For anyone bored on a work week...
I'm toying with the idea of taking 7-10 days late Aug or September to go spend time in the woods. I'm located in Florida but willing to drive as far a Utah. budget would be $1000. Public land and type of animal does not matter to me anything in play rabbit to elk. I don't mind hiking/ backpacking up to 15 miles a day. Its really about the experience rather than killing something. It could be solo or with a small group.
I was considering an OTC elk hunt in the uinta mountains of ut DIY backpacking. I use to live there and am familure with the area.
If you could do this what would you do?
I've never hunted Utah so I'd do that. Tough to make a trip like that on $1,000 though, even if you pool gas money with someone else.
Fly to Alaska. Get a small game license and maybe a black bear tag. Some TradGanger would probably pick you up and drop you off somewhere.
OTC, over the counter elk tags? I didn't know that was still possible. You would need some kind of back up if you got one. That would allow small game opportunities as well. I am too much of a cripple to do that anymore, I proved it trying to photograph goats and sheep north of Yellowstone a couple of years ago. But DIY elk hunting does sound like an adventure.
Cost of a nr elk tag in CO (bull or either sex....cow / calf is a bit cheaper) is $640. Gas and food means a trip like that for $1000 may be tough to do solo.
Over the counter any elk tag in Utah for out of state with a small game general is about $500.
Yes with gas $1000 would be tight.
QuoteIf you could do this what would you do?
That really opens it up to any and all suggestions!
The budget is what Is making it tough, IMO. If you live in South Florida it's going to be a 5000 mile round trip :eek: . If you can eke out 20 MPG your fuel alone Will run 600 to 700 $$. But, as far as fuel cost goes, now is about as good a time as you might see in your lifetime.
I say go for it! Get a small game tag and wander the hills. Killing a large animal would probably be an inconvenience. Take 20 days if you can.
Sitting around the Campfire during a two week trip to Alaska we did some math and realized that the actual cost of a two week trip was only about a 100$ more than a one week trip.