2018 hunt plans and preparation

Discussion in 'Big Game Hunting' started by wl704, Jan 14, 2018.

  1. wl704

    wl704 Legendary Woodsman

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    Well it's the off season lull for most of us and while some may be reminiscing and others still trying to rid themselves of the taste of tag soup, I'll ask the annual seasonal question...

    What are your plans for 2018 and what are you doing to get ready?

    I've got a CO elk hunt planned.

    I think I'll try a bear/deer hunt in the NC mountains again this year. Even though I didn't get a chance to connect with another member (Matt) in 2017, I did a short solo trip and learned some about a new area.

    I've been hiking, hitting the weights and will start to amp up my cardio after I shake this cold.

    What about y'all?
     
    Last edited: Jan 14, 2018
  2. Westfinger

    Westfinger Grizzled Veteran

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    Trying to decide on Elk in CO or whitetail in ND or WY. decisions decisions...
     
  3. Oldcarp

    Oldcarp Die Hard Bowhunter

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    I will do my usual elk hunt here in Utah. If I draw an Archery tag for here I will hunt deer here also and of course my whitetail hunt in Kansas.
     
  4. trial153

    trial153 Grizzled Veteran

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    I should draw an elk tag in either AZ or WY. Going to Draw an Iowa tag for November. Planing on doing another cous deer or desert mule deer hunt in Jan. I am also going to fit a Mountain loin hunt in sometime between dec and February.

    If I draw a sheep or moose tag I will modify to fit that in as well.
     
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  5. BB4tw

    BB4tw Die Hard Bowhunter

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    I plan on hunting the same deer in the same place as always.

    Except this year I'm going to chase them with a recurve.



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  6. GMCmedic

    GMCmedic Weekend Warrior

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    This is the first year that I will specifically be chasing 4.5 y/o or older bucks on public land. Ill be spending the off season finding them.

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  7. soccerdan90

    soccerdan90 Grizzled Veteran

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    My every other year back country elk hunt should be a go for September! Will be a good time as always. Then it will be my boring old Iowa deer hunting season. Got a lot of food plot work to do this spring and summer.

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  8. Rick James

    Rick James Grizzled Veteran

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    Hopefully I’ll be able to renew my current lease, and I’m already working full tilt to find another lease to get back to West Central IL too.

    Other than that I’ll buy another preference point for Iowa and Wyoming elk, and start planning for a moose hunt to hopefully sometime in the next 2-3 years.
     
  9. _andrewgiles_sio

    _andrewgiles_sio Weekend Warrior

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    In April, I’m going to Texas for a week to hunt turkeys, hogs, and axis deer. Potentially going to be hunting out west. First week of September, going on an archery bear hunt to Alaska.


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  10. bowhunter448

    bowhunter448 Grizzled Veteran

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    Tag application opens in March, so deer and depending on dates, antelope. I'll also be upgrading my bow and spotting scope, hopefully here in the next 6 weeks.
     
  11. mhouck06

    mhouck06 Weekend Warrior

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    First things first, continue buying points that I should have started buying years ago.

    Heading down to Texas for an archery hog hunt in Feb. This will be my first time doing this. Have to devote some vacation that would normally be used for whitetail hunting to this trip, but its one of the first trips in a long time that our whole group is going on, so I am very excited about that.

    This fall I am hoping to get down to Maryland for a Sept archery hunt (public land whitetail or guided sika)... Usually once November hits I am able to hit Ohio and Indiana, but since I am using some vacation early it looks like it will just be Ohio.
     
  12. CoveyMaster

    CoveyMaster Grizzled Veteran

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    Hunting the same area as always, no out of state adventures planned for this year either.
    As far as habitat management, I'm planning a total revamp of all managed habitat on the farms this year. Mostly new food plot mixes but also redoing some buffer strips, warm season native grass pastures, annual forages, water sources, bedding areas and pollinator strips.
     
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  13. Scott/IL

    Scott/IL Die Hard Bowhunter

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    Application season is almost here!!!!

    Arizona for sheep, muley, and elk.
    New Mexico for sheep and elk.
    Neveda for sheep, muley, and elk
    Idaho for sheep.

    I'll put an easy to draw muley tag down for Neveda in hopes of drawing one on 0 points. If that happens, I'll try to slip out there a week in August (work may ruin this one).

    A few weeks later, I'll hopefully be back to Idaho for the muley and elk opener for a few days, and then will spend 2 weeks at the end of the month out there doing the same thing.

    Will also be trying to sneak in an AZ coues/muley hunt if feasible in December or January (see above about work ruining my plans). I was planning on trying to get to Cali for a July blacktail hunt, but I already see the writing on the wall that my work schedule won't play out favorably for it to happen.

    Aside from that, my odds are so slim to expect to pull a tag in the draws.

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  14. boonerville

    boonerville Grizzled Veteran

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    Wyoming for pronghorn in September. Then I'll probably shoot a spike here in Iowa.:deer:
     
  15. skull

    skull Newb

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    I will be turkey hunting here in ontario The end of April
    Ill be guiding and hunting bears may/june
    Back at it for the fall hunt August 15
    Wyoming in September for pronghorn/Mule Deer
    Back in Ontario for moose hunting October
    In Iowa first week of November for deer
     
  16. Sota

    Sota Legendary Woodsman

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    I will be trying to decide if it is time to reestablish the plot down by the swamp or keep with the one plot up on the oak basin.
     
  17. Lester

    Lester Grizzled Veteran

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    I am probably going to bow hunt deer in Kentucky this year and I will draw a muzzleloader tag for Iowa. I will also hunt my lease in SE MN.
     
  18. TAuth41

    TAuth41 Die Hard Bowhunter

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    I will be hunting western Wisconsin on my family farm as always. I’ll also be going to college in Iowa and hope to snag a resident archery tag and give public land some hell if I can.


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  19. bowhunter448

    bowhunter448 Grizzled Veteran

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    Recommend Unit 061 - 064, 066 - 069 (Area 6) for Nevada. Area 10 is a pain to hunt the early season


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  20. Siman/OH

    Siman/OH Legendary Woodsman

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    We will be filming Season 3 of my webshow.



    We will be fishing in PA, hunting turkeys and deer in WV, and obviously chasing all game species in Ohio throughout the year.

    We will be incorporating minisodes this year on habitat improvement, ect on Facebook.

    I have a plethora of management projects for the farms we hunt.

    But at the moment we’re still trying to kill some deer for the season finale of our current season.


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