Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Unit 80 81 Colorado Mule deer

Five of us from Michigan have finally burned our 6 PPS and put in for 4th Season 11/18-11/22 for Mule Deer in Zones 80-81...Anyone have any first hand intel for those zones?

I bought an over the counter elk tag and hunted unit 80 during the 3rd season in 2018. During pre hunt scouting I saw a couple of decent bucks. But once hunters moved in I saw none. I did not kill anything, but several others staying near me did.

There are several sources for hunt data, here is one. Looks like the success rate for 2019 was about 30-35% in those areas. But I don't see a breakdown by season.

That part of the state gets a lot of snow. There was close to a foot on the ground 2-3 days before the season started on Nov. 2 that year. It started melting at lower elevations and many of the roads got pretty sloppy.

https://cpw.state.co.us/thingstodo/Pages/Statistics-Deer.aspx

http://huntodds.monstermuleys.com/colorado/colorado.html

I spent a lot of time using Google Earth before leaving, and even after the hunt started to figure out likely hunting spots. I found it very helpful I have never been in area 81 so I can't comment.

My wife and I have made multiple summer camping/ vacation trips through Colorado and other western states over the years, but due to work have not been able to hunt there much. I hunted for deer in unit 4 several years ago and want to go back this fall.

I didn't go in completely blind, we'd camped in the area previously. After I retired I decided I wasn't getting any younger and the mountains weren't going to get any flatter. I didn't have anyone else who could get away to hunt with me so it was just me and my wife. She doesn't hunt, but came along and was great company. If I'd killed anything would have been a great help.

I used to live in Alamosa and hunted 81 from 2008-2011 for elk. I hunted 80 maybe a couple of times. Not an expert, but PM me and I can tell you what I know of the area.

Thanks

Being that I just joined the forum It won't let me PM you.....Can you shoot me an email? Acavalierhotmail.com Thanks

Capt Drew: Unit 81 video... found on You tube by Wilderness Riders. Find Trail 731... runs along Elk Creek in Rio Grande NF, might be in the South San Juan Wilderness area, see Pg 89 of Colorado Atlas and Gazetteer C-D 6-7 area. This will give you a chance to see some of the area of unit 81. Platora reservoir is in Unit 81 also, north of here, and has many You tube videos showing surrounding area and trails.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIVi-mrLHwY

Nicely done video of a horse back scouting trip. Might not be accessable in 4th season in deep snow. Beautiful area. Designated Wilderness area is foot or horse travel only. Moderate number of hunters outside the Wilderness area, elk numbers are good, not sure on deer numbers, a lot of fairly high elevation mountain range there along the Continental Divide at the end of Tr 731 and trails west of Platora reservior. I have not physically hunted it, only researched it with mapping links, hunting forums and you tube videos, but friends have hunted it for elk. Will take a few years of hunting trips to learn it well is my opinion. Outfitters are available. Numerous nice campgrounds in the area. Enjoy and Good Luck. HH

Will do.

Thanks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9M7l_--wyU

Capt Drew: The above video from You tube, The Blue Lake trail Colorado by that Hiking Guy, sits at 11,600 ft elev just below the Cont Divide. The hike starts at 10,200 ft elev and I would say about 4 miles from the community of Platora. The hike from the trailhead to Blue lake is 3+ miles, a lot of uphill hiking. The video will show beautiful scenery and terrain in the area. It will be in the Wilderness area I believe... no quads or mtn bikes... foot and horse travel only.

Spend some time on You Tube searching the Conjeos river, South San Juans, Platora & Platora Reservior if you want to see Unit 81 terrain. There are a few drone videos and multi day hiking trips. Also a few campground videos. The Conjeos River and it's tributaries hold trout.

