Combo hunt success in North America

[DillonG]

Good evening,

I recently replied to a thread about plans for hunting in North America. My first thought was to plan a single animal hunt. The choice would be between black bear, mule deer, or pronghorn. However, I was curious about the option of a combination elk/deer, deer/bear, etc. I have not seen an article that speaks about success rates on this type of hunt. Obviously, time and location are important.

What has your success been hunting multiple species in a single trip? Was it more of a distraction instead of focusing on a single animal?

 

[375Fox]

I really wish I had a tag for a second species on the Montana mule deer hunt I did. I like hunting all the days booked not just hunting for one animal. It’s unfortunate to be done on the first day but at the same time I don’t want to pass opportunities just to extend the hunt. Having two tags lets you hunt more days if you take the first animal early. As a non-resident though I find the tag draw and points process frustrating. Have you considered areas where you can hunt multiple deer or two bears without a draw? On my deer hunts in SE Alaska on prince of wales island I took 2 bucks one trip and 3 the next. I think a spot and stalk black bear hunt in BC would be a good experience too.

 

[Fatback]

I did a Dall Sheep and Mountain Caribou in 2021. I figure if I was going all that way it would be better to try and get them both on one trip then to make 2 separate trips. I was able to get both of my animals and I am glad I did both on that hunt. I prioritized the sheep and only hunted sheep until I got my ram on day 5 or 6. We then flew back to base camp and I got my caribou 3 days later. My suggestion is to have a clear idea of what animal is the priority but also be will to take “what the bush offers” like in Africa.

 

[DillonG]

I really wish I had a tag for a second species on the Montana mule deer hunt I did. I like hunting all the days booked not just hunting for one animal. It’s unfortunate to be done on the first day but at the same time I don’t want to pass opportunities just to extend the hunt. Having two tags lets you hunt more days if you take the first animal early. As a non-resident though I find the tag draw and points process frustrating. Have you considered areas where you can hunt multiple deer or two bears without a draw? On my deer hunts in SE Alaska on prince of wales island I took 2 bucks one trip and 3 the next. I think a spot and stalk black bear hunt in BC would be a good experience too.

I have certainly looked at BC and Alaska. Alaska is my holy grail. I just didn’t know if it becomes a hinderance trying to cram in multiple species, but you do make a great point. Having an extra tag could extend a good trip.

 

[chuckwellington]

I’ve only held multiple tags in NA for a couple hunts and those were trips that had a primary goal.

For instance, I had a bear tag on my sheep hunt this year. Spotted a good bear early on but no way would I risk blowing out a drainage or spend valuable time packing out a bear. The extra tag in that case would have been a distraction and only for after the primary animal was taken. Coincidentally, no bears were found after I killed my sheep.

I suppose if you had two tags that were equal value to you and the critters inhabited the same area, you would up your odds of filling a tag.

I definitely have been on hunts that I wish I had a second tag. Specifically, deer hunting and wishing for an antelope tag and vice versa.

 

[Fatback]

Also consider getting wolf and/or wolvorine tags if your in an area with them available. Usually not as likely to come across as your main animal/animals but certainly gives you something to go out looking for if you get your primary animal early in the hunt. I’ve always bought them if I had the opportunity but have never gotten a shot at either animal.

 

[Lumaberpat]

In NY because of the restrictions on methods of hunting big game, most black bear are shot from a deer hunters chance encounter with one. You get a buck tag and a black bear tag when you buy the license.
I unfortunately have only see black bears in camp trying to steal the beer cooler.

 

[375Fox]

I did a Dall Sheep and Mountain Caribou in 2021. I figure if I was going all that way it would be better to try and get them both on one trip then to make 2 separate trips. I was able to get both of my animals and I am glad I did both on that hunt. I prioritized the sheep and only hunted sheep until I got my ram on day 5 or 6. We then flew back to base camp and I got my caribou 3 days later. My suggestion is to have a clear idea of what animal is the priority but also be will to take “what the bush offers” like in Africa.

I’m very glad I did also, but for a different reason. My Yukon dall sheep and mt caribou hunt was $11,500 in 2006. Just the sheep alone is triple that now. I never imagined the price of caribou could go up so much.

 

[WildWill]

I've done pronghorn/ mule deer and pronghorn/ elk in Wyoming successfully. Pronghorn and mule deer would be a good combo if you can get the tags. I've had a bear tag while elk hunting in September multiple times and have never seen a bear while holding a tag. I have a elk hunt booked in Colorado next September and my outfitter is confident we can get a bear during our 9 days will see.

 

[R eight]

Good evening,

I recently replied to a thread about plans for hunting in North America. …..

What has your success been hunting multiple species in a single trip? Was it more of a distraction instead of focusing on a single animal?

I’ve hunted Alaska thrice. The first two hunts were for 14 days + and with a fist full of tags each time.
My first hunt I got a very nice BG caribou. Didn’t have any opportunities to fill the other tags.

