Author Topic: Who's Planning a Hunt For Out West? (Read 1836 times)

Lawdog · « **on:** March 29, 2003, 02:03:05 PM »

Where and what are you planning on hunting this year? Anything special? A first time thing? Me, my cousin and I are planning a buffalo hunt this next year in either New Mexico or back to Montana. The wife is going to go this time too. Of course back to Alaska this Aug. for a family visit. Lawdog

Thomas Krupinski · « **Reply #1 on:** March 29, 2003, 02:53:32 PM »

The Arizona fall hunt regulations will be on the Game and Fish website on the 18th, so won't know for certain which hunts I will be applying for yet.

Put in for all and then it's just the luck of the draw.

longwinters · « **Reply #2 on:** March 30, 2003, 08:16:50 AM »

Lawdog, didnt you just go on a buffalo hunt? If you did, how was it? If not, and this is the hunt you were talking about, are you taking one of your Weatherbys or something else?

Lawdog · « **Reply #3 on:** March 30, 2003, 10:54:54 AM »

longwinters,

My first and last buffalo hunt was 14+ years ago. The hunt my cousin and I are planing is the one I mentioned a little while back but due to work restraints and other reasons we weren't able to get it done. What we are looking for is a hunt not the trimming a tame herd bull. The Weatherby is going to stay home this time as I plan on doing it the old fashion way with my .45-110 Sharps. In fact my cousin has ordered a .45-90 Sharps from Shiloh Arms for his rifle. Wife is going along and she plans on using her .375 H&H as practice for our safari in 2004. Anyone got any good suggestions for a WILD buffalo hunt? Lawdog

tominboise · « **Reply #4 on:** April 04, 2003, 03:34:12 AM »

I applied for deer in Montana, but doubt I will get drawn this year. I am also applying for Montana antelope, and anticipate getting that tag. I will, of course, be hunting deer and elk in Idaho, too.

Tom

renegade · « **Reply #5 on:** May 02, 2003, 06:54:15 AM »

I live in Marathon Ont. on the north shore of Lake Superior. I am going to be hunting antelope and mule deer in Wyoming this fall near Casper. My wife and my dad are my hunting partners. I also applied for a sheep tag but my odd are like 1-500 of drawing that tag......I have been planning for quite awhile now. I will be asking some questions and posting on this site from now on. I Just recently found this forum..... :-) :-) Rene

107ch · « **Reply #6 on:** May 02, 2003, 07:03:58 AM »

My brother and I are going on an Elk hunt in Colorado. It will be the first time with rifles instead of bows. Now I am faced with the dilema of which rifle to use. A 45-70 BPCR or a modern bolt action??? And if the bolt, what caliber??

HogFan · « **Reply #7 on:** May 02, 2003, 09:39:09 AM »

I'll definitly be hunting Muleys in MT, and maybe elk during bow season. I'm going to or already have missed all special drawings due t my current dployment. Oh well there's always next year!

HogFan

Lawdog · « **Reply #8 on:** May 02, 2003, 09:49:40 AM »

renegade,

Let me take this time to WELCOME you to Western Big Game Hunting here at Graybeard Outdoors. Pull up a log by our fire, sit and stay awhile and ask what you will. I'm sure someone here including freddogs and myself will do the best we can to answer your questions. Your planned hunt sounds like a good one so be sure to keep us informed on it's progress and, of course, how it turns out. Again, Welcome to our forum. Lawdog

Flashole · « **Reply #9 on:** May 02, 2003, 01:24:02 PM »

Been going to Colorado for a few years now. SW corner near Cortez, San Juan National Forest. Great place for a Houston flat lander. Last year met several northern hunters there. Most were worried about CWD in the north. Have a wonderful friend that moved up there and met a few locals. All have been very friendly just wonder why they are so stingy with there air. :mrgreen:

JOE MACK · « **Reply #10 on:** May 02, 2003, 03:41:04 PM »

Quote from: Lawdog

longwinters,

My first and last buffalo hunt was 14+ years ago. The hunt my cousin and I are planing is the one I mentioned a little while back but due to work restraints and other reasons we weren't able to get it done. What we are looking for is a hunt not the trimming a tame herd bull. The Weatherby is going to stay home this time as I plan on doing it the old fashion way with my .45-110 Sharps. In fact my cousin has ordered a .45-90 Sharps from Shiloh Arms for his rifle. Wife is going along and she plans on using her .375 H&H as practice for our safari in 2004. Anyone got any good suggestions for a WILD buffalo hunt? Lawdog

