Which states to hunt

[maverick9465]

I've only picked up hunting in the last three years and at 38 years old I realize I won't likely be able to hunt all my dream species. I am a Utah resident and can only apply for one Limited Entry and one Once-in-a-lifetime permit. I've opted to just accumulate points for LE bull elk and OIL Rocky Mountain Bighorn (my ultimate dream hunt). If I was to apply to hunt my other dream species, what states would you recommend I apply in for the following:

Moose
Bison
Desert of bighorn sheep

 

[LopeHunter]

And the answer is...there is no reasonable expectation you will draw those even if you apply optimally and live to be 100.

My advice is to either start applying to Idaho for Shiras Moose and roll the dice on the $200ish annual ante then might draw around Year 15 which will mean the wait was around $5K for application/license/tag or...take $10K and go on a hunt in Alberta.

Bison is difficult to draw in AZ, WY, SD and MT in the public draw. You are not applying in UT for bison. AZ has a spring and fall hunt and on one of F&G field official will point to a bison and say, "shoot" so that may not be a great experience. WY can be under 50% harvest. Perhaps go hunt a cow bison or young bull with the Crow in Montana. I think those hunts are $6K or so. Sort of a "shoot" as well but lots of tasty meat.

Desert Bighorn is very difficult to draw. I have applied for almost 30 years for Desert and Rocky rams in all the Western states other than California and enter a few raffles yearly. I have drawn zero bighorn ram tags. I did draw a Rocky ewe tag in Colorado and was as challenging as a ram hunt per more seasoned observers where the hardest part of a bighorn hunt is getting the tag. I prefer mountain goat over bighorn but that is sour grapes as have drawn two billy tags. I would be the first person to say I prefer ram hunting if the Tag Gods thought I was less of an ass.

Aoudad hunting can be drawn in New Mexico and is said to be more challenging than bighorns when you do not sit at a feeder waiting for the dinner bell to ring for the aoudads. I drew a public lands aoudad tag in Texas and was a lot of walking and glassing and blown stalks to get into rifle range.

You can only draw if apply and the Tag Gods like some of you nice people more than me so go ahead and get those tags. You will probably draw them all in a year or two. Curse you Tag Gods (shakes fist at sky).

 

[rmyoung1]

The only thing I will add to the above is that you can book all of those hunts with outfitters if you have mountains of cash you don’t mind parting with. Desert ram hunts in TX, Old Mexico,and on reservations in New Mexico will be expensive ($45K would be cheap). Apart from that, @LopeHunter is right. You will most likely go to your grave without drawing a desert ram tag. Bison is also very difficult to obtain. BC does have some bison hunts available through outfitters with guaranteed tags that are real hunts, though. I believe those run about $10 or $12K. And a draw tag in the Lower 48 for moose is no sure thing, but Alaska is a place where a US citizen can get an over-the-counter moose tag. And Alberta, Yukon, BC.... they offer guided opportunities for moose. Again... not cheap, especially in the Yukon and BC. Good luck!

 

[thusby]

Buy the super tag chances and forget about them.

 

[commando668]

Excellent reply by elk guide, 1 st post All he said is spot on. Colo has 250,000 elk , no other state has a elk population like that, few wolves as of now, and 80% of the units are "Over the counter" tags for elk. Deer is all Draw. Colo also has antelope, bear, moose, mtn goats, and bighorn sheep, all Draw tags using pref points. Some bear tags may be OTC tags with caps. 4-5 hour drive is Colo.