Craig, CO

Sounds like your going to have some fun in the Craig area. 5000 Acres is a nice piece of land in most parts of US, but in the West around Craig.....that could be two hills and open large field.

Most of the land around Craig is sage, pinion pine and juniper. You will want to carry bio's and/or spotting scope, a shooting stick or bi-pod for longer shots. That would also mean you need to able to shoot 200 - 400 yards with the shooting stick or bi-pod.

You can spot critters with optics in early morning light and even light. In morning light you can sometimes watch them bed down and have most of the day to put a hunt in on them. Keep attention to the wind....it WILL change all day long.

Overall the Craig area has one of the largest Mule Deer herds in Colorado.

By the way, I will be in Zone 12 just South of you trying to find myself a keeper Muley and Elk.

You should have a good time. The land your talking about should really keep the hunting pressure down. I am curious on how much the rancher asked for access? Might look into something like that in the 2005 season my self.

Enjoy,

The first thing to do if you have not done so already is to buy the best set of binos and spotting scope you can afford. FeRanger is right in that in the west, 5000 acres is not huge, but still plenty of area.

Most guys I know that don't have a lot of experience hunting muley will just start walking and hope something steps out in front of them at 50-100 yards. It doesn't work that way for the most part with open country muleys. If they see you before you see them, they will vanish.

Muleys are masters at bedding in open area. It doesn't take much cover for them either. I would swear that a muley could hide in most people's backyards if he wanted to.

Anyway, what I am saying is buy the best optics you can. I put it off for a lot of years trying to save money and I regretted it after I stepped up and bought the good stuff. Find a vantage point and sit,sit,sit until you locate a good buck then figure out the wind and how to stalk in on him. It is a great way to hunt. If you do spot a good buck, don't take your eyes off him until you know exactly where he is at. Big muleys are notorious for just dropping out of site into a bed without much warning. One last thing to remember is that just because you have picked a hillside apart with your glass, does not mean there is not a buck there. Be patient and let them make the fatal move, not you.

I would throw my two cents in but looks like FeRanger and Primetime have pretty much covered it all. The only thing I would add is patience, patience, patience! When you do spot that muley that is when the hunt really begins. Low and slow on the stalk and watch that wind direction. If there is a range around you go out and pratice at 300+ yards, with the wind blowing. Shooting 3" high at 100 yards is NOT the same as shooting at 300 yards. Keep in mind you will have to sight your rifle in again when you arrive in Colo. Elevation changes do change your trajectory. Dress in layered clothing, carry plenty of water (camel backs work great) and bring some high protien snacks. The type of hunting you are looking at may require you to put on a stalk that can last from sunup to sundown. Just because you get close enough for a shot doesn't mean you have a clear shot. May have to wait for the critter to get up out of his bed. Good luck and let us know how your hunt goes

I hunted muleys south and east of Craig, near Oak Creek for many, many years. Same type of terrain as you are talking about. Heed the advice given by the other guys:

1. Get the best glass you can afford....binocs, spotter, and rifle scope.
2. Sit still and use the glass until you think you will go blind.
3. Have tons of patience and look at the same spots over and over.
Muleys are ghosts and can just appear out of nowhere and disappear
the same way.
4. Once you have spotted your prey, plan an intelligent stalk.
5. Stalk intelligently and don't get too anxious; the situation may change
50 times before you get your shot.
6. Practice, practice, practice your shooting skills and your stalking skills
long before you ever go on the hunt.

Hunting out west is so different from how we do it here in beautiful, downtown Ar-kin-saw. It took me a few years to really learn some successful muley techniques. Now, I really don't give these mangy whitetails here much of my time.

Muleys rock !! Good luck getting yours.

where is Craig located at in the state. i have heard of it but never actully knew where it was

North and west of the center of the state, near the Wyoming border.

Welcome back wyomingtrophyhunter!!! Long time no talk, how is life in Ar-kin-saw! All is well in northern wyoming. National Championship Snowmachine Hill Climbs took place this week, pretty good time!

My older sister lives only about I think 10-15 miles from Craig in a town called Maybell. If i was ever, which I wouldn't but if i did, i would move to Craig. Man it is a neat town. Close to the snowboard hill at Steamboat, the hunting is first rate, and the folks on the western slope are good people.

Yo, Muleyman. I have been tied up with this work thing and haven't had much time to play over here. Like everyone else, I am sitting on pins and needles waiting for July to find out if we drew out tags for the ole Honey Hole up by Thermop.

I hunted the NW Colorado area for many years until my buddy who owned and lived on 300 acres right in the middle of Cross Mountain Ranch got too old for those 600 inch snowfall winters and 30 below temps. We tried to hold on for another year hunting school ground and BLM, but the public lands in that area were just too crowded with idiots that had bad manners and skills.

