Hunting has been a hobby of many for centuries, and even in modern times, people are still keen on preserving this activity.
If you’re new to the practice, you could visit 10hunt.com regarding the hunting gears you need. But allow us to share with you our favorite hunting spots in the West, which we think you might like to visit.
Photo by Rhett Noonan on Unsplash
1.Washington
If you live by the motto, “Go big or go home,” then this location would be ideal for you.
Nothing beats Washington when it comes to hunting. The area offers a vast number of moose as your prey. Even if moose tags are tough to draw anywhere from the Lower 48, like goat tags, the location provides an outstanding hunting experience at Selkirk Unit 113.
With substantial knowledge of hunting and the largest bulls at sight, there’s a higher chance for you to shoot a 40-inch moose, along with the possibility of taking home a trophy of a 50-inch brute.
Old forests mainly surround the area, making it likely that you’ll encounter an average of 5 to 10 bulls per day.
Most hunters make a rookie mistake when they visit the country is wasting their time searching all over the forest for their prey but ends up going back home full of disappointment.
What about the cost? For this experience, you could estimate spending 950 bucks for a semi-guided hunt, including the meals, hunting advice, accommodations of the cabin near the hunting location, and they’ll be the ones to remove your kill.
Add that cost with the non-resident moose tag and draw application fees, and you’ll be looking forward to spending roughly $3,000 in total.
2.Utah
If you like the idea of challenges, finding a goat tag may fit you. Unfortunately, the odds of finding an excellent location for this kind of hunting are exceptionally slim. Still, it doesn’t mean that it’s impossible to identify an area that caters to this activity.
Utah’s Wasatch Mountains is the number choice for goat hunters because its rugged and high peaks are the home to the tribe of goats. You could even expect to see enormous ones.
Since you’re at a disadvantage against your prey, it’s critical that you first create a plan based on your accumulated preference points. Then, if you’re blessed enough to draw a tag, you should be willing to ride a horse or hike to reach the best spots for hunting.
It’s worth noting, though, that these mountain goats are as hard work as with sheep. In addition, they are physically demanding to the hunter, so having a seasoned guide who knows the country like the back of his hand could lessen the unwarranted climbing on your part.
Moreover, as a non-resident hunter who could draw a tag in the Lone Peak district, you have the upper hand of freely hunting in any of the 4 Wasatch districts—a perk that not many have the chance to obtain while hunting in the West.
Compared to Washington, the hunting experience in Utah costs higher. Fees include $65 for a non-residential license, $4,000 5-day guided hunt bundle, and another $1,518 for that Rocky Mountain goat tag.
In total, you could spend around $5,583 for North America’s most unforgiving hunt.
3.Idaho
Idaho’s Seven Devils Range is a paradise for elks due to it being remote and rugged.
The isolated territory made it possible for elks to live in comfort. However, not long after, people have seen a massive increase in their population, enticing hunters worldwide to partake in hunting.
You could see yourself having total expenses of around 7,000 bucks because of the sum of fees from non-resident elk tag, hunting license, and 1-on-1 guide. Who knows, you might even spend more if you avail a combo trip with a mountain lion, whitetail, bear, and mule deer just for an additional $301.
For the sake of a good hunting spot with low hunting pressure, we could say that it’ll be indeed money well-spent.