Colorado question?

[Tbob]

So I’d like to try going to Colorado next year for a solo mule deer rifle hunt. I have never put in for Colorado so I have no points built up. Are there any options out there for me? Are there any otc tags to be had? I’m not a trophy hunter, would just like the chance at a descent mulie buck. It seems quite confusing to me with all the different seasons to choose from as well. I’ll be solo so a season or area with less snow would be helpful as well.  (No fun being stuck in the snow by yourself trying to dig the truck out).. lol. Would most likely prefer a hunt where I can set up a base camp from the truck and hike around from there each day.
     Anyone have any ideas for a first time Colorado solo mulie hunt? Thanks !!

[time2hunt]

There’s a few muzzy hunts in the alpine that you have a good chance drawing with no points. 


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[Mtnwalker]

Colorado is a tough system to figure out with so many options and seasons but you can probably find a 2nd season hunt in the NW corner for 0 points, lots of national forest up there around Steamboat. There is also a lot of scattered blm land around Colorado that can be had on no points but there's usually a lot of other hunters on any decent sized chunk. There is no such thing as over the counter deer down there so go online and start looking at what units are drawable with no points and start trying to find some public land on them, lots of the low point units are mostly private. Also watch the leftover list after the draws

[TomT]

Go take a look at www.toprut.com. 

[Branden]

If I had 0 points I would look at doing an alpine muzzy hunt in September. There are plenty of units to choose from. If strictly looking at a rifle hunt with 0 points a few units off the top of my head would be 18, 35, 421. I haven’t looked at odds in awhile for them but last time I looked you could draw at least second season. There are a lot of units with different types of terrain in Colorado. Figure out the type of terrain you want to hunt and then try to narrow it down to units you can draw with that type of terrain.

Regards, Branden

[Tbob]

Thanks for the advise so far guys.no chance I can do a muzzy hunt so I’m only looking at rifle hunts at the moment.

[Tbob]

Anybody else got anything?

[Stein]

I'm tossing around the idea of bagging WA and hunting 1-2 other states and here is what I will use if I end up pulling the trigger - looks like a great research tool, just wish it was per state instead of one largish fee.

https://www.gohunt.com/join-insider

[Oh Mah]

Deer is a given in MT. you apply you will get the tag.they have surplus every year that goes back to otc for residents after purchase period expires. 

$602.Most do not want the B tag 

[buglebuster]

Deer is a given in MT. you apply you will get the tag.they have surplus every year that goes back to otc for residents after purchase period expires. 

$602.Most do not want the B tag 

I know at least 6 people who didn't draw the deer tag there this year

[Oh Mah]

when i got mine at the end of it all they still had a couple hundred left that went to resident otc.They told me that they had more tags than non resident hunters even applied for.

[Tbob]

Sweet. Good to know.. looks like MT might be the better option for a guy with no points then.. ?

[Miles]

You are really limited to a few units when attempting to get a mule deer tag in Colorado with zero points.  The leftover list will have returned tags periodically and some are very good units.

Elk is easier as they have a bunch of OTC zones and seasons.

[Skyvalhunter]

Better to go with a landowner tag

[cardinalguns]

I have hunted CO most of my life, and I cannot recommend it over MT. The other posters are correct in stating that CO is draw only for deer. That being said, there are some units in which you can draw with zero preference points. If your virtual scouting skills are above par, you might try some units which contain whitetails, east of Interstate 25, but you will be working with a mix of private lands and state school board leases, and the associated access problems.

It is a numbers game, and the state CPW puts out the numbers, it only takes an MBA degree to discern your best chance.

If you can wait to gain a few points, it is a different story. My sister killed a nice 3x4 this year and my friend killed a B&C 171 point (green scored) muley. GMU's 80 and 76. There is also great deer hunting up in the NE corner of the state.

FYI, in CO you can gain points AND draw in the same year, you just have to draw a unit and season which has more licenses than applicants.

The elk hunting there is miserable these past years. The success rate in the unit I normally hunt is hovering around 5%.