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.