Aussie in need of advice

[Aussie_hunter_jd]

G'day all,

As stated above I'm in need of a little help.

I'm sure it all makes sense to you with points, units and what not but for me it's straight over the head.

Where I am, a $50 licence gets you 12 months hunting on all huntable public land in the state, any private you can get access to and unlimited tags on all species in the state (except for one).

My partner and I are getting married later this year and we've sorta agreed to try for kids after a couple of years giving me a small window to get out and hunt a few places before I'm stuck locally. So in the next couple of years id love to get over to either hunt elk or mule deer, preferably during archery season but I'm still stuck on where to go.

From what I gather if I even started accumulating points tomorrow I wouldn't have enough to draw a decent unit in two years.

Next year we're doing another diy hunt to nz, chasing sika again at this stage and the missus and I want to visit England to see her sister so ill squeeze in a roe deer hunt there which leaves 2018 as my year for US!

I'm just after at least some broad strokes, what states do people think are worth trying for with a small amount of points or OTC? I've thought of Colorado, Montana or Idaho, wouldn't mind hunting Wyoming, just somewhere out west for either elk or mule deer and maybe a few days on speed goats.

I'm set on Diy as I just love the challenge but would certainly be interested in a hunt swap with another keen diy hunter from the states.

I'm not really interested in scoring deer, but I'd love something like a 140" mule deer or a nice 5x5 or 6x6 bull. I'm confident that in the right place I can make it happen it's just a matter of getting enough info to be able to put myself there.

Cheers in advance, and feel free to dm me if you prefer private conversation.

JD

 

[Alabama]

You've already missed the deadline for Colorado in 2016 so you won't have but 1 point going into 2018, if you apply for a point next year. You could definitely draw a decent unit there for archery mule deer. Probably a half decent unit for elk too, if not there are plenty of archery OTC elk units to chose from.

Wyoming you can buy points until Oct for this year. With 2 points you could draw a general elk tag and a region general deer tag. This is definitely the state for speed goats and 2 points will get you a decent unit. Just remember if it's a wilderness area you will have to hire a guide here, all other public lands you can go guideless. No OTC tags here.

Idaho is random draw and your chances aren't very good at limited tags. Plenty of elk and deer otc hunts especially for archery. Idaho is generally ROUGH country. I've heard it said if it was flattened out it would be the largest state in the lower 48 states.

If mule deer are your priority then go with Colorado, if Elk are priority go with WY. Speed goats don't even look at the other 2 just go to Wyoming. Idaho has good opportunity for both elk and deer.

If I were you I'd go for WY. It's a little more expensive but it will give you opportunities at all 3 species. You can hunt the end of archery and if you don't fill your tag then go back out with a rifle.

Just my opinions: I'm sure many will disagree. Good luck and welcome to the forum.

 

[Tim McCoy]

Ten characters

 

[Tim McCoy]

The states you listed are definite options, Alabama gave you some good advice IMO.

How much time will you have to hunt? Are you open to pay a trespass fee to access private property to hunt diy? The amount of time you have would factor heavily into any area/species combo hunt I'd consider doing DIY, being new to the area and species.

Done a couple Elk/Mule deer combo hunts in the same place in MT. Not easy, but W MT has both and concurrent seasons. I have been able to get DIY hunts done in MT/WY/SD on a 14 day trip and get mule deer, whitetail deer and antelope. It was my first time in only one of those locations, the others I knew. I only mentioned SD because that was one of my stops, not as a state I'd have you consider at this point. But I rifle hunt which is quite a bit "easier" in my view. So multiple states are an option too. Most of the western states mentioned do have some form of state leasing hunting rights on private property, often called walk in areas, or BMA Block Management, in MT, etc. a guy can hunt DIY.

There are good options for a combo mule deer and elk or Mule deer and Antelope in the same general area if you choose well. What I'd suggest is you rank your preferences, which you may have done by posting in the elk section. In good country, mule deer are generally fairly easy to find, elk can be more difficult. Mule deer tend to more evenly dispersed, elk much more herded up, in my experience. So it's like you are covered in elk or wonder if they went extinct. In good antelope country, they are very easy to find, not so easy to get close to, so many guys that bow hunt sit in a blind on water.

