Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Western hunts

Was talking with one of my hunting buddies this past weekend.

Neither of us have ever hunted west of Tennessee. We both agreed we need to take a trip next year. Have nothing in particular in mind...not really interested in elk though, and would prefer not to hunt whitetail. Antelope, mule deer, maybe even turkey??, we wide open at the moment.

We’re hoping we can get some leads/ideas on something fairly affordable, with a decent success rate. We both agreed we would rather go somewhere that we’d have a great chance of filling our tags, rather than a small chance for a trophy on our first time out.

Just starting our research, thought I may get some good ideas from you guys here.

Worth noting that neither of us can put out 5 or 6 grand on this. But in this stage, we haven’t set a budget yet.

Would be a huge plus if the opportunity for a 2nd species was available, hogs, predators etc.

Thanks

Get yourself some antelope PP and come up to Wyoming. An any antelope tag and a couple of doe tags are pretty cheap. With 2-3 PP you can get into a good area with public access and not have any lodging costs, camping is free on BLM and FS lands.
On your trip plan accordingly and do some sage grouse hunting, dusky grouse (mountain) hunting and get in some fishing. Maybe check into fall turkey.
You'll need a camper or good sturdy tent, truck camping works too.

Yes, for a quick low budget western big game hunt I'd go to Wyoming. Dow/Fawn tags are cheap and you can put in for deer dow/fawn tag. last year I drove 3 hours to my hunting unit, put four stocks on different herds before getting a shot less then 100 yards (I just wanted to see how close I could get). Then drove three hours home and was there before noon. It's fun and low stress.

Do a antelope hunt in Wyoming or Montana. Or a deer hunt in Montana.

Another vote for an antelope hunt in Wyoming. I'm not sure what the big game hunting is like in Virginia, but it flat out sucks in California. I went to Wyoming about 10 years ago for an antelope hunt and we just went where the tags were available. People said it was a bad unit (little public access, not many good animals). When I got there I couldn't believe how good it was. Filled the freezer and had a blast. And it was very inexpensive. So I guess it's all a matter of perspective...based on what you said, I think you'd have a great time in any unit that has tags available. The state also gets ranchers to allow access for hunting to the public and those places are where we filled our tags. Definitely look for the walk in hunting areas (smaller ranches that allow the public to hunt) and Hunter Management Areas (huge tracts of land that you can hunt on as well, though sometimes you need to go through a drawing process, as I recall).

I appreciate all the replies so far.

I know a few guys who have been hunting out west, elk mostly, for years. Those guys have what I would call decent success. They know the areas and do it all themselves. Would love to get in with them one year, but our schedules never agree.

Besides those few, it seems like there are two different groups.

First, there are the guys with money to burn. They do the fully guided, I’m assuming fenced hunts and come back bragging with big racks.

Second group, are the guys who head west and try to wing it on their own. Most come back disappointed.

We’re looking for something in between i guess, leaning towards the do it yourself. Just hoping to get some direction. Would like to have our coolers full on the way home!

I’ll do some reading on antelope hunting, seems that may be the way to go.

Plus 1.....Wyoming unsuccessful tag application fees are mostly credited back to you on unsuccessful draws. They keep only a small fee...Makes it a lot less painful to apply and not get tags...😎

Holston, antelope are one animal you can come up and do yourself and get just as good an animal as some guided places. Public land hunting is great in Wyoming, camping is free and you can fill your coolers for cheap.
2 guys driving up, sharing camp and expenses makes it very affordable. Get you some preference points and give it a go. Maybe take a summer vacation and come see what you're up against and look at some antelope.
I bet if you look into the B&C book most book antelope from Wyoming are taken on public land. No need for guided or private access with the right area.

Out West the overall success for elk hunters is around 20% for a branch-antlered bull and that includes locals hunting over and over, year after year the same mountain areas or high deserts.

Mule deer harvest success is perhaps twice Elk.

Pronghorn success is probably twice Mule deer.

