Anyone ever hunted here before? I'm trying to figure out (quickly) where I am going to put in for a mule deer tag. I'm looking for something either close to Denver, or a unit that has one of the very early or late seasons. Deer tags are a no-go where I normally hunt, and I'm sitting on 4 points. Open to suggestions, I just noticed the PGL had some seasons that would work for me and its not a terribly far drive.

I used to hunt antelope there. It was pretty convienient because I lived north of Sterling in a little town called Peetz. The antelope hunting was pretty good, but I'd try elsewhere for deer unless you have access to private property. I saw a few mulies in the grasslands, but they were few and far between.

If you're sitting on 4 points, I'd look into unit 102. There are a couple really nice State Wildlife Areas on the eastern side of that unit south of Wray. I've seen lots of deer out that way and 4 points should pull a late season buck tag. Put in for a whitetail only doe tag as a second choice because they are always undersubcribed and will be a gimme if the buck tag doesn't come through.

Another possibility is a tag along the South Platte River by Ovid and Julesburg. There are several nice State Wildlife Areas to the east of Tamarack Ranch State Wildlife Area and they can produce some nice deer and don't take near the points that Tamarack does. As with unit 102, put in for a doe as a second choice because they usually have left over tags.

Mac

Look at units 53 and 54 for late season hunts. I'm sure you could probably pull the 53 4th season tag and 54 3rd season tag. I've seen some monsters hunting 54 in the 4th season, while chasing elk.

Good luck!

53 and 54 are out as they're too far off to scout and such. If 54 had a 4th season I'd be all about it...but if 54 had a 4th, so would 551 and I would just hunt there.

Those eastern units look good. I can't find the SWA on the east and south of Wray, just straight south in a different unit.

You guys know anything about the South Republican SWA on the 109 side? Thats east of Bonny. 103 right on Bonny has a 6 point average draw lol must be GREAT.

54 does have a 4th season draw, but I think it takes like 12 points to be in the hunt, but like I said, I've seen some real monsters during that time of year. It gets even better during the late season Dec. cow hunt, but that is a picture time only!!!

You might also look at 35 which would be just down the road. I don't know about how rough the country might be though and potential snow during the later seasons!

Just checked the regs and I don't see a 4th season for 54. I think it was removed along with 551/56 and other units south of 53 due to the blizzard of 2008 that took 50-70% of the herd with winter kill. I am quite familiar with the area, I know there are some true monsters. I might just keep building up points and put in for a lesser area...still trying to figure it out.

Yeah, they may have pulled it but it was there last year, or maybe the year before, because I was looking into saving up for the unit.

quote:

Originally posted by MileHighShooter:
Those eastern units look good. I can't find the SWA on the east and south of Wray, just straight south in a different unit.

I just looked at the GMU map that is located on the DOW webpage. My bust, the public lands I'm talking about for Unit 102 are actually State Trust Lands and State Access Lands and not State Wildlife Areas.

If you go the DOW webpage and go to the interactive GMU link and punch in unit 102, you'll see the areas along Hwy 385 between Wray and Idalia. They're in light blue and they total several thousand acres. I used to hunt a big private ranch just west of there by Joes. The Arikaree River went through the ranch and we took some really good whitetail bucks off that place. So, if I was looking for a good place to try and take a nice buck, I'd definately look into that area.

There is also a 2000 acre State Wildlife Area just south of Wray called Simmons. But, I believe that one is in Unit 101.