DIY Colorado mule deer 2025.

[Iceman82]

Looking for suggestions on a DIY mule deer for 2025 in CO. I'll be going on with 19 points. I'm thinking I just want to do it myself and would like to hunt the plains.
All suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[OKHunter84]

You should be able to draw in a lot of places with those points. The plains don't have a lot of public so it might be difficult to do DIY.

 

[Fortboy22]

With that many points, you should be supremely interested in what CPW decides this spring with the next 5 year season structure. It is my observation that deer population numbers and buck-to-doe ratio's around the state are relatively strong (with exception of hard hit areas from winter 2023). The problem, is that this current season structure, going into year 5, has crushed older age classes and a lot of the bucks being counted are young. If they choose to go back to the old season dates, it will take a minute, but the return to better age classes may not be that far away. Food for thought.

 

[PathFinder]

Hunt the plains and DIY really don't belong in the same sentence. Especially with 19 points. I'm not sure what kind of points it takes to hunt the best plains units, but I'm sure it's lots less than 19. Best to hire an outfitter if you're set on that side of the state for some reason.

 

[mainbeam pursuit2]

Hunt the plains and DIY really don't belong in the same sentence. Especially with 19 points. I'm not sure what kind of points it takes to hunt the best plains units, but I'm sure it's lots less than 19. Best to hire an outfitter if you're set on that side of the state for some reason.

This is spot on.

 

[IrkedCitizen]

RES/NR? Age? Any physical limitations?

 

[Iceman82]

Sorry NR. 60 Yrs old, good condition still climbing mountains.

 

[CodeMonkey]

Plains requires access (nearly all private) and the really good habitat has been leased by outfitters. You can absolutely shoot a monster out there, but your pocketbook will be lighter. Honestly a "management" buck through one of these outfits would likely be the biggest buck I've ever taken. These hunts generally take little points to draw since you need the aforementioned access to hunt them. Land owner vouchers are likely available as well for an additional fee to allow you to preserve your points.

With the rifle dates likely moving back to arguably where they should be, you're looking at 4th rifle if you want a peak rut hunt in the mountain units. Problem is with 19 points you're in a bit of no man's land where some of the premier units are still out of reach. while the units you can draw you could have hunted a few times already.

 

[Iceman82]

Thanks.
Thanks helpful information

 

[ElkArcher918]

Looking for suggestions on a DIY mule deer for 2025 in CO. I'll be going on with 19 points. I'm thinking I just want to do it myself and would like to hunt the plains.
All suggestions would be appreciated.

As a NR DIY with that many points I'd be looking at the Western slope for a good deer hunt. Not much public land on the plains worthy of your points. The 2023 winter was tough on the CO deer and it may take a while for the herd to build back up in certain regions.