Hunting Colorado Whitetail Deer- Tracking Down Big Bucks… without Wall Street! There’s no better place to hunt Whitetail Deer than in the beautiful state of Colorado. The white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States (all but five states), Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru. In the continent of North America, however, Colorado is among the preferred regions to find sizeable whitetail, largely due to the state’s legal limits on its Whitetail Deer hunters. Colorado residents and visitors alike must either draw a tag or buy a transferable landowner voucher. Surprisingly, even landowners cannot hunt their own land unless they participate in the "Ranching for Wildlife" program, which limits tags, or they have to draw the aforementioned voucher. The result of these legal limitations is that many whitetail bucks reach full, adult maturity. Bucks scoring 150 to 170 are spotted rather frequently in eastern Colorado, despite otherwise low deer populations. Each year, there are bucks ranging from 170-200, in addition to some atypical ranges from 180 to 220 or higher. Rifle hunts for the whitetail usually begin between October and December, but bowhunters have the advantage; they can hunt at the peak of the rut in November. Applications for hunting whitetail deer are usually due in April, and in some units you'll need two to ten preference points to draw a tag. Knowledgeable huntsmen know that the Eastern Plains of Colorado regularly provide for some very rewarding trophy whitetail bucks because, as we discussed before, tags are extremely limited; even landowners must draw tags to hunt on their own land. Naturally, then, the bucks have the chance to grow big and meaty. Some outfitters lease land near Lamar – riverbottom property along the Arkansas River – where bucks in the 150s and 160s are relatively common, and where bucks in the 170s-190s (and even some 200s) graze. The region produces big muleys, but this year, the state has issued a few whitetail-only tags, so they’re anxious to start building a reputation as a producer of trophy whitetails. There are many outfitters offering guided Colorado hunting trips – some specializing in the whitetail, alone – in the relatively affordable ranges of a couple thousand dollars, to more high-end guides with experienced sportsmen in the range of about $5,000. Don’t miss out on all the great hunting opportunities available for snagging a prize whitetail buck in Colorado this season! Remember, the bucks are big here, due to low hunting pressure from both residents and non-residents, so not only are they large, they’re more numerous than other places, as well!