How do you guys go on these cool hunts?

[Jpsmith1]

I would encourage you to focus on getting the most out of the hunts that are around you. Its ok to tell yourself the western hunts you dream of are not in your reality.

Ive hunted both sides of the coin. White tails and birds in grain fields in the east, and the western hunting. Solo hunts.

Theres a lot more to western hunting than the magazines and tv shows portray. After you obtain tags that are often difficult, even as a wyoming resident, there are other difficulties. One of my favorite places to antelope hunt is a wilderness area. Its about an hour in from the time i turn off of the county road till i park where i hike in from. I camp where i park, then each day hike from there into the wilderness area. I love the scenery, and the fact I am hunting in the rocky mountains. It takes days of glassing off of a tripod over many miles of ridges to understand the animals in this area. Lot of lugging gear around. If its extremely dry or extremely wet the animals change locations all together. Putting in 8 miles a day of up and down ridges that are 600 feet tall with 20 degree slopes is something many people do not enjoy. The first antelope i shot in this area was 2 miles from where the roads end. It was 2 miles back, with a total of 500 feet of elevation gain, BUT i had to cross 6 ridges along the way with the tallest being 750 feet tall. Most people who actually come here for hunts end up not enjoying a majority of the hunt because if this rough terrain. Ive run into several groups over the years that packed up and went home mid trip, or like the out of state group i met last year, gave up on their bear hunt and just drove around the national forest getting drunk till the week was over. If your in the small percentage of people who truly enjoy this kind of experience its wonderful. Im not trying to talk anyone out of western hunting. But to go from tree stand hunting white tails in grain land to hunting this way is a completely different world.

So, as someone who is probably the least successful hunter on this forum, I have to say that the experience and the landscape and the "other" parts of the hunt are as important to me as the animal itself is.

I don't want an elk as much as I want to be where elk are. You get me?

As far as the general thrust of your comment, I do appreciate it and I'm working on doing exactly that. I'm eyeing a bear hunting trip in Maine, I have a line on Arizona with a forum member here and I have considered going back to SC to hunt pigs again with either a bow or a pistol because they're delicious.

I also have plans for a huge hunt when I retire as a present to myself for working 2500-3000 hours a year for 40 years to support a family.

 

[180ls1]

So, as someone who is probably the least successful hunter on this forum, I have to say that the experience and the landscape and the "other" parts of the hunt are as important to me as the animal itself is.

I don't want an elk as much as I want to be where elk are. You get me?

I've come full circle on this, you're on the right track skipping ahead.

I had an absolute blast recently hunting spring toms in an elk unit that would have taken me 20 years to draw. Same landscape, running ridges calling, 1000's of feet elevation, glassing, herd dynamics, all the above, just a different species...

You can do the same interchanging bears / mule deer and a lot of other species.

 

[Jpsmith1]

I've come full circle on this, you're on the right track skipping ahead.

I had an absolute blast recently hunting spring toms in an elk unit that would have taken me 20 years to draw. Same landscape, running ridges calling, 1000's of feet elevation, glassing, herd dynamics, all the above, just a different species...

You can do the same interchanging bears / mule deer and a lot of other species.

But I'm still faced with the same dilemma of having a group to go with or paying someone to shepherd me around. This is pretty much a non-negotiable with my wife. Solo hunting is a hard no far from home.

 

[magnum44270]

Build a budget, prioritize your needs, get cheaper vehicles, cut out extra spending ( fast food, soda, coffee, nicotine ,Alcohol) and start saving 50-100 a month.
Start Building points or make a plan on a hunt and In a year or two make it happen.

I wasn’t able to do any awesome hunts until I moved out west and got smart about my money

 

[MTlan66]

There was a time in my life when Arkansas was where I hunted out of state! Some of my best deer hunting memories are there.

I hunted for 30 years before I ever got to hunt in the west, and only then because other circumstances in life brought me to live out here. I have made my wife and kids (5) the priority in my life, and I couldn’t be happier!


