Colorado deer hunt opinion

[Captnky]

Looking for opinions, I’ve hunted deer in Colorado only once, early rifle up high in the wilderness. OTC archery elk in the unit we were hunting but we were not seeing much for elk hunters as high as we were. Looked like a zoo down low.

Looking to cash in Colorado points (4) on a 3rd season public land deer hunt.

Would you stray away from the units that offered 3rd season OTC elk in preference of a unit that only has LE elk hunters? Or just go in with the thought that at the end of the day there will be elk hunters regardless and pick the unit that lends itself to your style of hunting?

 

[Timberline001]

I don’t let the presence of elk hunters change the tags I apply for. In my experience elk hunters in the field in Colorado was a plus. It kept deer on their feet and all the elk hunters wanted to tell you where they saw a good buck.

 

[Oregon]

I don’t let the presence of elk hunters change the tags I apply for. In my experience elk hunters in the field in Colorado was a plus. It kept deer on their feet and all the elk hunters wanted to tell you where they saw a good buck.

That was my exact experience on my one and only 3rd season tag 2 years ago.

 

[TrinityAlps]

I prefer hunting deer in units that don't have OTC elk tags.

 

[il_cop]

You'd be eliminating a ton of great country just to avoid otc elk hunters. You'd essentially be limiting yourself to the Gunnison/creede units for big deer potential (if you could draw). I suggest you hunt the unit and country you want and not worry about the OTC dudes. Plenty of great bucks killed during 2nd and 3rd in OTC units.

 

[HuntFishCamp]

I’m wondering the same as I look to put my 4 points in the pot next month.

 

[NICKJ]

Not exactly a lot of units you could draw 3rd season with 4 points that have limited elk…

You would be cutting off lots of great deer country

 

[LongWayAround]

A majority of areas that I would want a third season deer tag have OTC elk. Most of the remaining units either would be less desirable, or you're not drawing with four points as a non-resident.

There are certainly some areas that are easy to draw and have limited elk pressure.

In my opinion, if there's not many tags and they're easy to draw, the hunting probably isn't that good.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I live in Colorado and I avoid the 2 & 3 otc seasons like the plague. Just my take for sure.

 

[il_cop]

I live in Colorado and I avoid the 2 & 3 otc seasons like the plague. Just my take for sure.

You either hunt deer the front range, eastern plains or only hunt deer every 5 years (?)

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I hunt units that don't have otc elk tags and some units I know from my 25 years of research and experience. I also check the leftover tags. Usually 2 years and sometimes 3.

 

[justinspicher]

I worry less about how many other hunters are out there, regardless if they are elk or deer hunters and concern myself with where they are pushing animals. Most folks that hunt in my area hunt from the road. Very few venture very far from the road.

 

[Hnthrdr]

I know a bunch of non otc elk units that I would never dream of burning points to hunt deer in, they are a joke. So I wouldn’t write off a unit just because they have otc elk tags, some of my favorite deer units are also otc elk

 

[Maverick1]

Looking for opinions, I’ve hunted deer in Colorado only once, early rifle up high in the wilderness. OTC archery elk in the unit we were hunting but we were not seeing much for elk hunters as high as we were. Looked like a zoo down low.

Looking to cash in Colorado points (4) on a 3rd season public land deer hunt.

Would you stray away from the units that offered 3rd season OTC elk in preference of a unit that only has LE elk hunters? Or just go in with the thought that at the end of the day there will be elk hunters regardless and pick the unit that lends itself to your style of hunting?

My experience is archery hunting in September, so take this for what it's worth. (Or what you paid.)

Deer are at lower elevations, elk in the middle, and deer are at higher elevations. Some overlap in their ranges. But where I find elk I do not find many deer, and vice-versa. In the late season the game might be entirely different. But I would not let the presence of elk hunters influence my deer hunt or unit selection - for September.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

I don’t let the presence of elk hunters change the tags I apply for. In my experience elk hunters in the field in Colorado was a plus. It kept deer on their feet and all the elk hunters wanted to tell you where they saw a good buck.

Along these lines, wife and I ran into some deer hunters last year and I dropped OnX pins for them in several spots we sighted deer while glassing. I did so not only to be friendly but also thinking there's an off chance they might reciprocate if they sighted any Elk. So you might be able to take advantage of some extra eyes out there.

 

[OneShot]

I’ve been lucky and have had deer tags in my pocket every year except one since 2015 for 2nd and 3rd season thanks to the reissue. There is one unit with OTC elk I’ll never step foot in again. For my experience of the units I’ve been in, other than that one, I wouldn’t worry much about whether a unit had OTC or limited elk.
Find the unit that has the terrain you like to hunt and get a tag. The biggest player is out of our control and that will be the weather.

 

[Mdfowlman2]

@dzlfarmboy