Have any of you given up hunting locally only to take extended trips out of state/out

[Flatland Crusoe]

First off I'd like to introduce myself from Illinois (not by choice). I'm an native Missourian who moved to Illinois for my wife's graduate school (3.5 years left). I was raised a waterfowl and turkey hunter, but picked up deer hunting in college. I'm a life long hunter with a lifetime hunting license in Missouri and I have now hunted KS, IL, IN, WI and WY over the past few years.

This year I finally went out to Wyoming with CharlieBravo77 for antelope and I was fortunate to harvest a 15" buck DIY with an OTC tag on my first time out.

I am totally in love with hunting the west and the active style of spot and stalk hunting. My last few years of hunting in Illinois have been trying to say the least given the small amounts of public land and incompetent and underfunded DNR. I've realized that I have managed to kill more ducks, deer and turkeys while hunting out of state with a fraction of the days hunted than in my (current) home state over the last 4 years. Which leads me to my real question:

Have any of you given up hunting locally only to take extended trips out of state/out west because of your current situation?

 

[1_pointer]

I do to an extent. I've hunted deer in IN this year 5 days and that was to take my 7yo out after them. I generally hunt more here, but I drew tags out of state that burnt up all my leave and kitchen passes. So while I plan on going out of state at least once a year, I'll still hunt here as much as I can. Some years will be more than others depending on draws and opportunities to go elsewhere.

 

[WestT]

I have not given up hunting locally since it's the closest and easiest opportunity to get out. My time afield would be severely limited if it weren't for random mornings or afternoons I manage to get out. I do try and always have one big out of state hunt at least on the books as to ensure I am getting the most out of what this wonderful country has to offer. Plus, with a little planning, family trips and vacations can generally lead to some kind of outdoor/hunting/fishing opportunity that I can sneak in.

 

[npaden]

I'm in kind of the same boat as 1_pointer. This year I was very lucky drawing tags and had 3 full weeks hunting in Wyoming and New Mexico. I've hunted less than a week on my own private property here in Texas as a result and it's not looking good for hall passes from here to the end of the season.

There are only so many weeks I'm going to be able to hunt each year so when I draw a bunch of good tags my local hunting is going to be limited.

 

[Flatland Crusoe]

I wish that hunts or even scouting before or after work were a reality, but I think the closest area I have hunted this year is 2 hours from my house. I live in the middle of Chicago on the 17th floor of a high rise so just getting the gear out to the car is a chore to say the least.

When I did the math on this year to date I have spent about 42 hours driving to hunt in IL or just across the border in WI across 7 days of hunting doves, ducks and deer since September 1st. Round trip driving to Wyoming on takes 30 hours. Even hunting locally for me involves either a hotel to get up at 4:30 am or last like Friday morning leaving the house at 12:30 am.

I'm just wondering if there is anyone in a situation and if so what was their breaking point? Luckily my situation is temporary, but I'm trying to make the most of it until its over.

 

[Big Sky]

Haven't given up, but then again I do live in Montana. Oh, and yes I do hunt out of state as well. I have had a lot of success on my out of state hunts, but enjoy hunting locally about as much as anywhere. My living here was intentional and not by chance.

 

[LCH]

You have my sympathies sir.. I avoid Chicago at all costs. It would be priceless, though, to see your neighbors' reactions when you wheel a whitetail up to your apartment on one of those carts

I've been west 4 times now, and completely understand your newfound addiction. I could never give up my Indiana whitetails though.. even if I were to move west, I'd be back here every November.

 

[dcopas78]

I only shoot deer primarily as freezer-fillers here in Ohio. I only have about 200 acres of private land to hunt here anymore. The public land is hunted pretty hard, although there are some areas that one can get away from the roads a little. I used to have around 5000 acres of prime private land to hunt, but all of the big bucks that have been killed in Adams County, Ohio have led to almost all major land owners leasing out land. Most leases worth anything go for $4000-6000. If I'm spending money, it is going to be on gear, tags and gas to get out there to hunt on my own, on all the public land I can get access to. I love the west and my wife and I will live out there someday.

 

[Colberjs]

I can't afford to only hunt out of state. I have only hunted out west twice. 2010 and this year and both times for OTC Colorado elk.

The good thing for me is I have a lifetime Oklahoma hunting license so I don't have to buy deer, elk, antelope, or turkey tags and we have lots of public land available although it's not great hunting. This year is the first time I haven't had access to some sort of private land. I've hunted several days and seen several deer but haven't been able to put it all together and kill something.

 

[jryoung]

Living in CA it'll be a long time before I draw an elk tag and likely never on a sheep. I figure I'll just hunt the rest of the west while I wait to draw at home. Every state is a new adventure and I'm looking forward to start drawing.

 

[schmalts]

I own 80 acres of prime deer hunting land in WI and have not rifle hunted if the last 5 because I go west instead. I have a hard time sitting on my ass freezing when I can go west to hike around, kill a good deer or elk then hunt birds with numbers only Wisconsin could dream of.

 

[JohnCushman]

I can't seem to fill tags in Colorado, so I have to travel out of state

 

[HighDesertSage]

I'm so thankful I live here. There have been sacrifices to get here though. But now that I am here I will probably never leave!

 

[fishing4sanity]

My home state of Washington has some very nice elk, but it's very tough to draw a branched antler bull permit, most of the state is spike only and short season. Some decent deer, but short season. Much of the state is hunted very heavily. My biggest problem hunting here is the short seasons and work schedule really conflict with each other, so I end up hunting out of state more than in state just for timing reasons.

 

[El Jason]

I'm right there with you fishing4sanity. I also find that I get a much higher quality elk hunt when I go back to Montana. It's easier for me to do my elk hunt out of state and then I take my wife and kids hunting locally.

There's some really good upland and waterfowl hunting nearby, and I spend a lot of time doing that during the months of November through January.

 

[Don K]

Illinois, the state where our former governors make our license plates and half our income goes to taxes.......

Last couple years I have spent my vacation out of state and hunted around home when I had nothing planned.

 

[devon deer]

The grass is always greener on the other side.....of the Atlantic ocean
Cheers
Richard

 

[Gr8bawana]

To paraphrase Randy "hunt when you can because you will run out of health before you run out of money".
I think this is very true.