Second hunt I got a nice Dall ram. Could have taken a small grizzly but passed. No opportunities to fill any other tag.

Those tags are bloody expensive, especially if you’re a non resident alien paying in AUD. But, even with the benefit of hindsight I would have still taken the extra tags.

Third hunt was for Spring Brown bear. Only one tag…obviously. Got my bear on the last day I hunted.

I consider all three trips successful.

Last year I hunted Northern BC for 10 days. Had a moose tag and was successful. Also had a wolf tag in my pocket.
Outfitter also offered me a great deal to include a goat on the hunt. I hummed and arred on that for weeks. In the end I said no. I just wanted to concentrate on a bull moose. Got my moose, on the penultimate day of hunting. There would not have been any time for a goat hunt.

So, whilst I’ve never taken more than one animal on any of my North America hunts. I’d probably still have a second tag in my pocket just in case you fill your first tag early.

In my limited experience with hunting in Alaska and BC I reckon you’ll have to be lucky to fill more than a couple of tags over a couple of weeks, even if the weather is good.

( And for every one who thinks shooting a bull in Alaska is easy…..just remember that for a non resident alien we’re looking for a 4 brow tine or bigger than 50 inch spread on the antlers. I saw just as many unicorns in Alaska)

 

[Sabre]

Based on the way you asked the question, I'll assume you mean going with an outfitter. Here is my opinion on that:

If it is a situation where you pay to hunt one animal and you can buy a tag for another species and only have to pay extra if you get that second animal, then I would go for it as long as that "trophy fee" is acceptable to you.

If it is a situation where you pay extra upfront to hunt two animals, I would be very cautious about that. Hunting is hunting, and sometimes you aren't successful. It sucks a lot more when you have paid a lot to hunt 2 or 3 animals and the weather turns bad, or you get a shit outfitter who can't deliver, and now you are paying for 2-3 hunts where it wasn't a good time and there was no success.

If you had gone with the outfitter before and witnessed lots of different species of game where they hunt, or had some first hand reviews that this outfitter could deliver multiple species consistently it might be worth it.

 

[DillonG]

Based on the way you asked the question, I'll assume you mean going with an outfitter. Here is my opinion on that:

If it is a situation where you pay to hunt one animal and you can buy a tag for another species and only have to pay extra if you get that second animal, then I would go for it as long as that "trophy fee" is acceptable to you.

If it is a situation where you pay extra upfront to hunt two animals, I would be very cautious about that. Hunting is hunting, and sometimes you aren't successful. It sucks a lot more when you have paid a lot to hunt 2 or 3 animals and the weather turns bad, or you get a shit outfitter who can't deliver, and now you are paying for 2-3 hunts where it wasn't a good time and there was no success.

If you had gone with the outfitter before and witnessed lots of different species of game where they hunt, or had some first hand reviews that this outfitter could deliver multiple species consistently it might be worth it.

You were correct with your assumption. I will be using an outfitter for at least 1-2 western hunts in the lower 48. I believe it is illegal to hunt Alaska without a guide and be a non-resident.

 

[Hunt anything]

You were correct with your assumption. I will be using an outfitter for at least 1-2 western hunts in the lower 48. I believe it is illegal to hunt Alaska without a guide and be a non-resident.

The guide requirement for nonresidents in Alaska depends on what you’re hunting, brown/grizzly bear, sheep and goats if I remember correctly.

 

[pilar]

Elk & muledeer or black bear combo is very doable in right place
Sheep & caribou in Canada also
Pronghorn & mulie easy except the tag issue
But My moose & caribou hunt in Alaska had logistics problems ( imo any Alaska combination hunt will have logistics issues) ( sheep are few and far between there, moose are huge and hard packing,

 

[WildWill]

The guide requirement for nonresidents in Alaska depends on what you’re hunting, brown/grizzly bear, sheep and goats if I remember correctly.

Correct! I've hunted both black bear and blacktail with no guide needed.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

You might be able to combine elk and mule deer in some select mountain areas and with reasonable chance of success. Bear hunting over bait in many western states is not allowed. Filling a combo with bear there would be very dicey. However, you MIGHT be able to combine bear and whitetail deer in Saskatchewan or Manitoba where baiting bears is allowed. Pronghorn and mule deer is definitely doable but it would have to be early in deer season because pronghorn is usually closed by mule deer rut to allow the antelope to congregate for migration. I would suggest a deer tag and bring a shotgun to hunt birds. I saw quite a number of deer yesterday while hunting uplands including two small bucks and a big one. Can't remember when it took more than two days to fill my tag with a buck.

 

[Hunt anything]

I’ve done 2 combo hunts, the first was a mule deer hunt and sandhill crane/goose combo. Hunted cranes/geese 3 days before mule deer season came in. Texas panhandle. The second was a mule deer/pronghorn combo in Wyoming.