Unfair question to ask you seasoned folks, but here goes .............

[bigdonniebrasco]

I won't bore you with specific reasons, but after 40 years of hunting nothing but whitetail on the Midwest, I have decided to go try and bag some Western memories!

I say "memories" because, like a lot of you, the trophy for me is the experience... anything I might hang on the wall is just icing on the cake.

After life, and kids, and health etc have ruled the last few decades of my life, I am realizing that (like a lot of us are) we are not guaranteed a "tomorrow" and my hunting seasons will end sooner than I'd like them to.

Watching episodes with Randy and his uncle Larry have really gotten me thinking about this, age, cancer heart attacks, etc can take us out of the game any minute.
I am hunting a VERY easy to draw antelope unit in WY this Oct, to try and bag my first "goat". 100% solo backpacking hunt into the middle of nowhere in a very limited access unit.

After MANY years of daily drinking, and junk food, I quit cold turkey. I'm now eating healthy, and I started training 3-5 miles a day with a 60 pound frame pack.

This is all a long winded way of saying that I desperately want to fulfill my hunting "bucket-list" before the grim reaper comes for me!

I am not looking for any Booners, or P&Y (I bow hunt too), I am just looking to have the opportunity to go on a hunt where I have a chance to put a stalk on:

* Antelope
* Mule deer
* Elk
* Bear

In the event that I can complete those three with gas still in the tank, hell, I'll keep chugging along toward some of the crazy tags:

* Sheep
* Goat
* Wolf
* Moose
* T-Rex

Man I can ramble!!!!

So my point of all this is to ask you experts this:

I am a resident of KS, so all of my hunts except maybe a Muley will be as a Non Res.

I would LOVE any recommendations from you guys (or gals) as to where you would apply as a non res for my list of critters. And maybe there are states that have over the counter tags that I don't have to "put in for".

Are there states where I should be buying points, if that's an option? I'm just afraid that by the time I figure all this out I will have wasted a few more precious years that could be spent applying.

Since I am brand new to this process, I don't know how it works but I am trying hard to catch up and learn. I now have a single PP in WY for antelope

I am not opposed to hiking way back in somewhere, and doing the hard work that some people wont.

Thanks for listening to my long winded rant, and for any guidance that you may send my way!

Don

 

[LopeHunter]

Depends on the size of your checkbook and willingness to use that money. Or your ability to hustle to get leftover tags as they tend to go quickly once are officially released. Or your willingness to wade into a hunt unit that has lots of tags awarded as OTC.

This is off the top of my head so may have errors and certainly will have omissions.

NM has landowner pronghorn.
CO has landowner elk and deer.
UT has landowner deer, elk and I think moose.
NV has landowner deer.
CA has landowner Tule elk.
WY has Commissioner Tag which if buy at auction from the recipient (usually a non-profit is given the tag to auction or raffle) is good for either elk, deer or pronghorn.
AK has mountain goat and dall sheep tags can get then use a guide.
Canada has some bighorn sheep tags you can buy that require a guide.
Mexico has some desert sheep tags you can buy that require a guide.
Are also auction tags for any and all of the above which are sold several months prior to the hunt season.

If prefer to draw a tag or pick up leftover tags not awarded from the draw or buy OTC tags then some options, especially if can use a bow.

WY always has Pronghorn tags leftover though usually the tags are leftover due to challenges with access to suitable amounts of public land that hold pronghorn. Only a few units have terrible access but many in the leftover pool have challenges and the majority of pronghorns can get pushed onto private after the first few hours of the season.


AZ has OTC Coues whitetail deer tags.
OR has OTC Roosevelt and archery Rocky Mountain elk tags as well as Blacktail deer tags and I think archery Mule deer tags.
CO has OTC Rocky Mountain elk tags.
ID has deer tags on some sort of limited OTC deal.

That is a start for your research and most likely others will chime in to correct and add to my info.

Good luck.

 

[SteveE]

Considering your age I would focus on the OTC or guaranteed tags - 100% draw.
These units will have high pressure and less quality but if your not set on record book animals you can do good hunts every year vs waiting a lifetime for a premium tag.

