Colorado Unit 161 (High Country)

[Nick28]

I am thinking about doing a high country archery mule deer hunt in colorado unit 161. Planning on going into the Mount Zirkel Wilderness, so it would be around 10,000 feet. Have always wanted to do a high country Mule Deer hunt so going to try to make it happen this year! Couple questions about the area, can I expect to see al lot of deer above the timberline? Is the hunting pressure bad from OTC elk hunters? I see there is a season at the same time, just wasnt sure if most of them stayed lower and more in the timber. Would appreciate anything that anyone can tell me about the unit! Live to far away to go and scout for myself. Thanks!

 

[Outofstate-r]

I have done the high country hunt in other units, never Zirkel though. My findings are that it's Colorado so expect it to be crowded or at least a few people. The elk will still be high so if other hunters are serious about getting a elk they will be up there too. You will probably not see that many deer. Have a plan A and B depending on how much time you have. Whatever you do, do not camp in the basin. Good luck!

 

[Husker hunter]

I've bow hunted elk up high there a few times and saw some deer, not many. The bigger bucks I have seen were far lower than the wilderness.

 

[come2elmo]

Was in 161 for first rifle elk saw mule deer way low when we were chased off the mountain due to a windstorm that never developed. Grr. Lots of hunters up above 10k. My uncle was up there during second rifle and said it was a zoo.

 

[cedahm]

Was in 161 for first rifle elk saw mule deer way low when we were chased off the mountain due to a windstorm that never developed. Grr. Lots of hunters up above 10k. My uncle was up there during second rifle and said it was a zoo.

FYI - 161 has gotten a lot of attention for elk in the last 3-4 years after some content creators spent time in there, so would expect company but I don't know many folks that hunt deer up there so you might get some good tips from the elk folks.

 

[Muskeez]

East side of the divide is a zoo during archery elk season. Each year I went there were more and more people further back and higher each year. The old days of saying everyone hunts within a mile or two of the road are over. There were just as many hunters 9 miles back as 2 miles back. Vertical effort will still sort out some people tho. I have seen some deer there but not big ones and not enough that I would consider hunting them there. This area is also very hard to glass, not that many open areas. The new challenge is the insane number of blowdowns in some areas due to September 2020 snowstorm. It's nasty!

 

[Bluffgruff]

You will see a lot of archery elk pressure, most deer are below treeline, there is also a wilderness rifle deer season in there. I don't like giving people the wrong impression. On a weekday morning in mid September walking out of there a few years ago. I met six different PARTIES of elk hunters. I was deer hunting. I saw exactly 4 bucks at treeline. None above. It is an amazing and beautiful place, and that should be the focus. Lots of recreational traffic too.

 

[Bigjay73]

It's funny hearing people call 10000ft high country.

 

[cur dog]

IMO, its a very poor deer unit. Take a look at the number of seasons and tags for deer in that area. I'm not sure why the DOW does this. Also factor in that a lot of those deer migrate into Wyoming. Depending on the year and weather, they are likely to get beat on again across the border.
OTC archery elk tags have people packed into the whole unit from the roads, all the way above timberline 11,000' plus.

 

[Shangobango]

It's funny hearing people call 10000ft high country.

5000ft is high country to my 65ft above sea level living self.

 

[SaskHunter]

It's funny hearing people call 10000ft high country.

Bro, I live where I can watch my dog run away for two days and the highest elevation I get for miles is when I walk up the stair to the 2nd floor of the house. 10000ft is high country to some of us.

 

[Bigjay73]

Bro, I live where I can watch my dog run away for two days and the highest elevation I get for miles is when I walk up the stair to the 2nd floor of the house. 10000ft is high country to some of us.

I didnt mean it in a snotty way at all. It's just that when you live in CO, 10000 is normal hiking elevation, im just talking from a different perspective. I'm originally from Phoenix, AZ, I know all about flat

 

[Nick28]

Thanks for all the input guys, after reading these comments and a couple DMs I think I might try a different unit.

 

[mcmc]

I appreciate being able to follow along with this thread as I've been curious about the high country deer hunts in CO. Based on this thread and several others it sounds like it's tough to avoid other hunters during any of these early-season hunts above timberline.

Is that true for all of CO or are there units (I'm not asking you to name them) where one might be able to hunt in Sept without running into crowds of hunters/backpackers/climbers?

 

[Bluffgruff]

I appreciate being able to follow along with this thread as I've been curious about the high country deer hunts in CO. Based on this thread and several others it sounds like it's tough to avoid other hunters during any of these early-season hunts above timberline.

Is that true for all of CO or are there units (I'm not asking you to name them) where one might be able to hunt in Sept without running into crowds of hunters/backpackers/climbers?

If you can walk into a valley without a trail, without a lake or a 13k+ peak at the top, you CAN get away from both hunters and recreational traffic, or so I thought until a peak bagger blew out all the deer and elk from a low ridge I hunt that eventually climbs to a 12k ft knob that happens to have a name over 11 miles from the nearest trailhead and a heck of climb from the nearest trail.

The reality now in Colorado is you can go in one year and see one or two people, and have a whole mess of people the next year. There are no secrets. There are no spots without non-consumptive recreationists. Consider yourself lucky if you have a single day without lots of people sharing your valley. Or consider yourself lucky that those people might help rescue you if >10k ft is more than you can handle.

The plains have less traffic but less land to hunt, the dry and uninteresting units have less recreational traffic, the less roaded spots have fewer ATVs.

 

[mcmc]

Thanks BluffGruff. That's about what I expected to hear--sounds like a real challenge getting away from people during the early season. Seems like reasonable expectations and a positive attitude are the best solution (in addition to e-scouting and real scouting). I consider myself lucky to potentially have the opportunity to hunt bucks above timberline in CO this year, even if I anticipate there'll be some frustrating moments due to crowding from other people out there.

 

[Bluffgruff]

Above timberline isn't where you should focus unless you are required to. Hunt the aspens. There will be more deer, and often bigger deer.

 

[mcmc]

Above timberline isn't where you should focus unless you are required to. Hunt the aspens. There will be more deer, and often bigger deer.

Interesting... what do you mean by "unless you are required to"? Say I'm hunting mule deer in CO Early Rifle (I think the season is Sep 11-19 this year.)

 

[cedahm]

Interesting... what do you mean by "unless you are required to"? Say I'm hunting mule deer in CO Early Rifle (I think the season is Sep 11-19 this year.)

Some of the Early rifle tags have an ‘above timberline’ restriction. Meaning you are required to hunt above timberline.

 

[mcmc]

Some of the Early rifle tags have an ‘above timberline’ restriction. Meaning you are required to hunt above timberline.

Thanks--yep I've seen that 'above timberline' restriction associated with some hunt codes.