I have been trying to get out and broaden my hunting horizons. I am trying to hunt out of state each year. I did Wyoming Antelope (shot my first goat) in 2012 and Wyoming Deer (shot my first whitetail) in 2013. Would anyone be willing to suggest any hunts that would be an easy draw without opoints or an OTC tag for this year. I am leaning towards the OTC archery elk tag in Colorado. This would be a hunt for my father and I, and probably within 10-12 hours drive from Utah County, as I would like to drive to cut down on costs. Also, I would much rather do a DIY hunt, never been guided and I enjoy the feeling of accomplishment of a DIY hunt.
Thanks for any input.
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I hunted javalina in AZ with a muzzleloader. Fun and they make good food too. I also hunted wild pigs in California! That turned out to be a great hunt, good weather, and not extremely strenuous.
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Don't worry about drawing out, head up to Canada (12 hours) and hunt waterfowl and upland game! Bring your own dekes, rent a small hotel room and have a hunt you'll never forget!
Last year we killed over 200 canadas, mallards and snow geese in five days and we spent $700 TOTAL each! There were Hungarian partridges everywhere and pheasants in every hedgerow. No guides necessary and every single land owner we talked to was more than happy to let us hunt their land. In six years of going up there we've never seen another hunter in a field! Best hunt ever
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+1 on the Javelina. It's a fun hunt, easy to draw, and is in a different season than most hunts. I have hunted them Archery a couple times down there and we've been able to harvest bobcat, quail, and several coyotes each time down there. The deer hunt down there is going the same time and we've seen some great deer, next time I go I will get a deer tag and javelina tag.
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Texas hunt was alot of fun, especially hunting in 70 degree temps in Jan. I proably wouldn't do it again do to cost, but it was something different.
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I used to go hunt the kiabab archery. We hunted up near the north rim of the grand canyon. They used to sell the archery only tags over the counter and you had to buy a kiabab permit also. We always saw nice bucks, however it takes you a couple hunts to figure the area out. It's a little different hunt, no spot and stalk as the ponderosa pines make like you are sneaking on a field of corn flakes. But when you figure out the water holes (or sinks as they call them) And learn to get off the roads (there are a lot of road hunters) It can be a rewarding hunt with some trophy sized bucks.
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Thanks for the input so far. Keep them coming..
I am interested in the javelina/deer. When is this hunt? Is it very archery friendly terrain? And, any input on a general area to hunt where there is a decent amount of access to public/huntable land?
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You may want to check out some of the Booths at the Expo this coming week, I'm sure there will be some booths there that will handle javelin and deer hunts. I don't know about the other SW states but Texas is pretty rough trying to find a decent place to hunt unless you book a hunt, lease a hunt or have friends or family that have property to hunt.
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I know what you mean. I will be going to the expo, but man that place makes me wish I had a much fatter wallet than I do. I know it is difficult, but I find it a ton more rewarding on a DIY hunt, and definitely more affordable.
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I have done the DIY hunts all my life and even guided hunters for a few years, but at my age it's kind of nice to be catered to a bit. I didn't have a problem having someone gut my deer and take care of it when we were in Texas. I have gutted a few hundred elk for other hunters when I guided on the Deseret L&L, some at a minus 20 degrees in blowing snow, I kinda liked being pampered[
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The javelina archery starts on Jan 1, i believe deer opens the same day too, or it might open in December. The terrain is a lot of fun to spot n stalk. Javelina aren't the toughest animals to sneak on. The deer is more of a challenge but still very doable in the terrain. The javelina tags are a draw hunt, but its almost 100% draw odd, usually there is leftover tags after the draw. The draw is in October. You can also go farther south in arizona and hunt coues deer/javelina in January. I hunted right on the us/mexico border one year and had a blast, I didn't have a deer tag but saw lots of coues bucks and we both got nice javelina. Weather down there is great that time of year too! PM me for hunt areas.
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