Glenn
Dunning is a member of New England Outdoor Writers Association
(NEOWA) and contributes monthly to Outdoors Magazine
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
 |
||||||||||
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
||
Outdoors Magazine, October '06 Issue, Traveling Outdoorsman Col. Submitted by: Glenn Dunning |
||
Why Not Go West? For Antelope, Deer & Elk |
||
| It seems the more you get talking with folks about hunting these days, you can't help but be surprised by the number of Northeast deer hunters who are heading to the Rockies every year. There was a day when someone might suggest to a Yankee the idea of traveling out of state to hunt and the stock answer would be; "What would you want to do that for, got plenty of deer here if you can find them." But that was before the Outdoor Channel and the expansion of out of the region outfitters participating in New England's bigger sport shows. Now it seems everybody's neighbor, brother or cousin's cousin has been to Colorado or Montana for elk or they are planning a trip to Wyoming for a mule deer or antelope. Heck, my friend Doug Bent drew a tag in only his second year of applying for New Mexico's elk season, took himself out there, hunted public land and shot a real racker of a bull last fall. There are lots of reasons to hunt western state's big game. For one thing the logistics are pretty easy because you are not leaving the country. No borders to cross, no language barriers and more often than not when you reach your destination, Old Glory is fluttering in the mountain breeze outside the lodge. For me at least, its pretty easy to get excited about sticking an arrow in a bugling elk, reaching out and touching an antelope in a meaningful way at 400 yards or putting the stalk on a bachelor group of muleys. One negative factor often sighted is that most western states have some kind of draw or lottery system controlling availability of non-resident tags. While this is true for deer, antelope and elk in most areas the operative word is MOST but not all. For example, you probably didn't realize that in some of Colorado's most productive management units elk tags are actually available over the counter for bowhunters. What makes this situation even sweeter is that the archery season coincides with the bugle. Not only is this the most exciting time to hunt elk, it is also potentially the most productive because the big bulls can be called in close; sometimes very, very close, to the ambush minded archer. Even in states where you do need to apply, if you know the right units you can almost be guaranteed drawing successfully the first year. Since Wyoming raised their non-resident license prices a few years ago they have seen a drop in sales. The result? Again this year, hundreds of deer tags and over a thousand antelope tags were left over in the game rich prairies and hill country of the state's eastern most hunting areas. These licenses are then made available on a first, come first serve basis. How good is the hunting in Wyoming? Whitetail Creek Outfitters in Devils Tower have access to over 400,000 acres of exclusive lease. Hunt with them and they will guarantee you a shot at a minimum 8 point whitetail or mule deer and if you want an antelope, which they refer to as goats, the guarantee is for a buck with minimum 14 inch horns. Consider that Wyoming is the only state in the US with a population less than Vermont. Montana, which also offers great deer and elk hunting, is often a tougher hunt but the steep and rugged terrain is equally spectacular in its wild beauty. Here, as long as you are booked with a registered outfitter, you are guaranteed your licenses for both species. Which brings up another good reason to hunt out west; combo hunts! As just mentioned in Montana you can hunt elk and deer at the same time as you can in Colorado where the seasons also coincide. Wyoming's most popular combination hunt is deer and antelope. This is an especially good hunt as Keith Lemay of Whitetail Creek explains; "What I think a lot of folks from back east don't know is that unlike members of the deer family, antelope are not nocturnal. Because of this difference the two species compliment each other on a combo hunt because we will set our clients up for deer in the early morning and again at the end of the day but when the temperatures go up and the deer head to their beds, we go glassing for antelope." Of course, depending on a myriad of factors pricing for a rocky mountain hunt can cover the board. Do it yourself or unguided drop camps are going to be significantly less expensive than a week with an outfitter but the latter almost always provides for greater success in the field and more creature comforts in the form of lodge accommodations, a cook and guides. In either case, if you're a whitetail hunter from the northeast ready to try something new, look into the exciting opportunities that abound when you head out west for hunting adventure. |
|
|