duckhunt
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Looks like a great hunt
2019 2nd CO Deer (first timers)
- Thread starter HuntTalk Freak
- Start date
HuntTalk Freak
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- Joined
- Feb 10, 2018
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Well we found a good spot with lots of sign yesterday morning. Seen nine doe and one spike that looked legal but I let him walk. We hunted that drainage from sun up to sun down, changed vantage points midday to adjust for the wind and sun. Found two old elk carcasses and one fresh deer carcass.
We talked to a local rancher and he said most people just drive right by this spot because it’s close to town but there are lots of animals in there. We hiked a little over six miles and basically had the are to ourselves.
So in all I had two chances to fill my tag this week and we did see deer almost every day. I learned a lot and could probably fill my tag if I come back in a year or two. I’ll do a better right up next week sometime on what worked, what didn’t, etc.
We head home tomorrow but today is for the wife; we are going fishing and checking into a hot springs resort for the night.
We talked to a local rancher and he said most people just drive right by this spot because it’s close to town but there are lots of animals in there. We hiked a little over six miles and basically had the are to ourselves.
So in all I had two chances to fill my tag this week and we did see deer almost every day. I learned a lot and could probably fill my tag if I come back in a year or two. I’ll do a better right up next week sometime on what worked, what didn’t, etc.
We head home tomorrow but today is for the wife; we are going fishing and checking into a hot springs resort for the night.
HuntTalk Freak
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- Joined
- Feb 10, 2018
- Messages
- 1,168
We made the trip home Saturday. I drove the sixteen hours back only stopping long enough to get gas four times and a burger once, oh and we did make a little stop in Santa Fe for some green chili to bring home. We did catch a couple of rainbows out of the San Juan which was fun and they were tasty! The resort was okay but expensive, the wife deserves it for putting up with me though.
Some observations and learning experiences.
I drove all the way to Colorado to end up hunting mule deer the same way I hunt whitetail in the hill country of TX, spot and stalk or sitting small edges. My dreams of sitting and glassing never came to fruition as the areas I marked on OnX were either too thick, too steep or had too much human presence.
Yes, it was "crowded" but mainly only along roads and trails. Hike away from that and you don't see people.
Never saw a public land elk. We found tracks, rubs, fresh droppings, old droppings, skeletal remains and a wallow. I'm glad I didn't buy a OTC tag.
I'm glad we decided to rent a condo instead of camping. The original place I wanted to camp ended up being full of horse camps and was packed with people. Being centrally located in the middle of the three units my tag was good for helped us stay mobile and find animals. Plus we got much better rest.
I learned how to look at and decipher Google Earth and OnX better. Some of my first few areas I had marked to look over were way too steep and high or just too deep and wide to do much hunting in.
Driving through Dallas still sucks!
When I'm hunting I need to slow down and enjoy the process a little more instead of being stressed with filling the tag and how much money I've spent on the trip. After it was all said and done I was fine letting the only two bucks we saw walk since they were young. Instead I came home with the most expensive pair of rainbow trout in history.
I can fill my freezer hunting my place here in TX. I wanted to see and hunt in the Rockies and I accomplished that along side of the woman I'll spend the rest of my life with. Not a bad first western hunt at all.
Some observations and learning experiences.
I drove all the way to Colorado to end up hunting mule deer the same way I hunt whitetail in the hill country of TX, spot and stalk or sitting small edges. My dreams of sitting and glassing never came to fruition as the areas I marked on OnX were either too thick, too steep or had too much human presence.
Yes, it was "crowded" but mainly only along roads and trails. Hike away from that and you don't see people.
Never saw a public land elk. We found tracks, rubs, fresh droppings, old droppings, skeletal remains and a wallow. I'm glad I didn't buy a OTC tag.
I'm glad we decided to rent a condo instead of camping. The original place I wanted to camp ended up being full of horse camps and was packed with people. Being centrally located in the middle of the three units my tag was good for helped us stay mobile and find animals. Plus we got much better rest.
I learned how to look at and decipher Google Earth and OnX better. Some of my first few areas I had marked to look over were way too steep and high or just too deep and wide to do much hunting in.
Driving through Dallas still sucks!
When I'm hunting I need to slow down and enjoy the process a little more instead of being stressed with filling the tag and how much money I've spent on the trip. After it was all said and done I was fine letting the only two bucks we saw walk since they were young. Instead I came home with the most expensive pair of rainbow trout in history.
I can fill my freezer hunting my place here in TX. I wanted to see and hunt in the Rockies and I accomplished that along side of the woman I'll spend the rest of my life with. Not a bad first western hunt at all.
HuntTalk Freak
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2018
- Messages
- 1,168
Some things that worked.
Barret Fieldcraft. Even though I didn't shoot anything it was nice have such a light and compact rifle.
Nomad mid season pants. Very comfortable and kept me warm even down in the low 20's I never wore a bottom base layer. I bought them on clearance for $30-40.
Vortex Diamondback 10x42 factory refurbs. They are clear and were cheap!
Danner boots! Yeah, I know..... I have jacked up feet and have yet to find anything that really works for my small heel cup. But my feet stayed dry and ankles were supported. My wife had a better model of Danners than me and she never complained once about blisters, rubbing or wet feet.
Our cheap puffy jackets. I bought some halfway decent ones last year but mainly wore one I found for $5 at our local farm and ranch store.
Some things that didn't.
The Rider watch I bought off camofire three weeks ago, died midway though our hunt. It started counting down elevation and time and ended up saying -4400 feet then went blank.
Mystery Ranch Glacier. I've been happy with this pack up until this hunt but I don't think it will really handle the weight I want it to. No complaints other than that really.
The lightweight camp chairs I bought are nice and even though they only weigh 1.5lbs I got tired of carrying mine around.
Walmart trekking poles. Just don't, trust me on this.
Barret Fieldcraft. Even though I didn't shoot anything it was nice have such a light and compact rifle.
Nomad mid season pants. Very comfortable and kept me warm even down in the low 20's I never wore a bottom base layer. I bought them on clearance for $30-40.
Vortex Diamondback 10x42 factory refurbs. They are clear and were cheap!
Danner boots! Yeah, I know..... I have jacked up feet and have yet to find anything that really works for my small heel cup. But my feet stayed dry and ankles were supported. My wife had a better model of Danners than me and she never complained once about blisters, rubbing or wet feet.
Our cheap puffy jackets. I bought some halfway decent ones last year but mainly wore one I found for $5 at our local farm and ranch store.
Some things that didn't.
The Rider watch I bought off camofire three weeks ago, died midway though our hunt. It started counting down elevation and time and ended up saying -4400 feet then went blank.
Mystery Ranch Glacier. I've been happy with this pack up until this hunt but I don't think it will really handle the weight I want it to. No complaints other than that really.
The lightweight camp chairs I bought are nice and even though they only weigh 1.5lbs I got tired of carrying mine around.
Walmart trekking poles. Just don't, trust me on this.
