Hello From San Francisco - New To The Forum

[Cevans]

Hello all,

I found this forum through The Hunt Talk Podcast, I am new to forums and I’m not sure exactly what to expect.

I am Michigan born and have been in California for the last 11 years trying to figure out this western hunting thing…

I am a paying member of the BHA, RMEF, Trout’s unlimited and The California Waterfowl Association but struggle to participate the way I know I should be.

It’s a struggle being a 30 something building a career and trying to stay involved in conservation. That being said one of my 2017 goals is to be more of an active member.

Any advice on tactics to be more involved while leading an urban life are welcomed!

Thank you

 

[sneakypete]

Welcome to the forum! We've all been or in the same boat you're in! Keep
putting one foot in front of the other!

 

[LopeHunter]

You can certainly be involved in conservation efforts and not hunt or fish. If are looking to eventually go on hunts around the West then CA has tags.

Outside of CA, I would suggest you start building some points in WY. You can drive to the western third of WY in a couple of days and plenty of elk, deer and pronghorn in that region. Build up points the next few years and you can have a fun hunt or two.

NV has less total tags for non-residents than WY for pronghorn, deer and elk so could take a lot more years to get a tag but is closer to you in CA. Go ahead and build points there. WY sets aside tags for non-residents and 25% are awarded random so you could draw a nice tag while are building points. NV sets aside tags for non-residents and even in your first year there is a chance you can get drawn.

The podcasts are great for understanding how NV and WY draws work. You can also sign up for HuntinFool or Epic Outdoors or Eastmans and they will discuss in upcoming issues how to apply in the West. GoHunt is a slightly different resource that is useful for comparing units but does not offer much for understanding the draw process.

OR has some OTC blacktail and Roosevelt Elk tags. Otherwise, very few tags awarded to non-residents. WA is more about fishing than hunting. ID is okay but a longer drive than NV. AZ takes a lot of years to build up points as non-resident though now there are some random tags possible for non-residents so you might get luck.

NM has around 6% of the tags set aside for unguided non-residents. You can put into the guided draw pool which has more tags but you pay for a guide if are drawn. Sometimes that is a real guide on the hunt and other times is a handshake welcome to NM with a wink that got you into the larger pool of tags.

CO has some OTC elk tags. You can build points there for deer and pronghorn.

UT is now a screw job where the insiders yanked a bunch of the primo non-resident tags to subsidize an event that allows a private organization to use the resulting slush funds in a way the state F&G could not and by the time the wink wink nod nods were done not only were non-resident tags gutted but a lot of lobbying was underway that screwed up wolf issues.

MT raised prices and looks like for another year or two there will effectively be OTC combo elk/deer tags for non-residents. Good news is MT offers a very long season.

Appreciate your conservation involvement.

 

[Big Fin]

Welcome. I know some Hunt Talk guys who are not too far from you who are active, and helpful. Hopefully they will chime in. Thanks for your advocacy.

 

[JohnCushman]

Welcome!

 

[Big Slick]

Welcome to the site. Sparty or Blue?

 

[duckhunt]

Welcome from Iowa

 

[Cevans]

Go blue