What's your ideal hunt?

[Borngeechee]

I've been dreaming of a plains game hunt, Alaskan sheep hunt and a grizzly hunt for years. I recently started a seperate savings account to try and make one of them happen.

[Lawdwaz]

I don't know, I've been lucky to do a fair amount of trips out west over the years plus a few in Canada and one in Alaska. The funds just aren't what they were for me when I was self employed. Life's changes are all apart of life and I'll roll with them....

If funds were no object, Africa would be great and maybe a bull moose in western Canada.

[wooly]

I've always wanted to shoot a big pig with my ML, bow, and/or now x-bow.

No place in particular is good with me.

[bkln]

No place in particular, just wish would have more time to hunt in general... Top of the list is Grizzly in Alaska and Wolf in Canada, there you have it that's my bucket list :-)

[Red]

I would love to hunt a grizzly in alaska and a mountain lion any where.

[growalot]

Any where that it's just me and the wildlife...minus cars planes and trains...let's not forget barking dogs and crows..in other words,a peaseful hunt is my ideal hunt.

[Pygmy]

I was fortunate enough to do quite a few hunts when I was younger and had more cash flow. I've hunted moose&caribou in Alaska five times, all unguided, and have hunted several Canadian provinces and several western states for moose, caribou,pronghorns, elk and mule deer.

 

Sheep and grizzly have always been out of my price range...I have been around grizzlies quite a bit..On one Alaska supercub drop hunt for caribou, my buddies and I saw 13 of them..Never had the urge  to shoot one though, unless he was being a PITA around camp.

 

At one time, mountain goats were on my short list, but time and money ran out and I no longer could handle the terrain.

 

I would love to do one more Alaska or Canadian moose hunt, but I would have to go guided because I can no longer do the "bull work",< pun intended> to butcher and pack the animal, and guided moose hunts are WAY out of my price range now..

 

I have been banking elk preference points in Colorado for the last few years and I might do one more elk hunt (ML or rifle) if I find the right hunt.

[New York Hillbilly]

I won't have resident status until one month after moose season this year, but the salmon runs are now coming on strong now, and  I am taking time away from work and school papers long enough to go this Sunday. 

 

If I can get some time tomorrow I'll try to post a couple of pics of the brown bears taken this year on the Peninsula. The husband of one of the nurses at our clinic took a 9 1/2 foot brown bear. There were several other similar sized taken within a few miles of where I live now. Huge!  

 

What also takes getting used to is the moose walking around and through town. I mean right in the neighborhoods! It really is an interesting place. 

 

Best wishes from Soldotna, Alaska

Edited July 10, 2015 by New York Hillbilly

[First-light]

Been so busy so far with the new business. I guess all I'm hoping for is a cool dry morning and light winds. In my bottom stand with a light frost on the fields, sun just coming up. Somewhere in November at my cabin! Probably get just a weekend or two this year……..

 

[Doc]

It would be nice to repeat the Canadian canoe & pack-in moose hunt that I took back in the late 80's. Miles of dirt road to a remote lake. The length of that lake, 150 yard portage and then off to the end of another long lake. Small tent camp on the shore. The only sounds were beavers splashing, moose wallowing around in the swamp across the lake and an occasional branch snapping back in the darkness....lol. There was no one around and no sign of people anywhere. Lot's of walleye and pike to eat from the mid-day fishing. And a bull moose to take home as icing on the cake.

 

Of course that will never happen again .... lol. Getting a bit old to be pulling off anything that strenuous again. But that was my ideal hunt.

[chiefbkt]

I would have to say an Alaskan moose hunt (or any moose hunt) with my bow would be at the top of my list.  Followed by an elk hunt with my bow as a close second.  We have a friend of the family that lives in Maine so I applied for their permit a few years in a row back in the early 2000's with no luck ever drawing one.  That's as close as I got to moose hunting.  

[growalot]

man... the kindle "corrects" entire sentences when spellings are right and not peaseful( peaceful)...why? There is actually a spelling out there like that...lol I give up

[BizCT]

Probably sheep or grizzly but can't justify spending that type of money. I'm buying points every year for mule deer antelope and elk in Wyoming, so I will probably head back there in a few years.

As someone who has hunted Arizona, Minnesota, Texas, Wyoming, Michigan, Ontario, British Coulumbia, Pennsylvania, CT, etc my advice is two parts:

1. save much more than you think you need, out of state hunts always end up being more than you think especially with taxidermy involved.

2. Go as soon as you can, prices just keep rising. My Mt Lion hunt in 2012 was $3K, that same exact hunt is now $8,500.

Feel free to PM me. I've assisted several members on out of state hunts.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited July 10, 2015 by Biz-R-OWorld

[518BowSlayer]

moose and elk with the bow

[phade]

I need to get a quality midwest whitetail hunt out of my system before looking at other species. The farthest midwest I have hunted whitetails has been Ohio, and it's not enough to satisfy my drive. I'm also pretty committed to whitetail hunting over other game, specifically with a bow. 

 

That said, elk, a sheep hunt in the mountains (anywhere/anykind as long its a full curl ram), a bear hunt, and a cougar w/dogs hunt round out my top five NA hunts.

[phade]

It would be nice to repeat the Canadian canoe & pack-in moose hunt that I took back in the late 80's. Miles of dirt road to a remote lake. The length of that lake, 150 yard portage and then off to the end of another long lake. Small tent camp on the shore. The only sounds were beavers splashing, moose wallowing around in the swamp across the lake and an occasional branch snapping back in the darkness....lol. There was no one around and no sign of people anywhere. Lot's of walleye and pike to eat from the mid-day fishing. And a bull moose to take home as icing on the cake.