I agree with all the people here saying to make the most of where you are, right now! Save for some big hunt in the future, if that’s what’s important to you. I can now knock off work early, and hunt elk on the way home, but many years ago, when the only hunting that was available to me was a little dove hunting, I made the most of that. I have fantastic memories of those early, hot mornings hunting dove with my boys when they were toddlers.

I’ve lived in the south, I’ve lived in the east, and now I live in the west. Every place has its pros and cons, and every place has fantastic opportunities for adventures of all kinds. Go make the most of them, and don’t bellyache too much over not hunting Dall’s sheep or something.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

That is sage advice. 80% of my out of state hunting is on my land in Missouri. But most of my hunting is done here in WA. Not the greatest hunting, but still hunting.

 

[307]

But I'm still faced with the same dilemma of having a group to go with or paying someone to shepherd me around. This is pretty much a non-negotiable with my wife. Solo hunting is a hard no far from home.

There’s your limiting factor. I’d fix that asap.

 

[North of 60]

Acquire tag, drive truck, hunt with tag. Done.

I have people always telling me they wish they could go on all the cool trips I go on. But when I explain how to do it, they don't do it. Therefore they don't go. All sorts of hunts to be done on the cheap. People largely don't want to put the effort into planning, so I've basically given up trying to explain it.

There is much truth to this...the due diligence in planning can make a world of difference on DIY hunts on public land.

 

[Jpsmith1]

There’s your limiting factor. I’d fix that asap.

I'm gonna keep her.

 

[307]

I'm gonna keep her.

I didn't say you shouldn't but I can't imagine being in a situation where my wife was in control of my life in that way. I think you can negotiate that part a lot better.

 

[Jpsmith1]

I didn't say you shouldn't but I can't imagine being in a situation where my wife was in control of my life in that way. I think you can negotiate that part a lot better.

Let's put it into a different perspective.

I'm a 50 year old man who hasn't been west of the Mississippi since before I could walk. I'm a higher mileage individual who hasn't taken the best care of the meat suit I live in. I have had 2 back surgeries and a couple other injuries along the way, and I am the sole wage earner in our home.

So, putting yourself into her shoes, you can understand a reluctance to want that to "let" me drive 2000ish miles across the country to climb a mountain I've never seen in territory I've never been in ALONE.

 

[307]

Let's put it into a different perspective.

I'm a 50 year old man who hasn't been west of the Mississippi since before I could walk. I'm a higher mileage individual who hasn't taken the best care of the meat suit I live in. I have had 2 back surgeries and a couple other injuries along the way, and I am the sole wage earner in our home.

So, putting yourself into her shoes, you can understand a reluctance to want that to "let" me drive 2000ish miles across the country to climb a mountain I've never seen in territory I've never been in ALONE.

I think you should both come out here, drive around a bit, do a little hiking and realize that it's not quite as dramatic as you're making it out to be. Plenty of people who can barely walk around the block can cruise up in the hills in the fall and look for critters near the roads or within easy/flat hike distances.

It doesn't have to be a weeklong solo backpack hunt in the thorofare in order to be an adventure.

 

[satchamo]

Ignoring the finances of it, I think the point that’s being glazed over is having a hunting partner or partners that are as passionate about it as you. A lot of out of state hunting blows ass to do solo. Like I can hunt solo all day but I won’t bullshit anyone, camping and driving alone sucks for me. I like company and camaraderie. Oh and packing out animals alone sucks too.

If you get into this alone and no one else in your circle is jumping in with you it can be a lot harder to get into - not impossible, but definitely harder in my opinion.

I’m lucky I have a few great hunting buddies that give their time to go on hunts with no tags just to help.

 

[Johnboy041586]

Another vote for move to a state that has "cool" hunts and don't look back. I relocated 4.5 years ago to AK and have no regrets (except moving to an island which make some "cool" hunts a pain logistically )

 

[Will_m]

Wealth is subjective. Millionaires envy billionaires.

