Deer/Antelope advice

Califelkslayer · Feb 27, 2012

Here I go again. Asking for advice. I'll lay out my plan, and why. And hope to get some idea why the idea has flaws and/or some PM info to support it.

My Dad, a friend and I drew Unit #7 elk tags. We're looking to hunt archery elk, 9/15 thru 9/30. And rifle elk 10/15 thru 10/22 if necessary. Thanks to a guy on here, I think we have some great property to hunt. So......the idea is.

Apply for Region "D" deer tags for myself, my son and my wife. The season opens 10/1. I have a friend I work with that knows 79 pretty well and him and 2 others I work with are planing on hunting D this year also. So at least I'll have an idea of where to start. The goal is to get my wife her first mule deer and my son a buck.

Apply for unit 47 for antelope. My wife took her first 2 antelope in 42 and we had fun on that hunt although we probably hunted at the worst time possible, a week after the opener due to a Colorado archery elk hunt I had to do justice to. The goal on this hunt is to get my son his first antelope, a "representative of the species" type of buck. And for my wife to get a buck I will be willing to pay the taxidermist bill on. Anything over 70" will be fine. I know 47 has more public than 42 and a GPS that allows me to load private/public landownership on will be part of the hunt. My wife, Dad and i have 3 antelope PPs. My son only has one. Research indicates we are a shoo in for the Type 2 tag and better than 50/50 for the type 1 tag. The type 1 tag may interfere in the archery portion of the elk hunt though.

Other factors: Dad has never taken an antelope as far as I know. I'd like to get a couple of Grandpa, grandson photos over dead animals. I don't care about the quality of deer very much, a smallish 3X3 or 4X4 would make everyone involved happy I'm sure so antelope would be first priority.

So the questions are,

Is J better than D? because we"ll be hunting elk in J. We may find a decent buck or two while elk hunting.

With only 2.5 PPs apiece for antelope, should i just apply for the type 2 license for antelope in 47 instead of the type 1? Or is there a better unit I should look at?

Hope my rambling thoughts are easy to follow.

Whiterock · Feb 27, 2012

Just from my experience,unit 47 antelope is a good choice.I have taken two 15 inch bucks in that unit.
After talking with the Game Warden of that unit ,I have decided to pass on the deer there for this year,just nothing he said was incourageing.
I have never hunted in unit 79 but have scouted there a little in the past.Also talked to a gal that her and her family hunted elk in the area last fall and said they saw lots of deer but nothing real big.Sounded like it would be a good place to get a deer ,but a big buck might be hard to find.
Also the Game warden that I talked with said ,not to be surprised if there are not as many left over deer tags for Region D as there hasbeen in the past as the numbers of tags hasbeen reduced.

30Hart · Feb 28, 2012

LAST EDITED ON Feb-28-12 AT 08:12AM (MST)[p]Yes type II for sure. Those deer in 79 got hit hard, they are lowering tags. There's another post on the site about it...its called Platte Valley Mule Deer Plan...too many winterkill. I'd put all your time into your elk hunt, 7 can be a hard hunt with access if you don't have a piece of private to hunt.

Califelkslayer · Feb 28, 2012

My main focus is elk. I know it's early but I think I'm on to solid A and B Plans there so far. If I can solidify a solid C Plan I'll be comfortable. Our A plan is private but we can't get access until right after the dark of the moon. We want to hunt the "no moon" period so that'll be public so the archery hunt will stretch almost 3 weeks.

Basically the deer/antelope hunt is just killing time between archery elk and rifle elk, and I'm still giving myself 4 days after the combo hunt and before the rifle elk hunt to get readjusted.

But I do want the combo hunt to be fun and productive for my son and wife.

I'm not tied to 79. I'm open to 78, 79, 80 or 81. I just have a friend that has hunted it before so I have a starting place.

My biggest decision is do I take a chance on the type 1 or type 2, 47 antelope tag.

And I hope to narrow down a place where my wife and son can take a couple of decent deer.

Whiterock · Feb 28, 2012

For me 'I prefer the Type 2 tag for unit 47,easier to draw.Hopeing for a little cooler weather and less hunters,I usually do not hunt untill arround the 10th of the month.That gave me 5 days to hunt antelope before deer season opened.
i plan on being there next year ,my wife wants a buck antelope and 47 is a good unit for them..For me I will be hunting does as I have all the antelope mounts on the wall I care to have.

Califelkslayer · Feb 29, 2012

Thanks for the advice guys, and back to the drawing board for deer. The guy that gave some info on 79 deer got it from another guy I talked to today. What I didn't know was:

The 1st guy went with the second guy 4 years ago. The 2nd guy told him he could come back with him but not bring anyone else. The 1st guy not only told me exactly where the 2nd guy hunts but he applied seperately with some of his friends this year.

I talked to the 2nd guy today at length. And he told me how it took him several years to find the spot. How he deer hunts it every year. The quality of bucks he kills and sees. And how the 1st guy promised not to bring others there.

I know some will say it's public land. But personally I will look for another area. I respect the, "if I bring you, you won't bring anyone else, right?" thought process.

Any very general areas I might look at? D or J.

TOPGUN · Feb 29, 2012

You are a standup guy slayer!!!

Murphy · Mar 1, 2012

ICMDEER · Mar 1, 2012

I agree that you're a stand up guy. But I'd advise you to stay in D and not focus on deer in J. The deer season in 64 (J) where you'll be elk hunting is going to be shortened this year and deer numbers and the buck/doe ratios continue to decline. Even with the tough winters in D, you'll be better off chasing deer there.

And yes, go for the type 2 in area 47. I'd also avoid antelope area 46 this year because one of the big HMA's will not be renewed there. Finding a place to hunt will be tougher in that area this year.