The great Western traverse

i count eye guards

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 29, 2017
Messages
151
Location
Oregon
I'm playing with the idea of an extended August - December overlanding/ hunting trip next year.

I'll 100% start in Oregon in August for the archery opener, but where I go from there is a total loss for me.

Backstory, I'm likely moving to Miami from Portland soon. I work remote, so rather than be miserable all fall, I'm playing with the idea of driving the truck out west and slowly working my way back.

I want to mainly do archery, but will have a .308, .22lr rifle, and a 12ga with me.

Elk, antelope, mule deer, whitetails are all on the menu. My hunting success this far has only been Roosevelt elk and Columbia blacktail.

In terms of gear, will be setting up the raptor with all the overlanding cool guy stuff.

So, rokslide braintrust, what would your trip look like?
 

Copen1822

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 24, 2015
Messages
156
From Oregon to CO for high country MD, then in mid sep switch to co elk. Oct head to wy for antelope and general buming around (Wy rocks). Then head down to NE towards the beginning of Nov for rutting white tails or md. Finish up in AZ on cous deer in Dec?




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Joined
Nov 26, 2018
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1,185
Location
Ohio
It would be tough trying to time up season dates and tags, also really expensive with all the non resident stuff. But if I had unlimited vacation, tons of money and no wife I’d be right there with you.
 
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i count eye guards

i count eye guards

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 29, 2017
Messages
151
Location
Oregon
It would be tough trying to time up season dates and tags, also really expensive with all the non resident stuff. But if I had unlimited vacation, tons of money and no wife I’d be right there with you.
I work remote, so would spend the week in towns/ coffee shops then heading to the mountains Friday afternoons. My lady is solid 👌


From Oregon to CO for high country MD, then in mid sep switch to co elk. Oct head to wy for antelope and general buming around (Wy rocks). Then head down to NE towards the beginning of Nov for rutting white tails or md. Finish up in AZ on cous deer in Dec?




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That sounds like a solid plan. I've heard a ton of bad things about the crowds in Colorado, is that just hype? Is prefer more remote hunting even if it means more mileage on the feet.
 

Copen1822

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 24, 2015
Messages
156
I work remote, so would spend the week in towns/ coffee shops then heading to the mountains Friday afternoons. My lady is solid




That sounds like a solid plan. I've heard a ton of bad things about the crowds in Colorado, is that just hype? Is prefer more remote hunting even if it means more mileage on the feet.
Tough question to answer on the pressure. It all depends on where you go.

I've done hunts in CO the last 2 years and pressure hasn't been an issue, I know it is for some areas though.

It sounds simple, but go where other hunters aren't.

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Joined
Mar 1, 2017
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1,934
Location
Eagle River, AK
You will most definately need to plan your Draw applications to have the best hunts. Many archery ones can be had with 0 points as a 1st choice

Aug 15- Shoot an antelope over a water hole- WY a good draw

Early Season- late August would focus on Mule Deer- UT and NV have early season, can draw archery tags with 0 pts

Sept. - Elk!- can go OTC in a few states ID, UT (spike cow) CO, Try to draw WY gen. Some CO archery hunts can be drawn with 0. Can overlap deer as well

Oct- sort of no man lands. Plenty of Rifle/Muzzy Antelope /deer/elk hunts General/OTC, bird hunting

Nov- Whitetails! Your pick of states archery hunt- follow the rut, Start North halloween then South by Thanksgiving.

Dec- Coues deer in AZ,
Jan- Coues/ javelina



Now if you were experienced I would say go to Alaska for the fall!
Put in for all the Draws and adjust depending on tags drawn
 
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Squamch

WKR
Joined
Sep 26, 2017
Messages
448
Location
Republic of Vancouver Island
Hunts, I'm Canadian so I have no input, other than to say it sounds AWESOME. My advice is save your money on the mall camping kit, sleep under your canopy, cook under a 10x10 walmart ez-up, on a folding table, on a 2 burner propane stove. Hang a propane lantern from the peak of the ez-up. Spend all the money you save on more tags and ammo. Car camping doesn't need a bunch of specialized gear and khaki shorts!
 

Beendare

WKR
Joined
May 6, 2014
Messages
8,247
Location
Corripe cervisiam
You can start in mid July in the CA; bowhunting Blacktail, then Oregon, move to Idaho or Co, rifle in Wyoming and other west states...or just do bow and rifle in Wyoming or Montana on the same tag, then whitetails in a couple states puts you into the end of November.
 
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i count eye guards

i count eye guards

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 29, 2017
Messages
151
Location
Oregon
Whats the plan for the meat?

I would likely drop off at a processor and have shipped to my lady in miami. Same with the skull. She'd be living in a downtown Miami highrise in an apartment full of chest freezers and euro mounts. The thought of her trying to entertain all her pretty friends in that environment makes me smile, I won't lie.
 
OP
i count eye guards

i count eye guards

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 29, 2017
Messages
151
Location
Oregon
You will most definately need to plan your Draw applications to have the best hunts. Many archery ones can be had with 0 points as a 1st choice

Aug 15- Shoot an antelope over a water hole- WY a good draw

Early Season- late August would focus on Mule Deer- UT and NV have early season, can draw archery tags with 0 pts

Sept. - Elk!- can go OTC in a few states ID, UT (spike cow) CO, Try to draw WY gen. Some CO archery hunts can be drawn with 0. Can overlap deer as well

Oct- sort of no man lands. Plenty of Rifle/Muzzy Antelope /deer/elk hunts General/OTC, bird hunting

Nov- Whitetails! Your pick of states archery hunt- follow the rut, Start North halloween then South by Thanksgiving.

Dec- Coues deer in AZ,
Jan- Coues/ javelina



Now if you were experienced I would say go to Alaska for the fall!
Put in for all the Draws and adjust depending on tags drawn

I like the ideas.

I'll have in state tags for oregon, so hard for me to pass those cheaper hunts up. I also have family in Texas so I want to do some whitetail and maybe some axis. The Coues in AZ really gets me excited since i grew up in the Scottsdale area.

Thanks for the advice.
 
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