Free: Contests & Raffles.
Jump in with both feet, pun intended Buy a tag and learn as you hunt/hike, just as you did in Washington, I'm sure that is how most on here figured out their spots.
Learn what you can in advance from the Internet, Google Earth, maps, talking with bios and former tag holders, etc. But in the end, I always figure the first couple days of a new area will be scouting with a tag in my pocket. To me, that's a huge part of the fun and challenge. You never know what you might find just around the next corner.
If you are DIY you run the risk of blowing the whole kit and caboodle, but the reward is fantastic. You essentially take what you know about game here and apply it there. If you can read maps, have some basic knowledge, it has always seemed to work out for me. I have never been much of an internet scouter believe it or not. Lots of folks use this. I used magazines and books to learn general areas and herds and went from there. Huntinfool magazine has good information and is a source. Eastmans has some stuff. No matter what state you are in, you will often find that there is someone else in your spot. Other states aren't always magically better. Just too many people these days, and the tools used to research seem to make it easy for everyone else as well. You can dive into the permit game. Hopefully you have money to burn. All states are basically moving toward taking your money.
Looked at success rates for units, aerial imagery, stuff like that. Then I simply hiked up and up till I didn't see people and once I got there I started seeing game. How I did it in Idaho at least. Would see plenty of people down low, not too many where I was.
Dosent really matter what state you go to, what you do here is what you have to do there to be successful. You might look into a guided or semi guided hunt to accomplish what you are after. I generally figure it takes at least a couple of years in an area before you can really feel confident in the area. I promise you can't expect to internet or magazine scout a new area and really guarantee a great hunt or a dirth of other hunters no matter what state you go to. Tag soup is not a Washington menu exclusive.
Social networking is huge now. A lot of folks go that route. I was lucky, a good friend of mine moved to someplace I wanted to check out. People of like mind or that can help out and are trustworthy not to blow it for them tend to help get a person on the right track. Eventhough I am about as unconnected as they come, I was lucky to have met the right folks at the right time through my life, and am trustworthy so that also helped. Do you have any connections out of state who are willing to help?
The other thing that hasn't been mentioned...it can really help to have a sweet tag! Yeah, a good tag always helps, I should put more effort into learning everyone elses tag system. Some places are just better than others, and that can really change the learning curve. Build some points and get a better tag and/or apply for higher demand units in Idaho and NM where they don't have points.
In that situation I'd sure consider a guided hunt. Unless that's just not your thing...
For a lot of new guys hunting out of state it can be pretty intimidating. The biggest thing is just do it. Scouting can be/is overrated anyway.My personal feeling is that I know how to hunt pretty well and will do pretty well just about anywhere I am at. If you have been hunting for awhile and have been pretty successful, trust your instinct. Go to enjoy being out there and don't have any expectations, including shooting the first animal you see. The first year I would suggest staying somewhat mobile so that you can move to different areas if you need to.
