, bears, lots of bears in this unit.

Yeah sorry I haven't looked close to that, used to be a capped either sex tag.

 

[chindits]

We lucked out this winter, we had long stretches of sub zero temps and fair amounts of low elevation snow. However, late winter thaw kicked in just in time and the major spring dumps have missed us so I haven't seen any significant winter kill. Early cold weather grass is greening up fine on the south slopes if you check out that sage understory. CPW talks of increasing the deer tags and decreasing the elk harvest in the area.