After football season hunts?

[VAspeedgoat]

With a family that plays sports and me coaching again, Western hunt trips have taken a back seat. This fall I started doing some checking on other opportunities to take the family on a hunt. Football season ends the first of November, so anything from mid November through December would work with school and football. Some of the hunts that sparked my interest was a November antelope hunt in a few units in Wyoming, which would be focused on does. November deer hunt in Wyoming and Montana. Mainly there because I'm somewhat familiar with the area. Obviously whitetail only that late in Wyoming. Muzzleloader in Nebraska for deer is another one I've looked at.

I guess the two questions are:. What other options are out there? And of those options, what do you guys think would work for a family with kids ranging 16-10. Obviously, 10 is too young to hunt in some states but she's pretty good at tagging along. Obviously weather and physicality of the hunt are major factors. Success rate is less of a factor.

 

[Bhill552]

I had the same problems this year with 2 boys that live for football but also want to hunt. Wyoming has a bunch of cow elk units with seasons that run through the end of November or even end of December. We went November 10th-14th and the weather was nice and based on historic highs and lows is very do-able with kids. The tag we had required us to not hunt national forest so the terrain was lower and not as challenging. You do have to be 12 to hunt in Wyoming so the younger kids would just be tag alongs but my experience is they are just happy to go. We actually never saw a cow elk but saw 24 bulls tons of deer and had a great time. I think the lack of us getting one was more our fault than the units.

 

[maxx]

This was my last year coaching football. Both boys will be playing school ball next fall. I am going to try to do an elk hunt next year but it may not happen until 2021.

I am thinking of taking my dad to NE for mule deer rifle on a friends farm.

 

[bklotthor]

Nebraska muzzleloader may be a good option; the season runs the entire month of December if you are unsure how schedules will work out and need more flexibility, if you don't already have access to private land it may be easier to try and gain access during the muzzleloader season compared to the November rifle season, and I would assume the pressure on public land would be less during the muzzleloader season. Note, i do not have very much experience on public land during muzzeloader seasons but from what I've seen the pressure isn't terrible on weekdays. Youth permits are really cheap too, however some of them are restricted to antlerless harvest only after November 30th.

 

[rwc101]

In November I'd be deer and rabbit hunting in Virginia.

 

[VAspeedgoat]

In November I'd be deer and rabbit hunting in Virginia.

Good point but trying to broaden the horizon, ha

 

[dirtclod Az.]

Hunt Az...
OTC Archery Deer and Throw in a leftover Javelina tag.
Hunting age 10yrs.Pleny of Rabbits and Squirrels!

 

[HuntTalk Freak]

I would definitely look at some over the counter options in AZ like dirtclod suggested.
I would say TX because I hunt whitetail here until mid January and sometimes February if it’s on a MLD ranch but you would most likely have to pay a lot more to hunt private land here. I’m not sure how the seasons go on the National Forest here.
I’ve been wanting to try Arkansas, can’t remember the season dates off the top of my head though. Tag prices are reasonable.

 

[dirtclod Az.]

Oh and I forgot Quail season thru Feb.9th,2020!

 

[rwc101]

Yeah, I'd make a trip to AZ or NV. Somewhere with late seasons so you can hunt Virginia and go on your trip.

 

[mtmuley]

Come to Montana. Wolves. mtmuley

 

[EYJONAS!]

 

[Randi]

would it be possible for you and your family to come to Alaska ? Black Bears, Caribou, Deer, Moose, Wolf are still open for non-res in some units

 

[VAspeedgoat]

would it be possible for you and your family to come to Alaska ? Black Bears, Caribou, Deer, Moose, Wolf are still open for non-res in some units

Honestly, never considered Alaska. I have never been but my wife has on vacation. We've talked about going as a family. Sounds like a win win to do a hunt.

 

[wytex]

We have later elk hunts in Wyoming and unfortunately maybe some November mule deer hunts coming next year if the CWD folks get their way. Cow elk go into January in some areas.

 

[NR_Hunter]

Last year I bow hunted public land in NE during the muzzleloader season. Pressure was fairly light in Mid-December, and I only saw one guy doing more than just driving service roads, with license plates being mostly from out of state. Deer were very spooky and we didn’t see a single buck on public but could have shot does had I brought a muzzleloader. Not to say you couldn’t get it done but from what I’ve heard from locals public land gets plowed during rifle season. I’d wait until the end of December if was gonna go to NE but I get that might make harder on a 10 year old. Just my bit of advice fwiw

 

[kansasdad]

Kansas firearms deer season is traditionally the first Wednesday after Thanksgiving, and runs the next two weekends. Plenty of waterfowl and upland options if/when tagged out. No age limitation to hunt, but all NR hunters must have proof of Hunters Safety course completion. (And in Kansas, can't get course completion if under 10 years old)

Application deadline for NR deer license is mid spring.

ksoutdoors.com

 

[2rocky]

Quit going to championship play offs and you will get more hunting in....