Lawdog,
You might try for the hunt in the Benjamin Mountains of Utah. I believe this is a free-roaming herd. I've also read about a wild herd in Alaska. These are the only two free-ranging "wild" herds I've heard tell of. On some of the LARGER ranches the herds can still be pretty spookey. Then you've got to figure the logistics of the thing. That's a lot of meat to bring out on your back. Are ATVs legal in the area for retrieval? Seems some research would be in order. good luck. RKBA!

DesertRam · « **Reply #11 on:** May 05, 2003, 04:37:56 AM »

I believe there is also a free-ranging herd of about 1,000 on the Kaibab in Arizona. Bowhunter extrordinaire Chuck Adams has written several articles about hunting them.

wyote · « **Reply #12 on:** May 07, 2003, 09:53:48 AM »

Lawdog

I drew a cow buffalo permit in "Jackson Hole, WY" 2 years ago. It was a hunt for wild buffalo on NF. The bulls were easy to find on the NF but most the cows were down on the flats on the refuge or Teton NP. I found a spring where the buffalo were watering in the evenings. I set up there and finally got one on the 3rd day of my hunt.

You have to put in for a draw to hunt there, and I think the time to submit you application is in Jan

longwinters · « **Reply #13 on:** May 07, 2003, 10:42:16 AM »

Wyote, what rifle did you use, what caliber, what bullet etc.......

Lawdog · « **Reply #14 on:** May 07, 2003, 10:55:32 AM »

I want to thak you guys for all the information. The outfit I booked with 14 years ago isn't in the business any more.

DesertRam,

Can you tell me anything more about the herd in Kaibab, Arizona? Outfitter or guide information?

wyote,

Same question for you about the herd near Jackson Hole, Wy.? Love that country around Jackson Hole and a hunt there would be great. Any information on the herd there or where I can get information would be helpful. Lawdog

wyote · « **Reply #15 on:** May 08, 2003, 11:44:59 AM »

Longwinters

I used my elk rifle which is a 338 win with 210 nosler Partitions. I really wanted to use my FA 454 but the regulations said the cartiridge had to be 2 inches long.

I now have a ruger #1 in 45/70 which I would use if I were to draw one now. Which I won't because it's a once in a life time draw. Non-residents have a better chance of drawing than a resident does.

Lawdog

You have to send in for the draw the month of Jan. (to the WY Game and Fish in Cheyenne) In the drawing you will get the # in the order you were drawn. The lower the # the better your chance of getting a call. Every 4th call goes to a non-resident. If that guy can't go they will call another NR till someone can go. I beleive the non-resident license cost around a $1000. The season was the month of Oct and part of Nov.

The buffalo are free ranging. They come and go off and on the Teton NP and the elk refuge, and maybe some of them come down from Yellowstone. You have to hunt on the NF or there is some private land. From the info I got its not hard to get permission on private. I hunted on the NF 100% of the time. The area is from the north of Jackson to Moran Jct. Which is about 50 miles

There is also a hunt on the North Fork of the Shoshoni river. I think the drawing is the same (not a type 2 etc)

Lawdog · « **Reply #16 on:** May 09, 2003, 09:45:38 AM »

wyote,

Not knowing the laws in WY. can you tell me if it's OK to have multiple people apply in one envelope? You can't in some places and in other you can. My wife and my cousin want to join in. Would you know the web address of the governing agency? Lawdog

wyote · « **Reply #17 on:** May 09, 2003, 06:00:45 PM »

The web page is http://gf.state.wy.us

I don't know about putting more than one application in an envelope at a time. I would think it would be ok but they would be put into the drawing as indviduals not a party.

