I wouldn't overlook GMUs 4 & 5 either. Every year I tend to see a few wallhangers in the area, and especially late in 4th season. With 4th season now a whole week later too, I think it is only going to get that much better. I agree with GMU 3 too, it is pretty decent and all three have tons of public props. Best of luck! But I sure do not know how you do it, I cannot hold out for more than 4-5 years!

I was thinking of the units up around the North West corrner also but have hunted in that area years ago so I figured I would ask about a couple that I have never been in that took a lot of points. As far as waiting, I bow hunt so that has been my second choice for the last 14 years along with hunting in Utah every year and Montana when I can draw out. So it hasn't been that bad. My only problem with bow hunting is that I try and harvest at least a 3x3 and hope for that 4x4 and my average is around 25% on deer.

Just looking over the last two years, the DAU that makes up 142 has had similar % buck harvests to unit 10(not success rate, but % of available bucks killed). So theoretically you should have similar age classes of deer. But, you're also on the West Slope and you could scout it easier. 142 likely has better habitat and less harsh of a winter, so potentially could grow bigger deer. I'd still go to unit 10 and the landownership will be less problematic.

I was leaning towards unit 10 but I have never hunted on the planes or around unit 142. Not to meniton I have never had the chance to chase a white tail. I figured that if I headed down to 142 this year I may be able to figure out the land ownership early and not have to deal with it next year. Decisions decisions what to do?

So, I drove around 142 a few times last year, and hunted it some for pronghorn. I know the Pinon Canyon Manuever Range tag is in 142 and pushes out some decent muleys,not sure about the whitetails though. I was in the Purgatoire Canyon a couple of times and never did see a whitetail. But give Stephanie Shively a call, she is the wildlife biologist for the Commanche National Grasslands, her number is 719-523-1711 (desk) main number is 719-523-6591 She can surely let you knnow about the whitetails on the grasslands, not sure who is responsible for the military area though. Now, I never did see ANY whitetails myself, but did see a few very nice mulies. I am sure they are there though, especially along those drainages in that corner of the state. (Purgatoire, Cimmeron, etc...) but much of that land is private. The general area is so arid and void of crops though, that the whitetails only survie along the drainages. Now the mulies! BIG!

So, I hunted whitetails in 143 & 144 in 2009, and found them very few and very far inbetween! Now if you are interested in a muley, I could probably put you on some big boys in 144. If interested, PM me...I can''t yet let the internet public know about them. LOL! I was into some monster mulies each day, but I had the whitetails only tag! DOHH! I would have been in muley heaven had a I had the regular tag! Ended up eating tag soup on that one! Though that tag would only require a few points! No where near 14! Too bad there is no banking of PP! I literally flipped a coin this year between that tag and the one I ended up drawing. I had enough PP for either tag and felt comfortable with either one. So in a few years I intend to go back to 144!

The more that I think about it I may just go for 4th season in unit 10. I would hate to blow that many points for a unit that only takes a couple. Besides that 10 is only a 1 1/2 hour drive to scout it out this year just to see what is in there around Thanksgiving time. I'll have to remember thoes other units when I start to build points again.