what Western state would you recommend other than Colorado?

[IdahoCTD]

Your state isnt the only one. When I moved here (1989) there were 1200 moose tags, 200 sheep tags, and 100 goat tags. Now its 670 moose. Under 100 sheep and under 50 goats. Its sad that our F&G hasnt allowed our deer herds to rebound even after bad winters. The worse of my time was 93/94. Our deer herds aren't 20-30% of what they were before that now. They refuse to cut doe tags after bad winters and they still expect the deer to recover. I think residents pay 18.00 or so for a deer tag. Even if its 1000 of them that is 18k. Hell allow 20 more non residents to hunt and cut the 1000 doe tags. You get the same revenue. Its idiotic. I'm all for letting seniors and kids shooting does but other then that it shouldnt be allowed unless they can prove the need.

 

[jasonco]

Jasonco your state is a liberal ripoff. The kill rates in the otc areas are hunts for people bad at math. More hunters than animals...km tx *** with your otc.

You know what stfu, liberal this, moderate that, right this, everybody gets a f$%#in ribbon that! You want to make it political, take that s#&t somewhere else?! I get tired of hearing that s#$t! We're in the suck when it comes to hunting in the US!

 

[Hoss Smith]

Western Game and Fish Depts. are trying to keep game management programs alive and support the public. Moneys are being diverted from them at every angle. Please support them in whatever they are trying to do. If a small game license keeps you from going on a elk hunt you probably shouldn't go in the first place. They have a tough job.

Good Luck in your search!

The bureaucracy is out of control, only a small piece of the money collected goes to the field.

 

[foul bore]

I'm from Texas, we went on a prong horn hunt to WY 3 years ago. The fees ect. were simple and reasonable. They acted like they were happy to have us. Saw some really nice mule deer, no doubt shooters. wish I had a permit for one. 1100 miles to get there was the only draw back. dry ice came in handy. be ready to shoot in the wind. we all tagged a buck, had a great time. best of luck to you

 

[Techy]

Colorado is over crowded with hunters anyway. I'd look into Idaho if it was me

 

[Predator 22]

Gotta remember.....colorado is not a western state....try central state...
Can't believe how many people keep saying this......
I guess we could always do away witb the time zones and make it all one state.......
I guess Washington, Oregon and California could be EXTREME WESTERN STATES.......

So all of Colorado, New Mexico, most of Montana and Wyoming are not western states?
I bet everyone in these states would disagree.

 

[Techy]

It's not the 82, it's the where does it end? I've been to co many times and have been successful a few. It's more of a meat for the freezer and experience with my son, and in a few years my daughter kinda thing. I'm not rich but not poor either, but when I'm being forced to buy a license that I will not use, what's the point. And how convenient for them to raise that license over $30 from last year. All these little extra fees really start adding up. My son shot a cow last fall, it was the one of the best memories I have ever had. I don't want that to end, but eventually there comes a point when you just have to say it's to expensive. If they want to get away from point creep, make it so after 10 points everyone is entered in a draw for the trophy units, 5 enters you into the litttle better than average unit, and 1 or 2 should get a a tag in an ok unit. The the otc the way it is. Charge $50 for a point per year, no extra habitat stamp, or small game license if I'm not going to hunt or state this coming fall. Have all youth points be a simple $10 and be done with the games. I know I might get flamed but make up the difference in money in resident license fees. It's national forest, everyone in the country's taxes help support it. Why one guy gets to hunt for 50 and I'm 675 because I live a few extra miles away is absurd.

Raise resident prices? Um no. I'm fine with paying high prices of i go to your state. Each state should take care of the residents imo. And even though the land is national forest the game is state owned. It's about meat for the freezer and the experience for me also.

Problem is the experience is getting worse every year due to the crowds and harder to fill the freezer for the same reason. Most of the crowd happens to be non resident for what it's worth. Many years I run into more hunters than elk.

 

[Oi.223]

Oregon. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Utah. Utah rivals Arizona when it comes to trophy elk hunting.
Idaho. Officials estimate the elk herd of Idaho at around 107,000.
Montana
Wyoming
New Mexico

 

[Predator 22]

It's not the 82, it's the where does it end? I've been to co many times and have been successful a few. It's more of a meat for the freezer and experience with my son, and in a few years my daughter kinda thing. I'm not rich but not poor either, but when I'm being forced to buy a license that I will not use, what's the point. And how convenient for them to raise that license over $30 from last year. All these little extra fees really start adding up. My son shot a cow last fall, it was the one of the best memories I have ever had. I don't want that to end, but eventually there comes a point when you just have to say it's to expensive. If they want to get away from point creep, make it so after 10 points everyone is entered in a draw for the trophy units, 5 enters you into the litttle better than average unit, and 1 or 2 should get a a tag in an ok unit. The the otc the way it is. Charge $50 for a point per year, no extra habitat stamp, or small game license if I'm not going to hunt or state this coming fall. Have all youth points be a simple $10 and be done with the games. I know I might get flamed but make up the difference in money in resident license fees. It's national forest, everyone in the country's taxes help support it. Why one guy gets to hunt for 50 and I'm 675 because I live a few extra miles away is absurd.

Our fees went up more than non-residents. Some of the non-resident tags actually went down! Myself along with others put in countless hours and money taking care of public land and our game so I have no problem with non-residents paying a little more.

