Hello from Missouri

[Haw Creek]

Hello, and greetings....

I have been watching Randy's videos on you tube for years. Showing the children and dreaming of hunting in some of those places. That dream is getting closer as life moves on. We hunt whitetail here on the farm, and hunt doves, and small game....

We are life time hunters, and love the outdoors. I have been asking for advice about hunting mule deer, and elk in the west for awhile. I stumbled on this forum recently and I am excited to continue learning... Thanks, Brian

 

[JohnCushman]

Welcome aboard!! There's no better time to get out West than now!

 

[CATAHOULA12]

Welcome.....

 

[7mm08mo]

Welcome!!

 

[LopeHunter]

Grew up in Mi-zur-uh. Tiger. Headed West then NW then SW. Lots of hunts to be had out this way for pronghorn, Coues deer, mule deer and elk. Archery usually gets more tags sooner with better hunt dates but are plenty of hunts for smoke poles and rifles.

The hunts that have fewer hunters and better dates usually take a lot of luck or years of building up points to draw. Getting a sheep, moose or goat tag is a long haul effort sometimes spanning decades with no tag.

Consider applying in WY for elk, deer and pronghorn. You can draw decent tags for pronghorn about every third year, deer every 5 to 7 and elk every 10 years or so. These will be tags with good harvest rates, enough public land to hunt and will not be overcrowded. WY does require you to use an outfitter if hunting wilderness.

CO and MT can be hunted for elk every year. Can get crowded so plan carefully. CO has elk OTC tags and landowner tags if do not draw.

You can apply in NM for elk or buy a landowner elk tag. Not much in NM for mule deer or coues deer but might get a tag.

You can apply in AZ and hunt Coues deer every 5 - 7 years in the pre-rut/rut with rifle. Mule deer and elk are going to take a few years unless get very lucky in the random draw portion of the tag lottery.

NV is a long shot as is UT. OR and WA are not worth the effort.

ID is a long way from MO but some elk and deer opportunity there.

I would focus on WY as Plan A and chase one or more other states depending on if want to head West every year.

 

[fishing4sanity]

Welcome from a fellow farmer. I hunted geese one time in Missouri, near Dexter, I remember the food at Dexter BBQ and Lambert's more than the bird hunting.

 

[duckhunt]

Welcome from Iowa

 

[CodyCass]

Welcome from a fellow Missourian!

 

[pabearhunter]

Welcome aboard.

 

[JLDemo]

Welcome from Wyoming, the west is a wonderful place to live and visit. I think LopeHunter laid it out pretty well, only thing I can add is here in Wyo you can hunt the wilderness areas with a resident guide. It doesn't cost us anything to get a license either, just a quick trip to the G&F. I'd start purchasing points as soon as you can and rank your hunts/states. I have points in places I wont draw for another damn decade, but when I do, I hope to bag a dandy. I also have points in other places that isn't a top tier units, but places I can hunt multiple species at once on more of a regular basis. I'm actually looking a northern Missouri for my next adventure east, I love chasing whitetails and hunted Kansas the past few years. Tagged decent bucks, but the price is getting ridiculous once you tack on turkey and small game. You can also hunt antlerless cow elk and doe antelope just about every year here if you wish! Just do your research and ask questions. Good luck!

 

[Elkhunter24]

Welcome from PA!

 

[publichunter1]

Welcome!