But nobody envies the guy wondering if he can make ends meet at the end of the month, can’t get his kids why they need or can’t handle an unexpected large life expense. It’s not that subjective.

Wealth isn’t everything but it’s damn sure something of significance.

 

[Will_m]

I need some help and I don’t know who better to ask than the guys doing it so here goes. How do you guys achieve the time freedom and the financial freedom to go on these cool hunts. I’m in Arkansas working at a factory I have no kids but I have a wife and a mortgage and I pretty much only get to hunt what’s local to me like whitetail and ducks. I’m looking for adventure.

Don’t forget this is the internet.

 

[Rich M]

We're talking about the same kinds of numbers, my man. We had a big financial setback a few years ago where we had to live on my "hunting fund" for a couple months while I recuperated from an injury, so the 6kish I had set aside for a hunt rapidly shrunk, and we've been scrambling to replace it ever since. I've probably made a few rash purchasing decisions along the way, too which doesn't always help.

I'm finally back to a point where I can think about small hunts and do some cool stuff more locally or save all my pennies and never do a hunt until I'm too old to do the hunts I want to do.

Those little setbacks are always significant. Glad you had the hunting fund to draw from. We did something similar but wife's health while making low income. It was long enough ago that just an expensive memory.

Nothing wrong with hunting local.

I used to build duck hunting boats and trade em for deer hunts. Only 1 guy actually put me on a deer - forkhorn. The rest just couldn't or wouldn't show a single deer. Stopped doing it when I realized could get on a hunting lease for less than building the boat and going on these adventures. Also sold plans for a while and paid bills with the income.

But I'm still faced with the same dilemma of having a group to go with or paying someone to shepherd me around. This is pretty much a non-negotiable with my wife. Solo hunting is a hard no far from home.

my wife is same. Just be careful who you go with. Most folks should fall into the uh, no category.

 

[Jpsmith1]

I think you should both come out here, drive around a bit, do a little hiking and realize that it's not quite as dramatic as you're making it out to be. Plenty of people who can barely walk around the block can cruise up in the hills in the fall and look for critters near the roads or within easy/flat hike distances.

It doesn't have to be a weeklong solo backpack hunt in the thorofare in order to be an adventure.

Working on that and I understand what you're saying.

I keep trying to plan a local 'backcountry' trip but life gets in the way when seasons are short

 

[Jpsmith1]

Those little setbacks are always significant. Glad you had the hunting fund to draw from. We did something similar but wife's health while making low income. It was long enough ago that just an expensive memory.

Nothing wrong with hunting local.

I used to build duck hunting boats and trade em for deer hunts. Only 1 guy actually put me on a deer - forkhorn. The rest just couldn't or wouldn't show a single deer. Stopped doing it when I realized could get on a hunting lease for less than building the boat and going on these adventures. Also sold plans for a while and paid bills with the income.


my wife is same. Just be careful who you go with. Most folks should fall into the uh, no category.

Yeah, I didn't mean to come off as angry. Better to have the money than not.

My wife has her own health concerns that can prevent her from tagging along even on scouting and shed hunting hikes. She might come out mushrooming with me this spring and I'd be happy to have her along.

 

[.204smokechaser]

Work hard play hard.

6 years ago after I finished college (paid it all via cash from working) and went into my field to now, I make 5 times more a year. That required moving around and making a lot of friends via networking in my field.

I don’t say no to overtime except in the fall. 800 to 1000 hours of overtime a year at my regular job with leave accrual and working on the weekends in the “off season” of my regular job doing private forestry stuff allows me to screw off during hunting, trapping, and ice fishing seasons. I take on average 30 days off paid a year to hunt/fish and try to keep 20 days of leave built up for other things that come up. I budget $15k a year for play money.

I don’t go into debt for fun toys or pickups to look cool. No payments to my name and you don’t need to look like a typical social media content creator to go on out of state hunts.