Need help out west ?

[reloadxx]

Ok guys need some input I was to go out west and hunt mule deer with a rifle . I can fly anywhere in the United States with that being said I can do a pack hunt where we sleep out under the stars or what ever. So this is where your guys help is needed where have you all been and where would you recommend? I would like to buy tag over counter or I can do lottery draw but like to do it in the next year or two. Give me all your info this will be my first trip

 

[Redfox]

Do you have any preference points by chance? Over the counter is getting pretty rare in the west.

Wyoming does toss some in a random hat if a given unit has enough tags. When that happens you always have a sliver of hope.

Seems that most OTC/no point/leftover units are all private ground.

 

[reloadxx]

Do you have any preference points by chance? Over the counter is getting pretty rare in the west.

Wyoming does toss some in a random hat if a given unit has enough tags. When that happens you always have a sliver of hope.

Seems that most OTC/no point/leftover units are all private ground.

No. I plan on start applying if I can not find any over the counter permits. I have never hunted the west I am born in raise in tn and only hunted whitetail in tn and west Virginia. So this will be new to me on how this all works and where to even apply and what areas. I am doing alot of work on Google but if anyone on tndeer has any insight on where to start looking that would be great.

 

[Huntaholic]

Monroe as in a few miles above Livingston toward Byrdstown? Or is there a Monroe county?

 

[Redfox]

You could look into Wyoming general regions. Some of those can be had with little to no points, but I would suggest doing a lot of research. I'd think you are 2 years out on Montana.

 

[Huntaholic]

You could look into Wyoming general regions. Some of those can be had with little to no points, but I would suggest doing a lot of research. I'd think you are 2 years out on Montana.

He most likely is but I have drawn 2 years in a row now so who knows. I will say this, the population is decimated to what it was 3 years ago and the odds of killing a decent buck are drastically reduced.

 

[tellico4x4]

You could look into Wyoming general regions. Some of those can be had with little to no points, but I would suggest doing a lot of research. I'd think you are 2 years out on Montana.

I suspect that given the state of mule deer in WY, a lot of folks with points will be applying for General Units , look for point creep to escalate. Expect 5-10 yrs before seeing a rebound in WY.

 

[reloadxx]

Monroe as in a few miles above Livingston toward Byrdstown? Or is there a Monroe county?

Monroe County. 1hour south of Knoxville

 

[DeerMan66]

You could get a mule deer tag in some units in Colorado with 2 or 3 points. With the winter die off last year tags were reduced which caused point creep this year. I'm not sure what that will mean going forward. If you want to go hunting out west you can get OTC bull elk tags in several units in Colorado. Before you apply for a quota tag in Colorado get very familiar with their draw process. It is complicated.

 

[reloadxx]

You could get a mule deer tag in some units in Colorado with 2 or 3 points. With the winter die off last year tags were reduced which caused point creep this year. I'm not sure what that will mean going forward. If you want to go hunting out west you can get OTC bull elk tags in several units in Colorado. Before you apply for a quota tag in Colorado get very familiar with their draw process. It is complicated.

Heck what I'm seeing it all complicated.

 

[Buzzard Breath]

Idaho, California, and Nebraska are the only 3 I can think of for OTC rifle tags, and that may have changed over the last couple years. Of those 3, Idaho is the only one I would consider. Your best bet is to pick a state, learn the draw system, study the areas and see if any of the terrain in the easy to draw units are what you're looking for in a hunt, and start buying points for that state. Trying to learn the draw system for each state would be too overwhelming for someone new. And, states change the way they do it, occasionally.

You can still buy points in WY for this year. Scroll through our past threads and you'll see where they had a huge die off this winter, but if you're wanting to wet your appetite with a mule deer hunt, just get out there and go.