2016 Plans

[Musket Man]

Montana pronghorn bucks don't run real big on average and they don't have a high percentage of book bucks. I'm tempted to say it's the winters but Wyoming has great bucks and pretty much the same winters. Genetics, I guess. The soil is certainly good enough to produce some nice elk and deer.

This is why I dont think alot of MT antelope hunts are worth the points they take now. When you could draw 700 every year or every other year as a NR it was a good option. Now that it takes 5 or 6 I dont think its worth waiting that long for. If prices and draw odds were what they were 10 years ago I would hunt Eastern MT every 2 or 3 years for deer and antelope.

 

[missjordan]

Montana pronghorn bucks don't run real big on average and they don't have a high percentage of book bucks. I'm tempted to say it's the winters but Wyoming has great bucks and pretty much the same winters. Genetics, I guess. The soil is certainly good enough to produce some nice elk and deer.

If your idea of a good antelope is something in the 70 inch range. It's probably worth it, but if your striving for bigger you'll have to work a decent amount. Our antelope units have gotten better in the last 2-3 years so it's looking promising.

 

[highplainsdrifter]

I have been zeroing in on bears in Wyoming during the last three years. Last spring, we had six bears come to our baits. In the fall, we had nine bears come to our baits. So I am hoping spring of 2016 will be the year I finally get a bear.

I have maximum sheep preference points (21) in Wyoming and hope to use them next September.

My wife has enough preference points (26) to draw an elk tag in Colorado unit 201, and we will probably do that in early October.

And finally there is our annual whitetail debacle in November in the Blackhills of NE Wyoming...a perennial favorite.

All of this will be on public land. I am extremely grateful to live in the Western United States where this is still possible.

 

[outdoorsman_3]

Well I will be posting as the random guy out east. I will have two spring turkey tags. The typical 1 ky buck and one doe tag. But I also have an Alaska moose, black bear, and wolf tag in September. Can't get here fast enough!


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[minn elk chaser]

Hope to burn my 23 points for deer in Colorado but not sure what unit so any help or ideas would be appreciated. Should draw elk in Arizona so that will be my fall hunts.

 

[HuskyMusky]

trying to figure out a DIY elk or mule deer hunt.

I have 8-10pts in most states, but kind of don't want to burn them, but also don't want a bad hunt.

may consider a trespass fee or possibly a landowner tag, but at the moment money is tight.

 

[cmbbulldog]

Hope to burn my 23 points for deer in Colorado but not sure what unit so any help or ideas would be appreciated. Should draw elk in Arizona so that will be my fall hunts.

Dang, you could draw almost any tag in the state. 44 4th is what I would look into closely.

 

[Musket Man]

trying to figure out a DIY elk or mule deer hunt.

I have 8-10pts in most states, but kind of don't want to burn them, but also don't want a bad hunt.

may consider a trespass fee or possibly a landowner tag, but at the moment money is tight.

Start using them! You could have 1 good hunt each year for a few years. The more points you save the harder it will be to decide where to use them.

 

[Musket Man]

Hope to burn my 23 points for deer in Colorado but not sure what unit so any help or ideas would be appreciated. Should draw elk in Arizona so that will be my fall hunts.

Is your other forum name Umpquah hunter? haha!

 

[ColoradoV]

Put in for points in Wyo as well as the other states I put in for in as I doubt I will have much time to travel or scout too far from home this yr. Play the lottery in NM.

I hope to be able to hunt archery elk otc with my 72 year old father - a highlight of the year for sure. He also has enough res points to draw just about any deer hunt in the state so we are very seriously looking at cashing them in on 44 4th maybe 3rd, a Gunny basin 4th hunt, maybe early season high country rifle. Any one should be a fun hunt.

I have enough points for great antelope hunt here in CO as friends have a amazing ranch to hunt. So thinking hard of doing that hunt next year as last time I got a 82" goat. Just waiting on some recovery as it has been slow since they got hammered in a blizzard a few year back.