I have never been skunked on shooting opportunities on a mature pronghorn buck on over a dozen hunts spanning 6 states, all done without an outfitter. I have always seen bucks every day of hunting and sometimes dozens of bucks in a single day within 500 yards.

The gear needed to hunt Pronghorn is not as extensive as would recommend for a Western deer or elk since the pronghorn seasons tend to end before brutal cold weather . For example, with mild temps, you can truck hunt sleeping in a small tent next to the truck. A night in an unheated tent when is below freezing is not pleasant and is a higher risk for later seasons for deer and elk.

Pronghorn weigh less so the logistics to pack out a buck are less than a deer or elk and you are probably closer to a road when get a pronghorn down.

Need less cooler space and ice.

Rarely are dealing with high elevation on a pronghorn hunt and needing to hike 1000 or 2000 feet higher up during a day of hunting. You need better boots, clothes and packs if in the mountains chasing deer and elk. You also need lighter, more expensive tents, sleeping bags, etc, if hiking in a mile or two with camp on your back. Pronghorn hunting rarely requires a remote camp to hike into.

The one thing that is a consideration for pronghorn is the glassing and shooting distances. You may be looking a lot further out to spot a pronghorn than you are used to glassing for Eastern whitetails. This introduces the concept of "heat waves" so is harder to locate the judge a pronghorn buck. You can get heat waves in big country even when temps are cool.

Shots are not always 300 yards but unless the terrain has some ravines to use to close the distance then might be tough to get a sub-200 yard shot. A scope and caliber that works for hunting wood lots may not be as useful for longer shots in windy conditions. A flat shooting caliber is useful. Do not need a lug nut of lead to knock a pronghorn down so think .270 or smaller.

One thing to remember about out West is there is not always a gas station 10 miles down the road or constant cell phone service. I suggest carrying tire chains for muddy or snowy roads, a flat repair kit and a portable tire pump/jump starter, and a spare gasoline can. A couple of large coolers with ice. Water.

Do some research, maybe consider your first adventure with an outfitter that gets you on private land. For $2000 a person you can hire an outfitter with access to 100s, if not 1000s, of acres with pronghorn that are relatively unpressured. Sometimes can find a $1000 deal, too. You could fly to the hunt and getting the meat home is easier than a deer or elk hunt since will be about 6 bread sacks of meat per pronghorn. I like to drive the West though as can be spectacular as you get further West on your drive. You should have a quality hunt with an outfitter but you can also do the hunt on your own. If on your own, I suggest getting OnXMaps since WY does not require private land to be posted so you need to know where boundaries are and they do write tickets.

Good luck!

I believe the overall success rate for elk kills of 20 is for all elk killed, bulls,cows and calves. In Colorado is about 20-22%. Strickly bull harvest is considerably less.Archery is 12-14%

one way to learn hunting out west is just go,buy a license, go to some bars out there and ask but buy a few drinks for them too first. another thought go to the wild game butcher shop and ask some more. don`t wear any new clothes,old jeans, and a old baseball type cap guy will always get better information, you gotta fit in. most hunters and people who live out west are not liberals including me remember that. good luck,Pete53

I would recommend trying to locate some experienced western hunters in your area who may be able to make some specific recommendations. Perhaps finding some private land that holds game and may be hunted for a trespass fee and do the camping or lodging on your own. There are many such ranches in Colorado and is a good middle ground in terms of cost between a DIY and a fully outfitted hunt. Good luck!

I agree with the advice to focus on antelope, but I’d like to shed a little bit of light on the situation in general.

You have to know the area to score on any species. That means you have to find a game-rich area, which is easier said than done. All it takes is one forest fire, weird weather pattern, or beetle infestation to screw that up, and you don't always hear about that stuff unless you live there. Then you have to scout that area regularly and consistently, which is also hard to do from another state. You also have to know how to hunt the species in question, which you may not be able to learn without actually doing it.

The guys you call “those few” are uncommon. Most of them have family or friends who provide land, lodging, and advice about the game situation that they wisely don’t share. The guys who get disappointed are far more common. I was one of them for years. Growing up in Oklahoma and Texas, I was a pretty fair whitetail hunter. When I got to Washington, I hunted blacktails like I had hunted whitetails, and I got skunked until I learned how the two species differed.

