I put in my application online today, finally, for this fall. I'm hoping to draw my first choice GMU 86 as I helped a friend bag out a muley from that area last year.

I noticed that CWD seems to be spreading more across our state, and that 86 was made a CWD unit this year albeit <1% of deer tested had it. How many CO hunters out there (or non-CO-hunters) still bother hunting deer now, have you switched to Elk and Pronghorn or do you still hunt deer in CWD units and just get yours tested?

I'm hoping to draw a deer tag in unit 83 this year with 5 preference points. My unit isn't designated cwd yet.

I hunt deer in a CWD unit and have never bothered getting a CWD test. The CDC has a lot of information on the disease. http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/10/6/03-1082_article I have read through the material and decided, for myself, that the risk of transmission to humans is low to non-existent. Everyone needs to make their own decision on the matter but I feel safe with it. I do avoid the brain and spine as much as possible.

By the way, elk can carry CWD as well as deer.

Good luck on your draw, 83 is a nice area I've gone elk hunting down there with family a few times.

Maybe I'm just being paranoid about the whole thing. I've read that article the CDC put out and a couple others. I just don't want to be the first one that isn't protected by the species barrier or put my family at risk. I'll just get my kill tested to ease my mind, if I bag anything. If I get my draw it'll be my first above treeline hunt.

I'll draw my private land doe tag that I always get for the eastern plains and go on a ranch owned either by the family or a family friend and fill the freezer.

GMU 86 and 861 are nice areas. I have done some elk hunting in that part of Colorado.

my self education on CWD doesn't have me worried about hunting in a gmu with it. I only cut meat from bone (not through bone), and don't eat brains. None of this because I'm afraid of CWD, I just never have anyway.

Same here. I bone them where they hit the ground and pack out nothing but edible meat. On a side note how is the deer herd on Coulter Mesa? I used to hunt a lot of mulies up there with my family. Used to be some really nice bucks up there.

I also bone out where they rest, I haven't gotten anything worth hanging on the wall yet. Looks like I'll be heading to Afghanistan in July though so there goes this year's hunting season. Good luck to the rest of you!

That sucks. Been there, done that, got the chest candy to prove it. Keep your head down. Put in for points. i always did that even if I couldn't get there to hunt. That's how I got most of my 21 points for elk. Retire as soon as you can and enjoy life.