Your 2017 Plans

[JustHunt]

This time of the year just kiiiills me! I don't do shed hunting, its too early to go scouting. A guy can only do so much research and Google Earth. I'm even getting tired of day dreaming about what kind of hunts I want to do in 2017, and only confusing myself thinking about all the draw tag possibilities which I end up never drawing anyway (as well as places I'm trying to avoid because of winterkill). So here's my question to all you Mule Deer Addicts:

What hunts are you planning on doing this fall that you can either buy OTC, draw as an unlimited or know you have like a 1 in 2 chance of drawing?

Work, time, family commitments, and shortage of cash may get in the way, but here's what I'm trying for this fall:
Arizona, Archery Deer, August-September (50/50)
Wyoming, Rifle Deer, Early October (100% draw)
Idaho, General Deer, Mid to Late October (OTC)
Colorado, 2nd or 3rd Season Deer (50/50)

Over the years, I figured out 3 tags is just about as much as I can handle in one fall, but I've never started my season in August so I figure I can try 4 this year if I start that early, still got to draw though...

I don't like to wish my time away, but I really cant wait until Late May/ Early June comes around. Going to scout some of the units I plan to hunt this year, and scout one Utah general unit I plan to draw in a couple years.

So as of now, how's your fall look like?

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

I feel you man, this time of year is rough. This fall holds CO archery elk and missouri whitetail for sure, maybe a CO archery mule deer hunt if time permits and if things go as I'm hoping a late season cow left over might be in order. I know it's not all mulies but none require points.

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[mlucashr]

Filling my time with winter steelies. Been slow but a couple times a week my drift boat is in the water.
I've got an OTC deer tag/black bear in Idaho. Looking heavy at unit 76. Any info is appreciated.
In for the non-red. Draw for Montana deer general season.
I'll have my normal deer tag in Oregon.
Also, won't draw but I'm in for a western Wyoming antelope tag. 3 points probably won't get in done.


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[mfllood3800]

Utah gen deer muzzle loader
Utah archery spike elk
Col either sex archery elk
Az mule deer archery
Hopefully Utah cow elk rifle

My wife will have some tags as well:
Utah Rifle deer
Utah Spike elk rifle
Hopefully Utah cow elk - rifle

I'd love to tag 8 animals... my back says no, my belly says absolutely

This will be my first Colorado back pack 10 day hunt.
My first year in Az as well.

 

[Grundy53]

For sure Washington blacktail, mule deer and elk and Idaho whitetails. Hopefully I'll draw either Nevada or Utah. If not I'm going to apply for a Wyoming mule deer tag that I should draw.

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[missjordan]

I totally feel your pain! I'm going crazy too. Regardless of whether we draw our special permits for Montana, I'll be taking 9 days off in a row to archery hunt and another 14 days off in rifle season. Hoping to hunt all of opening week for rifle elk then take another week off towards the end for deer to catch part of the rut. Might go to eastern Montana for deer but who knows if we will travel that far from home yet. We will make that a last minute decision I'm sure. I'm totally stoked for this year!


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[BCSteel]

This will be my first year hunting so my plans so far are pretty general. All hunts are in Alberta.

Hoping for 4 weekends of spring bear starting mid April. All spot and stalk, mostly by bow.

September hoping for 3 weekends of archery whitetail

October I have a 10 days for rifle mule deer

November is every weekend trying to fill the bear, whitetail, muley and elk tags I didn't fill before the seasons all close.

Might also be tagging along with a buddy for goat in BC if our schedules can align.

 

[Jordan Budd]

The struggle is real! Since I'm now a resident here in Wyo I've got a whole bunch of exploring and scouting in wilderness. That's what my summer is going to consist of for sure.

Just going to get an OTC deer tag here and hit the high country for archery. With the job that time of year I never know if we're going to be on a hunt somewhere else, so putting a lot of points and such towards awesome tags I'm just going OTC. It's close to the house so I can repack and get there in the middle of the night if need be.

Until things melt out though it's just backpack cardio, google earth and a lot of mule deer YouTube videos!


--

Rokslide Staff

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[BH107]

Lots of new for me as well. I'm new to Montana so I'm looking forward to being able to hunt locally instead of only going to Colorado every 2-3 years. I did pretty well in CO last year,so I'm going to focus on getting my first elk, but I'll still have a deer tag and hope to learn some areas for that as well.

