New guy looking for a backpack hunt recommendation.

[teddy12b]

I've never gone on a backpack hunt. I'm very interested though. I'd love to get back out to Jackson Hole Wyoming or anywhere in Colorado would be fine too. I really wouldn't care what I hunted, as long as I actually saw a few of them. Ideally I'd like to find a place to go where there is a mountain pond nearby full of hungry trout.

Anyone have any recommendations for a non-resident with a 30-06?

[royinidaho]

Whats a matta w/some big mountains and a near by river full of Steelhead, huh?

[AJ Peacock]

Where are you located?

AJ

[teddy12b]

I live in Indiana and I enjoy a good drive to get away and get outdoors. Wouldn't necessarily have to be a pond or lake, a river would be just fine too. Just something where a guy could throw a line in at some point.

[royinidaho]

Fire up Google Earth,

click on the little blue dot @ 45.381144 & -114.270625

Its close, convenient to civilization and steeper than hell! And you will se somethin', what, I don't know but surely something worth shooting. Then you'll learn all about backpackin.

[WyomingShooter]

I have backpacked every national forest in Colorado and Wyoming. Most in Idaho, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona looking for huge animals. Those were in the days when I could draw a tag about anywhere any time. You mentioned Colorado and Wyoming. Throw a dart at the map and backpack into any national forest the dart hits and you will find game if you know how to glass. But you can't do that now. Now you must study the regs and see where you can draw a tag. Then pick out some remote areas in those units, backpack in and you will find game. I always just study the maps and always find something worthwhile. All my hunting has been on public ground with a lot of legwork. Just don't give up to quick like 90% of the hunters I see coming out here every year. Figure out where you want to hunt in those two states and get back with me. I will show you where you can see some game if you hunt. I am to old to get back into .0001% of the country I have hunted and will probably never be back anyway. Most of the backcountry streams and beaver ponds have good trout populations.The key to it is cover ground and glass. Don't get stuck in hunting the same ridge every day when it is not producing. Move your camp and try another until you hit.

I can only remember one hunt where I was not succesful and it happenned to be last year but it was one of the most fun hunts I ever been on. It was a deer hunt and I backpacked into elk heaven. Everyday I was overwhelmed with big bull bugling coming from about every aspen ridge in the whole basin. Numerous 280-360 class bulls all over the place. A 330 and a 360 got into a fight opposite a large spruce tree I was hiding behind and the sound of the horns hitting and breathing/grunting was amazing. I am talking about ten feet. I just got caught up in it and didn't go looking for the deer. It came a monsoon for two days and I called it quits without taking a deer but had a wonderful time. Saw a few nice ones but nothing over 30" like what I wanted.

Stop by the local game and fish and usually they will help point you in the right direction. They want satisfied hunters spending money.

[teddy12b]

WymoningShooter,
The biggest hurdle for me other than not knowing where to go to begin with is not knowing how all the different zones work.

Ideally I'd love to go out to Jackson hole wyoming, but I haven't gotten any clear answers from people on what licenses are available over the counter and what ones aren't. I just need to spend more time researching it. Ideally I'd love to hunt elk, but mule deer would be just fine too. If I could get a mule deer tag and hunt in elk country I'd be perfectly happy with that.

I've been to Jackson years ago and I have a buddy that lived there for a year, so I'd have good company with me. It just comes down to time and money like anything else. Have any thoughts on a good place to go near Jackson?