Same thing happened with elk until I hunted with an outfitter who had grown up in the area. He and his guides scouted hard before the season, and on Opening Morning I saw more elk than I had seen in all of my years of hunting combined. The next day I got up at 0330 and dropped a bull after hunting hard until 1630, which is last light in that neck of the woods.

The elk were definitely not behind fences and the rack that I got will never show up in a record book, but after my hunt with these guys, I’m pretty sure that I could get one on my own because now I know what I’m doing. (You can read about that hunt at https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/11623852/First_Elk,_First_Roosevelt).

So there’s a third category—guys who hunt with less expensive guides and accept that they may not get a record-book head, but do it for the education. These hunts can be just as challenging as self-guided hunts with a far higher chance of success because you’re in a good area and you have access to the knowledge, gear, and manpower that you need to score there.

Might be unnecessary for antelope, but it helped in my case.


FWIW, I got 256 pounds of meat from my bull, which beats the hell out of tag soup.



Okie John

Do you have a good friend you trust and get along with? Start accumulating those PP for both of you.
No private land is needed for antelope, no need to pay anyone anything, except for your license. A GPS with an OnX chip for Wyoming is all you need.
There is a reason so many people come to Wyoming to hunt, half of our state is public land.
To learn a bit buy some doe tags and come out and check it out. Antelope are not hard to hunt and learning to judge them is not hard either.
pete53 is right, hit up some local places- cafes, bars, processors , taxidermists etc... Can't tell you how many NR hunters we see and talk with in our local favorite watering hole. We don't give out our spots , but good info flows.

You said in the 5-6K range? That would get you as close to 100% success on a combo antelope/mulie hunt in Wyoming. I've been to one place in Buffalo, going again this Oct, 11 hunters in camp, 3 with deer only, 2 with antelope only, rest with both, we all tagged out in under 2 1/2 days.

I would say a WY antelope hunt can be had without outfitter fairly easily, not sure about adding mulie on your own.

No sir, definitely not in the 5-6k range.

That’s what several guys who do the guided thing told us we need to be expecting.

$2ish would be awesome, but I’ll put up a number after more research.



One thing I’ve never been mistaken for is liberal.

Thanks for all the replies, good info here.

Your original post says you guys are thinking of going next year. Most guys that have not hunted out West are shocked at how complex just getting a tag is. With the exception of CO over the counter elk units, the days of driving out and stopping at the local Walmart to buy a license are over. You need to plan two or more years in advance and start getting point built up in several states. Every state has different drawing methods and point structure. Pick three or four states, get on their websites and learn their system and start getting points.
I agree antelope in WY is a good first hunt and am taking my cousin there next year for his first western hunt. The unit I hunt takes 3 points or pay extra for the premium draw license. With zero or one point you may draw in Eastern WY in a unit with mostly private land. Get a list of land owners that charge an access fee from the DNR or local chamber of commerce. The area around Gillette is know for this and it is still a very affordable hunt.
Build up a couple mule deer points in CO and I can recommend a private ranch with tons of game, self guided, and affordable access.
Another option is mule deer in MT. We drew this year with one bonus point.
I believe ID has some over the counter options but I have yet to hunt that state.
When you are ready for an elk hunt use a good outfitter. They are worth the money just for the logistics they provide to get you to the elk and get an elk out. The one I use in WY is mid $4k range and hunts public land with horses. No way I could get into some of those areas on foot let alone get an elk out.
Get started and good luck.

Thank you.

Not going to lie, I know next to nothing about the points system. Will be looking into that this week.

Better get on the stick as many application deadlines have passed.

Idaho has lots of OTC deer tags for bucks. Most mule deer doe tags are by draw. In general, whitetails are found in the north and mulies in the south. There are many exceptions.
We have antelope but getting those tags is one of the hardest of any tags to draw. I've only managed it twice in 30 years.