Western Hunting losing it's appeal

[fatlander]

It’s going to be interesting to see how many people make the trek when fuel prices final level out at the “new normal.” They’ve increased 25% in as many days around here.


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[mlgc20]

All I know is that for about $6ish/lb, I can put a couple hundred pounds of some of the finest grass fed and finished beef in the world in my freezer. I can't imagine paying NR fees for the "experience" of coming out west to hunt without a reasonable chance at taking an animal. Experience gets thrown about in these conversations a bunch, but let's be honest...the vast majority of us are out there with the primary focus of taking an animal.

If it is really just about the experience, there is nothing stopping a guy from leaving his bow or rifle at home and backpacking into the finest units in the west during the fall. You can stalk into range of the largest buck, bull or ram you can find and shoot all the pictures you want. No seasons, no limits...just all the experience you can handle. Fill your pack with rocks and experience the pack out while you're at it!!

But of course no one is doing this for free, let alone for $1-2k. So it really must not be about the experience after all. So I understand the NR frustrations. They see tag prices going up and allocations going down. And if you believe the harvest stats, in many units the realistic opportunity of taking an animal just doesn't line up with the amount of cash the NR has to put on the table. Everyone loves those NR dollars but hates those NR license plates...and if I'm honest, myself included.

I agree. I take a week off every September to go to either Wyoming or Colorado. It's either archery elk or backcountry hiking/fishing. I love them both, although they do scratch different itches. I am often surprised at how few hunters are also backpackers. I mean who go backpacking outside of hunting season.

 

[fmyth]

I'll just sell a box of 6.5C ammo from my stash to offset the increase in nr elk tag cost.

 

[rclouse79]

This thread is gonna start quite the controversy. I am from Missouri and have been hunting out west a few times. Colorado seems so over hunted on elk over the counter. Takes forever to draw a trophy unit or even a decent unit with good odds. I've been putting in for Wyoming elk for 10+ years and the with the point creep it looks like it will be over 15 before I can draw my desired unit. (My dad and his buddies uses to hunt it every other year). Wyoming keeps limiting non resident tags. Most other states are lotteries and who knows when you will draw there. Seems like to me I'm almost wasting money putting in for draws. To me western hunting has turned into a rich man/patient man's game and losing it's appeal. Makes a Midwesterner think I am better off saving up for outfitter tags, hunt Alaska, and just take trips whitetail hunting and upland bird. I know some people will tell me to stop crying, etc. I'm just stating the facts we all pay taxes for this land and us non residents are getting absolutely shafted.

I only put in for non-resident tags in one state and I only do that because I bought a lifetime license before I moved. I look at that tag as a luxury and don't mind getting shafted in terms of not drawing, or paying through the nose when I do. In my opinion you can't have it both ways. Colorado is shafting you by offering too many over the counter tags. Other states are also shafting you by making it hard to draw primum tags. Is the answer to increase the number of draw tags and make them cheaper for out of staters so that everyone and their uncle applies? Then your premium tag will start looking a lot more like that CO general tag you don't care for. I hate to say it, but if hunting out west is enough of a priority you will move out west. If that is not an option enjoy the opportunities your state offers to you as a resident, and really enjoy the trips out west when you are fortunate enough to get them.

 

[Huntsman21]

Lots of good thoughts on this thread. I am surprised that more people don't hunt black bears in the fall instead of elk. It takes you to largely the same places, and they can even be hunted over wallows like elk. Similar experience, and you might even be able to get more than one tag.

Edited to add: There are now a bunch of great midwest hunting opportunities that are equally as interesting as a western hunt. Maybe they've always been there and I haven't noticed, but there are greater experiences to be had in the midwest than people seem to give it credit for. I'm hoping to add one or two midwest hunts to the mix each fall from here on out.

 

[KChunter71]

I just pay to play the game to hunt out west. I’m from KC. I’ve only been hunting out west since 2013. It’s tough but I would rather keep at it then give up. Hunt Kansas and Missouri every year and pick a out of state hunt and go for it. Going to Alaska this fall as my western hunt. As cost go up to hunt the west it going to be harder to hunt Alaska too as their are transports that aren’t taking new clients or asking a lot of $$$

 

[Slugz]

Lots of good thoughts on this thread. I am surprised that more people don't hunt black bears in the fall instead of elk. It takes you to largely the same places, and they can even be hunted over wallows like elk. Similar experience, and you might even be able to get more than one tag.

Edited to add: There are now a bunch of great midwest hunting opportunities that are equally as interesting as a western hunt. Maybe they've always been there and I haven't noticed, but there are greater experiences to be had in the midwest than people seem to give it credit for. I'm hoping to add one or two midwest hunts to the mix each fall from here on out.

Shhhhh. Keep that rabbit in the hat please.

 

[Slugz]

I agree. I take a week off every September to go to either Wyoming or Colorado. It's either archery elk or backcountry hiking/fishing. I love them both, although they do scratch different itches. I am often surprised at how few hunters are also backpackers. I mean who go backpacking outside of hunting season.

Yep. Cant beat fishing high mountain lakes and scouting new areas at the same time.

 

[BuzzH]

It will be interesting to see once the country opens back up, people are back at work, and the gov't stops the handouts, if the numbers rise, fall, or remain static. There were a lot of people with time and stimulus dollars last year.

They'll continue to increase...I mean how can it not?

