Decision made

[vandeman17]

My buddies and I have decided that we are going to go to Idaho for our out of state trip this year. We figured that since we have 5-7 guys going that we will do Idaho because then we don't have to chance somebody not getting drawn. We have it narrowed down to two locations and we plan on reserving rooms in both areas and then deciding which one to hunt in after we spend a few weekends this summer scouting. Needless to say I am really excited for the hunt and I swear that half of the fun is all the research and prep work that will lead up to the hunt. 

[gasman]

Yeah, the reseach of hunting a new area is about as fun hunting it.

Each new fact, person, articel, etc, you read, find, talk to, creates more questions after the fact to research.

[Heredoggydoggy]

Bet I know the general area you guys want to hunt.  

[vandeman17]

Yeah, the reseach of hunting a new area is about as fun hunting it.

Each new fact, person, articel, etc, you read, find, talk to, creates more questions after the fact to research.

Ya for sure! I have been and will be doing the lion's share of the research but that is fine with me because I enjoy it.

[NWBREW]

Quick question.....Is an out of state or "non resident" allowed two whitetail buck tags? 

[vandeman17]

Quick question.....Is an out of state or "non resident" allowed two whitetail buck tags? 

That is a good question. From what I have gathered, I think you can buy a second tag but I don't think it is for a buck tag but I will clarify and get back to you.

[vandeman17]

Here is what I found from the 2010 regs. Nowhere does it say that you couldn't buy a second whitetail buck tag, or mule deer tag either... 

How many deer can I harvest? In general, the
answer is 1 deer per hunter per year. But a few controlled
hunts and depredation hunts offer the opportunity for hunters
to harvest additional deer. Deer hunters also may buy leftover
nonresident deer tags at the nonresident price to harvest a
second deer in 2010. A hunter may take only as many deer as
he or she has legal tags for.
Note: Residents or nonresidents may buy one unsold
nonresident general season deer and elk tag at the nonresident
price starting August 28, to be used as a second tag.

[cem3434]

We are thinking about trying Idaho this year as well.  We have never been there, so we are starting from scratch. Originally, we thought about putting in for Montana, but I heard the deer are already getting hit pretty hard in SE where we usually hunt. If they are dying off this early, I am guessing its going to be a slow year in that area.

On a more pleasant note, like Gasman said, half of the fun is the research and scouting leading up to the hunt.  If you are successful, it just makes the hunt that much enjoyable.

[vandeman17]

We are thinking about trying Idaho this year as well.  We have never been there, so we are starting from scratch. Originally, we thought about putting in for Montana, but I heard the deer are already getting hit pretty hard in SE where we usually hunt. If they are dying off this early, I am guessing its going to be a slow year in that area.

On a more pleasant note, like Gasman said, half of the fun is the research and scouting leading up to the hunt.  If you are successful, it just makes the hunt that much enjoyable.

I would be happy to exchange notes and any kind of useful information that I find, be it good people to talk to, places to check out etc. I am just really excited for summer time to be able to spend a few weekends over there scouting. I can't wait!! 

[Twispriver]

For for what you"ll pay for rooms and eating out couldn't you probably pay a for big chunk of a nice tent / stove setup and still have them after the trip.   

[vandeman17]

For for what you"ll pay for rooms and eating out couldn't you probably pay a for big chunk of a nice tent / stove setup and still have them after the trip.   

I have actually thought alot about that. I have always wanted a big wall tent and such to use on future trips but the tough part is that since it would be a group of us going, we can't split the cost and I don't know if I could afford it on my own. I might get a little trailer too because I could use that year around. Who knows. So many options. 

[6x6in6]

If there is a core group that has been hunting together, say 4 of you, that always hunt together then each of you throw $500 into the kitty and purchase the tent/frame/stove etc, etc.
The other's pay a little extra of their share towards the food supplies.
Then you would have the tent and it's necessities for years to come.

I would think you could easily blow $500 on rental accommodations let alone the excess cost of the meals out vs meals in.  Then throw in the added fuel costs to drive to where you hunt each day.  It adds up quick.
Just using $500 as an example......maybe it's more like $750.

