How far do you drive for a diy trip

[wind gypsy]

It's nice to have more comfy car camping gear but for that trip I'd be tempted to just fly with backpacking gear.

18ish hours seems to be what most of my drives are. It's nice to have two big coolers for elk but for a deer you could get by with buying a cheap one at wal-mart.

the only thing about renting a vehicle is that you get shitty 4 ply tires. Turo might be worth checking out for alternatives.

This is a good point. I have had flats eat at least a half day with two different rental pickups.

 

[150plusB&C]

I stole it from a sticker from The Mountain Project guys.

Also, Donnie Vincent said, “to experience fantastic things, we have to put ourselves in fantastic places.”

I’m a mortician boys and I have yet to bury or cremate someone with their life savings. If YOU don’t enjoy it, SOMEONE ELSE will.

Working in the death industry keeps your priorities in check. God only knows when your tag gets punched so make the best of EVERYDAY! God Bless all of you!

God, Family and the outdoors


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[archp625]

For me, if I cannot get there in a day to a day and a half I will fly. I only have so many days to hunt out west and do not want to spend that majority driving.

 

[Trial153]

I have done the 25 plus hour trip more times than I can count. It is it what it is. Thought I find myself flying as often as not nowadays

 

[archp625]

I stole it from a sticker from The Mountain Project guys.

Also, Donnie Vincent said, “to experience fantastic things, we have to put ourselves in fantastic places.”

I’m a mortician boys and I have yet to bury or cremate someone with their life savings. If YOU don’t enjoy it, SOMEONE ELSE will.

Working in the death industry keeps your priorities in check. God only knows when your tag gets punched so make the best of EVERYDAY! God Bless all of you!

God, Family and the outdoors


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Thats a wild way to put it but you are right. I tell my wife all the time that there is a fine line. I also use Randys quote of you will run out of health before you run out on money.

 

[Okhotnik]

So I’m in the planning stages for a DIY mule deer hunt next January in Arizona. My plan is to base camp with a vehicle and hike in everyday. My original thoughts were to drive there(I live in Connecticut) since traveling by air at that point might still be questionable. It’ll also not overly limit what I take with me or how I bring back meat and antlers(god willing). But I’m struggling with the idea of driving across the country for a hunt, even though it’d be a fun road trip(2500 miles one way). So my question, how far are you all willing to drive or how far have you driven for a diy hunt?


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why not travel by air and rent a vehicle? Not a big deal to bring meat or horns back on airplane.
Plus driving across the US in winter is not fun and Ive done it a number of times.

 

[Brendan]

So I’m in the planning stages for a DIY mule deer hunt next January in Arizona. My plan is to base camp with a vehicle and hike in everyday. My original thoughts were to drive there(I live in Connecticut) since traveling by air at that point might still be questionable. It’ll also not overly limit what I take with me or how I bring back meat and antlers(god willing). But I’m struggling with the idea of driving across the country for a hunt, even though it’d be a fun road trip(2500 miles one way). So my question, how far are you all willing to drive or how far have you driven for a diy hunt?


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I'm in Massachusetts, do it yearly solo. I can leave Friday early afternoon and be hunting Sunday afternoon in WY/MT.

The problem with flying is you need to give yourself a lot more time at the end of the hunt to get an animal broken down, out of the woods, packaged and prepared for transport, and be able to still make your flight. Unless of course you're going to change flights or rent a car and drive home...

No brainer for me: With a 2 week hunt in the lower 48 I'm driving every time.

 

[CO archery hunter]

So I’m in the planning stages for a DIY mule deer hunt next January in Arizona. My plan is to base camp with a vehicle and hike in everyday. My original thoughts were to drive there(I live in Connecticut) since traveling by air at that point might still be questionable. It’ll also not overly limit what I take with me or how I bring back meat and antlers(god willing). But I’m struggling with the idea of driving across the country for a hunt, even though it’d be a fun road trip(2500 miles one way). So my question, how far are you all willing to drive or how far have you driven for a diy hunt?


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Thankfully I only have to drive a few hours before I'm in a good area for deer or elk.

 

[ThisIsMyHandle]

why not travel by air and rent a vehicle? Not a big deal to bring meat or horns back on airplane.
Plus driving across the US in winter is not fun and Ive done it a number of times.

