Why not East?

[N2TRKYS]

Hunting deer in the East(Southeast, at least) are harder than hunting them in the West. That keeps a lot of folks out.

 

[Poser]

Hunting deer in the East(Southeast, at least) are harder than hunting them in the West. That keeps a lot of folks out.

You nailed it. Everyone comes out West to hunt because it’s so much easier.

 

[307]

... and the fear of banjos.

 

[ncstewart]

You nailed it. Everyone comes out West to hunt because it’s so much easier.

I get what he saying. It may be more physical to hunt out west in general but physical doesn’t mean harder always.


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[Poser]

I get what he saying. It may be more physical to hunt out west in general but physical doesn’t mean harder always.


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I don’t disagree. It’s takes a lot of knowledge and expertise to understand how to most effectively Hunt Whitetails (or hogs, or bears etc) in Eastern woods. (Sitting in shooting houses over food plots is more akin to farming, however). I know well as anyone.

That being said, I doubt there are many Montana hunters who don’t hunt The state of George because it’s “too hard”, which is what was stated.

 

[idahohikker]

Lolz re: people not going East because the terrain is too rough/steep.

 

[ncstewart]

So a different mentality from where people grow up maybe is the main reason people don’t travel east more? I can see where setting a stand and hunting terrain is a total different experience and could be boring after doing some western hunting which is way more active and visual.
Anyway not trying to stir the pot just really wondering from some western guys and thanks for honest answer. When y’all get to fat and old I guess you can come chase whitetails with us.

Good luck this fall



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[oldgoat]

Cause I don't like banjo music or squealing like a pig!

 

[elkyinzer]

Many of the Westies wouldn't last a week hunting in my Applachian mountain laurel jungles seeing two or three deer on a good day. Nothing like 2 or 3 long treestand sits in a row without seeing a deer, walking 2 miles up 1,000 feet in the dark. Heck there are people that live two hours away that have no clue how rough the terrain is here. I enjoy the hell out of it, but completely understand why someone wouldn't want to drive 24 hours to hunt where I do. And I rather enjoy that it is one hell of an "adventure hunt" while not being a destination hunt at all.

I absolutely love hunting elk in the Rockies, and one of the reasons I'll travel that far is because while it is a physically demanding hunt, it is way easier to kill on a day to day basis. Just the visibility of animals out West and there being so much less pressure is a total gamechanger.

 

[Brendan]

You nailed it. Everyone comes out West to hunt because it’s so much easier.

There was a big discussion about this on one MeatEater podcast. What's harder: Coming from East to West and killing an Elk on public land? Or coming from West to East and Killing a Whitetail on public land?

General consensus was it was harder to be successful coming east from the west. Especially if you're dealing with hunting the mountains of the east: Adirondacks, Mountains of VT and NH, Northern Maine, etc.

I sure as hell have gotten into more Elk and mule deer in 4 trips than I ever have bucks in the mountains of New England...

 

[elkyinzer]

I've been out West three times, and each time we have encountered locals that were incredulous we ended up where we did. Like we had some magical power to be able to find a "local spot" from 2,000 miles away without anyones help. Not that they were pissed, they all acted like they were looking at a unicorn or something. These yokels in ID when we came down to the truck and they knew where we were hunting, without horses or ATVs, thought we were basically insane to be hunting up there on foot. It was rough but by no means mountain goat hunting. I considered it one of the great honors of my hunting life.

 

[Takem]

Heading East for deer is something I've started thinking more about. I have a 5 year old son and 8 year old daughter that are both (so far) very interested in hunting. They've both been with me bird hunting (ducks, dove) and I want to start bringing them along big game hunting. I want to start with easy hunts with a good chance of success and couple it with some kind of family vacation. This year is antelope hunting mixed with trout fishing and visiting Yellowstone. I think some kind of a private land whitetail hunt back east will be something we do in the next few years. I don't see myself ever going DIY public land back East. As much as I love doing the research for hunts in the West and getting after it doing the same back East doesn't appeal me. Maybe for ducks.

 

[AT Hiker]

Manifest destiny, we liked it so much we even bought a few acres from the French to go even further West

As a TN Native I will say this; Western hunting is simply more engaging,I always feel like I can do something to up my odds of success.


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[vanish]

The chest thumping on this thread is pretty funny.

