Western states with the best hunting opportunities for residents

krist003

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 23, 2018
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127
I wanted to get peoples opinions on what western states have the best hunting opportunities. We’ve been thinking about moving but I don’t want to move to a state where it won’t be possible for me to get an animal or two a year. My main focus is deer but elk and antelope would be great too. I like Arizona but it seems like there hunting opportunities are very limited. Elk and antelope are almost out of the question there and even rifle deer tags seem hard to get. You either hunt archery or wait to draw a tag for several years. And they only allow one deer per year.

So what about Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and Utah? I’m not talking about trophy tags, I just want to get a lot of hunting time in and put some extra meat on the table. I would love to hear people’s opinions.
 
Joined
Jul 18, 2015
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Colorado
Idaho, Wyoming, or Montana would be your best bet for all around hunting opportunities.

Arizona actually has pretty decent opportunity; deer tags aren’t exceptionally hard to draw especially if you’re fine hunting Coues. And don’t forget the 70+ days per year you can archery hunt deer in almost any unit in the state. It’s actually easier to draw limited entry elk tags in Arizona consistently than Utah. Utah makes you wait 5 years after you draw to even start getting points again. Colorado isn’t the worst hunting state for sure, but point creep continues to make it harder to draw tags for everyone. Unlike Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana, deer tags are not OTC to residents in Colorado. Elk tags are though, but it’s heavy pressure and tough to fill those tags on mature bulls here. Also very limited pronghorn opportunity compared to Montana and Wyoming. I would personally move to Wyoming if my wife would let me, but Colorado will have to do.
 
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krist003

krist003

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 23, 2018
Messages
127
Great info, thank you. I archery hunt Coues in AZ every year actually. I love it, but I also like to rifle hunt. How often could one expect to draw a rifle tag for deer and elk? I’m open to doe and cow tags too if available.

I’m in Southern California and draw a local rifle or archery deer tag every year no problem. I can hunt with those tags 20min away from my house. About the only thing I like about living here. It is pretty cool being able to hunt after work or just a morning hunt if need be.
 

wytx

WKR
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Feb 2, 2017
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Wyoming
Wyoming . We can hunt archery and rifle seasons, no choose your weapon. We have everything you could want to hunt except feral hogs, thank god.
Still hoping for a bighorn sheep tag but so far I've had cow bison(2), moose(2), elk , mule deer, whitetails, and antelope. Not to mention sage grouse , dusky grouse, trapping, ducks, mt lion, bears-grizz and blacks.
Low population for people and no state income tax.
We can be hunting with 1 hr of home too.
 
Joined
Jan 12, 2017
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812
Location
Idaho Falls,ID
Another vote for Wyoming. My home state is Idaho, likely always will be, but if I could stand to live in or near Jackson Hole I would. That's where most of my work would be. As far as opportunity for residents, Wyoming is king. Terrific game management heavily geared towards residents lends itself to great hunting and lots of opportunity as long as you have a Wyoming drivers license and address.
 
Joined
May 10, 2017
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Wyoming. But AZ, CO, MT, and ID aren't bad at all, each have benefits in their own way. Utah sucks.
 

Hoot

WKR
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May 18, 2013
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Ft Collins, CO
I’d leave CO in a heartbeat for WY, MT, ID if I could find similar work and/or convince my wife...

Alaska would be my top choice but I doubt she’d go for that...
 

CX5Ranch

WKR
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Mar 31, 2018
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I'd move to wyoming in the morning if I would still be married when I got there.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
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krist003

krist003

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 23, 2018
Messages
127
A lot of good info here guys. Thanks for responding. Kind of what I figured. AZ would be the easiest move for us. It would be really hard convincing the wife to move to the others. Just seemed like AZ is hard to draw in a lot of places, but sounds like it’s not so bad.
 
Joined
May 10, 2015
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Timberline
Wyoming. But AZ, CO, MT, and ID aren't bad at all, each have benefits in their own way. Utah sucks.

But not when you draw an LE buck or bull permit. That in itself is why it sucks, very little chance to shoot a decent buck or bull in general season units.

The epidemy of the cost of quality over quantity...
 
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krist003

krist003

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 23, 2018
Messages
127
I’m definitely looking for quantity over “quality”. I mean, I like a big rack as much as the next guy, but the actual hunt and eating something I worked for and killed far outweighs the antlers. I just want to be able to get out there as much as I can.
 
Joined
Mar 13, 2017
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Chico, California
montana is pretty hard to beat. One long continuous archery season followed by a long continuous rifle season followed be easy to get late season tags. Colorado sucks. short little fragmented seasons that force everyone into the woods at the same time.
 

rklein

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 12, 2016
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128
Location
in between hunts
I would give NM avg opportunity for residents, at least for the ones who can manage to draw anyway.


I'd scratch NM. NMDGF has the tag allocation so heavily skewed to private landowners it is very hard for residents to draw. Some units are easier than others but my mom has been unable to draw a rifle cow elk tag in the last 20ish years, and that is with me looking up the draw odds/seasons trying to get her the highest percentage chance. I have many many friends back home(NM) who complain every year because they cannot draw a tag. Antelope, elk, deer, ibex, oryx are all draw. I do believe there is some limited barbary sheep tags OTC, but predominantly all big game is draw only. No pref point system in NM.
 

wytx

WKR
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Feb 2, 2017
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Wyoming
Wyoming has both quantity and quality I believe.
Chances at great LQ areas every year, no PP, and good general areas if not drawn. You can still get off a road here in a general area and not see other hunters.
 
Joined
Jun 12, 2013
Messages
673
Location
Las Cruces, NM
I'd move to wyoming in the morning if I would still be married when I got there.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

I think I've got my wife talked into it :D

Just have to wait a few more years for a few things to happen here in NM, and make sure we can find jobs there in WY. I think we're going to make a few trips up there over the next few years to make sure it's everything we think it is.
 
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