First western hunt what game animal would you chase?

[Owyheehuntr]

WY antelope or mule deer in ID/CO

 

[Redrockhunter]

I vote antelope for first hunt. Lots of chances for success.

 

[seattleman1969]

If you are gonna do it, go big. Elk OTC, public land in Colorado, Montana, or Idaho.

 

[sierracharlie338]

Elk hands down.

 

[ndking1126]

In order of preference,
1. Elk
2. Elk
3. Bighorn sheep

If actually making a kill is more important than what game you want to hunt, I found antelope was the most likely to offer the opportunity of taking a shot. Open plains hunting is a unique experience if you've never done it.

 

[Hugnot]

yellow-bellied marmot -aka, rockchuck - Marmota flaviventris, order Rodentia - apex rodent of the western United States. If you miss there will always be another one. No camping or chasing, no expensive tags or trophy fees, nice clean beds, showers, cold beers (at day's end), no dark cold mornings and delicious restaurant meals, breakfast, and dinner .

 

[Chadp82]

I respectfully disagree. Best eating is: 1. Buffalo 2. Moose 3. Antelope 4. Cougar 5. Mule deer 6. Elk 7. White tail deer. And dead last (by a long ways) is big horn sheep. At least that's what my taste buds tell me.

I must disagree. I had the wonderful opportunity to hunt and fill a bighorn sheep tag late in 2020. Fantastic meat, IMO.

For the OP, a big component to consider in western hunting is time of year. You can be successful during anytime, but the hunts and strategies are significantly different. Summer range, rut, winter range, etc... Also, you can go from hot summer weather to snow in less than 24 hours. Meat care must be planned ahead of time, especially in late summer early fall where you can see hot weather and warm nights, but don't let that take away from the experience. You can get off the beaten path and step foot in places very few, if anyone else has ever been in to and see some awesome country. Last year on a hunt in southern Colorado, we went from 95 degrees one day to a blizzard the next a couple days after Labor Day, it was nuts! We actually had our access closed because of the blizzard so packed up early (luckily had another chance later in the year . Also, come a few days ahead of the hunt if you are going to be at high altitude. Altitude can ruin a visit to the mountain states if you don't give yourself some time to acclimate. Heck, me going from 5000' to where we hunt at times kicks my butt at times if I don't spend enough of my weekends in the high country in a given summer leading up to it.

 

[Orange Dust]

Good morning guys i was wondering if you were going on your first western hunt what would you go after and in what state would you go. I hopefully have my wife convinced to let me put in for tags for her and myself next year for something. I have been wanting to get out west for a few years now( live in Indiana) but haven't been able to take the time off work or have the money for the trip. I want it to be DIY public land hunt for sure. I was leaning towards Wyoming Antelope. If we put in for tags it will be with 0 points so i know that will limit hugely what units to apply for. if we put in for tags i will also put in for some doe tags. Just wondered what everyone's thoughts were.

I always thought Mule deer were the easiest thing to succeed at DIY out west. Kinda like a cross between hunting Whitetails and Rabbits to a flatlander. We each killed a buck our first trip. I nearly let mine get away laughing at him running... Like a kid on a pogo stick, but he made the fatal error of stopping to look back at what spooked him before he crossed over the ridge. Lots of fun and we had both a great time and learned a lot on that first hunt. A bonus! They taste better than Whitetails.