My son is graduating from Penn State this spring. We thought he would be reporting to flight school for the Army in the summer, but we just found out he doesn't have to go until the end of Jan 2022!
So, we started thinking about going on a hunt this fall and are looking for suggestions of where to go and what to go after.
I really want to go back to Newfoundland after moose, but I doubt that can happen with the border crossing issues.
Are there any opportunities for moose out west with no preference points?
My assumption is the only real chance at a short notice big game hunt would probably be elk in Colorado, correct?
Congratulations on getting a kid through college and into the military. That's a BIG accomplishment for both of you.
Elk, bear, and deer tags are available over the counter in Washington but success rates are low, especially on the west side. Mountain goats are draw only. Moose and sheep are draw only and limited to one in your lifetime. So yeah, you could come hunt here but I'd look at all of the other states in the desert and mountain west first. I would also not overlook the Great Plains, the Dakotas, and the Midwest--plenty of monster deer out there if you know where to look.
Where to hunt is only part of it. Then there's the question of how. Trying to do something self-guided without a lot of research is great way to buy yourself a very expensive campout/nature walk, especially if you haven't hunted these species before. Guides can help but a lot of them are booked into 2022 and beyond. Some of those bookings fall through at the last minute and they offer those hunts at a discount to people on their mailing lists. I'd do a Google search for every species you might want to hunt, see who's guiding, and get on a bunch of mailing lists. Then I'd zero a 30-06 at 200 yards with 180-grain Partitions and keep my gear ready to go.
There are also plenty of places to hunt hogs and exotics in Texas if it comes to that. Some of those outfitters offer very challenging hunts.
Okie John
