High country mule deer hunting is no joke. The terrain is rugged and the air is thin so I spent months planning for this hunt. I dive into how I prepared myself physically, what gear I added to my pack, and how I scouted this new area prior to showing up on the mountain with a bow in hand. This was a really cool story to tell and I hope you enjoy it!

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Cliff then introduces us to True Hunts, which is his hunting outfit that focuses on dream hunts for a number of species around the world. He also hosts classes and seminars to help better prepare you for the demands of mountain hunting. For further information, please check out www.ftguides.com and www.truehunts.com.

Before we dive into hunting regulations and laws, Kristin walks us through the Colorado 2020 big game draw and the changes that have been made to the process this year. We also talk about how to apply for the draw and the nonresident costs associated with applying for big game tags and preference points. To round out the episode, I ask Kristin a long list of law and regulation questions pertaining to hunting area access, use of technology, tagging requirements, and weapon discharging. To enter the big game draw or to find out more information on hunting elk or deer in Colorado, please visit www.cpw.state.co.us.

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Matt defines what Chronic Wasting Disease is, what a prion is, and how it kills deer, elk, and moose once infected. We cover what Colorado Parks and Wildlife is doing to help minimize its spread by increasing tag quotas in certain areas, adjusting season dates, and requiring mandatory testing in select regions. Matt walks us through what hunters need to do in order to test their deer and elk and what we should do to dispose of a carcass properly. We then talk about prevalence rates among deer and elk in Colorado and what the reality could be if left alone by providing insanely scary data from a neighboring state, Wyoming. For more information, please visit cwd-info.org.

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During this episode, we dive into the advantages of hunting with an outfitter, setting realistic hunting expectations during a guided hunt, and what services they offer. We then discuss hunting trends and how certain factors such as weather, precipitation, and pressure affect mule deer and elk hunting year to year. Cliff also provides tips and strategies that his most successful clients implement on the mountain to have continued success year after year on highly pressured elk in over the counter units. We also cover the state of hunting in Colorado, the 2020 season date changes for big game, and policy legislation that could enhance the quality of hunting for the future.

For more information on Flat Tops Wilderness Guides, please visit www.ftguides.com.

Planning a DIY western hunting trip for the first time is daunting. Determining where to hunt, scouting land, purchasing tags, and buying extra gear are all things to consider, but a big part to any hunting trip is figuring out where you’re going to sleep and set up base camp.

Are you considering Colorado for a public land elk or mule deer hunt but don’t want to go back country backpack style or book an expensive trip with an outfitter? If you find yourself somewhere in the middle, leave the camping gear (and your savings) at home and rent a private secluded hunting cabin from Lifetime Adventures LLC.

I’ve had the privilege of hunting the area surrounding the cabins for the past few seasons and it’s been an amazing experience to say the least. In 2016, I killed my first bull (a 6×7 that scored over 300 inches) and in 2017 I missed a 6×6 at 50 yards. During the 2018 archery elk season, I hunted with my buddy Dan Johnson of Nine Finger Chronicles where we had heart-pounding encounters throughout the week. I want other people to experience the same landscape, bugles, and life-changing moments that I’ve had while hunting this area.

*Please Note: This is not a guided hunt or outfitter service.

Rich History and Scenic Views

The property itself has a rich history in American land deals dating back to the early 1900’s. As the story goes, Teddy Roosevelt sanctioned two 40-acre parcels out of the national forest and sold them to a good friend during his presidency. Since then, the properties have changed hands of ownership throughout the years but the landscape has remained the same.

The scenic views of the San Juan mountain range are breathtaking and the starry night sky is tough to comprehend. There are a number of cleared trails throughout the property that wind through dense timber and around small ponds.

The 10,000 Foot Advantage

The 80-acres is located at 10,000-foot elevation, offering a serious advantage for elk and mule deer hunters. A two-mile private gated road winds you up the mountain, making it difficult for other hunters to access the public land on the backside of the property. Most of the hunting takes place between 9,500-11,000 feet in the heart of a 20,000-acre section of the Uncompahgre National Forest.

Rustic Cabins with Amenities

The East camp has two sleeper cabins, with two beds and a wood-stove in each. There is also an outdoor overhang area with a grill, outhouse, shower, and picnic tables to make food and relax after a long day.

The West camp also has two sleeper cabins with a wood stove in only one of them. There is also an outhouse and a main dining cabin with a large table, cooking area, wood stove and extra beds to accommodate additional guests and gear. I can tell you from experience, there’s nothing like coming back to a warm fire and a comfy bed after a long day hiking the mountain.

Affordable Rates

2021 rates for weekly cabin rentals are $800 per person as a four person group, or $3,200 total for one camp. You can have less than 4 people in your reservation but the minimum is still $3,200 per week, whether you have 2 people or 4 in camp. Depending on the time of year, we can accommodate more than four people in camp, just contact us for availability. Guests check in to the cabins on Sunday at 3pm and check out at noon on the following Saturday.

