Advice needed in planning my next western hunt

[618-Flatlander]

I took the plunge this year and went on my first western hunt with my cousin to try and find a mule deer in Wyoming with my rifle. I was unsuccessful but I gained a ton of knowledge of what I am looking for in future hunts. I saw plenty of mule deer, but they were all does. We froze the first night at the top of the mountain we focused on and had a little bit of elevation issues, but moved down about a thousand feet for the rest of the hunt and saw a lot more deer. We were also a lot more comfortable, 30 degrees was better than 1 degree. Overall my biggest disappointment was that there were truck and atv hunters everywhere. I was all about parking the truck and walking a mile or two to get the game, but then someone would drive by on an atv. I also was surprised to see so many cattle grazing everywhere, which didn't bother me too much, but it did make it a little confusing with their fences to help guide them to areas. The trip was enjoyable and frustrating, but most important, informative.

Now I am looking into what I really want in a western hunt. I am fully confident in saying that I can not do a late season hunt. The western winters just do not sound fun to camp in for a week. I also do not want to see a bunch of atvs driving around everywhere. I know I will see other hunters while hunting public land, but I would rather see them on foot. If I can find the ideal western hunting area, it would also provide somewhere to get a fishing line wet to break things up, but this isn't mandatory.

I know a Wyoming antelope hunt would be a fun hunt to try in the future, but I wouldn't mind making another attempt at mule deer or cow elk before going after antelope. I am from southern Illinois, so the states I've looked at are Colorado, Wyoming, and eastern Montana. I don't think I would want to drive any further than that. I like the thought of an OTC Colorado archery cow elk tag for the time of year of the hunt and because I wouldn't need points to get it. That is where I've started my search but I want to get feedback on where more experienced western hunters would look to check off some of the things I'm looking to get out of the hunt.
Thanks for any feedback.

 

[Trial153]

I took the plunge this year and went on my first western hunt with my cousin to try and find a mule deer in Wyoming with my rifle. I was unsuccessful but I gained a ton of knowledge of what I am looking for in future hunts. I saw plenty of mule deer, but they were all does. We froze the first night at the top of the mountain we focused on and had a little bit of elevation issues, but moved down about a thousand feet for the rest of the hunt and saw a lot more deer. We were also a lot more comfortable, 30 degrees was better than 1 degree. Overall my biggest disappointment was that there were truck and atv hunters everywhere. I was all about parking the truck and walking a mile or two to get the game, but then someone would drive by on an atv. I also was surprised to see so many cattle grazing everywhere, which didn't bother me too much, but it did make it a little confusing with their fences to help guide them to areas. The trip was enjoyable and frustrating, but most important, informative.

Now I am looking into what I really want in a western hunt. I am fully confident in saying that I can not do a late season hunt. The western winters just do not sound fun to camp in for a week. I also do not want to see a bunch of atvs driving around everywhere. I know I will see other hunters while hunting public land, but I would rather see them on foot. If I can find the ideal western hunting area, it would also provide somewhere to get a fishing line wet to break things up, but this isn't mandatory.

I know a Wyoming antelope hunt would be a fun hunt to try in the future, but I wouldn't mind making another attempt at mule deer or cow elk before going after antelope. I am from southern Illinois, so the states I've looked at are Colorado, Wyoming, and eastern Montana. I don't think I would want to drive any further than that. I like the thought of an OTC Colorado archery cow elk tag for the time of year of the hunt and because I wouldn't need points to get it. That is where I've started my search but I want to get feedback on where more experienced western hunters would look to check off some of the things I'm looking to get out of the hunt.
Thanks for any feedback.

Eastern Montana or even SD would suit you. Start looking into units and planing on drawing tags. Both areas are super easy to plan hunts in.

 

[618-Flatlander]

Is the eastern Montana or SD area crowded with people during rifle mule deer season? Or which kind of hunt would you suggest for those areas?

 

[TexasCub]

Guy, your not going to hunt public land in low point or OTC areas and get solitude from other hunters. Feeling crowded (which is defined differently by what people are accustomed to) is just part of the game.

 

[MuleyFever]

He never mentioned solitude from other hunters.

Flatlander, look at national forest/wilderness areas. Narrow it down to the areas with the road access you want. Look at tag quotas and pick a unit. Any western state has what you want.

 

[TexasCub]

He never mentioned solitude from other hunters.
.

Yes he did, did you read his last post? I’ll quote him......

“Is the eastern Montana or SD area crowded with people during rifle mule deer season?”

 

[MuleyFever]

Umm, your quote doesn't mention solitude, it just asks if it is crowded. You must have missed where he said " I know I will see other hunters while hunting public land, but I would rather see them on foot." He doesn't expect to be alone. Just doesn't want an ATV/hunters around every bend.

sol·i·tude.
[ˈsäləˌto͞od]
NOUN
the state or situation of being alone.

 

[eamyrick]

Or maybe quit argued about dictionary terms and give the OP some advice. I don’t have much to give but am kinda in the same boat as you. Went on my first western mule deer hunt this year. If you are looking for solitude and not overly concerned with massive bucks, West Texas has some good options on private. You pay a couple grand but it’s not much different than tag fees and traveling out west. I didn’t see a soul for a week on 7500 acres.

 

[618-Flatlander]

Thanks muley fever. I had a friend that went in a national forest, kind of surrounded by wilderness area in Wyoming and he said it was awesome (walk in only). That is high on my list for where to try out next. I couldn't remember how Montana's laws were with wilderness areas and being a non-resident. I know in Wyoming you have to be with a guide or a Wyoming resident to hunt in a wilderness area. But basically the best thing to look for if I want walk in only areas are national forest/wilderness areas?

 

[Titan_Bow]

You can get away from the crowds on public land but its going to cost you in effort and planning. Effort in the fact that you are going to have to walk further, higher, and/or through more rugged country than the next guy. Planning, in the context of, everything you look at had to be through the lens of how hard it is and will that keep most people out. Roadless areas, wilderness areas, finding that chunk of land that is farthest from a road or trail. Get comfortable with getting a couple miles back in where there is no marked trail or road. Sometimes however, doing all that means you trade off killing an animal for having the place to yourself


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[junior]

Montana you don't need a guide to hunt wilderness. anyone can. lots of national forest still has vehicle access on forest service roads. Roadless area filter on OnX is helpful for this. Wilderness areas are a better bet to get solitude but you can definitely still run into lots of other hunters, even deep as people grow more and more into the deep backpack hunting or have horses/outfitters with horses for hunting season. The right BLM can give you solitude as well if you find the right spot. Helps to break off of trails early into your hike. Busting brush or climbing miserable timbered faces weeds competition out fast.

 

[TimHerald]

SD is a real sleeper for big deer. I have taken 190 and 198 bucks there last 2 hunts

 

[rickjames80]

You could definitely do worse than SD. There is plenty of land west river to get away from people.

 

[618-Flatlander]

Are there a large amount of mule deer in western SD or is it primarily whitetail? And I’m guessing it is a lot of grasslands with rolling hills for the landscape? Never really looked into SD but I’m going to take some notes for there and Southeastern Montana after hearing the input on those areas.

 

[slick]

Both whiteys and mule deer. And yeah, rolling prairie, timbered river breaks, and cedar-juniper badlands.