How did you get started out of state big game hunting?

[Karl Blanchard]

If you decide to pull the trigger on some MT deer tags hit me up with a pm.  I will point you in a good direction.  Idaho is a bit tougher nut to crack than Montana.  Montana is simple, drive until the land starts to flatten out, find public land, shoot 4pt   Idaho is steep, deep, and the deer densities aren't near as high as a lot of places.  Lots of chocolate antlered monsters come from there but they are hard earned usually.

[Igor]

Broadus, MT..................The Mule Deer Capital of the World.

Just do a search on Powder River mule deer......................

[Karl Blanchard]

Broadus, MT..................The Mule Deer Capital of the World.

Just do a search on Powder River mule deer......................

Biggest buck I have ever seen in Montana was in Broadus, on an Antelope hunt.  The day before rifle deer season opened   It was on a chunk of restricted BMA and all the slots for the following week were booked!  I could have cried!  This buck and two others were living in a dry creek bed that had just a few little puddles here and there.  You could tell they hadn't seen humans in a long while.  I knew this because they stood there and staired up at me for a solid two minutes while I was trying to get my camera out of my pack.............at 15 yards!  I seriously wanted to cry.

Broadus does get a ton of pressure though, and good age class deer are few and far between.  Good numbers of deer though, both muleys and whitetails.

[James]

If you decide to pull the trigger on some MT deer tags hit me up with a pm.  I will point you in a good direction.  Idaho is a bit tougher nut to crack than Montana.  Montana is simple, drive until the land starts to flatten out, find public land, shoot 4pt   Idaho is steep, deep, and the deer densities aren't near as high as a lot of places.  Lots of chocolate antlered monsters come from there but they are hard earned usually.

That is a very generous offer, I will let you know, thank you very much!

[GotMyTag]

Doublelung has it right.

Step one: put the WA state line in your rearview mirror. 
Seriously, start with the state wildlife agencies' websites.  Application periods are pretty early in some states, for example nonresident elk in Wyoming closes January 31.  Decide what you want to hunt, and where.  It is much less intimidating to learn one specific area than to try to consider all of the possibilities.  I'd suggest Oregon or Idaho to get your feet wet.  Pick a decent public land area with a decent success rate and decent draw odds (some are OTC, but not many).

If cash is tight, consider a dry run - pick up a small game license, or just go camp and fish in the summer.  This way you wont drop $500-1000 on a big game license and tag combo in unfamiliar area.  Some states offer very inexpensive doe tags, as another option.

Lastly, when you go, LEARN the regulations pertinent to what you will be doing in the selected state.  DON'T assume what is legal at home is legal where you are going.  For simplicity, I would start with large public land areas; odds to hunt them are tougher, but you won't run afoul of private property.  What are the orange requirements?  Tagging?  Evidence of sex?  Hunter safety required?  Carrying hunter safety card required?  Is it a stand-alone license, or do you need specific tags?  Most states will have a list of most-common violations.  When I worked in Wyoming, as an example, you needed a big game license for each animal, but no requirement for a "hunting package" or hunting license.  You also needed a conservation stamp, and if born after January 1, 1966, required to carry on your person your hunter safety card.  To shoot forest grouse, you need to have an upland bird license.  etc.

[Idahocougar]

Like said b4 start out with an antelope hunt. If the draw odds are really good most likely the area has alot of private property. If the tag is a little harder to draw usually the area holds more public land. An antelope hunt is about as fun as it gets!

[James]

Thanks guys, I am thinking of putting my initial focus on a pronghorn hunt or an Easter MT WT hunt and seeing what I dig up then go from there.

[Jarhead Chase]

For me:

WA = 4 years in a row tag soup
ID = 1 afternoon to fill a tag

I'm in the process of deciding whether or not to give WA any more of my money for such limited public access and such cumbersome and ill thought out restrictions.