Never been hunting...noob questions!

[El Caballo Loco]

I'd like to go though. Any advice on where to start?

I've been spending time reading the regulations and what not but I'd like to hear it from some of you avid hunters out there. The CO DOW website seems a bit overwhelming. I was hoping I could just go somewhere, do some paperwork, pay some money, and go hunt.

All I'd like to do is hunt a deer for some meat. I think it would be more cost effective that going out and buying meat.

I've been reading up on everything I need to do to field dress the deer and pack it home.

I am Active Duty Army out of Fort Carson. I have a Remy 700 SPS Tactical as well as some 150gr. and 180gr. Core-Lokt. I have most of the supplies at hand that have been recommended to me but I lack a good knife. I plan on buying that soon.

Is it to late in the year to get a license/tag? If someone gives me permission to harvest a deer off their land do I still need a license/tag?
Do I get to pick where I go or am I sequestered to a random "GMU"?

Any advice would be appreciated.

[Dr_Fwd]

Tag for future responses

[El Caballo Loco]

"Tag" as in I can't wait to see the flame fest on this idiot or "tag" as in some good advice for a beginner may pop up? Haha.

[mcantar18c]

"Tag" as in he has something to say, but is busy at the moment (probably something to do with this) and will edit to add info later.

The big question is, do you know what to do with the deer once you've shot it?

[jscwerve]

I'd like to go though. Any advice on where to start?

I've been spending time reading the regulations and what not but I'd like to hear it from some of you avid hunters out there. The CO DOW website seems a bit overwhelming. I was hoping I could just go somewhere, do some paperwork, pay some money, and go hunt. Do you have a hunters education certificate? That is going to be step number one in obtaining a Colorado hunting license.

All I'd like to do is hunt a deer for some meat. I think it would be more cost effective that going out and buying meat.

I've been reading up on everything I need to do to field dress the deer and pack it home.

I am Active Duty Army out of Fort Carson. I have a Remy 700 SPS Tactical as well as some 150gr. and 180gr. Core-Lokt. I have most of the supplies at hand that have been recommended to me but I lack a good knife. I plan on buying that soon. All you rally NEED is the license, a gun, some orange and luck of the hunt. And then after that you just need to open up your wallet and spend god aweful amounts of money on all the stuff you WANT. As far as knives, get a game cleaning set (not very expensive at all) and a whetstone, you will need it.

Is it to late in the year to get a license/tag? If someone gives me permission to harvest a deer off their land do I still need a license/tag?
Do I get to pick where I go or am I sequestered to a random "GMU"? You need a tag to hunt on private land as well as public. It has to be a tag from that unit as well. You can find leftover and over the counter tags on the CDOW website. They regularly update to show what is left, and they are unit specific.

Any advice would be appreciated.

I'm not gonna sit here and bust your balls like the other guys as I am still learning myself. This is only my second consecutive year hunting since I was in high school. My best advise is to do a ton of reading, watch a lot of videos, go scout some areas, and of course ask questions.

Good luck!

[El Caballo Loco]

mcantar18c - For the answer to the big question, I'm supposed to drag it to the butcher without dressing it right?

Just kidding just kidding. I've been spending a lot of time reading on field dressing (the steps and what to and not to do), skinning or not skinning to let it age in hide, and making use of what I can.

I think the biggest hurdle will be gutting and skinning but I'm notorious at work for printing out steps for procedures and laminating them for future reference so I think I may benefit by doing the same for this as well. Make a cheat sheet or two and then drag it home.

Once I get it to the hizzy, getting my backstraps and tenderloins then moving on to quartering. I figure I could benefit from a book on butchering when it came time to do my quarters.

[El Caballo Loco]

I'm not gonna sit here and bust your balls like the other guys as I am still learning myself. This is only my second consecutive year hunting since I was in high school. My best advise is to do a ton of reading, watch a lot of videos, go scout some areas, and of course ask questions.

Good luck!

I do not have the Hunters Safety Course but it looks like the Sportsmans Warehouse next to my apartment will be having one next weekend. I'm also going to look into the internet courses too now that I've seen them.

Since you brought that up I got back on the DOW website and found that the same Sportsmans Warehouse is a "license agent" as well. I think I may drop in on them tomorrow.

Thanks!

[ridgewalker]

Chances of getting a deer license this late in the year is pretty slim. You will have to get a "left over" license. Before that even, you need the Hunter Safety Course. You will get a lot of info from that.

If I were you, I'd take the Hunter Safety Course in person and not over the internet. Then you can ask questions.

Next, I'd try to find someone at Fort Carson with local hunting experience who would be willing to help you out...next year.

Next, research between now and next April (when applications are due for a license) where you would like to hunt (pick 3-4 optional GMUs). As I recall, Fort Carson has some hunting allowed on it unless that has changed.

Best of luck and don't give up.

[ray1970]

Your best best bet is going to be to try to plan a hunt with someone who already hunts as they can help you through the whole process.

Get your hunters safety course out of the way first. You won't be able to get your license without it.

Pick the area you want to hunt in and put in for a license in that area. You will only be allowed to hunt in the area (or areas) listed on the license.

If you are wanting meat, I am going to recommend elk over deer for a few reasons. One, there is way more meat on an elk than a deer. Two, I have found it easier to find elk than deer. Seems like when you are looking for deer, all you see is elk. And, third, I have always had much better luck drawing an elk tag than a deer tag.

You mentioned something about you thought it would be cheaper to hunt your meat than buy it. I think by the time you are all said and done you might think differently. Seems like you never factor in the little things. My last trip I needed a new pair of boots, a couple of miscellaneous things for the camp that were no longer in serviceable condition and needed to be replaced, fuel for the truck to go there and back, food to last four days, and probably several other expenses I am overlooking. Pretty sure my last trip set me back well over $400 all together. I can buy a good bit of meat for $400.

Anyways, hopefully you get it all figured out and have a good time.

[DOC]

Hunter safety course. DOW has them and they are for free. It takes 4 hours of one night and 8 hours of the next day. A lot of your questions can be answered there. They will also go over do and don'ts like using binocules to see other hunters instead of your scope.
There is a part where you fire ten .22 rounds to show that you can be safe with a rifle. Not waving it around and stepping out of the booth to reload. Shot placement doesn't matter. Even if you get a perfect grouping... but I digress.

So start calling the DOW to ask them when the free class in your area is being held and then post it here so others can go.

The DOW guys hunt but are kind of green weenies so just sit there and shut up and learn.
Rounds over 6mm that have a velosity of 1000 fps or greater at a 100yds. So, no .223's and pistol rounds.