Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Best hunting state

So I've heard.

I used to think North Dakota.
In recent years I've come to really appreciate the Oklahoma panhandle.
Good local deer and waterfowl hunting, easy access to Texas ranches to the south, walk-in access for Kansas roosters to the north, elk hunting just a little to the west.

Gotta agree with Alamosa. The OK panhandle is a hidden gem. There are some giant whitetails there, some very good mule deer, fantastic bird hunting. We hunted several years near a small place called Knowles.

I can't stand Oklahoma, sorry about that. Basic training and AIT ruined that state for me. I'm going to take some trips to the Montana Idaho Wyoming areas.

Alaska

Alaska has only one road - makes getting around a little expensive sometimes.

If I ever leave the state, it would be for MT, ID, WY, possibly western CO.

I moved to Colorado 40 years ago so could hunt elk every year.If I weren't so old now,I'd get the heck out of here and move to ID, Wy, or Mt.

Idaho👍

That's the great thing about this country, the diversity of topography and the diversity of the game. From exotics in Texas to incredible pheasant hunting in the Dakotas to my favorite ALASKA. A man could spend his whole life hunting this country and never get bored. I say spend a few years hunting your top 5 or so destinations and make the tough choice of only choosing one to live in. I chose Alaska because those white critters on craggy peaks intrigue me as much as the grizzlies and moose do. Good luck and I'm sure you'll make the right decision for you and yours. 👍

Montana or Alaska. Personally, I'd pick Montana. Living a large portion of the year in darkness pretty much sucks.

Nice try, it ain't working. Scoot over........

In Idaho, elk hunts that aren't draw have A and B tags to choose from. An A tag gets you a month of bowhunting plus a short cow and/or spike gun hunt later. It might include a ML hunt, too. The B tag is for any weapon and will generally go for 3 to 4 weeks depending on the hunt. There are numerous exceptions to this.

Montana or Arizona

I would pick Montana. Lots of options. Good tags for residents. Beautiful country.

-Jake

I think that's the best idea acesneights, find out which place draws me in the most.

Don't see what your problem would be... we get the same amount of sun, just get it delivered a bit differently. And smart people head Outside for a bit of sunshine during the winter anyway. So we actually end up with more light...

And much better hunting and fishing!

SIL #3 has a ranch that straddles the TX-OK line. To Texans, the Okies have some strange laws re guns and hunting. On most of the ranch, he has a sendero dozed and mowed so hunters know where is where. Some is a bit rugged for that. I don't hunt the OK side and worry about the loaded gun when I feed or check water for him.

Texas has a lot of game, both native and exotic. Unless you are well connected with a few farmers/ranchers, expect to pay. Bummer is the expense. Advantage is that most like to lease their land out to a hunter or group of hunters. That way you should know who is there and where they are. Most of the rest sell hunts, usually guided. Day hunter leasing is a pain for the owner/operator. Be prepared to pay for play. Our public hunting exists, but not much.

I make no bones about it, it gets hot. About 3-4 years ago, we dropped granddaughter off at a Campfire Girls camp. No refrigerated air, evaporative cooler in the dining hall, big swimming pool and lots of trees. She was there Sunday afternoon to mid day Saturday. Average high temperature that week was 108*. Wife worried herself silly. I assured her that she was in the care of pros and everything would work. When we picked her up to carry her to her parents home, her first question was if she could go again the next week? That week changed things. Cabins and a new dining hall are now equipped with AC.

Daughter and #1 SIL leave tomorrow morning for Crested Bute, CO for a month of cool and fishing. They each have small businesses and through good assistants and modern communications are able to keep cool and keep an eye on things. Wife and I used to go up and fish with them for a week, but unfortunately, I can no longer take the elevation. I may have to find a retreat at a lower elevation. I seem fine up to about 6500'. I don't really need a boat and guide to have fun, just access.

Good luck with your search. I would be looking in the NW but become a snowbird for the winter. We do have some cold spells, but they typically are not long lasting. I once killed a moving rattlesnake in a dry west Texas town on Christmas Day.

That's pretty much what I did but I focused on Alaska (kind of a big state 😉) and spent years going around. My problem was that I loved it all and could have gone anywhere rural and have been happy.

I am not trying to discourage anyone from moving here. Just relating my world view. Feel free to join us if what I wrote is not an issue for you. It's not like I am planning to move out because of it.

It all depends how important Whitetails are to the individual. To somebody who lives and breathes Whitetail deer like myself, Alaska is automatically out as well as several western states. The midwest becomes heaven to the whitetail aficionado .