Unit 65 Elk and Mule Deer Opportunities

Non-Residents can buy over-the-counter archery elk (either sex) and 2nd/3rd season rifle (bull only) in unit 65. Elk muzzle loader and all mule deer seasons are draw tags. Non-residents have a 95% chance of drawing an archery mule deer tag with one preference point and a 25% chance of drawing a second or third season rifle mule deer tag with zero preference points.

Below are some photos of elk and deer taken at camp over the past few seasons.

Travel and Logistics

If you plan on flying into Colorado, I recommend flying into Montrose Regional Airport which is about an hour north of the cabins. I arrange to meet guests in Montrose or Ridgway and you’ll follow me up to the property in your own vehicle. It is recommended that you drive a four-wheel drive suv or pickup truck with adequate ground clearance due to the roads being rough and rocky.  

Booking Your Stay

These cabins make for an unbelievable getaway and vacation spot with your family or a group of friends. Whether it’s a bachelor party, hunting camp or just a week of fun exploration, there’s no better spot to call home in Southwest Colorado. To book a week with Lifetime Adventures LLC, please fill out out the Transition Wild Contact Form or give me a call directly at 517-898-9599.

“It’s more than just a stay – it’s a true mountain experience.”

Gordon also explains his background of getting into deer hunting at a young age, working as a freelance writer, and helping start North American Whitetail back in the ’80s. We talk about what really makes him tick after all these years and the satisfaction he gets from talking with everyday hunters who kill tremendous deer. To round out the podcast, we talk about the current state of CWD in the United States and his views on the disease. For more information on North American Whitetail, please visit www.northamericanwhitetail.com

• Recent industry shows that Gordon has attended
• The 2019 ATA Show and debuting the Brewster Buck, the world record whitetail that was taken this past Fall
• The current issue of North American Whitetail Magazine and highlighting the full story of a magnificent 320” deer
• Gordon’s take on whether or not this new world record buck will ever be broken in our lifetime
• Gordon’s late season whitetail rifle hunting in the Northeast panhandle and the coastal bend of Texas this past December
• Western whitetail hunting in states like Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska and adapting to unfamiliar open country
• How hunting western whitetail is a good stepping-stone to other big game hunts such as elk and mule deer
• Gordon’s 2018 rut hunt in Kansas and the success he had in November with a mature buck
• Why public land deer hunting is really good in the west and highlighting the low press and hunter numbers
• His background and how he got into hunting at a young age while growing up in Texas
• Discovering his talent and love for writing during grade school and combining that with his love for whitetails
• Getting started in the freelance writing world and helping start North American Whitetail
• The satisfaction of getting to help other hunters learn about deer, deer hunting, and covering some remarkable whitetail stories over the years
• Highlighting big deer stories and how they help to inspire all of us as average Joe’s who have opportunities to kill great deer ourselves
• The perception of hunting as a “rich mans game” or a “trophy bloodsport” and how TV hunting can send a mixed message of what deer hunting really is
• Hunter decline and the reasons why the number of hunters are on the downfall
• What we can do as passionate hunters to help recruit new people to our lifestyle
• The current state of Chronic Wasting Disease and Gordon’s take on the future of CWD in modern day deer hunting
• His December 2019 whitetail hunt in Texas on his family property where he will relive his most memorable hunt from 50-years ag

I’ve been a resident of the west for three years, yet I’m still drawn to whitetail deer while living in the heart of elk country. Although the mountains are now what I call home, my Michigan roots keep my mind wandering to whitetails, especially when the November rut rolls around. Outside of my formal stomping grounds, I’ve had my fair share of whitetail hunts around the country in various states including; Kansas, Iowa, Ohio, Colorado, and Oklahoma. On many of these trips I’ve returned home “deer-less” but the experiences I’ve had and the memories made are nothing short of spectacular. If you’re an avid whitetail hunter (like myself) you should highly consider an out of state hunting trip.

The Unknown

The thing that reels me in the most to DIY whitetail trips is the adventure aspect, hands down. There’s just something about diving head first into parts unknown that draws the true adventurer out of me and the anticipation of new landscapes brings heightened energy like no other. Who doesn’t love a road trip with a good buddy and getting to step foot into unseen whitetail habitat?

Seeing new parts of the country and getting to hunt deer in different landscapes also brings new challenges. It takes hunting back to the basics where you have to figure out travel corridors, locate bedding areas, and put the entire puzzle together piece by piece. The adventure is so much more than miles traveled, it’s the experience of hunting in its purest form.

Large Tracts Of Public Land

100 acres was considered a big chunk of property where I grew up in Southern Michigan and up until I was 23 years old, I never knew what it was like to hunt thousands of acres of woods or crop fields. Large tracts of public land were few and far between so I was left to play within the lines of small private parcels, which I usually shared with multiple other hunters.

Many states have endless amounts of public land that are open to premier whitetail deer hunting, some of which are over the counter (OTC) tags. On public lands, you can literally play outside the lines and confines that you are normally subject to on private land. How often do you get to travel a mile into a stand location or cover square miles of acreage in a single day?

