Is out of state worth all the hype?

[boneaddict]

Price per pound is up there if that is a primary goal.  Calm experience……hmmmm well it can still be a pumpkin fest.   I don’t want to pump sunshine and rainbows.   

[mburrows]

If you’re hunting a general unit in any western state you will have company that is for sure.

Is the hunting better in most other states than WA, absolutely. Is general season or otc still a zoo in other states, yes.

[opdinkslayer]

Well Scotty you got me there. The ones with a certain someone are in question & an elk hunt in the Blues doesn’t qualify as out of state!

[Goshawk]

Hey there forum!

I started buying elk points a few years ago in Wyoming, Colorado and Arizona. I also have been buying preference and bonus points in Montana and plan to play the random draw game in New Mexico and Idaho on some years.  I’ve been hunting elk almost exclusively in Western Washington, buying access permits for tree farms and taking advantage of walk in areas on the coast, but next year I’ll start hunting out of state in earnest. I’ll be starting with Montana (going in with 2 preference points) and will hunt archery and rifle season. Probably for 5 to 7 days each time. I plan to buy a B tag too since my primary reason for hunting is to fill the freezer. I’m not sure which state I’ll chose in 2024, but I’ll have enough points for a good 1st rifle permit in Colorado. Wyoming will probably be the next State. Arizona is obviously a long term plan.

What I’m hoping to learn from those of you with out of state hunting experience is: how much better is it? What should my expectations be relative to the hunting here in WA? I’ve killed a few elk here and feel like I’m a decent hunter. I can hike and am well set up for backpack hunting but also have a nice wall tent and stove set up for colder months. How excited should I be?

It most sure can be.  Not too much options for moose, goat, sheep, pronghorn, etc. in Washington.  Consider this too.  A lot of other states have limited numbers of tags to regulate the herds and keep them at healthy levels.  In Washington, they sell as many as they can regardless of heard conditions or numbers.  Out of state is almost always been a better experience for me.

[WAcoueshunter]

It really depends...anyone that says out of State is better across the board hasn't hunted much out of State.  Or they are just very selective.  I've had some real clunkers in WY, NM, AZ, and MT, and some great experiences OTC here.  There are out of state draw hunts that are every bit the pumpkin patch as our OTC general rifle tag.  But I've also had plenty of clunkers here, and some incredible experiences elsewhere.  It depends entirely on the hunt. I've been on two hunts in AZ this year...and we're 0 for 2. 

[Magnum_Willys]

IDAHO = NO! 

[kselkhunter]

If you're just looking to fill the freezer and meat hunt, Utah is one of the more economical non-resident hunting for antlerless in terms of tag costs.  And duration to draw a tag.   Just note that Utah consumes your points regardless of whether you drew as 1st choice or 5th choice. I learned that lesson one year.  Oops. 

[Buckjunkie]

My first time on an out of state hunt was in 1979…I was 13. We were in NW Colorado and seeing 500 deer per day. Not many big bucks, but what an amazing first trip. 43 years later, I am putting in for 9 states and 29 tags each year. I try to hunt two or three states besides Wa.

There have been some stinker hunts and some great ones. The difference can be blamed on my lack of research one year and getting it right in others. Research, research, research. You will have less crappy hunts.

Not wanting trophies gives you a big advantage. Good units take years if not decades to draw. You can have a very successful hunt in a non trophy unit every year.

[jstone]

Heading to an Arizona OTC tag this week. Let you know if it’s a success or bust

[dilleytech]

Price per pound is up there if that is a primary goal.  Calm experience……hmmmm well it can still be a pumpkin fest.   I don’t want to pump sunshine and rainbows.

Last I checked elk venison is about 30$ a pound to buy. So you can say it “can” be a pretty cheap way to procure wild meat. Considering an elk is worth about 8k. White tail start looking pretty expensive.

I like out of state hunting more for the adventure and the extra animals I can take any given year then for how good the hunting can be. Any hunt can seem really good when the right animal ends up in front of you even in Washington.

[follow maggie]

Heading to an Arizona OTC tag this week. Let you know if it’s a success or bust

Good luck!

[aorams]

Price per pound is up there if that is a primary goal.  Calm experience……hmmmm well it can still be a pumpkin fest.   I don’t want to pump sunshine and rainbows.

Last I checked elk venison is about 30$ a pound to buy. So you can say it “can” be a pretty cheap way to procure wild meat. Considering an elk is worth about 8k. White tail start looking pretty expensive.

I like out of state hunting more for the adventure and the extra animals I can take any given year then for how good the hunting can be. Any hunt can seem really good when the right animal ends up in front of you even in Washington.

Thank you for this. I like then perspective. Saving money is definitely not a goal. We have acquired a taste for elk though and a full freezer is at the end of the day the most important thing. All of the other elements of hunting are also very important to me.

[aorams]

Heading to an Arizona OTC tag this week. Let you know if it’s a success or bust

Good luck! Can’t wait to hear about it

[elkboy]

Interesting article here.  What do you all think of the proposed "Gohunt effect"?   The article claims we don't have more hunters, but we do have people purchasing more tags per person than ever before.  For full disclosure, I am probably part of that trend, as I have been buying Idaho whitetail tags since 2015, in addition to my Washington tags.

https://www.mtnpursuit.org/latest/the-gohunt-effect-reflected-in-nonresident-elk-tag-applications

[Jimmy33]

Interesting article here.  What do you all think of the proposed "Gohunt effect"?   The article claims we don't have more hunters, but we do have people purchasing more tags per person than ever before.  For full disclosure, I am probably part of that trend, as I have been buying Idaho whitetail tags since 2015, in addition to my Washington tags.

https://www.mtnpursuit.org/latest/the-gohunt-effect-reflected-in-nonresident-elk-tag-applications

Since Go hunt has become popular, it has been harder for me to get tags in the west for sure.


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