First western hunt what game animal would you chase?

KyCarl said:

I would try exotics in Texas. No tags required..No season.. hunt in the nicer weather!
And some of that Aoudad country is beautiful! Not like my Kentucky at all!

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Barb tags are otc here in New Mexico for a lot of units. Headed out next month for one.

First Western hunt I'd try antelope near the elk mountains. Tag out quick as possible then use the remainder of trip to try and get close to some elk.

My first hunt was last fall in WY. Doe antelope. My girlfriend drew the tag along with an any white tail and cow elk.

She tagged her antelope from 175 yards. She was using a Savage 99 in 243. It's the rifle I shot my first deer with and my Uncle gave it to her. She was shooting down hill with her pack on my back for a little higher rest. Dropped it one shot first day. I was so proud of her on her first hunt.

On the third weekend of her elk hunt we finally got close, but ran out of time. Then I had to leave for Georgia for work. so we never filled her elk and deer tags. I feel like if we had another weekend we would have had a cow elk down.

We're moving from Utah to Maine when this job in Georgia is over. We will still be putting in for Wyoming tags though.


Picture is taken from where the antelope dropped. Shot was taken from the front edge of the bigger clump of trees on the left.

My first hunt was Elk but I think if I had it to do over again I would have started with Mule Deer.

I would say Elk in Montana... 100% draw rate for the last 6-7 years with leftover tags after the draw for the last 5 years. Put in for an Elk "B" tag as well in whatever area you choose to hunt so you have the option of taking a cow for a higher percentage success hunt if you are ok with a freezer full of elk meat...

Depends on the goal. Non-resident antelope doe licenses are cheap and easy to get in the draw in Wyoming and Montana. Great eating and you can get two in Wyoming (not sure about Montana).

Mule deer make for a great hunt and they are fairly easy to find, whether in the sage on the woods. THe least favorite meat for my family.

Elk are why I moved to Colorado. Started hunting them in '82 and have only missed hunting them one year since. Better than deer, not quite as good as antelope.

My vote is Wyoming antelope. Lots of land, lots of animals, good chance at either drawing a tag or getting a left over. Great hunt to learn from.

Wolves...wolves I tell ya...wolves...and maybe double up on grizz tags too.....and the best place to hunt 'em.....yellrstone....yep..that the best first western hunt....wolves and bears.....and in yellrstone....bring lots of bullets....maybe let other first timers shoot'em too.......

55stone said:

Good morning guys i was wondering if you were going on your first western hunt what would you go after and in what state would you go. I hopefully have my wife convinced to let me put in for tags for her and myself next year for something. I have been wanting to get out west for a few years now( live in Indiana) but haven't been able to take the time off work or have the money for the trip. I want it to be DIY public land hunt for sure. I was leaning towards Wyoming Antelope. If we put in for tags it will be with 0 points so i know that will limit hugely what units to apply for. if we put in for tags i will also put in for some doe tags. Just wondered what everyone's thoughts were.

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Wyoming antelope was my first choice and I got drawn with zero points on my first year guess I was just lucky I shot one at 615 and my buddy shot one at 783Also look into the access yes program we ended up hunting on private land with public access the Laramie River area

TG-5150 said:

in Wyoming in a lot of the areas you can hunt antelope and deer consecutively and in some areas at the same time.
Apply for both if you can swing the $

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Same with Montana in all areas, elk and deer seasons are concurrent

Yer chance of drawing anything decent in Wyoming with zero points is slim to none. I'd go to Colorado for a couple years to hunt deer and/or elk. You could start applying here for points and when you have 3 or 4 built up, start researching areas. Some of these guys have drawn with little or few points. With point creep, the odds are changing for many area...

Personally if I were to choose it would be chasing elk in Montana or Utah. Did a public land hunt in Montana for elk a few years back and it was amazing but hear Utah is incredible as well. If elk is out of the question then I'd probably like to try mule deer in the dakota's or Montana. My neighbour did that hunt 2 years in a row and smoked 2 giants. 320lbs 180 5/8" and the second year got a smaller bodied (200ish lbs) 183 5/8".

The OPs original post though he is just starting his wife out, I would suggest a high success hunt to get her hooked. Kinda like taking kids panfish fishing to get them hooked...

Elk is hardly a high success hunt unless you are going to a pet and shoot or fully guided hunt.

Antelope doe or buck if you can draw it would be my best suggestion for a high success possibility, followed by Mule/Whitetail deer (Does for Whitetail are OTC in many areas of Montana for instance and you can get multiple tags in certain areas for a great meat hunt with delicious outcome).

Combo mule deer/antelope, either CO, or WY. Thats for starters. Just my .02 worth.

If I have to "chase" it.....at my age, it would have to be a Sloth! But, we don't have those in the West! memtb