[cem3434]

There is a decent one in Olympia on Craigslist right now that has the wood stove and the cook shack that they are asking $800 OBO for. This might be the way to go. http://seattle.craigslist.org/oly/spo/2220674914.html

[vandeman17]

If there is a core group that has been hunting together, say 4 of you, that always hunt together then each of you throw $500 into the kitty and purchase the tent/frame/stove etc, etc.
The other's pay a little extra of their share towards the food supplies.
Then you would have the tent and it's necessities for years to come.

I would think you could easily blow $500 on rental accommodations let alone the excess cost of the meals out vs meals in.  Then throw in the added fuel costs to drive to where you hunt each day.  It adds up quick.
Just using $500 as an example......maybe it's more like $750.

I completely agree. I hope to get a core group going but right now its a buddy and I that are the "for sure" hunters. I duck hunt with him every weekend and so I was thinking if I bought something, I would probably just split it with him and then we could both use it whenever we needed it.

[vandeman17]

My dad and I have discussed, but not sure how well it would work, buying an actual utility trailer, like a u-haul style. Then we would build some kind of bunks on each side that could be folded up so that we could haul a quad, decoys, whatever but still be used to sleep in. I know they have trailers that already have sleeping quarters and storage quarters but those are spendy and this might be a cheaper alternative.

[NWBREW]

Quick question.....Is an out of state or "non resident" allowed two whitetail buck tags? 

That is a good question. From what I have gathered, I think you can buy a second tag but I don't think it is for a buck tag but I will clarify and get back to you.

The reason I ask is there was a post on this site earlier that had two hunters that took two bucks each. I would be interested in finding out if the second "unsold tag" could be used for a whitetail buck.

[6x6in6]

My dad and I have discussed, but not sure how well it would work, buying an actual utility trailer, like a u-haul style. Then we would build some kind of bunks on each side that could be folded up so that we could haul a quad, decoys, whatever but still be used to sleep in. I know they have trailers that already have sleeping quarters and storage quarters but those are spendy and this might be a cheaper alternative.

2 years ago elk hunting in WY we met a group of 4 from Kentucky who had done this to a 20' Wells Cargo type trailer.  Had a pair of Rhino's stuffed in it.  Worked out very well they said.  They did say it was like sleeping in an ice box since temps did hit -10 a couple days.
They had some killer moonshine though. 

[6x6in6]

We did a 15# elk roast on the barbie one night and invited them over for dinner.  I think dinner was good.  I was a bit foggy the next day or week. 

[vandeman17]

My dad and I have discussed, but not sure how well it would work, buying an actual utility trailer, like a u-haul style. Then we would build some kind of bunks on each side that could be folded up so that we could haul a quad, decoys, whatever but still be used to sleep in. I know they have trailers that already have sleeping quarters and storage quarters but those are spendy and this might be a cheaper alternative.

2 years ago elk hunting in WY we met a group of 4 from Kentucky who had done this to a 20' Wells Cargo type trailer.  Had a pair of Rhino's stuffed in it.  Worked out very well they said.  They did say it was like sleeping in an ice box since temps did hit -10 a couple days.
They had some killer moonshine though. 

That is what I was thinking is that it would be tough to heat and unless it had some kind of window or something, could get a bit claustrophobic if you had many guys and their gear in there... 

[400out]

WOW Sounds like all kinds of fun! Good luck 

[6x6in6]

The trailer had a pair of roof vents.  They left the back door cracked with an extension cord running through it to a little 1000w ceramic space heater.  200' of cord.  The generator would run for about 6-7 hrs.  It was only really cold 1st thing in the morning they said.

You could quite possible spend as much or more on the trailer alone then the wall tent set up.  

[vandeman17]

The trailer had a pair of roof vents.  They left the back door cracked with an extension cord running through it to a little 1000w ceramic space heater.  200' of cord.  The generator would run for about 6-7 hrs.  It was only really cold 1st thing in the morning they said.

You could quite possible spend as much or more on the trailer alone then the wall tent set up.  

Ya, I might try to go look at jeepasaurusrex's trailer he posted this morning. $650 is a solid deal and it would be nice to find one from a guy on here because I trust them a little more then some yahoo off the street.