Lawdog · « **Reply #18 on:** May 10, 2003, 08:48:49 AM »

wyote,

Thank you very much. I'll check it out. Lawdog

bayloralum1996 · « **Reply #19 on:** July 04, 2003, 09:38:05 AM »

i will be heading to wyoming on my first mule deer hunt!!!, region M

pa ridge-runner · « **Reply #20 on:** August 31, 2003, 06:55:57 AM »

I will be going to Wyoming region C on the 16-23 of october 2003.I will be doing a DIY hunt with two buddies of mine.We will be staying in Gillette and be hunting in various locations near Gillette.We may try the Grasslands Nat park near Weston or travel down to Kaycee area.I have purchased a number of BLM maps and along with my Gps, :grin: hope to find some good spots.I will be posting my experience. :grin: Thanks Pa ridge-runner

Cody · « **Reply #21 on:** August 31, 2003, 11:40:33 AM »

I am not trying to dishearten you, but I live in Gillette and have been training my hunting dogs out at Weston all summer and have yet to see anything bigger than a 3 point (western count) out there, and a very small one at that. And You couldn't pay me enough money to hunt over at Kaycee. Been there twice to hunt and everytime some rancher has came along and said "Hey this is my property and I want X number of $$$ because you are trepassing, until I dig out my map and say I don't think so. Just got to be a hassle. Now getting back to the Weston Area, Keep your spirits up, there are big deer out there that are being pushed off private land, you just never know when that will happen, and irregardless of what Odekoven or Zigliano (the GW )tells you, that's where the majority of the big ones come from. I hope you get a huge one, but don't be dissappointed

P.S. I almost forgot are you aware that the Weston area closes the 20th of the month?

pa ridge-runner · « **Reply #22 on:** September 01, 2003, 02:49:02 AM »

:-) CODY,
I do appreciate your info on the areas I mentioned,and I will take your advice.For me it will be sort of stabbing in the dark.
Can you direct me in any other areas that might be productive?I talked with one guy who told me he hunts west of Gillette,at Schoonover road???
Also heard of some good areas near Recluse and Spotted Horse.The BLM maps I bought have huinting areas all over,but I have heard they are hard to get to because of private land.
I was out to Region H last year with an outfitter and had a horrible trip,didnt take home any game,and saw very few deer.No-one in our camp took any either.The food was bad the horses were ornry,and had to go without a shower for 1 week.Swore I would'nt pay for another lousy outfitter.I dont need a monster buck,but would like to see more game than I did last year.Of course its not all in bringing the game home as much as enjoying a GOOD hunt. :wink: Thanks again, Pa ridge-runner

Cody · « **Reply #23 on:** September 01, 2003, 12:20:41 PM »

I don't know a whole lot about the Spotted Horse area, all I have hunted there has been birds. The Recluse area is suppose to be good, They shot a 41" wide mule deer out there 4 or 5 years ago. And I believe that there is a huge Walk-In-Area out there also. There is a county road that runs through alot of that BLM area, so that shouldn't be a problem. There is an area about 10 or 12 miles north of Gillette on HI 59 that was opened to hunting last year and I know there are big deer in there. BIG AREA! It's on the old 60 bar ranch. We have a hunter information center in town by the Flying J truck stop. They should have a map of the area. And no I don't hunt it because there is alot of hunters there. But be prepared to walk a long distance, because it is big, with hills as big as small mountains.
Good Luck to you.

bayloralum1996 · « **Reply #24 on:** February 02, 2004, 03:40:48 PM »

I"m planning my first elk hunt either in colorado or new mexico.
Any information would be greatly appreciated

Lawdog · « **Reply #25 on:** February 04, 2004, 03:05:27 PM »

bayloralum1996,

If it were me I would be looking into New Mexico. Some REAL big bulls coming out of there and high success ratios too. Lawdog

Elwood · « **Reply #26 on:** February 05, 2004, 10:40:02 AM »

I find it distressing that the out of state hunters have the same rights during the drawings that us westerners have who actually live in the states that we hunt in . There is no justice in this world.

freddogs · « **Reply #27 on:** February 05, 2004, 11:07:32 AM »

That's true in most states. It's true here in WI were I live. However the difference in cost of a permit is greater out west than it is here. You could always come to WI to hunt, lots of public land and permits for everyone.

SAWgunner · « **Reply #28 on:** February 05, 2004, 12:08:01 PM »

Yes, I will be doing some hunting out west. heh heh. Just the usual Elk, Mulie and Praire Goat hunts.

skb2706 · « **Reply #29 on:** February 09, 2004, 10:32:15 AM »

out west is actually east for some of my hunts. The usual antelope, mule/whitetail and elk with the fill in of pds and coyotes.