After the start of the Advice on Elk Hunting thread, and just going back to Tembry's Alask hunt, the DIY hunt started to really get my attention. To travel to unfamilar areas without a guide, and to harvest or just attempt to harvest an animal, would be the most gratifying experience to a hunter. The question is, what would be your top DIY hunts? I'm talking about the ones you could pay for and not have to wait for a lucky draw. For the one's that have done some of these, tell us how much it cost. Hopefully seeing this will push some guys to actually go and others to try to hunt a different animal.
My top was an still is CO otc elk on public land. Last year was my first successful year and the trip itself came in just over 1000$. Thats not counting all of my gear of course. Do yourself a favor an go! There is nothing like it. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk
My top DIY OTC Hunts are a far cry from most but here goes. 1. ELK 2. Mule Deer / Whitetail 3. Coues 4. Pronghorn 5. Mt. Lion 6. Black Bear 7. Turkey Edit: Elk is on the draw so even though it is my #1. The DIY OTC part would be travel out of state where this is possible.
Alaska Prince of Wales Black Bear Alaska Dalton Highway Caribou Alaska Kodiak Sitka Blacktails Arizona Desert Muley/Coues hunt coupled with a javelina tag during the rut in January Wyoming Pronghorn Those were all easily doable trips and my most expensive was $2500 total for the Kodiak blacktails hunt (get to kill 3 deer though so it's really only $830 per animal). Those were the easiest to tackle and accomplish for me because of the time of year (all August or January hunts when college is still out)... Now I'm moving onto bigger fish this fall. Colorado High Alpine Mule Deer Wyoming Antelope (again) Alaska 9 day float trip for moose Montana Elk and mule deer to finish out the fall. My budget for all these is the $6k I have left over from selling my business. It'll be tight but I think I can make it work (7 week continuous time period). Basically to make budget I can only pay for gas, tags, and the bush flight/raft rental in Alaska... Commercial flight up there will be credit card miles. Of all these, the Arizona trip was hands down the hardest to plan/kill your animal. Low animal densities and the jumpiest spookiest deer on the continent are not a good combo for that dry noisy environment. The easiest was probably the Alaska blacktails. Tons of logistics to plan but once there shooter bucks are flippin everywhere haha. I'd wait another year or two before going after the past two harsh winters they had though.
I plan on making Colorado for elk this year. Not including gear I'm expecting about $900 in tag amd gas. I was invited on a Wilderness horseback hunt September '15 by a gentleman who will be making his 42nd straight season. If I take him up on that it will be slightly more expensive, but he has all the gear needed to pull it off. I have not given him an official word yet. I have looked into the logistics of the Haul Rd. for Caribou, and if given time to save it seems possible. Wyoming antelope is another that seems affordable. My #1 hunt has always been to go after elk, however moose is a close 2nd. This one is out of my price range for the foreseeable future, but maybe one day.
I want to follow in Tembry's footsteps. If all goes well in CO this year, I would love to do AK next year.
I would love to go elk hunting in Colorado. The sad part is I am in highschool so it may not be for awhile. What is even worse is I live six miles or so from the border. That being said, my list goes as follows: 1. Elk 2. Mule deer 3. Pronghorn
Elk Elk ELK! I've done DIY waterfowl hunts all over the country, I'm ready to move on to something new.
The sky's the limit on DIY hunts if your willing to go where adventure meets discovery! Trev knows and it does my soul well to see he is passing his knowledge/experiences along! Way to go Trevor! I have an open elk/muke deer/bear camp available for anyone willing to venture west (Colorado). It'll take place the last week of Colorado's archery season. Bz_711 summed it up this way in 2010/2012: http://forums.bowhunting.com/bowhunting-talk/16026-my-name-matt-im-elkcoholic-co-elk-2010-a.html Colorado also offers DIY Mt. Goat, Big-horned Sheep, Shiras Moose, Mtn. Lion, White-tail, and Pronghorn. There's ton's of public land with easy access... Trev pointed out: Alaska Prince of Wales Black Bear Alaska Dalton Highway Caribou Alaska Kodiak Sitka Blacktails Arizona Desert Muley/Coues hunt coupled with a javelina tag during the rut in January-this can also be accomplished in New Mexico! Wyoming Pronghorn You can do a DIY Quebec-Labrador on the Cree Indian reservation in Quebec for very little money. The Pacific Northwest offers DIY Roosevelt elk, bear, mtn lion, blacktail... Even red deer, Chamois, tahr, etc are available DIY in New Zealand...again do your homework! Jump on an Aussie bow hunting forum and look for DIY hunts in Australia...it's easy! Scott, good luck with your scheduled hunt! Get ahold of me when you're ready for antelope. Would love to host you! Trev, looking forward to seeing you in the fall!
I will be taking you up on that antelope offer one day Will! Still planning on crashing the party this September with you guys for some stories and chasing bugles! I'll give ya a call here soon to catch up and see what all you need me to haul west to make it happen so I can get it all lined up.
Can't wait for it my man. Will be in your neck of the woods a few days before the Mule Deer opener. IDK how I left off New Zealand either. You know better than anyone that is tops on my list. Can't wait to make that happen in a few years.
I have wayyy to many DIY hunts I want to do. 1. AK Caribou 2. AK Moose float trip 3. Big 3 in MT (Moose, Sheep, Goat) 4. Buffalo in either MT, UT, or AK 5. NM Oryx, Coues, Javelina 6. AK POW Black Bears 7. OR Roosevelts 8. Hopefully in the next few years, MT Grizzlies. 9. NZ Tahr and Chamois 10. For a weird reason, Aussie Camels.
In just a few short years you will be right in the heat of the battle! I expect to see you over a Big Buck down the road! Hang in there! Patience is a virtue, and a good education goes a long way.