Every other youtube video is about how easy it is to hunt elk every year somewhere in the West, APPLY APPLY APPLY on every hunting board, etc. etc. etc.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Lastly I always wonder is there other forums out there that discuss the same things about whitetail hunting back east, whitetail hunting down south, high fence operations in Texas etc etc.

Yes, there are countless threads about lease prices/hunting club dues going up, "lost my lease", got our lease stolen by those rich out of state yankees, horn porn, antler worship/"hunting shows" ruined deer hunting, etc....

Same song, just a different verse....see it on fishing forums too. "I'm 30 miles offshore and people are stealing my spots, drifting into my chum slick, caught my anchor, ran over my spread"....too many boats now, electronics/GPS and radar made it too easy, big money no brain googans, commercial vs the recreational sector, etc.

Limited Resource (less Supply) + Social Media driven popularity increase (more Demand) = Blame your problems on other people (The (New) American Way)

 

[Billinsd]

Lots of good thoughts on this thread. I am surprised that more people don't hunt black bears in the fall instead of elk. It takes you to largely the same places, and they can even be hunted over wallows like elk. Similar experience, and you might even be able to get more than one tag.

I usually see black bears when hunting elk. I used to hunt them a lot with a bow, especially in Big Bear, CA. I stopped hunting black bears when I saw one that had been skinned. Looked too much like a man to me. I understand the meat is greasy and trichinosis. I stopped hunting them. Good for anyone or everyone that hunts them. Maybe I will in the future, the cinnamon and especially blond bears are beautiful.

 

[robby denning]

Yes, there are countless threads about lease prices/hunting club dues going up, "lost my lease", got our lease stolen by those rich out of state yankees, horn porn, antler worship/"hunting shows" ruined deer hunting, etc....

Same song, just a different verse....see it on fishing forums too. "I'm 30 miles offshore and people are stealing my spots, drifting into my chum slick, caught my anchor, ran over my spread"....too many boats now, electronics/GPS and radar made it too easy, big money no brain googans, commercial vs the recreational sector, etc.

Limited Resource (less Supply) + Social Media driven popularity increase (more Demand) = Blame your problems on other people (The (New) American Way)

dang man, I'm afraid you just covered all the bases. Truth hurts.

 

[Slugz]

dang man, I'm afraid you just covered all the bases. Truth hurts.

Whats that saying? From that bowhunter guy. " Work harder. Nobody cares"

 

[tdhanses]

It will be interesting to see once the country opens back up, people are back at work, and the gov't stops the handouts, if the numbers rise, fall, or remain static. There were a lot of people with time and stimulus dollars last year.

We start to see fuel cost get back up to $4-$5 a gallon that may also reduce people heading west. Plus the lack of ammo.

 

[Grit2]

We start to see fuel cost get back up to $4-$5 a gallon that may also reduce people heading west. Plus the lack of ammo.

Luckily arrows are still readily available

 

[Sierra Hunter]

We start to see fuel cost get back up to $4-$5 a gallon that may also reduce people heading west. Plus the lack of ammo.

Doing the math at the end of the season and I could of gone on two guided hunts with those funds. Haha it’s tough out there but I’m still just stoked to be able to enjoy it.

 

[mooretitan]

I guess one good thing living in California is that I have never felt like I have not been able to hunt. We have some of the most beautiful landscape in the west to hunt out of. Now trophy hunting is just not in cards here but the chance to hunt it. I filled deer tags well over 50% of the time in units that average less than 10% success. I usually never see another person when I get a few miles from the road. I get to hunt a 5 week deer season. Add OTC bear tags, plus a 2nd archery deer tag and I can be hunting from August to the end of Oct. for big game. Upland season is roughly 4 months long, add in year around pigs and coyotes and there is nothing stopping me from getting enough hunting.
I also love hunting out of state and if I am honest with myself it can be a yearly thing if I choose. Now it wont be trophy animals but I can hunting any western state next year more than likely. For me I choose not to "waste me time and money" on just any western hunt. I am willing to wait as I plan certain hunts I want to go on. Now I wish I could just go anywhere anytime its not in the cards with demand western hunting has. I am in for a handful of states and have lined myself up for hopefully one solid out of state hunt each year with the possibility of another. Any more than that I just have the vacation days to take off.
I have chosen to build 8pts in Wyoming for deer, elk, and antelope I could have already hunted at least 2twice by now for each animal. I also decided that with my dads age and teenage son I would not do the same with their points. So this year the should draw a general elk tag with 3.5 pts and next year a good antelope tag with 4 pts. If those hunts work out I might in the mood to either split my points of put them into the special the following years.
I would hate for them to go to 90/10 and it would suck if they raise the price. But for the last ten years I have only myself to blame for not hunting Wyoming. Hopefully they keep everything the same the next few years and I can finish my Wyoming plan.
I have similar plans for Utah, Nevada, Colorado plus I have gotten a few Idaho deer tags the last couple of years.
If anything seeing what hunting will become for my kids is what hurts the most.

 

[cjdewese]

I'm a new hunter in CA and would love to do an out of state hunt. Hearing about how many years it's going to take to draw some of these units and the $$ involved has me thinking I might never do an out of state hunt.

 

[mooretitan]

But that is the thing I think most are missing. YOU can hunt next year out of state. You dont have to wait. If you have roughly $1500 you can do a full western hunt next year and if you know how to hunt have a good chance of bringing home meat

 

[Slugz]

But that is the thing I think most are missing. YOU can hunt next year out of state. You dont have to wait. If you have roughly $1500 you can do a full western hunt next year and if you know how to hunt have a good chance of bringing home meat

Yep!