Colorado Unit 70, 4th Season

[Elkhunter96]

Anyone hunted it before? I have done some Internet and magazine searches on it, but would really like some personal thoughts or experiences....

Thanks

[packer58]

Here's a couple pics from unit 70 3rd season in 2009, we had an awesome time. Lots of deer with 170" - 180" potential.IMG_1574.jpgIMG_1587.jpg

[Fink]

Dayum, that is a pile of meat in that first pic. Nice job!

[Colorado Cowboy]

It's less than 100 miles from my place...........but takes about 5 pts to draw 4th season. I'll probably draw it next season.

[Elkhunter96]

I am sitting on 4 pts, trying to narrow down the decision on to wait or try for another unit I may be able to draw like 53 3rd season. I worry about point creep on 70 since there are not a lot of 4th season tags.

[Colorado Cowboy]

Your right about 4th season tags. I watch it pretty close and it has been this way for a couple of years, but you never know.

[BruinPoint]

Lots of deer with 170" - 180" potential.IMG_1574.jpgIMG_1587.jpg

What do you mean by 170-180 "Potential"? Did you guys kill anything over 170"?

The truth about Unit 70 is that over 1,100 bucks are killed every year by state hunters and another unknown number of bucks go down outside the regular seasons on "Brunot Hunts". The state's last population estimate for the entire DAU-24 area is 22,700 deer (GMU 70, 71, 711) If half of those deer are in 70 and the pre-season buck to doe ratio is 30:100 then at least 1/3 of the entire male segment of the male population is harvested every year. Point being, the "age" part of the trophy equation is missing in 70. Just my opinion.

Last week's agreement between the State and the Utes may indicate changes in state issued tag numbers in 70 and other Brunot affected units in coming years; just the fact that a Memorandum of Understanding was needed tells me that there's an issue.

http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite...me=CBONWrapper
http://www.cortezjournal.com/storyim...jpg&ExactW=620
http://ocs.fortlewis.edu/forestPlan/...tAgreement.pdf

[Elkhunter96]

That is very good info, gives me a better understanding of the area. Thanks BruinPoint. Very valid points

[packer58]

What do you mean by 170-180 "Potential"? Did you guys kill anything over 170"

BruinPoint, I re-read my post and probably what i should have said was........during the hunt "3rd season" we saw plenty of deer every day. Most of the bucks we saw were between small forkys up to the 22 to 25 inch class. We didn't kill anything over 170" but one guy in our group passed on a high 160 low 170's type buck on the second day. IMO, a guy has a real shot at a 170" to 180" type buck during 4th season, especially if the area gets some weather.

[Colorado Cowboy]

For those of you wanting to hunt in SW Colorado (and those who have in the past too), you should read the attachments in BruinPoint's post. It was very suprising to me how this decision came down. I knew that the Utes had some hunting rights that were outside the states framework, but this really could have a detrimental effect on all game and I guess fish too. It does not effect private land in that they have not entry rights, but everything elso is on the table. Pretty sad day for us big game hunters , especially for residents of this area. This treaty signed in the 1870s should be honored BUT there should be limits on the numbers of animals they can take, just like the rest of us who are not Utes. Their record of protecting game on their reservations gives you an idea of what we might see in the future. One thing for sure is if G & F sticks to their harvest goals, tag availability will have to go down!