2018 #1 Hunting Trip
General Topic
Contributors to this thread:
Since the season is winding down and done for most was wondering what your #1 trip is for next year?
I'm still planning.
I'm heading to Russia in August for snow sheep. It has exploded into a bigger trip, as my wife is going to meet me after and we are going to do a northern cities tour, hitting Copenhagen, Oslo, Helsinki, St. Petersburg and Moscow. So it will be my only trip in 2018, except for hopefully a spring turkey trip to Kansas if I'm invited (hint hint Treeman :) )
The plan right now will call for me being gone for a month, so I'm not even putting in for any draws I don't think. Just can't get time away from work. Points only across the board, except I may have to apply for tags for some later season stuff, maybe desert sheep or something that I won't draw :)
I am in a postion to draw a decent elk tag in one or two states. Going to put two weeks towards that and two weeks to an iowa tag. Of course if a sheep tag comes my way then will be hunting as long as it takes to punch that tag.
Hunting with Rocking R for elk next September with a side dish of Muleys in the Sandhills.
Rut deer and Javelina in AZ starting Jan 1.
Well, I'm already on plan B since I was a minute too slow buying my tag of preference that is already sold out. Seriously...I was literally a minute too late. #1 is now WY elk...but I've been saying that for 3 years.
January 6-15th I'm headed to Southern Arizona with some buddies for Coues and Javelina. Last year I passed on going with them as it was to a spot they had never hunted or been to and at the last minute- they harvested the bucks in the photo. I was lucky and got a leftover Javelina tag so it would be nice to poke a pig and need to have Coues mounted. If I don't fill my deer tag, I'll look at going back with Steven to punch it in August.
My nemesis the Colorado Desert Sheep tag would be nice, to take the last species in Colorado.
I should draw my late season deer tag here in Colorado since I did not this past year.
We have some new areas guiding Wilderness Wall Tent Elk hunts in the Flattops, so I'll probably be taking a week or two vacation (well work) related to that if I do not draw for Sheep.
In 2018 I will be once again heading back to Illinois in November for 10 days. But my #1 trip in 2018 will be another May trip to Cuba for some saltwater fly fishing in pursuit of tarpon, bonefish and permit! As a wise man once said, “take the trip of a lifetime every year!!”
AK Caribou with my son who has never hunted any big game other than Whitetail.
Kodiak blacktails! And a WI bear tag
I'm thinking KY for whitetail in October.
I don't know why you would say seasons winding down! I'm just getting started! I have a MX Coues deer in January, February I'll be in Spain for an Ibex and then straight to the King Ranch for a Nilgai. Then April Nunavut for a Musk OX, then "MAYBE" a quick 10 days in South Africa for June. Kodiak in November, WY elk in September, and hopefully a Alaska moose hunt.
Oh, and it sounds like I have to take Bake turkey hunting too...
I have been coasting a little the last couple years, I'm gonna hit it hard in 2018!
And as a side note, I think every one of those trips are wirh guys or outfitters who I have met here on bowsite!
--jim
Headed back to Colorado in pursuit of Elk.
Colorado Elk.archery,,solo.opening week .camping..1st time hunting elk ever!! ,,,after I put one on the ground,,,leaving Colorado..heading to western Nebraska ,,to knock down a mule deer,first time ever!!! Then a pronghorn!!first time ever.....hell I may never go home........
Mexico Coues with Steve Ward in January. Then a long wait until our Ohio deer opener in September
Midwest and I must by both applying for the same 2 NR tags for 16D NM elk. ;) Maybe we’ll both draw.
Bow fishing and hogs in Florida in June.
Mule deer and antelope in Montana in September.
Rutting white tails at home in Ohio for 2 weeks .
Hoping to get to CO for mulies at the end of August. I've missed too many years since my last trip to the Rockies!
OR Elk and Antelope, WY Elk and Antelope.