 

Of course that will never happen again .... lol. Getting a bit old to be pulling off anything that strenuous again. But that was my ideal hunt.

 

I sincerely doubt most hunters ever have their "ideal" hunt due to time, money, travel, family, age/physicality, etc. To be able to actually live it and go on the trip is a pretty big deal. Glad you were able to do that.

Edited July 10, 2015 by phade

[BellR]

For me it's Elk, Mule Deer, Moose and Bear. Pretty much have only hunted small game, turkey, deer and gators.

I do love gator hunting, and even after we move back up to NY I'll probably be spending the $1000 on out of state gator tags and visit FL once a year.

[jjb4900]

I've done Newfoundland and Maine.........to be quite honest the people, scenery, food and driving through the different areas and seeing the sights, was just as much if not more of a thrill then the hunting itself......my daughter moved to Colorado this past year so I'll eventually wind up doing a hunt out there, Mule Deer and Antelope have always interested me.

[dbHunterNY]

an elk hunt near the rocky mountains for a B&C bull elk with a bow.  staying in a five star lodge while bringing along my wife, daughter, and mom to chill out in a spa or something else while we hunt.  my dad and brother would accompany me on the hunt.  we'd all tag out early and then have a nice family vacation.
 

....sorry I'm awake now.  what was the question?

 

More realistically (in this order):

- Midwest or Canadian whitetail hunt for anything 150+".

- Elk hunt

- Manitoba or Maine Black Bear hunt (if I don't get one in NY before then)

- Florida Trophy Gator (10+ feet)

 

....I'd bring/ship back and eat every one of them too.

[grampy]

For me, I've always wanted to go to west central Canada for whitetail. I can picture a cold morning around zero degrees, a huge 300 pound buck with dark chocolate antlers, and blowing a vapor cloud as he checks the wind,following a hot doe. Not sure if I'll ever make it happen, but it's still on my bucket list!

[BellR]

- Florida Trophy Gator (10+ feet)

This one might not be to bad. If you draw the right set of tags, you might very well be able to get a local guy to not only provide gear but also guide service in exchange for one of the tags. It has been getting harder and harder to draw some areas, and I know if anyone on here had tags for the Stormwater Treatment Areas for this year I would gladly guide in exchange for one of the gators. That way you get your trophy and don't have to pay more than the tags and travel and I get meat for the freezer. My wife drew county tags, so we will probably have gator in the freezer, but tags for the STAs are a sure thing.

[dbHunterNY]

This one might not be to bad. If you draw the right set of tags, you might very well be able to get a local guy to not only provide gear but also guide service in exchange for one of the tags. It has been getting harder and harder to draw some areas, and I know if anyone on here had tags for the Stormwater Treatment Areas for this year I would gladly guide in exchange for one of the gators. That way you get your trophy and don't have to pay more than the tags and travel and I get meat for the freezer. My wife drew county tags, so we will probably have gator in the freezer, but tags for the STAs are a sure thing.

 

does it work off preference points and putting in year after year?  how long would it take to finally draw STA tags you think?

[BellR]

Nope, it is a lottery.  Basically everyone puts in for them and you have a chance of pulling them.  Last year, in the group of hunters I am friends with we had 8 people apply and got 3 sets of STA tags.  This year we had 10 people apply and got 1 set.  You might get lucky and draw them your first year applying or I know a guy who has applied 8 years in a row and gotten none.  If you're seriously interested in trying for FL gator next year (application starts in April for hunts in August and September) you should start a thread in the out of NY hunting.  I'd be glad to talk about the process and give advice on applying in FL.

[dbHunterNY]

Nope, it is a lottery.  Basically everyone puts in for them and you have a chance of pulling them.  Last year, in the group of hunters I am friends with we had 8 people apply and got 3 sets of STA tags.  This year we had 10 people apply and got 1 set.  You might get lucky and draw them your first year applying or I know a guy who has applied 8 years in a row and gotten none.  If you're seriously interested in trying for FL gator next year (application starts in April for hunts in August and September) you should start a thread in the out of NY hunting.  I'd be glad to talk about the process and give advice on applying in FL.

 

I've got more stuff going on with priority, so it'll have to be a little later on.  won't be next year.

[Fletch]

This is one topic I have probably spent more of my awake and asleep hours dreaming and thinking on...lol As well as many hours in deer stand!

 

I have headed out to Idaho twice on a friends 7000 acres years ago and passed hundreds of whitetails, just never saw the big one. And both times we were too early and the elk were still too high up. I had a chance to go on a mountain lion with dogs hunt but passed cause I have no use to kill a cat, I wouldn't eat it. In hind site I should have went to tree it and release it. Woulda been cool to see I am sure.

 

Went to GA pig hunting 2 years ago and it snowed and we got skunked.

 

Other than that my hunting has all been in NY.

 

My biggest dream hunt would be on my own 100 acres with waterfront cabin, that I certainly don't have yet but that would be it. With a cold crisp morning a pair of dandy bucks and my son and I even better my daughter too but she would prob. pass on going.

 

I have 5 years of pref points for VT moose and just started applying for GA gator permit. And I will be headed to GA next Feb. to hunt hogs again.

 

So the gator, hog and a moose are in the works so to say.

 

I would really love a big ass Central Canadian Whitetail but sitting in a blind for 10 hours in 30 below over bait is not how I want to do it.

 

If someone else was covering the bill... Red Stag on the other side of the world!! Or African safari!!