Well I just moved to Colorado and plan to go on my first hunting trip ever this year with my old man whos hunted before now If were lucky we can get a draw were trying for deer and proghorn My question is we were thinking over around pikes peak for the deer i forget the unit but but it covers like 3 or 4 units in the pikes area is this a good place to try for in the state proghorn I think we got covered there all out here in the east where im at just not sure about the deer and will my 336 30-30 be ok for both these hunts
first hunt
- Thread starter Jaycolo
- Start date
30-30 is good for deer out to about 200yds. If you can practice at that range, do so. Shot placement is more critical than caliber for cleanly and humanely taking an animal. Practice from a variety of shooting positions you are likely to encounter in the field. Use rocks, trees, backpack, anything to steady your shot.
The best thing you can do for hunting out west is get in shape (if you're not already). Hike up and down hills carrying a pack to build up legs muscles. Any cardio will also help.
If you live out west long, you'll probably want to trade up to a .270, .30-06 or one of the 7mm's. Good Luck!
The best thing you can do for hunting out west is get in shape (if you're not already). Hike up and down hills carrying a pack to build up legs muscles. Any cardio will also help.
If you live out west long, you'll probably want to trade up to a .270, .30-06 or one of the 7mm's. Good Luck!
A 30-30 will do just fine for deer and pronghorn as long as you are able to get close enough. I imagine that you should be able to find some deer in the area that you described for hunting around Pikes Peak. Pronghorn are open country animals so if you are hunting in mostly trees with a few open meadows you probably will not find one.
The best places to hunt pronghorn are anywhere East of I-25 or the Northwest Game Management Units. The problem East of I-25 is most of the area you can hunt is private property. There are some National Grasslands out around LaJunta-Lamar area, and East of Greeley off of I-76. If you go west of I-25 look for areas with plateaus or wide valleys that are open grass and you will find pronghorn.
Pronghorn are not hard to hunt as long as you are slow and patient, they will see you before you see them most of the time. The great thing about Pronghorn is they are out all day not just early morning and late afternoon. You will have more time once you find them to put a stalk on them. If you put in for doe tags along with buck you will usually draw the doe. Out where I hunt you are able to draw a buck tag about every third year, but you can get a doe tag every year if you submitted it as a second choice.
The best thing you can do is go out East of I-25 this summer and introduce yourself to some land owners and see if you can get permission to hunt the 2008 season for Pronghorn. Pronghorn have been pretty plentiful the last few years out East and it shouldn't be to hard to find someone to give you permission to hunt. It just really depends on how far you are willing to drive to hunt one, most of the land close to the front range has been locked up for years.
Good luck with your hunting this comming season.
The best places to hunt pronghorn are anywhere East of I-25 or the Northwest Game Management Units. The problem East of I-25 is most of the area you can hunt is private property. There are some National Grasslands out around LaJunta-Lamar area, and East of Greeley off of I-76. If you go west of I-25 look for areas with plateaus or wide valleys that are open grass and you will find pronghorn.
Pronghorn are not hard to hunt as long as you are slow and patient, they will see you before you see them most of the time. The great thing about Pronghorn is they are out all day not just early morning and late afternoon. You will have more time once you find them to put a stalk on them. If you put in for doe tags along with buck you will usually draw the doe. Out where I hunt you are able to draw a buck tag about every third year, but you can get a doe tag every year if you submitted it as a second choice.
The best thing you can do is go out East of I-25 this summer and introduce yourself to some land owners and see if you can get permission to hunt the 2008 season for Pronghorn. Pronghorn have been pretty plentiful the last few years out East and it shouldn't be to hard to find someone to give you permission to hunt. It just really depends on how far you are willing to drive to hunt one, most of the land close to the front range has been locked up for years.
Good luck with your hunting this comming season.
well im out around calhan between limon and the springs Im able to pratice just about every day when the weather permits in the back yard I have a Shooting area set up where I plink makes good pratice I got 40 acres so I got a farliy good shooting area and theres this place down the street i was thinking for the proghorn at turkey track ranch i think the name of its called over south of 94 between ellicott and petyon hwy
There are quite a few big ranches around Simla and Matheson that might allow an extra hunter or two on their property. I'd start there and then push East out into neighboring Counties for areas to hunt. Did you get your Pronghorn applications in as the deadline was Tuesday? If you didn't pretty much all you can get is an Archery tag over the counter for Pronghorn. Deer and Elk tags are pretty easy to get as leftovers, you just might not get the best hunting areas.
yea i filled out the apps and got them all in last month i dont know if ill be able to hunt do to not having any points yet and bow season wouldnt work for me as i dont have a bow where im at its really open and theres some state land accross the street where ive seen proghorns and ive seen them run through my yard but from what Ive see and heard I have a better chance of getting a draw for deer more then proghorn
There are ways around the only one deer a year rule in CO. As hunter you can only have one "draw" tag, and one "over the counter tag" a year but you can have an unlimited amount of landowner or raffle/auction tags. Our seasons for Deer are generaly shorter than most States and to get a deer in that short of a season is sometimes really a challenge. http://wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/SeasonDatesAndFees/BigGameDatesAndFees.htm
The trick is not to get hung up trying to get a Bull or Buck tag every year, put them in for first choice and then put in for a doe or cow in one of your other 3 choices and you will hunt almost every year. I'll keep hunting here in CO as long as I get a chance at a good animal every few years like this one.
WeedWacker
New member
oh shoot. Hang on (fits jaw back in place) nice.
Nice deer taylorce1. I am use to hunting whitetail deer and never have hunted mulies. I am going to attach a picture of a big whitetail that was killed within 15 miles of my house. It is a pretty good deer for this area but there have been bigger ones killed. The guys face has been blacked out to protect his identity. He does not want to be famous.
Attachments
Big R, very nice deer! I hope to find a Whitetail someday to compliment my Mule deer. I haven't drawn an either sex or bull tag for elk yet 
so I'm taking up archery, and I can pick a tag up over the counter for next season to hopefully get a decent bull. I'll keep putting my draw in for a ranch where I know I can get a 300+ bull but average is 16 years to draw there unless you want to shell out the money. Sorry for the poor picture but it was the only one I could post the rest are here.http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=226733&highlight=mulies
so I'm taking up archery, and I can pick a tag up over the counter for next season to hopefully get a decent bull. I'll keep putting my draw in for a ranch where I know I can get a 300+ bull but average is 16 years to draw there unless you want to shell out the money. Sorry for the poor picture but it was the only one I could post the rest are here.http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=226733&highlight=muliestaylorce1, I have to hand it to you, you have some beautiful country out there in CO. I was out there last summer around Cripple Creek, Canyon City, and Aspen. I also started at Estes Park and took the high mountain drive. I have to say the Colorado Mountains were impressive. Wouldn't mind to live out there a few months out of the year.
BIGR, so far it is the only place I've ever wanted to call home, I'm sure I could be persuaded to live in other States as long as there was good hunting.
Jaycolo, so did you decide to use your .30-30 or are you going to buy another rifle? It would be a fun hunt to get close enough to a Pronghorn to use your Marlin, not to mention a great sense of accomplishment.
WeedWacker
New member
Cour d'lain (Shoot can't remember how to spell. Curse the french
) Idaho area. Not in the city but just outside. Lake courwhatever is absolutly wonderful. The mountains provide good elk, deer, varmint, and possibly moose if you go a bit farther north. You should plan a trip up there sometime. I hear the elk bowhunt is one of the most butiful hunts to do.