First time Mule Deer Hunter, Muzzleloader or Rifle?

[Cohunter22]

Depends on what you want to hunt. Here in co the last part of 3rd rifle and 4th rifle are rut hunts. Can be fun but you have otc elk to compete with and 4th rifle is tough to draw with one point. Muzz tags can be good, but that time of year the bigger bucks are gonna be tough to find and when you do they are gonna be in little honey holes and move first and last hour of the day.

You can draw tags easy for 2nd rifle in some good units with 0 pts as a resident. I prefer to hunt 2nd and 3rd rifle when I can, had decent luck in both once you figure out the unit and where the deer are. That being said, you can also draw some awesome archery tags with zero points.


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[Fool-hearted Footslogger]

Statistically you’re right. You’d have a better chance to draw the muzzleloader tag. You might want to consider thinking more long term though. In these first few years build up area knowledge and skills. Hunting muley's is a different game than whitetail. Stack a few points and in the meantime use OTC elk tags to build on your knowledge. You’ll learn a lot about deer and elk both on those hunts and more importantly you’ll be stacking a few extra points for a nice buck when you’ve got a few years with boots on the ground. Below are some high-level stats. GMU selection plays a big roll in your actual odds.

CO Resident Deer — 1 Preference Point — 2025 Draw (Statewide)

Wpn	Muzzleloader	Rifle
Total statewide quota	8,781	68,493
Res 1st-choice applicants	5,839	58,736
Drawn at 0 pts	2,121	14,385
Drawn exactly at 1 pt	952	7,385
1-pt hunter odds	25.6%	16.7%
Hunt codes where 1pt drew	84 of 149	412 of 716

Strategically think for the future now. You wont regret it a few years from now.