Best mule deer and elk state

davehaze · Post by **davehaze** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 6:13 pm

Hi, I'm looking to relocate from Texas to either Colorado or Utah and would like some opinions and suggestions to which state and where in the state would you choose to live to hunt mule deer and elk. Thanks!

Coloradobuck · Post by **Coloradobuck** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 7:00 pm

colorado has the best elk and deer population and some of the biggest muledeer

AGCHAWK · Post by **AGCHAWK** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 8:37 pm

davehaze, here are some numbers that might help you out. I saw your same request in the Mule Deer forum and I am trying to find solid numbers on Mule deer populations. Not a lot of luck thus far though.

YR.....COLORADO..............UTAH
1975 105,000---------------18,000
1980 130,000---------------25,000
1985 175,000---------------40,000
1990 220,000---------------58,000
1995 230,000---------------60,000
2000 295,000---------------62,635

Additionally, here is a breakdown of B&C entries by state:
Arizona- 127
Montana- 108
Wyoming- 66
New Mexico- 52
Utah and Idaho- 41 each
Colorado- 39
Oregon- 24
Washington- 18
Nevada- 14
North Dakota- 6
South Dakota and Kansas- 2
Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa and California- 1 each

You'll notice that although Colorado has a larger population, Utah has more record book bulls listed. Population might decide hunting opportunities to an extent, but it does not dictate trophy opportunities.
(Most of us agree though that B&C entry does not necessarily make a trophy either. A trophy is in the eyes of the hunter, not the book).

Remember, tag availability, hunting opportunities, health and fitness of individual populations and/or metapopulations, and many other factors go into deciding which state is "better than the other" regarding hunting opportunities, trophy calibur animals, etc. GOOD LUCK and I'll see what I can find regarding Mule deer numbers.

In the meantime, we have a lot of CO and UT hunters here on MM and they can throw thier individual thoughts on the subject out there for you.

One question though: When you do relocate, do you plan on buying land to hunt or are you asking about the general opportunites/public hunting land access opportunities in each state?

Coloradobuck · Post by **Coloradobuck** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 9:55 pm

yep. yep. (colorado is still the best for huntn

)

also it dont matter with triphy. every animal you take is a trophy.

davehaze · Post by **davehaze** » Fri Oct 05, 2007 4:48 am

Thanks for all the suggestions and agchawk I was asking about the general hunting opportunities in each state and where would one live close to have access to the most promising areas.