Camping and Lodging

The fun part about on an out of state hunting trip is getting to experience something new in a lodging situation. I’ve set up tents on public land, rented cabins at state parks and most recently on my hunt to Oklahoma, I slept in the bed of my truck with an air mattress and a SoftTopper. I’ve also stayed in hotels but I don’t recommend it because it kills part of the adventure on the trip, at least for me. A hotel doesn’t have the rustic hunting camp feel and even the shittiest motel can rack up a credit card bill pretty damn quick. I suggest finding a cabin, bringing a camper, or roughing it in the back of your truck; it will only make the experience better.

Creativity

The beauty part of a whitetail trip is the amount of creativity you can use for strategy, land access, and locating deer. There is no right or wrong way to approach or execute a hunt and you are only limited by your imagination. Who says you have to hunt exclusively on public land? I’ve gained free access to hunt private farms simply by door knocking, thus playing outside of the lines that I thought I was confined to. On my recent 2018 Whitetail Hunt to Oklahoma, I utilized quail hunters to help locate deer by exchanging numbers on the first day with the agreement to let each other know of sightings of the quarry we were chasing. After having a slow couple of days, I followed up with one of the bird hunters and he disclosed the area they were seeing the most deer while hunting for quails. Later that day I hung a stand and killed a doe and buck that same week. There’s no single path to get you from A to Z and that’s part of what makes these out of state trips so cool.

Have Fun!

Above all else, it’s important to remember why we deer hunt to begin with and that’s to have fun. If you’ve lost your itch or are looking to find a new passion, getting out of the same routine and mixing it up in another state can help rekindle the flame or start a fire that will burn for the rest of your life. Sometimes a spontaneous trip can help recharge the batteries for your daily life, regardless of whether or not you return with meat for the freezer.

With the start of 2019 upon us, where will you hunt this year? Will you return to the same back-forty that you know like the back of your hand, or will you experience someplace new? Life is short. Plan the trip, buy the tag, and go hunting!

During the podcast, I talk about how I ended up selecting an area to hunt, my digital scouting process and the gear I used for both hunting and camping. I talk about the creative way I was able to find a little honey hole within large tracts of state land and how I utilized the shotgun quail hunters to my advantage while hunting. To round out the episode, I cover each day of the week-long hunt and the details of the buck and doe I took during the seven days.

Topics Covered In This Episode Include:

• The backstory of how I selected Oklahoma as the state I wanted to hunt for 2018
• Initial stages of research which included contacting people who knew the area, the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife and studying the deer hunting regulations
• Talking to a local biologist and the information I took away from the 30-minute conversation I had with him
• Digital scouting on Google Earth and onXmaps to find property boundaries and mark waypoints before getting to the area
• Locating tracts of land that were suited for tree stand hunting and pieces that were better suited for spot and stalk hunting
• The decision to purchase a SoftTopper for my truck and camp out of the back of my truck bed for the week as opposed to staying in a hotel or cabin
• My sleeping setup and how I arranged my living quarters for the week
• The meals I was preparing and my setup for cooking with limited space
• Hunting gear selection of boots, clothing, tree stand, knives, and game bags
• My Mystery Ranch Mule Pack and how it was a total game changer for doing a run and gun set up on public land
• Utilizing the Mystery Ranch overload shelf and frame design to comfortably pack out quartered deer on public land
• Details of each day afield and the encounters I had with numerous whitetail deer
• The lessons learned and the keys to my success during my solo Oklahoma DIY whitetail hunt

In association with Timber To Table Guide Service, Adam also runs a hunting outfit based in Unit 61 and Unit 62 in Southwest Colorado, where he guides archery and rifle hunters for deer and elk. For more information on the educational work they are doing or to book a hunt for 2019, please visit: www.timbertotableguideservice.com

Topics Covered In This Episode Include:

• Late season elk hunts that Adam is currently hosting through a partnership with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
• Sharing wild-game meat and venison meals with non-hunters as a way to introduce people to hunting
• His background as a high school science teacher and how that has helped shape the educational portion of his guide service
• The antler craze of the past decade and how things have shifted more towards food and the entire outdoor experience
• A previous job as a firefighter forestry technician in Idaho as a young college student
• Losing interest in the fire world and landing a position as a wolf biologist, post re-introduction to many western states
• The wolf debate and why he thinks a wolf reintroduction to Colorado would be a mistake
• Partnering with Backcountry Hunters and Anglers to host a Hunting For Sustainability Course, which is a weekend long course geared towards college students who have never hunted before
• Conservation Leaders For Tomorrow, a non-profit organization that hosts people in a related field of wildlife management and introducing them to a hunting lifestyle
• The role of developing lifelong hunters and how it will impact future policy and legislation
• The North American Model Of Conservation and how it works
• Dark Timber Outfitters where he guides elk and deer hunters during archery, first rifle, second rifle, and third rifle
• How his 2018 season turned out for hunters and what he experienced with the dry conditions from the drought
• Dark Timber Lodge, which is an off the grid hunting lodge based in Unit 61