Elk hunting Aug 25 weekends until ? with a full week thrown in there somewhere. I have good odds of drawing the same elk tag from this year but my son (being a youth) has a GREAT chance of drawing that tag so hopefully we can focus on his first elk!
Hoping for caribou in 2018. Try for one good trip a year.
First hunting in 2018 will be Arizona javelina. Pretty excited about it already!
After that it depends somewhat on draws, but spring bear, deer and probably moose. Caribou for sure; might as well make it seven trips.
And really hoping they open an elk season in a certain area. I’d like to target elk at least once.
Moose in Alberta, Elk in Colorado, Mule Deer in Colorado, W.T. Deer Nebraska and Iowa??? or Kansas???, then what ever else I draw.
Well, I'm going back to Manitoba for two weeks. If I live that long. Want to spend some time with some old friends, then may swing by Arapaho, NE on the way back for a few days. Kinda my last tour de force. And have not ruled out one last bear hunt...with my Nikon.
Merriams, antelope and muley in WY hopefully. Of course, Missouri whitetail and turkey since it is my home.
14 day float hunt for moose with Papa Bear Adventures. Booked this trip two years ago and been dreaming of it for 20! Good luck to all in your pursuits.
AK moose in Sept. Iowa whitetails again if I draw. That’s it so far!
Nilgai south Texas ,bear Manitoba, Africa bushbuck bush pig red heartebeest
I am going to carry Blake's bow when he travels to Russia for his Snow Sheep hunt :).
Dall sheep in AK. Can't wait.
Stone Sheep with Stone Mountain Safaris
Poor attempt at humor, Steve. Just trying to keep you and Hawkeye guessing ;-)
Turkeys and deer in TN. Deer in OH. I should draw the WY antelope unit I want. I'm also going to put in for an adjacent WY mule deer unit and hope for a long shot at a random tag; if not, I'll just spend the time fishing.
Kota, can’t wait to hear and see that one!
Whitetail, whitetail and whitetail...Draws for whatever may come my way!
SD mule deer and with even a speck of luck I’ll be hunting elk somewhere!
It’s way to early to have a set trip hunt planned for elk. Of all the elk tags I am putting in for the best chance i have is 10%.
So if I don’t draw maybe OTC Co. if not that Ne grasslands Mulies. SD Mulies/whitetails and of course Kansas whitetails. There also could be ND whitetail if we land this project we just submitted a bid for.
I thought you just bought a Governors tag every year right? :)
I have the best Brown Bear tag for Kodiak Island, next fall. But I also plan to kill a ram and a few other things but I am certainly looking forward to a brown bear hunt down there!
I'm hoping to head to Wyoming for early season antelope, then whitetail at home. Might squeeze in md sika.
March pig hunting in kauai, October black bear in Michigan, November deer hunting in illnois.
I'll just be jealous...........
South Africa in August, and then off to the Kodiak Buck Shack for Sitka blacktails in September.
MT breaks elk and maybe NM. I'll do my usual stuff in WY. Hopefully I draw a WY Buffalo tag.
My usual Montana hunts -
My #1 dream hunt, Alberta whitetails. Trip is far from finalized, but I am hoping against hope it works out! I am also accumulating Iowa points, so I may try that route as well. Both hunts would be a first for me.
In may I’ll go to Manitoba chasing my first black bear
Hopefully October New Mexico mule deer and antelope
January Idaho chasing my 1st mountain lion
Montana elk in the Big Belts.
Partial knee replacement Feb. 28th so any hunt that I am able to actually hike on will be my number one...
Elkman- If you have the surgery in Feb, You should be in fine shape by fall if you do the therapy. Just do your "roadwork" on a treadmill or soft ground, not concrete. A stairmaster is great after about three months of rehab.
Total right shoulder replacement five days ago. Rifle elephant hunt in the Caprivi followed with plains game archery in late July.