Don't get caught up in the "best" units and find decent units you can hunt repeatedly. My biggest trophies have come off of general units that i stick with and learn. It can be frustrating hunting high pressure units but many produce a few trophy type animals every year. A diamond in the rough kinda thing. Persistence pays in these areas.

 

[bigdonniebrasco]

I am truly grateful for you taking the time to reply, and I thank you VERY much, ... you bring up a point that I left out.

I'm just an average working class guy like a lot of us, so the shoestring DIY budget is how I am approaching this. Even if I were wealthy I wouldn't want to buy my way into a hunt, or use a guide.

When you say "landowner tag" and obviously I am not a landowner, how do I take advantage of that? *I'm not just relying on you guys to do all my work for me, I am off to try and figure this out on my own as well.

Thanks again
Don

 

[bigdonniebrasco]

Considering your age I would focus on the OTC or guaranteed tags - 100% draw.
These units will have high pressure and less quality but if your not set on record book animals you can do good hunts every year vs waiting a lifetime for a premium tag.

This is exactly what I was trying to convey. The hunt itself is my trophy, it's the memory of the hunting process, and not a wall-mount.

Thank you!
Don

 

[SteveE]

Landowner tags are probably out of your price range - are for me at least raising 3 kids. I looked into a few in Colorado just for a mule deer tag and they are talking 3-5 k. Not even close to what i would pay.

OTC elk and deer in MT is close to $1,100ish I think. Guaranteed tags with plenty of public land if one does some research. For that price you get both tags and a chance at decent hunting. Success rates are low and it can be tough to find quality but bottom line you are able to do it every year.

I went through the "what if there is no tomorrow" last year when my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. It is an eye opener and it made me realize if I want to do something - now is the time.

At our age it can all be over tomorrow.

I wish you luck and if MT hunting is in your future let me know and I can get you started in the right area at least.

 

[Southwind]

As a Kansan you can draw a either sex tag and hunt Mule deer in Kansas about every other year. Plenty of good deer on WIHA. Also, if you are not already you need to start buying pronghorn points in Kansas. Archery pronghorn is a over the counter tag, muzzy is 3-4 years and rifle is 5-6 years to draw a tag. The farmers and ranchers out there hate them so there is no problem finding people who will let you hunt them. Just another option in your home state.

 

[bigdonniebrasco]

This is exactly what I was looking for! You guys are fantastic!

It would have taken me forever to dig all this up on the innernetz!

 

[bigdonniebrasco]

Landowner tags are probably out of your price range - are for me at least raising 3 kids. I looked into a few in Colorado just for a mule deer tag and they are talking 3-5 k. Not even close to what i would pay.

OTC elk and deer in MT is close to $1,100ish I think. Guaranteed tags with plenty of public land if one does some research. For that price you get both tags and a chance at decent hunting. Success rates are low and it can be tough to find quality but bottom line you are able to do it every year.

I went through the "what if there is no tomorrow" last year when my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. It is an eye opener and it made me realize if I want to do something - now is the time.

At our age it can all be over tomorrow.

I wish you luck and if MT hunting is in your future let me know and I can get you started in the right area at least.

Thanks Steve, I hope things are looking better for you and your family, I know what you're going through my friend!

As for the 3-5k, not a chance On the other hand, I could narrowly justify $1,000, hell I'll save that in 6 mos now that I don't drink!

I will most certainly hit you up about a MT hunt, and you feel free to do the same if you ever get to KS!

 

[1_pointer]

Idaho is very friendly for the NR as well. OTC tags for all the species on the first tier of your list. The OTC pronghorn are archery only and IIRC the deer and elk are on a quota.

 

[LCH]

I think the first 4 are realistic and attainable for anyone willing to put in the time and effort to make it happen. I started out west back in 2012 and I'm now 3/4 on your list (if cows count).

