Hunting in Colorado

kansashunter

I was just reading about the new proposed gun laws in Colorado and it makes me want to reconsider going hunting there. If you haven't seen it yet one thing is it lets any local government restrict guns even more than the state. I doubt they would ban bolt action rifles but who knows what some little town might do. Also do I really want to give my money to such a state? I guess I need to start looking at other states.

Zee

I washed my hands of Colorado years ago. 

Jayhawker

Apparently they don't have a State Preemption Law in CO. not unlike Kansas prior to the passage of the Kansas Self Defense Act (whatever the call it) where most every city/town had it's own gun laws....the Preemption Law put a stop to that...no gun laws stricter than those enacted by the state...

Diver43

Some Mayors in Florida tried that.  Now if they do. They get personal fines and jail time

earlyagain

Yep.

:-( 

Linefinder

When I moved here 17 years ago, Colorado was solidly red. Now it's as nuts as California.

JerryBobCo

You didn't hear it from me, but if you want a western states deer hunt, look further north.  I hear southeastern Montana is good.

If you want to get an elk, bring some big, strong friends.  They're a load to get out.

Linefinder

I certainly can't say hunting elk is like shooting your uncle's milk cow, because it's not. But, sometimes it's kind of easy. But you're are 5 miles from the nearest road. Your truck is farther away than that. Light's running out and it'll -20F before long. And this thing weighs 600-800 pounds.

Killing an elk on fair chase grounds will be something you remember all your life. But that's not what you'll remember most.

Mike

shotgunshooter3

Really nothing new there. CO cities are allowed to pass more restrictive rules anyway (Denver AWB, for example). It's largely political grandstanding.

But yes, you definitely should look elsewhere to hunt. Colorado is a horrible, liberal, arctic wasteland. Tell all your friends.

GermanShepherd

kansashunter said:

I was just reading about the new proposed gun laws in Colorado and it makes me want to reconsider going hunting there. If you haven't seen it yet one thing is it lets any local government restrict guns even more than the state. I doubt they would ban bolt action rifles but who knows what some little town might do. Also do I really want to give my money to such a state? I guess I need to start looking at other states.

I've read a lot of negative things about Kommie-rado. Are you interested in deer hunting? Deer hunting can be tough in many $tate$. Money, money, money!!! Guides/outfitters are expensive if you can even get booked with one. Ideally you are in deer heaven if you personally know a rural landowner. Some jurisdictions have silly laws against center-fire rifles for deer. My grandfather taught me when I was five that shotguns are for critters with feathers and rifles are for deer. You wouldn't sport a rifle in the duck blind or dove field so why sport a scattergun in deer fields?

Jayhawker

If that's what the state requires then shotguns are very capable of taking deer...My slug gun has accounted for a lot of deer

GermanShepherd

Well, if you like the aesthetics of slug guns. I would think your range would be quite limited. Some states say you have to be on private land to use a rifle. Doesn't a slug also ruin meat?

The National Rifle Association reports some states enforce restrictions on firearm hunters pursuing whitetails. Ten states mandate shotgun only during the firearm season. These states are inclusive of Illinois, Iowa, Ohio, Indiana, Maryland, New Jersey, Massachuetts, Delaware, Maine, and Rhode Island.

https://www.imbmonsterbucks.com/ha/75-hunting-shotgun-only-states.html#:~:text=The National Rifle Association reports,, Maine, and Rhode Island.

Jayhawker

The lower half of Michigan is a shotgun zone...with some exceptions...

Jayhawker

GermanShepherd said:

 I would think your range would be quite limited. 

 Doesn't a slug also ruin meat?

A well set up slug gun is capable out to 100 yards +/- 

No more so than any other projectile...

JerryBobCo

For you shotguns for deer enthusiasts, in most parts of Colorado a 100 yard shot is considered damn near powder burn range.  The last deer I killed in Colorado was a laser measured 188 yards, and I considered that a fairly close shot.

My intention is not to downplay the utility of shotguns for deer hunting, but you have to go with the firearm that is suited for the terrain you hunt, and the ranges you may encounter.

sakodude

GermanShepherd said:

Well, if you like the aesthetics of slug guns. I would think your range would be quite limited. Some states say you have to be on private land to use a rifle. Doesn't a slug also ruin meat?

The National Rifle Association reports some states enforce restrictions on firearm hunters pursuing whitetails. Ten states mandate shotgun only during the firearm season. These states are inclusive of Illinois, Iowa, Ohio, Indiana, Maryland, New Jersey, Massachuetts, Delaware, Maine, and Rhode Island.

https://www.imbmonsterbucks.com/ha/75-hunting-shotgun-only-states.html#:~:text=The National Rifle Association reports,, Maine, and Rhode Island.

Is this a rifle or a slug gun?