Your main concerns in 4th season will be access to desired areas, with the normal snowfall there at that time. I suggest being in as excellent physical condition as possible to enjoy this hunt. Enjoy your hunt. HH

ps. think I am forgetting it is a 4th season hunt, not a archery or early season hunt, as I am suggesting here a higher elev hunt area. Migrating elk/ deer will go south and east I believe from high locations near Continental Div. Not living there I am at a loss on migrations in deeper snow. I believe the Colo FP& W dept has a layered mapping system showing migrations as well as calving areas, summer area, fall locations, and winter migrations of deer and elk.
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https://diyhuntingmaps.com/huntinfo/colorado-big-game/mule-deer-hunting/unit-81/

Capt Drew check out the link, hope it works for you, not sure what year of mule deer data I have obtained. Scroll all the way down the page on this link. HH

Have you even drawn your tags for 2020 ? Have you ever been to Colorado before camping & hunting ? HH

Draw results are not out until the 1st week of June. We went in with 6 points and it looks like it was 85% with 5 points last year, so I hope we are good. Thanks

Capt Drew: Happy you returned to see my links offered. Hope you viewed the two videos offered, Tr 731 and Blue lake Trail, to see terrain and also followed up on the suggested subject areas mentioned on You tube to see more videos of the area. 48.1% was hunter success in 2018 4th season with 27 hunters taking 13 bucks, from the Unit 81 link. You are correct on draw odds with 5 points. That last link on Unit 81, has more clickable details I see with more time looking at it. Prefer this in a PM but not available to you, so:

I think Tr 731 running along Elk Creek, off of FR 250, leading into the Wilderness area, will put you into huntable area as well as FR 102 along Fox Creek just above community of Fox creek on RT 17. Quads can be used at Fox Creek area. Friends have done Fox creek with success on elk, but not recently. Hope you draw, so you can experience the area. Lots and lots of huntable area west east and north of FR 250 and Conejos river are my thoughts. Good Luck ! HH .

Thanks HH...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOg1Keoh6zY

Capt Drew You tube video by Bryan Delay of a 6 day hike in the South San Juans Colorado, mostly Unit 81 area, definitely will see the terrain here. Hope it helps you ! HH

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhQs4CuM_C4

Capt Drew: A You tube video by the Southwest backpacker #3 of 4 of a 7 day hike along the Contential Divide to Green lake, Blue Lake, Victoria Lake in the Rio Grande NF and the South San Juans Wilderness . This is a high elevation backpack. I post these videos as I have not found hunting videos but it allows you to see the terrain. There are more on You Tube...just keep looking in the search box for South San Juan Wilderness videos or related topics as Rio Grande NF, or hiking trails, horseback riding trails in the South San Juan mountains. The South San Juans are a different area than the San Juans Mtn range farther west above Durango, Pagosa Springs. Those begin near Wolf Creek ski resort and run west and north. Just trying to help you here. Your best bet is to find a kind Colorado guy who will share information...but not his honey holes. HH

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyHCm57qpAY

Capt Drew: 14 sec video of FR 250 accessing your hunt area from YouTube... not the greatest service road. But impressive area. HH

Thank you sir.......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jupOtbUWaIg David Safdy on You tube

Capt Drew: A better video narrated....more of this video is on Vimeo... link below the video ! Capt the Vimeo videos 1 of 3 and 3 of 3 have no bearing upon the South San Juans , I just watched them.

What bothers me is the cattle found along Tr 731. Cattle and elk tolerate each other but seldom does it make a great looking or smelling place with cattle in your hunt area In Washington state on a scouting trip for deer/elk the whole drainage and creek valley we were in smelled like a cow barn yard. Even in the West Elk Wilderness of Colo there were cattle free ranging and in Montana surrounding Glacier NP roads. Ugh...I dislike this ! In reading the captions by the You tube videos sounds like a fair amount of horsemen frequent the area as well as some hikers, as it is well liked for hiking . Quad use will be found around Platora. Videos by windymtnmann on You tube are short but show the trail scenery. I believe he is a hunter and I know he has a ranch 57 miles from here. Find Trail 701 top right corner of Pg 89 Colo Atlas Gazeteer, he has a video of that trail ( 701) North Fork Rock creek near his ranch . Let see if you can find that You tube video ? : ) That might be unit 80. I am done until you draw for now . HH

Another great one HH....thanks alot. We don't have many issues with cows in Michigan while hunting. In Iowa we hunt alot of working cattle farms and the deer walk right along with the big beef steers, great cover scent....lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBuW5mp0Sw4

This one?

We will get all our maps once we draw!