Non-big game bucket list hunts

[philos]

Many of us have a bucket list idea of big game hunts like Alaskan Grizzly or Red Deer in Argentina: but what about a scaled back hunt for say unique small game. Something that would likely be less strenuous (physically and financially) and would not require planning for difficult areas to draw a tag for. Something you could take friends and family along and feel a bit less pressure to have a successful hunt.

I have a couple of examples from pretty simple hunts to those that would require travel and a bit of planning.

First I want to get a good specimen of a large Fox Squirrel. I used to see them quite often but haven't seen them lately where I hunt. Not sure I would mount it but I would likely save the hide-and of course make some squirrel dumplings.

I'd like to hunt Gambel's Quail, snowshoe hare and a few species of waterfowl that I have not harvested so far. I'd love to do a dove hunt in South America and hunt Ptarmigan in Alaska.

What are some hunts for small game you are planning or want to plan down the road?

 

[6mm Remington]

Coyotes are fun to hunt and calling them using just simple mouth calls is a kick in the pants. A coyote hide tanned is really attractive and can be hung up using a simple small nail. They look nice rugged also but of course that costs a bit more. You help out the small game and fawns at the same time by thinning coyote numbers.

I really want to call in a wolf and get one and maybe this will be the year. Very smart and crafty animal.

 

[HuntHarder]

Texas hog hunts have been a blast for us. Nothing serious but good table fare and inexpensive. I have done quite a bit of water fowling but still havn't notched a sandhill crane AKA (ribeye in the sky).
I would like to do a pheasant hunt at some point as well as the ones in AZ are canned hunts and not very challenging.

 

[Wags]

Canada or the Dakotas for ducks and geese.

Washington, Maine or Alaska for sea ducks.

 

[mitchellmountain]

Would love to go hunt squirrels for a week where there is a sizable population. They are my favorite game animal to eat and it's just plain fun. This is the best thread I've seen in a while cause it gave me an idea...

 

[MeatMissile]

I’d like to find a target rich prairie dog town.

 

[Lowg08]

I’m wanting a male wood duck. They are gorgeous but I’d love to go on an awesome duck hunt and pheasants. Mostly to watch the dogs work.

 

[Mojave]

Top 10 for me non-big game hunts
1. Capercaillie in Austria, Bulgaria or Slovenia. This is really a big game hunt, and you'll shoot one and pay $4000 for the experience. Maybe you can add a black grouse or hazel hen for another $1500-800. This is an ibex hunt for birds in the mountains in the spring.

2. Capercaillie in Sweden, this is a mixed bag hunt for capercaillie, black grouse and hazelhens in Sweden forest. 1 guy can do this for $2400, two guys can do this for $1500 a person or cheaper. It is a cross country ski hunt most years, generally hunting September to January.

3. Scottish red grouse (these are ptarmigan that don't turn white), walked up days are about $2000 per day. Driven days are about $6000 per day.

4. Fly out helicopter ptarmigan in Sweden, Norway or Lapland. Can do it with dogs and shotguns or on cross country skis later in the year as a rifle hunt.

5. Snowcock in Nevada. Snowcock are the largest partridge in the world. They are only huntable in Nevada.
6. Sage grouse in the Rocky Mountains. Largest grouse in North America.

7. There are also specialized hunts in the Rockies for Sharptail grouse, prairie chickens, chukars and hungarian partridge.

8. And mountain specialized grouse hunts in the Rockies for blue grouse, ruffed grouse, dusky grouse and other mountain birds.

9. Turkeys really call a lot of people, never done it. I have been building points in Arizona for Gould's turkey. Might as well start at the top.

10. I always apply for sandshill cranes. Never been drawn.

11. Swans, geese ducks, brant coots. I like hunting waterfowl, just never really set up to do it well.

 

[Red Letters]

Having hunted hogs out of helicopters with AR’s a few times, I still put that at the top of my list. The last time we did it the pilot was a beast, he flew aggressively when the action cooled off. What was even better is I got dialed in and started rolling every pig with one shot. Absolutely love everything about it, I’m not sure it gets any better than that.

 

[philos]

I’m wanting a male wood duck. They are gorgeous but I’d love to go on an awesome duck hunt and pheasants. Mostly to watch the dogs work.

I taken a few male woodies are they are one of the most beautiful birds on the planet.

 

[cgasner1]

Kangaroo


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[cgasner1]

Would love to go hunt squirrels for a week where there is a sizable population. They are my favorite game animal to eat and it's just plain fun. This is the best thread I've seen in a while cause it gave me an idea...

I would highly recommend northern Arizona in September for that those alberts squirrel I believe was the name are they size of house cats


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[displacedtexan]

7. There are also specialized hunts in the Rockies for Sharptail grouse, prairie chickens, chukars and hungarian partridge.

Prairie chickens are... Prarie birds.

None in the mountains.

 

[npm352]

In the US a Himalayan Snow Cock would be pretty sweet.

I'd also like to get a Canadian lynx, but I'd want to use my own hounds.

 

[Blockcaver]

Hunted a Lynx in BC in 2020. Good hunt.

Successfully hunted 17 species of upland birds with my old Vizsla in the west over her 13 seasons. Great fun! Have considered Snowcock in NV but sounds more like a rifle hunt than a bird dog thing?

Would still like to hunt a Nilgai, Axis deer, Aoudad and Blackbuck with my bow.

And successfully arrow a wolf (missed a few with the bow).

 

[ozyclint]

Kangaroo


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how many do you want?

 

[ozyclint]

a driven wingshooting hunt in England would be cool.

 

[Rich M]

Hunting is always fun - traveling to experience diff critters is fun.

I did the eastern flyway waterfowl (minus a few I don't want to kill like swan and scoter). Snow goose was a big deal - we went to Canada for those - sink box hunting was neat. Fav trip was to VA for brant and seeing an incredible sunrise there, then couple brant came in, shot one, 20 minutes later, shot another, check the box.

My big game bucket list was/is small - antelope and mule deer. Have antelope does and nice muley, going back for a buck antelope and then that's done. After that, hoping for an Alaska fishing & sight seeing trip.

Anyway, the travel costs are the same no matter what you go for.

Just decide what you want to do and have at it. If you need to squeeze family time/adventure in, then you need to find stuff that's interesting for the family, that could influence where you go and what you go after.

 

[Wags]

I’m wanting a male wood duck. They are gorgeous but I’d love to go on an awesome duck hunt and pheasants. Mostly to watch the dogs work.

If you ever make your way out here during the season shoot me a PM.

 

[Lowg08]

If you ever make your way out here during the season shoot me a PM.

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