Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Out Of State Hunting => Topic started by: go4steelhd on May 01, 2025, 10:40:07 AM

Title: Share your out of state experience
Post by: go4steelhd on May 01, 2025, 10:40:07 AM: What states do you put in for each year?

I know we have a few die hard out of state hunters on here, but I'm curious how many of you put in for more than one state?

I have put in for multiple states since the early 2000's. Draw odds have defiantly gone way way down in the last five years due to popularity of applying, and limit OTC options.
But I have ended up with a handful of great tags in the last 20 years, and created some epic memories.

If you want share a picture and brief story of one of your great hunts. We don't need to share the unit or state, just the experience and you trophy.
Title: Re: Share your out of state experience
Post by: go4steelhd on May 01, 2025, 10:56:55 AM: Here was a special trip with my father probably 15 years ago. We both got nice bucks and spent time on the mountain in one of the greatest places on earth. We will both have memories forever.In fact the buck I shot was in full velvet when I pulled the trigger, after rolling 200-300 yards from the top he cleared the velvet and his antlers look like they have been clear for a while
Title: Re: Share your out of state experience
Post by: robescc on June 09, 2025, 02:24:37 PM: I put in for Oregon every year after moving back from there in 2020. If you are a resident of Oregon, I think it's probably the best western state to hunt. As a non-resident, the good tags are even harder to draw and forget about getting your second choice unless it is a spike elk hunt.
I started hunting deer Montana in 2023 with my brother and we were drawn again for deer tags this year. We plan on making it an every other year trip.
Title: Re: Share your out of state experience
Post by: robescc on June 09, 2025, 02:39:05 PM: My 2022 Oregon bull and our 2023 Montana mule deer.
Title: Re: Share your out of state experience
Post by: andrew_in_idaho on June 09, 2025, 03:22:27 PM: I started building points and applying for out of state hunts in 2017 even though I am out of state for most of you guys. In the 8 seasons since then I’ve held antelope tags in Wyoming(twice), Montana and South Dakota, and deer tags in Montana(initial CWD hunt Dec 2017), Nebraska, Washington(out of state for me)and South Dakota. All of that in addition to deer, elk and some archery antelope hunts here in Idaho.

My favorite hunts have been the Wyoming antelope hunts and the deer and antelope hunts in South Dakota.

My first Wyoming antelope hunt was 2018 with my cousin and my 3 year old son in tow, we both harvested bucks and 2 does. (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250609/ff71a45dd29c8a74b291a92e9b7d1f91.jpg)
My dad, granddad, uncle and I repeated the same hunt in 2020 again a buck and 2 does each(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250609/bbb058eb671f7a5fe8c9d66fb79ec160.jpg)
My first South Dakota hunt was Antelope in 2022, I took my 5 year old along on that hunt, after the harvest we checked out Mount Rushmore (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250609/183b8037140c8a28e6f485a73bedf6f6.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250609/6110d30b1327c6d8ce2cd2209e8d41ae.jpg)
Then came South Dakota muleys in 2024, when I drew the tag in June I had no idea we would be adopting a baby in late August. I almost canned the hunt but I drove through the night in mid November, arrived in South Dakota with about 3 hrs of light left on the day before opener. Canned spots number 1 and 2 due to the crowds, camped in a spot that was pretty far down my list, ended up glassing at first light, spotted a buck within 10 minutes of light and had him down within the first hour of light. (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250609/a60d3d9870ffd9ba59841fe385699273.jpg)
I spent the next day and a half sightseeing and “windowshopping” then cruised home.

This year is going to be a doozy, aside from all of my normal hunts here in Idaho I have a Utah muzzy deer tag and a Nevada bull elk tag. I’ll keep you all posted on how those hunts go.