The usual stuff to start off with....Lots of geese in January and Febuary
Newfoundland Moose/Bear with my daughter last week of September.
Fly in moose trip. This is starting to be an annual trek.
I'm heading to Whitetail Heaven in November :)
Hopefully, elk in New Mexico but Midwest whitetails are always my number one hunt.
My absolute number one hunt I am looking forward to in 2018 is Montana 680 bighorn hunt. Come on Montana do your part C-:
Some great hunts coming up this next year. Love reading where everyone is going. Make sure to take a camera along and share with us. Love reading peoples adventures almost as much as I like to take them.
turkeys first, then axis in summer, antelope, elk (76), muleys, nebraska whitetails will wrap up my fall. fingers crossed on the sheep and goat draws
Headed back to Ohio for a week with my brother, nephew and a few other buddies. Hoping my son can get time off work to make the trip this year.
Mountain Lion in Nevada in January and Wyoming elk in September. Just as excited for both of them.
Yep, what Sage said! The stories here are so dang fun!!! I'm hoping to chase elk somewhere this year and hopefully I'll share with the crew back here when I'm done. I know there are some elk stories coming here from 2017 that will knock people's socks off!
After MX Coues in Jan, the only travel hunt planned is Greenland (ox + bou) in Oct. Hoping to fill in the blanks with some draw tags.
I have the pleasure of hunting with wards with a good buddy next month. After that it’s on to cats in NV, followed by some AK bears. The fall is still working itself out but I’m sure it’s going to be a full schedule! Good luck to all this year!
My local whitetail hunt in November. Be only a week this year. Two weeks in CO bow hunting elk. I'm planning to do it alone if need be. Been saving since November and I'm well on my way there money wise, if I do go it alone. This last year with cancellations of hunting buds, ain't going to happen to me anymore. But, the best thing I'm doing in 2018 is buying PP's in Montana and Wyoming for a 2019 or 2020 elk hunt with some bowsite guys!!!!!!
Looks like Alberta Mule Deer... but NWT for Dall and Caribou In “19”!!!!!!!!!!
Trying to chip away at my bucket list. New Zealand in March, but this will be a gun hunt so I guess it don't count around here. The rest is based on draw results. I hate the draws and seem to have the worst luck. HO HUM !
I have a very good year coming up.
January Coues deer with Forest at Ward's
June Africa for Cape buffalo
September 20 days in AK for dall sheep and moose with Bigpizzaman
November. Whitetail in SD
November mike deer and whitetails with Mike's Outfitting (rifle hunt)
Life is good.
For 2018 I'm going to Iowa to try for a nice Iowa whitetail buck. It will be my 1st whitetail hunt in Iowa. Also, putting in for elk and mule deer PP in Wyoming.
Number 1 for 2018 starts January 1 in Illinois with Matt!
Hopefully hunting elk! If no draws happen for me then black bear.
Elk in Wyoming, black tail on Kodak island.
My usual spring bear, lots of ice fishing before then but still can't wait!
Ya #1 for me will be Iowa January 1-10. Hoping I can still put my NR tag on a public land buck. My standards will be lower this round.
August 24th, Moose in Alberta with Mikes Outfitting
Mexico Coues deer with Ward's Outfitters in January. gottoohunt
Eastern Colorado mule deer.
NM ibex in January. NWT Dall hunt in July. OR elk around home in September.
NM ibex in January. NWT Dall hunt in July. OR elk around home in September.
Honestly I really need to start working on my hunting bucket list. Time is running out. Hopefully an OTC September elk trip to CO. Maybe a trip to MO for whitetails.
Jan Arizona Coues
Feb Idaho Mtn Lion
March Texas Hogs
May/June Alaska bear baits for brownies and blackies
Aug Alaska Dall Sheep
Aug Colorado Mulies
Sept Alaska Moose and Bou
Nov Kodiak Deer and Goats
Dec Idaho Mule Deer
In that order. Should be a great year!