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speaking of Road Trips...

I'm up for a road trip. :)

I turn 50 in 2018 so I've floated the idea by the wife to let me go on a hunting trip this year. we live comfortably, but not made of $$...so budget and logistics are definitely a consideration. thinking that anything that requires flights would be out of the question. so..driving distance is probably a must.

I have family in Utah where I have an open invitation, but over-the-counter elk tags are spike/cow only. have to draw bull tags. also whitetails and mulies in state...haven't looked into those tags in a long time so I don't know draw vs OTC. however THATS a long drive. so that pretty much rules it out.

I'm interested in any of the deer species...whitetails, mulies, caribou, moose, (sika,)....dream hunts include caribou and moose.

another consideration is companionship. I hate hunting alone, specially in unfamiliar territory. anyone else in a similar boat want to help organize a trip???

Don't discount Utah. They recently changed regs to allow OTC NR elk tags to include bulls. If you want limited entry areas you need points but not general areas. Same for mule deer. I killed a buck in Monticello on a general OTC tag and it was a great hunt. You'd need to fly to Salt Lake and rent a vehicle however.

On the other thread I mentioned possibilities in NY, NJ and PA. Any one of those states would be great for whitetail and are easy drives. If you want a bear hunt, Maine or New Brunswick are good picks and are also easy to get to by truck. Good luck in your search. I always felt that planning the hunt is half the fun.

You looking for more of a state land thing or private land. How are planning on goin for?

Thanks Brian. I've researched NJ and NY before...never really looked into PA. will have to check it out.....I'd love to get out to Utah just for the terrain & beautiful country. My family out there constantly tell me how much the deer and elk tie up traffic on the mountain. lol... if you don't mind me asking, what are the logistics involved in bring the meat or rack home? did you have to ship it? or carry it on the airline?

Murph...definitely some kind of public land I'd imagine. and as of now I get 3 weeks off (we're currently pushing for a rule change to get another week of vacation especially since I've been there for over 20 years). I'd probably be able to dedicate a week to hunting (but that would include travel to & from...any days preseason scouting days etc.) if I get that additional week that would be a huge bonus for doing test runs and scounting trips.

Hickstick I drive 1800 miles every year to hunt. This year I flew down but because I got the Axis and had ALOT of meat it would have cost me $1500-$2500 to ship it back and no guarantee it would make it frozen unless I paid for over night ... so I grabbed a rental truck great deal from Hotwire $49 for a 3 day one way(truly an amazing deal I got lucky)

I drive almost straight through sleep in car for about 4-5 hours a couple times I did the drive this year in 36 hours start to finish. It’s a Vet hunt so if you’re a Vet and want to do the drive and split the cost. I do it during the week of November 11 each year.

No scouting needed it’s 125 archers with 9 blinds I think 6 have feeders so it’s not Hunting it’s killing. I shoot a .308 but some guys hunt with .223s, 30-06. I got my Axis at a blind without a feeder. We also do some hog hunting.

We sleep in some old bunk houses or you can bring a tent, we don’t have showers there yet but it’s a work in progress.

Let me know I’m always looking for someone to do that ride with

Once you cross the 50 yard line you realize you can't keep putting off those trips you've always wanted to do. Drove out to Wyoming a couple years ago, 29 hours taking turns. The hunting is different, awesome and arduous. But so worth it! I was 54 when I went. I'm going to go again. On your list of elk, mules and white tail don't forget speed goats. Incredibly good meat.

I'm also looking at mid-Atlantic states like VA, MD, etc.. Close enough for an easy 8-10 hour drive and tons of deer. And hog hunting is on my to do list as well, so Texas or another southern tier state, and I'm a vet 1SG, don't know if I'll have time this year but that sounds like a lot of fun!

I'm in Utah now visiting my daughter. She live in Midvale, SLC. and I have seen mule deer everyday. We also saw many antelope on a trip to Moab this past week. The antelope and mulies were along the side of the highways. I'm thinking of a hunt out here before she moves. Good luck, Let's Go

Hick, on the hunts I've done where I fly, I arrange to donate the meat rather than ship it home. The cost would be crazy to ship frozen. I know that in the course of a season I'll have plenty of venison from hunting at home or neighboring states so meat is not a concern. However, we do eat some while in camp, which is great.

Concerning trophies, I've done it two ways. Ship home cape and antlers and have a taxi here take care of it or have a local taxi out there do the work and ship the finished product home. There is the cost either way but I figure that into the hunt.

Here is a dark horse Hickstick - South Dakota. It's a stout drive, especially if you go all the way to the black hills area. But my lord is there a cornicopia of game - from antelope to elk, white tails, mulies etc. I looked briefly after driving across it this summer, and as I recall Non Res tags are pretty doable. Very different terrain, lots of game, etc.

Depending how hard you push the drive, it's about 3 days - long days.

thanks for all the input guys!

Sarge, embarrassed to say, I'm not a Vet. the closest I've come is running the Bonefrog Challenge (Obstacle Course Race run by US Navy SEALs). But that hunt sounds awesome...if you need anything for it let me know...I'm happy to support our Veterans any chance I get. I've got lots of 16' climbing rails and hang on stands I could donate. :)

Will, I have family in Nebraska too, have always thought about heading out there to hunt...though they only gun hunt. SD sounds awesome. damn...so many places.

thanks for the info Brian. donating meat is a possibility....but the meat is pretty much WHY I hunt...never been a 'trophy' hunter, heck the only head I hjave hanging is in my Garage Gym...

Hick no worries and nothing to be upset about. I come from a family we’re that was our business and that ended with me ????? Not sure why but none of my boys or my daughter joined and none of my nieces or nephews joined. So believe me I have no issues with those that didn’t or don’t but support each other. I’m in that support roll now like an x smoker ...... the Texas hunt is open to non Veterans but at a cost but normally that week it’s just Veterans so some of us don’t scare the public with our war stories, like fish stories but even more full of crap. Hickstick we can talk off line later. MRW thank you for your service if your schedule changes let me know it’s not until November so we have time.

The ranch is the Kensing ranch Doss Texas. If you google it you may get mixed reviews but that is with any pay to “Hunt” ranch if a customer doesn’t get an animal then the ranch is no good. This past year’s hunt I think we took 16-17 animals and a couple guys didn’t get one so it happens.

If anyone know a good bear guild the owner of the Texas ranch will trade off hunts .

I just did a diy hunt in Ohio November and even though it was fun, I'd much rather partner up next time. I'm in the same boat, 44 next month and I'm not sure how many more trips I'll get to do before other responsibilities take over. I tried dragging Will with me, but he's twice as busy as I am , and I'm really busy! ;-) Definitely up for a couple in the future, feel free to pm me, we can go to one of our clubs and shoot, bounce ideas, etc. Bryan

Sad to say but if I really want to ever retire some day then a $5000-10000 guided hunt is out of the question. The better idea is to retire and move out west where you can hunt for the cost of a license.

Bryan that would have been a blast!

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