I remember my first trip in search of mule deer down Colorado's Highway 50. I was 14 and so excited that I hadn't slept well for a week.

Along Highway 50, the Arkansas River herd, the Cripple Creek herd, the Grape Creek herd and the Gunnison Basin herd are a few of the most noteworthy. Photo by Danny Farris.

On that trip, I took my first buck. It felt like a rite of passage, and I celebrated it with my dad and grandpa at my side. It sparked my lifelong passion for hunting these magnificent gray ghosts of the West.

This central Colorado byway is one of two main corridors stretching the entire width of the Centennial State from east to west. By far the less traveled of the two, it offers fantastic views as it winds through diverse landscapes, going from 3,500 to more than 12,000 feet above sea level.

ARKANSAS RIVER HERD
On Highway 50's eastern end, you'll begin at Colorado's lowest elevation -- about 3,500 feet. You'll climb gradually as you drive west through seemingly endless prairie grasslands. This wide-open country is home to Colorado's Arkansas River deer herd. Game Management Units 122, 125, 126, 127, 130, 132, 137, 138, 139 and 146 offer some of the country's best mule deer hunting.

In 2007, draw odds for primitive-weapons hunters in these units were excellent, with 100 percent of both resident and non-resident bowhunters with no preference points drawing either-sex tags. Resident muzzleloader hunters also usually draw with zero points, while last year, non-resident muzzleloaders needed only 2 points to be in the running.

In most of these Colorado Eastern Plains units, two rifle seasons are offered -- one early and one late. As a general rule, the late seasons are more difficult to draw and require up to 5 points for residents and 7 points for non-residents. But many can still be drawn with little or even no preference points, especially during the earlier rifle seasons.

When draw results are announced each June, spending a little time on the statistics page of the Colorado Division of Wildlife's Web site will pay dividends. Check it out at http://www.wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/BigGame/Statistics

I've hunted the Arkansas River deer herd on many occasions, with terrific success. My last trip down this portion of Highway 50 was on a bowhunt that paid off with a wide-racked 160-class mulie with awesome kickers decorating both sides of his 5x5 typical frame.

I spotted that buck late one afternoon. Though I couldn't make out the details of his rack, I could tell that he was a buck that I'd be proud to take with my bow. Closing the distance quickly, reaching the 100-yard mark, I glimpsed movement through the grass and yuccas. A doe bounced directly toward me. The next thing I knew, the buck was in hot pursuit.

The doe bounded past me at 25 yards with the buck in tow. Just as I was about to try and stop him with a grunt, he inexplicably stopped broadside, offering me the kind of shot that a bowhunter's dreams are made of.

Seconds later, the wide-racked buck expired as the sun set on one of my favorite mule deer adventures.

If you're interested in hunting these eastern Highway 50 units, you'll need to keep in mind that the vast majority of the land is private. Gaining access from landowners will improve your odds of success.

However, more and more public hunting opportunities are opening up.

In 2007, the CDOW piloted a new Big Game Access Program in southeastern units. Get detailed information about the program at http://www.wildlife.state.co.us/Hunting/BigGame/AccessProgram

CDOW biologist Trent Verquer based in Lamar, said the program's first year proved to be a big success.