JerryBobCo

sakodude said:

GermanShepherd said:

Well, if you like the aesthetics of slug guns. I would think your range would be quite limited. Some states say you have to be on private land to use a rifle. Doesn't a slug also ruin meat?

The National Rifle Association reports some states enforce restrictions on firearm hunters pursuing whitetails. Ten states mandate shotgun only during the firearm season. These states are inclusive of Illinois, Iowa, Ohio, Indiana, Maryland, New Jersey, Massachuetts, Delaware, Maine, and Rhode Island.

https://www.imbmonsterbucks.com/ha/75-hunting-shotgun-only-states.html#:~:text=The National Rifle Association reports,, Maine, and Rhode Island.

Is this a rifle or a slug gun?

Neither, Tom.  It's a cordless hole puncher.

Jayhawker

sakodude said:

GermanShepherd said:

Well, if you like the aesthetics of slug guns. I would think your range would be quite limited. Some states say you have to be on private land to use a rifle. Doesn't a slug also ruin meat?

The National Rifle Association reports some states enforce restrictions on firearm hunters pursuing whitetails. Ten states mandate shotgun only during the firearm season. These states are inclusive of Illinois, Iowa, Ohio, Indiana, Maryland, New Jersey, Massachuetts, Delaware, Maine, and Rhode Island.

https://www.imbmonsterbucks.com/ha/75-hunting-shotgun-only-states.html#:~:text=The National Rifle Association reports,, Maine, and Rhode Island.

Is this a rifle or a slug gun?

I had an interesting conversation with a Utah Game Warden that showed up at the range while I had my slug gun out..
Him: "You know...you can't hunt deer with a shotgun in Utah.  You have to use a rifle..."

Me: "What makes it a rifle?"

Him: " Lands and grooves"

So I took the rifled barrel off my 870 and said "Peer down there and tell me what you see"

Him: "I'll be damned...never seen anything like that before...I'm gonna have to think about this"

I assured him that I wasn't planning on deer hunting with it since I was in my flintlock phase, but wanted it in camp in case we had bear problems...

GunNut

Jayhawker said:

GermanShepherd said:

 I would think your range would be quite limited. 

 Doesn't a slug also ruin meat?

A well set up slug gun is capable out to 100 yards +/- 

No more so than any other projectile...

And a lot less than many other cartridges.

Diver43

GunNut said:

Jayhawker said:

GermanShepherd said:

 I would think your range would be quite limited. 

 Doesn't a slug also ruin meat?

A well set up slug gun is capable out to 100 yards +/- 

No more so than any other projectile...

And a lot less than many other cartridges.

Like a .270?

kansashunter

Deer hunting is not a problem, I have this one place I go and as long as I sleep with her she lets me hunt there. I hope someday I get to find out how hard it is to carry out an elk but all I do is learn how much different it is in the mountains. Even though I have never shot one I really enjoy going.

JerryBobCo

kansashunter said:

Deer hunting is not a problem, I have this one place I go and as long as I sleep with her she lets me hunt there. I hope someday I get to find out how hard it is to carry out an elk but all I do is learn how much different it is in the mountains. Even though I have never shot one I really enjoy going.

I can tell you where and when to go to have a decent chance of humping out an elk.  You'll either love me or hate me for it, though.

kansashunter

I will keep that in mind. Right now I am torn between just going when my boys go and enjoy myself and not worrying about hunting and trying to scrape up enough money to hire an outfitter. I am to old and out of shape to hike a lot of hills. My boys have a part ownership in a place so we have always hunted close to it.

CHIRO1989

kansashunter said:

Deer hunting is not a problem, I have this one place I go and as long as I sleep with her she lets me hunt there. I hope someday I get to find out how hard it is to carry out an elk but all I do is learn how much different it is in the mountains. Even though I have never shot one I really enjoy going.

So you are saying there is elk there? Does she have a sister?

kansashunter

I should have been more specific, that is only for deer, and she doesn't have any sisters.  

CHIRO1989

kansashunter said:

I should have been more specific, that is only for deer, and she doesn't have any sisters.  

Well crap, I am going to go take a cold shower.......

kansashunter

So are you more interested in the deer hunting or the sister?

CHIRO1989

If I have to take one for the team to get to the deer, so be it

Elk creek

Not all Colorado is mountains and trees. You can imagine the shots you have to take here. It’s about 60 miles to the horizon. I got my elk here last year 

JerryBobCo

Everything east of I25 is like the pics posted by Elk Creek.  I've killed nearly a dozen antelope east of Pueblo and Colorado Springs, lots of prairie dogs, and saw a huge mule deer buck in country like this.  There's also a fair number of whitetails in this country, and along river bottoms west of I25.

kansashunter

That is some pretty country. I have not been to all of Colorado, mostly the southeast part. I have hunted north of Alamosa.   I talked to my son this weekend and he told me we are going this year.