The Narrow Colorado Buck
I finally decided to try a 3rd season rifle hunt in Colorado only to show up to 70 degree temperatures in November! This hunt from fall 2016 was short and sweet as I went solo into a new unit I had only e-scouted.
Hunting Burns
Don't forget to identify the past wildfire burns in your area and take into account the age of the burn. Most burned areas will peak in productivity 5-10 years after the burn, in my opinion.
Truck Camping by Myself
Like any third rifle season hunt, I had hoped for snow and rut activity. However, I ran my A/C system throughout the entire drive over to Colorado. I knew sunscreen would be more important on this trip than a warm jacket. I made sure to bring a fresh cut ribeye steak for this hunt. Never skimp on good food when you are camping next to your vehicle!
Glassing into the Sun
“First decent buck of the morning"
After locating this narrow buck at 680 yards below me feeding in the shade of the canyon, I used the Best of the West Mountain Hunter rifle chambered in 6.5x284 to anchor this buck! I had filmed the shot to confirm my hit, and I knew my buck was down for good!
Interesting Closures
Due to the large wildlfires that devestated the area and the critical impact this unit has on the water source for surrounding metropolitan areas, some zones were marked with CLOSED signs that I had never before encountered. This is important to be aware of when traveling to new units because most of these type of closures will not appear on your onXMaps.
Take the Time to Take Photos
Setting up for photos and using the self-timer feature can be frustrating, but it was definitely worth it! This buck was special to me, although the hunt was very short, it is always rewarding to find, kill, and harvest a buck of this quality alone.
Watch the Film of this Hunt
Go hunt Colorado soon!
Colorado and their lovely game commission are worried about CWD and are beginning wolf reintroductions. It's making management for trophy bucks next to impossible. Make sure to check out the season dates and draw odds from Huntin' Fool and go hunt soon. Don't wait!