 

[kiwi]

I've sent you a PM sent.

 

[Aussie_hunter_jd]

Alabama and Tim thank you very much all great info.

I should have added, my wife would be coming over to the states with me meeting up after the hunt. I have a good friend in Bozeman Montana though he's not a hunter but I could have him help with accommodation either side of the hunt and vehicle help.

Having said that though I'm a really keen hunter and I just want to be where the best hunting is so if it's in another state that's where id go.

Time wise, I was thinking like anything up to 10 days.

Im more of a rifle hunter than an archery hinter, my reason for archery hunting was that as far as I'm aware your rifle seasons are later on in the year when it could down and the wifey doesn't like cold so I thought an autumn rut hunt would be a happy medium.

Definitely happy to pay a trespass fee, in Aus we're quite lucky in money not really being a thing exchanged for access. I give my landholders a slab of beer once a year (aussie currency) but I'm happy to pay to get access.

As much as I love elk more than the others I think my focus would be mule deer for the first trip as I've heard they're the easier of the two to hunt. If I managed that in say five days and had some time to kill I'd probably chase elk or goats.

From the info you guys have given it looks like it's down to three, MT Co or WY.
Mt looks the easiest in practical terms though combo tags at $1500 aud aren't cheap.
WY looks good for chasing a couple of species.
And if I want to focus on mule deer CO.

I could throw a spanner in the works and ask about Oregon and Washington as I love Roosevelt elk but I think I'll focus on baby steps!

Really appreciate the help guys, always happy to return the favour with some info on Australia and NZ ��

 

[Tim McCoy]

I would be leaning towards buying a WY deer and elk point now and again in 2017. Then I might just buy a CO deer point in 2017. Essentially I would be willing to buy a point or two I may not use. Then I would probably apply for three tags, WY deer and elk, and CO deer. CO deer tag is mule deer hunting insurance. If I draw all 3, can turn in the CO deer tag a month before the season, I believe, for a decent refund.

Another attractive option to me is to not hunt elk, they are close to red deer, and you have a whopper red deer, and hunt MD twice. That would really up the odds of a nice buck. Of course my bias is I do very much enjoy hunting MD, easier if solo, vs an elk 2-3 times the size. If I did that, I can still change my mind if I draw both deer tags, turn in CO deer, hunt MD in WY and buy an OTC elk tag in CO. I am not familiar with WY tag turn in rules, so the reverse may or may not work.

Bozeman is not a bad place to plan a deer and elk hunt out of. The MT general season combo license let's you hunt both archery and rifle seasons, gives you two months or so. But I suspect CO and WY offer a bit better hunting, especially for deer. Buy selecting a WY unit and/or CO unit carefully, you can stack dates for deer and elk pretty close if not overlapping for both species. I've hunted MT a bunch, WY 5-6 times, but have not hunted CO yet. CO has great deer and more elk than the states, I'll be after MD there soon. I have a couple buddies in MT and tend to go there often, no other reason.

Weather is a crap shoot. I'd not be too worried about cold into mid-Oct down in town, but you never know. I still go rifle for MD and either bow or rifle for elk as many bow seasons are in the rut with all the bulging. Anyway, gives you some ideas and hopefully gets some discussion going. There are quite a few members on here that know far better than I do, relative to the deer and elk opportunities. I mostly chase the deer, both Muleys and Whitetails. Hopefully some will chime in, shoot holes in anything I said and help you find the best plan to suit your goals.

 

[Tim McCoy]

Aussie, you might consider getting a subscription to both Eastmans journals, now and keep it at least into 2018, if you don't have it already. I'd hope they can get it to Australia. They cover the western states and help a bunch with recommendations, takes both bow and rifle editions to get all the states covered, or buy the online MRS I think. Eastmans can tell you what combos work to get the states you'd want.

Then in early 2018 I might drop $100 USD and join Huntin' Fool. They too analyze the states and offer you the ability to call hunting consultants, that can help a bunch with selecting units. Or join now and ask them the best plan for 2018.