Well, this Alaska boy drew a mule deer (antlered deer) tag in S.W. Colorado Units 72/73 near Cortez. I've hunted for 27 years in Alaska, and I got this itch to bag a muley. Never hunted in any other state. Looking for any advice folks can give me. Its the third season - Oct 30 to Nov 5. These units are in Montezuma Co. and contain the Ute Indian Reservation & Park, Mesa Verde N.P., some BLM land and some San Jaun N.F. land.

Would prefer do-it-yourself on public land. Don't like horses or ATV's much. Hiking on foot up to 3 miles in from road access is kinda what I'm thinking. Hunted blacktails in the rainforest (heavy cover) mostly, so I know this will be a new type of hunting.

Any tips suggestions?

I live just north of Cortez. I think you have to have a permit to hunt on the Ute Res, if they are available and if memory serves, one must have a Ute Tribe member guide. You should contact the Ute Tribal office in Towac. You can not hunt in Mesa Verde NP period. Your best bet would be south of Dove Creek or the eastern part of Montezuma Co in the Hovenweep area--west part of Montezuma county. Lots of farms in western Montezuma County and south of Dove Creek but there is a lot of BLM too, farther to the west and south, respectively. A BLM map will show what is deeded land and what is public.

I went there last year. Got drawn this year too but this time I'm going 2nd season. Trying elk also, since it is over the counter.

I have a friend from college that lives in Cortez. He said that as long as he's alive I was welcome to come down if drawn. Plenty of places to hunt. My expense is tags, food, and getting there from Ohio.

Would you like me to see if my friend can recommend some good places and email them to you? You can reach me at dmcmurry@cinci.rr.com.

Thanks for the replys there guys. I'll drop you an e-mail there doc. What unit(s) did you draw for? I have a co-worker who has two buddies who do utility locates for a living - so they are on the road a lot. One lives in Grand Junction and the other is in Mancos.

All I've done the following so far:

* Check out the DOW website. They have mule deer distribution maps for these units.
* Study the DeLorme Colorado Map Atlas. They help somewhat with the lay of the land and land ownership. The 300 foot contours are very misleading.
* Been looking at and downloading some aerial images on TerraServer. Not the greatest when you zoom in close, but you can pick out all the roads, drainages, vegetation, cliffs, bluffs, etc. but certainly better than nothing, since It's a hell of a long way for a recon mission.

At this point I'm not really sure where to focus my research, but there's only so much public land to hunt and the rest is private or Ute Mountain indian land. I will probably try to get there a few days early to do some scouting. Is it worth trying to get private landowner permissions to hunt a better area? Is it best to hunt the mountains at snow line or on the flats?

476NE - you mentioned Dove Creek and Hovenweep. Dove Creek looks like mostly private land and Hovenweep looks like a Nation Monument = No Hunting. I am very fortunate here in Alaska in that we can hunt on Admiralty Island National Monument. I shoot 2/3 of my deer here.

I suppose I'd be happy with a 24" wide 4x4, but I'm sure there are bigger animals in these units. What do you think is realistic? I'm used to hunting on my own off the beaten path, so to speak. No problem getting away from the crowd. Are rattlesnakes a problem?

I think we draw in 70-71. Does that sound right? It's right there around Cortez. I just send my friend a check and he does all the paper work.

Maybe we should talk on the phone or something. I have a neighbor here and his brother-in-law lives right outside Durango. I may be able to hook you up with some guys since you are like me...a do it yourselfer.

When we hit the public land areas, it had been pressured so much by the 3rd season that we only saw does and fawns. Just our luck but we hunt real hard.

My advice is that you and I talk, let me see if I can arrange for you to hook up with my friend there. He has a TV show on the Sportsmans channel. Heck, he may want to film you and put you on TV. That's what he does with us.

24" wide 4x4 is common (my opinion). You have an excellent chance at something up to 29" 5x5's. But you really need to know some good places to go. I'll see if my friend knows your units. He should since he's lived in the area all his life.

Email me, and I'll send you my phone number. I'd like to do my best and hook you up. I feel like it's my duty to a fellow hunter in need so to speak. And I certainly do not mind. Networking is the best way to meet good people and fellow hunters/shooters. I don't know a lot about where the units are since I have been spoiled by my cortez connection. WE should discuss this on the phone while looking at some maps.

Email me.

doc.

South of Dove Creek, is Squaw point, and there is mostly deeded land until you get just south of that and into BLM. Bug point is also south but you get into Utah before you get out of the deeded land. The BLM in the Hovenweep area is checkerboarded here and there but there is some. Hovenweep itself is Nat Monument but there is some surrounding BLM. The problem with 72/73 is the dearth of public land for one, and most of the migration from east of Hwy 491 (was Hwy 666) is after hunting season, though, there are deer there year around. Since I grew up in Dove Creek, and have lived in Montezuma county for 25 yrs, Im pretty familar with the area, and have hunted in 72/73 some but mostly units 71, 711 and 70(north of DC). There used to be statewide deer licenses but no more and there is a draw.

Never seen a rattler during Oct or after, but that does not mean you might not run onto one, but not likely. Midday would be the time to see one then, as they sun themselves if they are still out, but think Sept is about the end of their season. In the lower area where you would be, there probably more of a chance. Just dont reach under things you cant see and watch.

I would guess your chance of a 20-24" buck would be pretty good, especially if you get out from the crowd. There are a few big bucks left (30+) but not very common anymore. Though, you might just be in the right place. You will see mostly 2 pt and small 4 pts. Hard to tell what you will run across. Feel free to PM me if you wish to ask something else