Yea that’s what I’d do if I flew there. My options are drive there with my personal vehicle or fly and rent a truck. How do you fly with a skull and antlers?


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[Wapiti1]

I'm in Massachusetts, do it yearly solo. I can leave Friday early afternoon and be hunting Sunday afternoon in WY/MT.

The problem with flying is you need to give yourself a lot more time at the end of the hunt to get an animal broken down, out of the woods, packaged and prepared for transport, and be able to still make your flight. Unless of course you're going to change flights or rent a car and drive home...

No brainer for me: With a 2 week hunt in the lower 48 I'm driving every time.

This is how I look at it as well. You spend vacation days driving or messing with logistics for flying. The only way around that is to drop the animal at a butcher and pay for shipping it home. I end up spending a full extra day when I've flown getting everything ready for flight.

With all the CWD regulations it's getting harder to prep for the trip home. Know what they are before you start.
Jeremy

 

[Wapiti1]

Yea that’s what I’d do if I flew there. My options are drive there with my personal vehicle or fly and rent a truck. How do you fly with a skull and antlers?


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Most airlines will fly them, but call and find out.

Clean the skull per CWD regulation. Cover the pointy parts with garden hose, foam, or tennis balls. Tape it all on. Check it as baggage.

It's a lot easier than you think. But will cost $100 or more for the oversize baggage fee.

Jeremy

 

[Okhotnik]

Yea that’s what I’d do if I flew there. My options are drive there with my personal vehicle or fly and rent a truck. How do you fly with a skull and antlers?


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Ive flown caribou racks, bear, deer from Alaska, Canada, out west when lived on east coast. I just flesh out skull, split it and put in luggage. Oras mentioned about wrap in in protective cover and not split. I flew with a big duffel bag. Meat was in a cheap cooler I bought in the area from Walmart with dry ice. Of course baggage fees. I just flew back meat and a couple of hog skulls back from Texas last month

Alaska air was friendly bringing back caribou. Split wrapped antlers bubble wrap.

I drive a lot , average 30 k plus a year, and love road trips but have had too many bad winter driving experiences on long road trips. So if can fly I do on winter road trips over 1500 miles now

 

[Deerfield]

This year was 26 to Wyoming from Central PA. On the way out I did 18 hours the first day and then got up and did the other 8 by noon. That wasn’t bad. On the way back I drove straight through, 30 hours with some sight seeing detours. That sucked.

 

[ThisIsMyHandle]

I'm in Massachusetts, do it yearly solo. I can leave Friday early afternoon and be hunting Sunday afternoon in WY/MT.

The problem with flying is you need to give yourself a lot more time at the end of the hunt to get an animal broken down, out of the woods, packaged and prepared for transport, and be able to still make your flight. Unless of course you're going to change flights or rent a car and drive home...

No brainer for me: With a 2 week hunt in the lower 48 I'm driving every time.

Yeah if I’m driving I’ll just skin/quarter it in the field as usual and bring it home bone in. I can debone it in my kitchen. If I’m flying I’ll have to debone it and package it for flight while there. I’d probably burn a day just doing that.


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[Doc Holliday]

I drive 20 min to an airport. I don't have the luxury of burning 4-5 vacation days to stare at the windshield.

 

[LaHunter]

About 1500 miles one way. I beak it’s up to two days rather than driving straight through

 

[Elk97]

The key here is that your are talking about January. Could be easy, but on the other hand it could be 2500 miles of snow, ice, delays, etc.

 

[ThisIsMyHandle]

The key here is that your are talking about January. Could be easy, but on the other hand it could be 2500 miles of snow, ice, delays, etc.

Absolutely. Look at this winter.


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[Scrappy]

Screw all the driving and flying. Just move out there like I am in the process of doing.

 

[Bobbyboe]

True. Thought about this also but I think it would cost me more money than just flying home.


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It may cost more, but not much when you factor in added baggage fees and butcher fees to flash freeze meat. I did this on a New Mexico hunt and would do it again. It was much easier canceling the flight and driving. Didn’t have to worry about butchering and freezing meat, or extra baggage fees.

To reduce costs, I returned the truck and rented a compact suv for the drive home. A car would have been even cheaper.