DIY Western hunts?

[JPbowhunter]

Did you see any muley bucks? Congrats to your wife

 

[Wade J VanGinkel]

Good to know, everything I have heard was that is a hunt with very low success.

So we made our first trip to Wyoming last month. My better half connected on two pronghorn does for the freezer and I struck out on deer. We had a great time and are already gameplanning for next year.

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I think last I looked success where I hunted was about 28% overall. Not bad really

 

[Wade J VanGinkel]

Keeping in mind I'm not a trophy hunter. Just all about a good time and adventure.

 

[LivingTheDream]

@Wade J VanGinkel that's a good coues buck!! I am thinking about going, but I actually have quite a few points so I might hold out a few years and try to draw a rut hunt.

 

[Wade J VanGinkel]

@LivingTheDream there's always the possibility of drawing regardless of points for the best hunts. This was late October so technically the worst time to go.

 

[JimP]

@Wade J VanGinkel that's a good coues buck!! I am thinking about going, but I actually have quite a few points so I might hold out a few years and try to draw a rut hunt.

Here is a late December coues just before the rut kicked off. I hunted them two years in a row. The first year I spent 9 points on and then drew the second year with just a loyalty point

 

[Seavas]

Did you see any muley bucks? Congrats to your wife

We saw lots of really nice Mule bucks... on private land! Saw lots of does and forkhorns on public and I had an easy shot on a tiny 4x4, but he was young and not one I would have been very proud of.

Keeping in mind I'm not a trophy hunter. Just all about a good time and adventure.

Same here, an average animal that was a fun challenging hunt is a trophy in my book.

 

[LivingTheDream]

Yeah I have to get my act together on western hunts, I am stacking points and put in for sheep and mtn goat every year but then in a moment of weakness I book a trip somewhere and go next year I will put in for the draw. I have to give you guys a lot of credit, you took deer I would be super proud of!!

 

[JPbowhunter]

Here is a late December coues just before the rut kicked off. I hunted them two years in a row. The first year I spent 9 points on and then drew the second year with just a loyalty pointView attachment 313374

Great buck, was that a diy hunt?

 

[JimP]

Great buck, was that a diy hunt?

Yep, a diy both years. My partner who also had a tag the first year had hunted the area a few years before so he knew what to expect and quite a bit about the area, I went in blind the first year. The second year he was able to come along as a spotter for me and as we were thinking about calling it he asked me what I really wanted where I told him something respectable. 30 minutes later the one in the picture showed up.

I think that he was the one that I got a shot at the year before and missed. This on was in the same drainage up on the same hill.

 

[dailordasailor]

Seavas: unit wife and I hunted were 1 point draw and plenty of good bucks to choose from in Wyoming. I have point for next year if interested in meeting up

Wade, I’d love to hear more about where to look in Arizona

 

[Seavas]

Seavas: unit wife and I hunted were 1 point draw and plenty of good bucks to choose from in Wyoming. I have point for next year if interested in meeting up

Sounds good, we will each have a point going into next season and are looking forward to heading back over there.

 

[Bullthrower338]

A great resource is the hunting fool, you get all the draw odds and best info on units. Use their service if you are new to western draws, it will save you a lot of learning. Hunting the west and playing the draw game is like letting a politician hold your wallet for you for a couple months. But, if you want to play, you got to pay. Many states require mandatory purchase of a hunting license without refund so prepare to have several hundreds of dollars go away in the western breeze. But you just can’t feel any worse than when you don’t draw a sheep tag for the 33rd year in a row! I highly anticipate the rejection each year! Much easier to get on a plane and go to Africa. By my figuring Elk steaks cost much more than Kobe beef when properly executed with new guns and gear in anticipation of a fine western hunt.
Good luck!

 

[JimP]

But it is hard to find some of the sheep on the African Continent.

I'm just glad that the sheep bug never did bite me. Now moose, elk, mule deer, coues whitetail and a few others get my full attention.

 

[Wade J VanGinkel]

I've got over 20 years applying for sheep and moose in colorado. Drew goats once.
As far as sheep I've killed a couple aoudad in south texas.
Strangely although I've killed about a dozen, elk just aren't my thing.