How many time have we heard this?? I want to hunt out west on my own for Elk or Mule Deer but I don't want to wait the multiple years to draw a tag. Well I am that guy. I have been pouring through documents and websites from most of the major western states. (Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Idaho,etc..) My issue is I am getting different answers from their websites and the states fish and game. Even some contradicting info here in this hunting.net forum.Sobelow is what I know so far (or think I know) about the above mentioed states. So what I am trying to figure out is where can a group of 5-6 hunting buddies from the midwest go and hunt Mule Deer and/or elk this year and either buy a tag OTC or have very good odds of drawing one?
Montana- I talked to the fish and game dept via phone today. Non-Residents have a 15% chance of drawing a deer only combo license. They also have a 50% chance of drawing a deer/elk combo license. Yet their website mentions some units had drawing chances near 100% in 2004. i.e this was areas around the Bear Paws and Milk River. Nothing found for OTC.
Colorado - The trophy units seem to be in the northwestern part of the state. They also seem to have some units that you can purhcase Mule deer tags OTC. I think (don't quote me on this) those units were south of Co. Springs. In the 55-56 range. But is this common?or just those units? I could not confirm.
Wyoming - (Rude people working the phones at the fish and game dept) no less than 1.2 million units for a state the size of Illinios.j/k
Seriously how big are these things 5 sq miles each??? Odds are around 10% for mule deer on the primary drawing. They also have a secondary drawing in June or July. Nothing seen for OTC.
Idaho- Very intriguing. Cool thing not many may know is if you get a mule deer license you can shoot a bear or a mt. Lion with your deer tag. But once your tag is used, its used. Seems like they have some units that have unlimited tags, which is great but likely means low quality bucks and lots of hunters, but like Wyoming those units (on a map) look to be the size of a Mc.Donalds parking lot. Other units prime units are draw only. Season seems to be primarily Nov. which overlaps with most mid-west deer hunts so would be tough.
Utah- They seem to have a pretty strick pref. points system with low odds for non-res. Does have left over tag drawing. Unsure of odds.
So this a summary of the states I have researched.Some of this info may be way offor right on, but this is my view from my research. So begentle if I have somthingwrong, Iam not trying to personally offend you.
I have checked out a ton of sites, dug throughout this forum and its all a jumbled mess in my head. So if you have any suggestions how 5-6 guys could go together on a DIY mule and/or elk hunt out west I would appreciate it.