Colorado Father/Son (youth) Hunt Ideas

basschump

FNG
Joined
Jun 19, 2017
Messages
6
Location
Central Texas
Help me plan this hunt.
My son starts HS this year and loves the outdoors and hunting. I've been racking my brain on how to make a western hunt work with our time constraints. Were 15 hours +/- form the southern units (Durango, Pagosa). Any further than this, and it doubles my the travel days- which is problematic for school. I don't have any substantial Colorado experience. I'm more familiar with New Mexico, but it would be unlikely to draw tags together as non-residents.

I've studied the CO draw statistics until I'm cross-eyed. It looks like there is a very good chance to draw deer tags in these units and a cow tag for him without preference points. The harvest successes aren't outstanding, but reasonable enough. Am I on the right track with the combo concept? Or should I focus more on either sex first rifle tags? (also considered a late season cow hunt, but seem weather would be a major factor, especially with our travel distance).

I would appreciate any thoughts or suggestions on how to go about such a hunt- which tags, species, units to focus on.

Thanks

BC
 

Felix40

WKR
Joined
Jul 27, 2015
Messages
1,874
Location
New Mexico
Couple things. The draw has been done for weeks in CO so you wont be drawing any tags this year. That being said there are still leftover tags that can be very good. If you are starting to plan for next year then you can look at all the draw units. Are you open to any weapon or is rifle the only option?
 
OP
B

basschump

FNG
Joined
Jun 19, 2017
Messages
6
Location
Central Texas
Do you have preference points for deer? Many of the decent units require 3+ points to draw. I hunt Unit 83 and 5 points is needed to draw a 2nd season buck tag.

Here is an example of what I've been evaluating. If its a no-no to post units, etc., then I apologize in advance and hope a moderator removes this post. Analysis based on 2017 draw report. And assumes I can read it correctly.

My son and I can draw a 2nd Rifle Deer tag without a preference point in Unit 75. Harvest rate is about 50%, I have no idea of deer quality. It looks like my son could draw a cow tag w/o points and have about a 15% harvest rate in the second season.

In the 3rd season- he has a great chance to draw a deer tag w/o points, and a cow tag looks certain. I need points for deer and have a 40% chance to draw a cow tag w/o points. I could get an OTC Bull tag if I felt the need to hunt.

I don't have enough experience to gage if either of these options would be a quality hunting experience. Hoping for some insight from y'all if I'm on the right track.
 

Btaylor

WKR
Joined
Jun 3, 2017
Messages
2,441
Location
Arkansas
The quality of the hunting experience should not be determined by a filled tag only imo. My advice would be to pick a unit where you are confident of getting tags and start prepping for the trip. Set the expectation early and often that it will be a hunt in new country where you have no advantages and a kill may not happen. Engage him in the online scouting and gear planning as those are time to teach and bond. Refer back to those sessions on the hunt and connect the dots. My experience as a son was that when the emphasis was on the hunt and adventure rather than the kill I never had a less than spectacular hunting experiences. Filled tags were always just icing on the cake.
 
Joined
Dec 27, 2012
Messages
4,807
Location
Colorado
If you're planning on hunting in SW Colorado, you'll be joining a TON of folks. Especially during the rifle seasons. I swear the populations doubles with all the folks that show up here.
 

Wan2gobak

FNG
Joined
Oct 29, 2016
Messages
18
Location
Michigan
The quality of the hunting experience should not be determined by a filled tag only imo. My advice would be to pick a unit where you are confident of getting tags and start prepping for the trip. Set the expectation early and often that it will be a hunt in new country where you have no advantages and a kill may not happen. Engage him in the online scouting and gear planning as those are time to teach and bond. Refer back to those sessions on the hunt and connect the dots. My experience as a son was that when the emphasis was on the hunt and adventure rather than the kill I never had a less than spectacular hunting experiences. Filled tags were always just icing on the cake.

That is what we did for our 16 yo son's first elk hunt this year, picked a unit we knew we were likely to draw to have the experience with him. Once he starts college in a couple years it will be harder to get him away, so we are allowing him to miss school. Filling a tag or 2 would be a dream come true but the experience is a blessing in itself.
 
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