 

[Jpron]

I'm not looking for a ****ing match or a political debate. Non residents already are paying way more than residents for the exact same thing, I understand that residents take help take care of the area and help take care of the animals. And I understand how residents feel threatened by all of the out of staters, this isn't about that. It's about me wanting to share something that is very special to me with my kids and the fees are going to eventually force a lot of good people to stop doing that. I actually met who I consider one of my best friends out there. He actually believes nonresident are way over charged. It is what it is, I applied for license and points last night but will definitely be looking at other options for years to come. Thanks for the input

 

[ronstone09]

for elk and maybe deer. My son and I where going to apply to Colorado again for deer and elk, now they want me to buy a stupid small game or turkey license just to apply for a dam point! 81.75 just so I can give them more money for a point. ***. So where can a guy take his kids and have a good quality hunt out west. Elk being the most important but some decent mulies would be fine also. I have never looked into other states. Do I need 257 points to hunt other states as well? I'm not looking for your super secret spot just an indication of what state I should start researching, some place I can hunt yearly or every other year. Thanks

wyoming or montana would be my choice and you can throw in a antelope tag too !

 

[owlman]

Just as a suggestion and nothing else, subscribing to one of the services like Epic Outdoors, Huntin' Fool, or one of several others is a pretty cheap way to have all the information in front of you instead of bouncing from one state website to the next. To me this is worth it because I have seasons, dates, costs, new rules, etc. in an easy to read orderly fashion where I can make informed decisions with my hard earned cash. Hunting in the elk and mule deer states is getting more expensive every year basically because of supply and demand and requires a lot more effort to get the most bang for you buck than it used to. There's still places to have decent hunts with your kids so I hope you don't get discouraged to the point of giving up and not enjoying this time in their lives. Best of luck.

 

[Techy]

I'm not looking for a ----ing match or a political debate. Non residents already are paying way more than residents for the exact same thing, I understand that residents take help take care of the area and help take care of the animals. And I understand how residents feel threatened by all of the out of staters, this isn't about that. It's about me wanting to share something that is very special to me with my kids and the fees are going to eventually force a lot of good people to stop doing that. I actually met who I consider one of my best friends out there. He actually believes nonresident are way over charged. It is what it is, I applied for license and points last night but will definitely be looking at other options for years to come. Thanks for the input

Not trying to get in ****ing match either. Maybe if everyone was charged the same everywhere it would work. I don't know.
I just think I should get a leg up filling my freezer in my own backyard over someone who doesn't live here. I'd think the same thing of I lived in any state.
It is so crowded here already I couldn't imagine how crowded it would be if nonres got resident prices. It wouldn't work. Everything would have to be draw in that situation and I wouldn't get to hunt my own backyard every year.
If residents had to pay nonresident price I probably wouldn't be able to hunt either. That's why I don't travel to any other state to hunt. So I feel your pain there. But at least you can hunt your own state for cheap.
In the end I see your point. I just want to be able to hunt my own state and have a good experience. It is on the ragged edge already. Crowds are getting crazy. I can't hunt any nastier country. Got in on a bugling bull last year. It was the only one of the season, last year sucked. When I got close I realized there were 3 other guys closing in on the same bull. No one got it. After it ran off, I realized the guy below me was 80 yards away. The guy above me showed up at 60 yards right after the bull ran off. And the there was another guy higher yet. Just sad imo. Not sure if it is like that everywhere but here in SW colorado it is crazy crowded and don't even have the greatest elk numbers lately.

 

[Jpron]

Not trying to get in ----ing match either. Maybe if everyone was charged the same everywhere it would work. I don't know.
I just think I should get a leg up filling my freezer in my own backyard over someone who doesn't live here. I'd think the same thing of I lived in any state.
It is so crowded here already I couldn't imagine how crowded it would be if nonres got resident prices. It wouldn't work. Everything would have to be draw in that situation and I wouldn't get to hunt my own backyard every year.
If residents had to pay nonresident price I probably wouldn't be able to hunt either. That's why I don't travel to any other state to hunt. So I feel your pain there. But at least you can hunt your own state for cheap.
In the end I see your point. I just want to be able to hunt my own state and have a good experience. It is on the ragged edge already. Crowds are getting crazy. I can't hunt any nastier country. Got in on a bugling bull last year. It was the only one of the season, last year sucked. When I got close I realized there were 3 other guys closing in on the same bull. No one got it. After it ran off, I realized the guy below me was 80 yards away. The guy above me showed up at 60 yards right after the bull ran off. And the there was another guy higher yet. Just sad imo. Not sure if it is like that everywhere but here in SW colorado it is crazy crowded and don't even have the greatest elk numbers lately.

Hey I hear ya. I'm from wi, problem here is unless you own land, your not hunting period. There is basically a couple hundred acres of public land within about a 50 mile radius of me. I farm and own a couple farms, but it's so crazy expensive unless you're stupid rich, you cannot justify owning land to hunt. I feel very fortunate to have ground that my family can hunt on. Personally, I think part of all the pressure you have there is due to a lot of hunters not having a place to hunt, so they go to co and have access to otc tags and thousands of acres of national forest or blm land. Than they see this crap on tv with huge bulls behind every tree and think this is what it's like out there. Hell I thought the same thing my first trip. I guess we'll never change it, just have to deal with it.