 

[fishslap]

I ice fish all winter, then when open water comes I transition to fly fishing for all species of fish, warm water and trout. Crappie are already biting good in Colorado. Starting to get into my summary workout patterns and I'll be hitting the range more. This year's plans:

Colorado: Muzzleloader elk. Burning the few points I have.
Colorado: 4th season mule deer
Nebraska: Muzzleloader mule deer/whitetail
Missouri: Alternative weapons season for a day or two when I'm there around Christmas. Using a Ruger Blackhawk in 41mag.

 

[ljalberta]

Back in school now, so my falls are usually pretty busy, but I managed to get out for deer, elk, and a blackpowder moose hunt this past year. This year, I'm aiming towards an early season bighorn hunt (7-10 days), then hoping to draw a late season cow elk tag for Dec/January.

 

[Pistolpete28]

Yes definitely a rough time of the year for a guy that only hunts big game. I plan on hunting mule deer OTC in Washington with all weapons if needed. I'm hoping to also draw a post rut season rifle bull tag in Washington. I'll also be hunting Idaho's OTC rifle mule deer season, and mule deer in Colorado 3rd season.

 

[Osprey]

I'm always busy in the outdoors it seems always more to do than time. Actually just finished up our dark goose season here in Indiana on Feb 12 then I pretty much transition into post season scouting whitetails and stand prep for the following fall. Then once spring green up starts transition into spring turkey scouting, mushroom hunting, and then spring turkey hunting in several states from April through May. My down or off time from hunting hasn't really started yet and when it does the boat will be in the water and I will be chasing salmon basically until hunting season starts. If you can keep yourself in the outdoors doing things its much easier getting through the off season of deer hunting. Actually our steelhead runs going strong right now too plus coho, browns, lake trout, steelhead, and nice 2-8 lbs whitefish to be had on the lakefront shore fishing right now too. Good time to get a 10-20lbs+ brown.
As far as hunts go.
OTC Idaho Mule deer
CO Mule Deer (might add a OTC Elk tag in CO just incase I see a decent bull but focus on the deer)
Might do the general Montana Mule Deer with dad
IN Whitetail
Waterfowl from Sept-Feb
Turkey spring and fall
upland birds
I'm sure I missed something

 

[TwoTikkas]

The Montana deer hunt fell through. (hunting buddy hurt his back)
Undecided regarding a first rifle Colorado elk hunt. (the old crew is going to apply in 67 again. I should go)
Whitetail in Ohio (bow),West Virginia, and PA (rifle)

I guess that's about it for 2017.

 

[Nomad]

Finished quail hunting a couple weeks ago.

Bass fishing lately to get my mind off the mountain.

2017 Hunts
Colo Muley Archery (draw odds 90%)
Colo OTC Archery Elk
New Mexico Muley archery or Arizona OTC Archery Muley
Lake Meredith (TX) Muley Hunt
Walk-in Public for Whitetail in west Texas
Private TX Whitetail

 

[WyoHnt300]

Staying put in WY with elk, deer, antelope, mountain lion, and fishing. Have picked up a few deer sheds, whitey and muley, haven't looked for elk yet as most are still carrying around here.

 

[Loco4dux]

Big game - 2 CA blacktail tags, General season buck Utah, Nevada Antelope (maybe), CO Elk (unsure whether rifle or archery at this point), possible Idaho cow tag. We will see.... I hunt a lot of birds.

 

[Andrew12gauge]

My plans are still pretty fluid, I will definitely be hunting bears this spring, going to try spot and stalk with the bow. As for fall I'll probably be hunting rifle deer the last 4-5 days of general season here in Idaho, I'll be hunting elk just not sure whether it will be archery or rifle yet because I need to see if I draw a sheep tag. I'm applying for deer and antelope in Nevada as well so hopefully I'll get lucky and pull a tag down there. Probably do archery antelope here in Idaho as well. Between all that and work and family I'll be busy this fall


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[Gumbo]

Bear hunt MT starting April 15th.
Hunt antelope in MT archery only starting Aug 15th.
Elk archery hunt MT starting first saturday in Sept.
Deer hunt in MT starting second week in Nov or thereabouts.

Of course all of this goes out the window if I draw one of the big three tags or get a special elk/deer tag.

Good luck in 2017 everyone!

 

[TheCougar]

Turkey hunt in may
Moving to Texas in July
Az Archery Bull (I think I'll get drawn)
Leftover Wyoming rifle antelope tag

I've got 4 kids under 8. The most I can swing is two hunts a year. Maybe at some point I'll shoot a whitetail in Texas next fall.