what to do

[Azbull72]

I have a question for you fellow hunters. I can't afford land owner tags and I'm too old (65) to wait 10 years for enough bonus points to hunt in the great non resident units.
I really don't care to shoot small deer but I really would like to hunt as long as I can. Years are passing me by waiting for decent tags in my home state ( Arizona )
What other options do I have to hunt deer with a chance to shoot 180" deer....maybe a little smaller would be ok.
I really would appreciate any help on this. I've looked at other states and it's pretty confusing to me where I could apply and not have to wait 5 or 10 years.
Thanks guys.

 

[elkassassin]

>I have a question for you
>fellow hunters. I can't afford
>land owner tags and I'm
>too old (65) to wait
>10 years for enough bonus
>points to hunt in the
>great non resident units.
>I really don't care to shoot
>small deer but I really
>would like to hunt as
>long as I can. Years
>are passing me by waiting
>for decent tags in my
>home state ( Arizona
>)
>What other options do I have
>to hunt deer with a
>chance to shoot 180" deer....maybe
>a little smaller would be
>ok.
>I really would appreciate any help
>on this. I've looked at
>other states and it's pretty
>confusing to me where I
>could apply and not have
>to wait 5 or 10
>years.
>Thanks guys.


I Wished it was only a 5-10 year wait in TARDville!








I know so many people in so many places
They make allot of money but they got sad faces

It Ain't Easy being Me!

 

[dz]

Idaho has great opportunity for you. You can put in for the draw and have the same chance as everyone else. Then since you have to buy a license to put in for the draw go hunt the general over the counter tag if you don't draw. The units that are hardest to draw typically are the best ones for Trophy sized deer. But big deer are killed in a lot of general hunts every year.

DZ

 

[txhunter58]

LAST EDITED ON Feb-24-19 AT 09:49AM (MST)[p]Public land easy to draw hunts in Colorado could land you a good buck but the odds are low unless you have a fair amount of time to prescout and are mobile enough to get away from roads. Could you afford a trespass hunt? There are some decent ones available https://www.coloradoprivateranches.com/
Approx $2400-2900

For public DIY hunts research some areas that you can draw with 0-1 point and then visit the area this summer to scope out the general area and deer herds. I hear there are some opportunities in NM but have never applied/ hunted there

Montana is also a possibility but the tags are pricey.

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)

 

[Live2hunt1]

Utah General deer tag 100%. 2-3 years of points and sometimes less. Muzzleloader tags are good too. You?ll have to know how to glass for deer which I'm sure you do being an Arizona resident. Just get away from the roads and hunt close to some private land and you'll have a decent chance at some real quality bucks. Get a Gohunt or toprut membership and start your research. Tons of opportunities.

Colorado with a few years. 5-6 for a decent tag.
Idaho for the limited entry tags every year! No points
New Mexico every year too if your budget will allow it.
Don?t overlook the Dakotas or Nebraska either. Goodluck

 

[BIGJOHNT]

Generally you have no time. So your going to have to spend some money. Sacrifice something to meet your goal . Like most of us fear you have run out of time. Buy a CWMU tag in Utah or a land owner tag in Colorado and go have fun.

 

[Utah400Elk]

Looks at archery and muzzleloader tags. I know you can hunt the 12a&b archery hunts with only a few points. There are 180 plus bucks and the 12bw hunt early can produce 180 bucks (very hard). I know of several units that are OTC where you can find 180 bucks. It takes a few years to learn the units but it can be done.

Best of luck

 

[Azbull72]

Thanks DZ....I have an uncle that lives in the panhandle....

 

[roadrunner]

In NM, you may draw the first time you put in, or you may wait 5-10 yrs.

Those are the pros and cons to a completely random, no-points draw...

 

[grosventrehunter]

Come to Wyoming and scout two 180+ bucks and someone will surely share their points with you. Or you can just find an easier to draw area and hunt. You never know you might find a buck worth shooting. Better than sitting home.

 

[6x7]

It would be way easier if you stopped worrying about how much a deer scores and just hunt for the fun of it.

 

[Azbull72]

I do hunt just for the fun of it. Part of the fun though is matching wits with an older smarter animal. I've killed plenty of small deer in my life of hunting. The 180 was just a reference point to determine more of the quality of the animals that may be found. Thanks for the input though.

 

[Squirrel]

My current situation precludes me from caring about your opinion but go ahead and give voice to it anyway...

Everyone wants to equate points to big antlers and it works that way... sometimes. You can hunt big deer 180+ every year as a second choice while building points, for a more advantageous season time, and you are also learning the land.

Or you can pay in $

Or you can pay in time

Paying in sweat is more fun yet many feel otherwise.

 

[hossblur]

The extended archery on the Wasatch front in Utah kicks out some good deer every year. It got extended further south meaning you possibly could be hunting deer that aren't hunted a lot.

Its not easy. Its not guaranteed big deer. But it doesn't take piles of points, or thousands of dollars. Maybe search for success in here?

Good luck


From the party of HUNTIN, FISHIN, PUBLIC LAND.