The question was "Why not East?" and the answer is pretty simple: some of us head a bit East, but the opportunity presented in the East ( mostly whitetail deer ) can be had much closer to home, if not at home. I hunted whitetails here in Colorado last year, and will again this year. Within a short drive I've got SD, NE, KS and OK (and even WY), all great whitetail hunting. Why would I go any further?

Unlike if you want to hunt Elk, Mule Deer, Pronghorn, Sheep, Mountain Goat and live in the East. You don't have much of a choice, you've got to head West. ( Yes I know there are a handful of tags in the East )

But since it was brought up, heck yes hunting whitetails out here is way easier. I grew up in WNY and hunted whitetails for 10 years. I'll take hunting them out here any day.

 

[CorbLand]

The chest thumping on this thread is pretty funny.

The question was "Why not East?" and the answer is pretty simple: some of us head a bit East, but the opportunity presented in the East ( mostly whitetail deer ) can be had much closer to home, if not at home. I hunted whitetails here in Colorado last year, and will again this year. Within a short drive I've got SD, NE, KS and OK (and even WY), all great whitetail hunting. Why would I go any further?

Unlike if you want to hunt Elk, Mule Deer, Pronghorn, Sheep, Mountain Goat and live in the East. You don't have much of a choice, you've got to head West. ( Yes I know there are a handful of tags in the East )

But since it was brought up, heck yes hunting whitetails out here is way easier. I grew up in WNY and hunted whitetails for 10 years. I'll take hunting them out here any day.

Couldnt have said it better myself minus the last part. I have never hunted in the east to confirm that.

 

[ncstewart]

The chest thumping on this thread is pretty funny.

The question was "Why not East?" and the answer is pretty simple: some of us head a bit East, but the opportunity presented in the East ( mostly whitetail deer ) can be had much closer to home, if not at home. I hunted whitetails here in Colorado last year, and will again this year. Within a short drive I've got SD, NE, KS and OK (and even WY), all great whitetail hunting. Why would I go any further?

Unlike if you want to hunt Elk, Mule Deer, Pronghorn, Sheep, Mountain Goat and live in the East. You don't have much of a choice, you've got to head West. ( Yes I know there are a handful of tags in the East )

But since it was brought up, heck yes hunting whitetails out here is way easier. I grew up in WNY and hunted whitetails for 10 years. I'll take hunting them out here any day.

Makes perfect sense. I don’t go further for no reason! Not thought of it from that angle but ya I can see unless you trying to kill a deer in every region or state or specific species you hunt what’s convenient.



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[N2TRKYS]

You nailed it. Everyone comes out West to hunt because it’s so much easier.

That's why I go West. The animals don't seem near as skiddish out there.

 

[N2TRKYS]

I don’t disagree. It’s takes a lot of knowledge and expertise to understand how to most effectively Hunt Whitetails (or hogs, or bears etc) in Eastern woods. (Sitting in shooting houses over food plots is more akin to farming, however). I know well as anyone.

That being said, I doubt there are many Montana hunters who don’t hunt The state of George because it’s “too hard”, which is what was stated.

Sitting in a shooting house is about the same as sitting on the side of a mountain and watching the other side, to me. Heck, I enjoy doing both.

I don't hunt that way most of the time, though. Heck, I use a pirogue to get to most of my deer and turkey spots.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

I said Western Hunting 3 times in a row and, out loud and.......... unbelievable things happened almost immediately.



An unknown smoking hot women in the bank threw me to the ground and ravished me, I grew three inches and gained 12 pounds of pure muscle, and I became infinitely smarter. All at once

 

[unclericco]

Many of the Westies wouldn't last a week hunting in my Applachian mountain laurel jungles seeing two or three deer on a good day. Nothing like 2 or 3 long treestand sits in a row without seeing a deer, walking 2 miles up 1,000 feet in the dark. Heck there are people that live two hours away that have no clue how rough the terrain is here. I enjoy the hell out of it, but completely understand why someone wouldn't want to drive 24 hours to hunt where I do. And I rather enjoy that it is one hell of an "adventure hunt" while not being a destination hunt at all.

I absolutely love hunting elk in the Rockies, and one of the reasons I'll travel that far is because while it is a physically demanding hunt, it is way easier to kill on a day to day basis. Just the visibility of animals out West and there being so much less pressure is a total gamechanger.

LOL @ western guys not lasting a week! Jokes....It's just that you don't have many animals, too many people, too thick of vegetation, etc. If that's all we had then we would make due and suffer but thankfully we don't have to deal with those variables.