The Western Hunter is unique when compared to his Eastern cousin. His skills have to be different, and his perspective is special. While Hawaii and Alaska are more western, to be exact, I am referring to the 11 Western States. (CA, OR, WA, ID, NV, UT, NM, AZ, CO, WY, MT).
The western hunter has challenges many others do not:
- Drawing Tags- All Western states have drawings for some, if not all of their big game tags. If a person wants to hunt in the west, the planning begins in January with hunt applications and stretches through June with results. We will talk more about this part of hunting the West in later posts.
- Big, Rough Country- It seems that everything in the West is big. Many hunting game management units are larger than some Eastern states. The terrain is big, the distances are long, and we cover a lot of ground to find game. Physical fitness determines success in many hunts. If you can’t hack the steep and rocky country your chances for success are diminished considerably.
- Western hunting is WILD. Most of the designated wilderness acreage in the lower 48 occur in these states. Roads are scarce and cell phone reception is spotty at best. The population is scattered. If you need help, it has to come a long way to get to you. This means that we place a large amount of importance on our gear and it’s durability. When you have a big bull elk down, or get caught in a freak snowstorm, it’s no time to find out that your gear isn’t up to the task.
If you are up to facing and adapting to these challenges, there are a number of benefits to the dedicated Western Hunter.
- Many opportunities on public land. The Bureau of Land Management and US Forest Service administrate large tracts of land in the west. Information and maps are just a click away on the Internet.
http://www.fs.fed.us/maps/
http://plicmapcenter.org/content/home.shtml
- Hunting areas with limited tags make for uncrowded areas and trophy potential. Preference points for premium tags insure that committed applicants have the best chance at drawing these high quality hunts. Drawing a premium hunt is never certain, but if you draw one, it will be a memorable experience.
- Western People are usually polite, friendly, and outgoing. They are happy to help. They wave when you go by on the road. People understand the financial impact out of state hunters make during hunting season and appreciate their contribution to the local economy. More than once I have had local shop owners in a western town give advice on where to find game, or good contacts for hunting access.
As I go through the year, I’ll touch on topics that address each of these unique properties of hunting the West. I hope to entertain as well as inform my readers, and share some of my memorable and rewarding experiences western hunting has brought me.
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