You are right: the native folks on the Western slope are the finest; we made many good friends out there over the years. I will have to say that I am not that smitten with Steamboat.....maybe it is just that snowbunny culture but those folks were not our cup of tea. Most of them were not natives to the area and their smug arrogance and uppity ways just turned us off. Needless to say, they probably didn't appreciate us Arkies either !! We are a lot better fit in Wyoming where everyone is friendly, down-to-earth, and has good manners. The hunting is a lot better too with less competition, except for the slim chances of getting drawn out for the tags we want. Heck, we are going out there this year whether we draw or not just to hang out. We can always shoot a few coyotes or sod poodles and jacks. Mostly just go to get away and visit our buds out there.

Weather is in the 70s here with a chance of showers tonight. Life in beautiful downtown Ar-kin-saw is lovely. Hope it is equally lovely for the rest of you all.

Later.

wyomingtrophyhunter,

Honestly I have been some what hanging back in the shadows myself the past couple months, I check in everyday but rarely reply to any of the posts.

What you stated about the uppity attitude of the folks in Steamboat is the truth, I can't deny that, however, being that I live in Jackson Hole, I could get use to the people in Steamboat. You want to meet some uppity people, come to Jackson, Wyoming. Other than hunting snowboarding would have to be my favorite winter activity so fitting in doesn't seem to be a problem for me.

Sounds like all is good and I wish you the best of luck in the upcoming wyoming draw!!!!!!!

Ho, ho, ho on the Jackson Hole remark.

We took a day trip up there last year with some Riverton boys after we tagged out and decided to spend some time at the Zillion Dollar Cowboy Bar. (Where were the cowboys ?) We hung out in our killin' duds amongst some fancy-dan yuppie punks and yankee tourist types. Visited the big sporting goods joint downtown (can't think of the name of it) and saw some folks there looking for a thousand dollar fly reel to go on a $5000 fly rod !!

Finally headed back and stopped at a real joint somewhere outside of Dubois. My kinda place, for sure. Friendly folks and cheap, cold beer. I am staying away from the high-brow joints from now on. I know THEY will be happier if I do !!

I must just be from too far back in the Bojacks of Ar-kin-saw............

To say that I stick out in Jackson like a turd in a bucket of milk would be an understatement. I have met some good people in this place, however, the money is always what talks and you know what walks! I can't afford to play in Jackson like I would like to but because of the lack of architecture firms throughtout the state my options are pretty limited, and there is no way I would leave Wyoming so Jackson Hole is where I am.
I get a kick out of "The Cowboy Bar", like you said where are the cowboys. They tend to be more my crowd but that bar is not where you are going to find them.

Hey Muleyman, next time you are in Riverton, stop in at "The Boot" located on Main Street. A hoppin' little dive...maybe as hoppin' as Ralff's which is on Broadway, just down from the Thunderbird Motel on Fremont.

All them joints remind me of the Rock-Em-Sock-Em-Knock-Out Bar and Grill in a little town back home.

Great folks, great fun, and great to get out alive !!

"wyomingtrophyhunter" wrote:Yo, Muleyman. I have been tied up with this work thing and haven't had much time to play over here. Like everyone else, I am sitting on pins and needles waiting for July to find out if we drew out tags for the ole Honey Hole up by Thermop.

I hunted the NW Colorado area for many years until my buddy who owned and lived on 300 acres right in the middle of Cross Mountain Ranch got too old for those 600 inch snowfall winters and 30 below temps. We tried to hold on for another year hunting school ground and BLM, but the public lands in that area were just too crowded with idiots that had bad manners and skills.

You are right: the native folks on the Western slope are the finest; we made many good friends out there over the years. I will have to say that I am not that smitten with Steamboat.....maybe it is just that snowbunny culture but those folks were not our cup of tea. Most of them were not natives to the area and their smug arrogance and uppity ways just turned us off. Needless to say, they probably didn't appreciate us Arkies either !! We are a lot better fit in Wyoming where everyone is friendly, down-to-earth, and has good manners. The hunting is a lot better too with less competition, except for the slim chances of getting drawn out for the tags we want. Heck, we are going out there this year whether we draw or not just to hang out. We can always shoot a few coyotes or sod poodles and jacks. Mostly just go to get away and visit our buds out there.

Weather is in the 70s here with a chance of showers tonight. Life in beautiful downtown Ar-kin-saw is lovely. Hope it is equally lovely for the rest of you all.

Later.

we'll be huntin unit 13 and man r there some big boys out there last year we took 4 in two days, that is a great spot.

we'll be huntin unit 13 and man there is alot of deer and big ones at that last year we took 4 in two days