I have been building preference points in Colorado for five years and now of course have five points for deer and elk. I plan to keep building points for elk as I have been able to draw tags in New Mexico the last two years and have learned two areas that have decent draw odds and plan to hunt them in the coming years. It appears from all I read and see on websites that it may not be a great plan to keep building preference points for deer and that there are many good units available to someone with five points. In fact there is only one or two units that I would not be able to bow hunt at this time (10 and maybe one other?). I am able to hunt with any weapon and enjoy all three (in order archery, muzzle loader, rifle). Do you guys agree that it makes sense to go on a deer hunt in Colorado in the next two years or so opposed to building mroe points? Any advice on weapon choice? I am in good shape and would be happy with a 150" or larger. More than aything I just want a fun hunt and see game in a great setting. I enjoy bivy hunting but like to be able to return to a base camp after about three days to refuel.
If you have 5 points and want to bow hunt you can pick what ever unit you want and you should be able to draw but like you said unit 10 is still out of your reach. A nice prime one would be unit 21 on the Utah border. I haven't hunted it but I know there are some nice bucks on the Utah side. As far as building points I can't answer that one since I have 14 for deer and 14 for elk but I do bow hunt for deer and elk each year here in Colorado.
Use them, even with a rifle you can get into some great units. Do some research and determine which unit you want, then decide how much longer if at all you're willing to wait.
Don't blindly build points for elk either. You're now eligible for the hybrid draw, so at the very least you should be playing that game.
EX, is the hybrid draw going to take place every year know or was it a one time deal. I am avliable for it will deer and elk, but I only want to draw one premumin tag at a time, so I can dedicate my self to deer or elk whatever it may be.
It is funny in that I started to build points while I was working and didn't have enough vacation time to do all the hunting that I wanted to do. And since I could buy an OTC archery tag for either sex elk and draw a deer tag as my second choice I didn't worry about it. So next year I am planning on a 4th season deer tag in unit 10 and depending on what I see possibly an unit 10 for muzzle loader the next season for elk.
There use to be a method to my madness now there is just madness.
Since you mentioned the rut don't get your hopes up to high for that and a rifle. I archery hunt deer in Colorado but rifle hunt them in Utah and have found in Utah that the rut can start as early as mid October or as late as Thanksgiving. I do know that if the deer in unit 21 act the same was as they do across the border in Utah you mite as well toss a coin in the air to see when it is going to happen.
Yes, the hybrid draw will be available for at least the next 5 years.
Thanks Ex, may just have to put in for one of them.
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