I like to maximize my potential for success by carrying multiple tags, such as elk and deer, pronghorn and deer, deer and bear, etc. If I was hunting anywhere that had an open wolf season, I'd be packing a wolf tag just in case. You have to be OK with a lot of these tags going unfilled though.

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

It sounds like you are on the right path. Antelope is a great place to start.

If you are looking for the experience, try and do elk with a bow during the bugle. I think every hunter needs to experience screaming bulls at least once!

You can do all of the first four OTC, and depending on how long you think you want to commit to chasing critters out west, investing in a few points for elk can be money well spent to get a slightly less pressured hunt.

There are some great WY archery mule deer hunts in easy to draw regions. They get a bad name because during rifle season all the deer bail onto private or deep black timber, but during the early part of archery those deer hang on public and out in the more open country a lot. These are super fun hunts.

 

[MN Public Hunter]

For lopes try getting a leftover tag that is coming up for WY. It was my first western hunt I did and it was a blast, sure beats sitting in a tree stand. I myself have been to WY twice now for lopes and this year I drew a deer tag and will be there hunting mule deer. I'm in the same boat as you, eat crappy and too many craft beers and I'm in the process of getting in shape as well. I have 3 months, probably not enough, but even to lose just 20 lbs would be nice.

 

[bigdonniebrasco]

For lopes try getting a leftover tag that is coming up for WY. It was my first western hunt I did and it was a blast, sure beats sitting in a tree stand. I myself have been to WY twice now for lopes and this year I drew a deer tag and will be there hunting mule deer. I'm in the same boat as you, eat crappy and too many craft beers and I'm in the process of getting in shape as well. I have 3 months, probably not enough, but even to lose just 20 lbs would be nice.

I seriously laughed out loud!! "Craft Beer" is my NEMESIS !!!! and I too want to lose 20 pounds before October! A lot more aches and pains than when I was a pup tho !!

 

[bigdonniebrasco]

It sounds like you are on the right path. Antelope is a great place to start.

If you are looking for the experience, try and do elk with a bow during the bugle. I think every hunter needs to experience screaming bulls at least once!

You can do all of the first four OTC, and depending on how long you think you want to commit to chasing critters out west, investing in a few points for elk can be money well spent to get a slightly less pressured hunt.

There are some great WY archery mule deer hunts in easy to draw regions. They get a bad name because during rifle season all the deer bail onto private or deep black timber, but during the early part of archery those deer hang on public and out in the more open country a lot. These are super fun hunts.

I'm open to chasing anything with a bow, especially Mules, and Elk!!

Speaking of screaming bulls, have you ever seen this video that my friend Jay shot? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmhkX1kYoI4

 

[bigdonniebrasco]

You can do all of the first four OTC, and depending on how long you think you want to commit to chasing critters out west, investing in a few points for elk can be money well spent to get a slightly less pressured hunt.

And I can start buying these points (for elk and Muleys) this year for future?

It sucks being so ignorant to the specifics of all this.

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

And I can start buying these points (for elk and Muleys) this year for future?

It sucks being so ignorant to the specifics of all this.

As for muleys in WY, I am not sure I would mess with points. The areas I mentioned you can archery hunt don't require any.

Points for deer and elk in CO might be worth your effort. If you can find an area that you can bow hunt or rifle hunt in the OTC seasons, a lot of times you can draw a 1st rifle tag with one or two points, or possibly a decent mule deer tag. The nice thing about that strategy, is you can learn the unit while hunting on an OTC tag, and go back for some of the better seasons with a point or two.

 

[JohnCushman]

As for Colorado...archery elk and antelope overlap and you can get both as OTC tags, both either sex.

 

[bigdonniebrasco]

I'm getting way too excited way too soon!

 

[junior88]

AZ has otc coues whitetail tags as stated earlier. these are the leftover tags after the draw is complete. late October and November hunts, units south of Tucson to the mexico border. these are great hunts. if I don't draw a muley tag north of the canyon, these are my go to tags. I don't lose my bonus points picking up this tag. also the month of January is otc archery. mule deer and coues . check the regs for open units