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Title: Re: Share your out of state experience
Post by: andrew_in_idaho on June 09, 2025, 03:27:43 PM: Here are some Idaho animals since that is out of state for most of you(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250609/c73e64b49a87715f65bb0d945828e3ca.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250609/dd5999be0b1ef56c8a0a73978702f207.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250609/50d6fc2673192f05c59e31b8775156f0.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250609/7395da2fe1215fa3eb688921210b2a8e.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250609/c06830b71e336776a0ca9481f52b7266.jpg)
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20250609/4260f7edad321cbbcbe9fda6533baeb3.jpg)

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Title: Re: Share your out of state experience
Post by: MADMAX on June 09, 2025, 03:31:26 PM: Montana
Like going to Disney land
Title: Re: Share your out of state experience
Post by: dreamingbig on June 09, 2025, 03:58:33 PM: I started hunting elk out of state in 2017. 2019 I killed my first out of state. I have now killed more out of state vs the in state. You kill a lot more when you can actually shoot the branch bulls!

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Title: Re: Share your out of state experience
Post by: Magnum_Willys on June 09, 2025, 05:50:24 PM: Montana….
Title: Re: Share your out of state experience
Post by: Crunchy on June 09, 2025, 05:50:36 PM: I started out of state in 2007 and man what a blast. Mainly archery elk, but we've killed a few bears handful of cows, and some nice bulls. Not the same these days now that the wolves have put a hurt of the elk numbers.. But when we first started it was like drawing a top 3 elk tag in Washington.
Title: Re: Share your out of state experience
Post by: dvolmer on June 09, 2025, 11:05:49 PM: Just Washington, Wyoming, and Montana for me each year. I have relationships that I have built with three different ranch owners and their families over many many years, one in each state mentioned. It has led to some great hunts over the years. When I loose the Washington ranch (rancher getting old and thinking about selling out), I probably will be done deer hunting here in Washington. But its been a great ride for sure! None of us getting any younger. Montana is in region 4 on a 11,000 acre ranch with landowner tags each year and western Wyoming is on a 8,500 acre ranch outside of Evanston. Never paid a dime in access fees and I have never been on a guided hunt in my life (maybe someday I hope for moose). Relationships, friendships, and lots of service are the key to successful hunting in todays world no matter what state you are hunting (just put a roof on the ranch house last month in Montana, they provided the material and we provided the labor). Access is key to it all and its not easy finding it anymore! Ranchers in Montana and Wyoming are excited to get apples, asparagus, halibut, and salmon every year.
Title: Re: Share your out of state experience
Post by: pianoman9701 on June 10, 2025, 11:16:18 AM: You guys are stone cold killers! Great pics! I went to CO for late rifle elk in 2022. We were up at 8300' above Parachute. I couldn't breathe. It snowed 18" the day before we got there and the elk all migrated down into town. Of five of us, one muley buck taken. Because of a forecast of two more feet coming the next day, we ended up leaving after 4 days. However, I did get the opportunity to visit and say goodbye to a dying friend in CO Springs, an old Marine Scout Sniper. Then, broke two ribs falling on my Springfield .45 in Twin Falls on the way home. That last 600 miles driving was awesome!
Title: Re: Share your out of state experience
Post by: finnman on June 10, 2025, 06:46:45 PM: My wife and I and a few friends always apply for Wyoming and Oregon each year.
I have applied for Montana and Idaho in the past. Hunted Montana a few times for deer.
Been applying in Oregon since the point system started. The hunting has always been great in WY up until the last hunt in 2022. The NE corner got hit hard by drought and blue tongue. Will give it a few more years before we return.
Title: Re: Share your out of state experience
Post by: finnman on June 10, 2025, 06:49:29 PM: Lopes
Title: Re: Share your out of state experience
Post by: finnman on June 10, 2025, 06:53:04 PM: Oregon
Title: Re: Share your out of state experience
Post by: CasterlyRock on June 11, 2025, 09:45:12 AM: If you've got a VA disability rating the country is your oyster, so many states are very generous with tags.

Last year I hunted:

California archery deer $60
Idaho spring bear $50
Texas Whitetail $0
Missouri archery Whitetail $40

They were all OTC

This year I drew Oregon spring bear (struck out) which I think was $60.