Mule deer for me will be up high and early here in CO again looking for 190" or bust! Got to get to Wyo here soon but just not sure if this will be the year.

The wife cashed her points on a LE colorado rifle hunt this year so it will be OTC bull rifle for her. She might draw a 3rd season buck tag as well.

I will get a leftover elk cow 2nd rifle season tag to fill the freezer if our family has not killed a bull by then.

My brother is getting enough points for a good elk muzzy or first rifle tag so if he draws I will hunt with him. He could draw a good 3rd season deer hunt but will pry just get another point.

Should make for a great fall in the hills with the family and hopefully a few full freezers in the end!

Good luck to all in the draws.

 

[Granby guy]

Colorado
Burn my elk points for a first season tag.
Burn my deer points on a fourth season tag.
Apply for sheep, moose, and goat.

Wyoming
Points only for deer and elk since I won't have time to get there next year and I'm sitting on max points for both.

 

[nunt'nbutmuleys]

Getting close to my wyo sheep tag so if odds hold the same as last year I should Draw,(Praying) Got a draw plan figured out for the wyo antelope, deer and elk so hopefully game and fish agrees with me. Points in Utah for deer, elk and mnt goat. Points in Arizona for deer elk. Point for deer in Colorado as im at 0. Maybe a whitetail hunt in Idaho. All plans are dependent on the sheep draw!!!

 

[minn elk chaser]

Thanks cmbbulldog for the information on 44. I actually hunted there with a friend a few years ago and he shot a 182 inch deer. That unit has gone down hill since then and some of the development near Eagle has changed some on the best hunting. Not sure if that is worth that many points so still researching other units. I do not intend to pay the price to hunt east of 25 so what to do?

 

[minn elk chaser]

No not Umpquah hunter but I wish I had all the knowledge and experience he has.

 

[cmbbulldog]

Maybe a Gunnison Basin hunt 4th season... 53, 54, 55, or 66? 44th is still considered by most the best late season in CO...

Since you are so invested, why don't you spend a few days next year in the Gunnison basin checking out the deer in 54, 55, and 66. You could go after the 4th season hunt so you know what made it thru season. Would be a blast. Then apply the following year?

 

[kiwi]

Man there are a lot of points out there lol.

I have a point each for WY deer and elk. Hope to hunt WY next year, but need to confirm what I try and draw. A mountain goat is at the top of my list at the moment but looong odds.

Here in New Zealand I plan to hunt red deer at least every month. Then longer hunts planned for the sika, red deer and tahr ruts.

 

[Wyoming Hart]

Planning on drawing a muley tag in Wyoming and buying a lot of points

 

[minn elk chaser]

I have been thinking that the Gunnison Basin would be a good choice. I know there are so many factors that go into a successful hunt but when you only get one chance at it you want as many things in your favor that you can get. Of the 4 units that you suggested what in your idea of the best for a good hunt with the chance of a good buck. Thanks for the input.

 

[Fink]

Thinking about 2016 is stressing me out. I'll for sure hunt turkeys in KS and MO, maybe SD, if our unit increases the limit back to 2 birds. Archery and rifle deer hunting in MO, lots of waterfowl in MO. Might pull the trigger on a KS whitetail tag. Have some smoking spots, that I really should hunt one of these days.

I have no idea what I'm doing out West. Little brother has the points to draw a fun WY archery elk tag, I've got the points as well, but would rather spend two full weeks trying to kill him a nice bull, instead of stressing out trying to kill two bulls on the trip. I might just go all long shot draws for October rifle tags in WY, NM, AZ, ID and UT, and deal with the consequences if I draw one. Also trying to decide if I want to add NV to my list of states that I give money to, and get no tags in return.

 

[coastalarms]

Looking forward to Deer and Antelope in WY and will hunting general in Oregon to grab points again.....whatever it is, its gotta be better than this last year...arghhhhh