John, from the Western Wanderer, just got back from his weeklong adventure chasing monster mulies through the sagebrush of Nevada.  Head over to his blog and check out the story.  Some pictures of some really monster mulies!

Photo from John Martin of Western Wanderer

I haven’t had a chance to try out my Magnet Gun Caddy yet, but I will be fixing that problem over the weekend.  With all the rain that has fallen in the Midwest, the last place I’ll want to lay my shotgun is on the ground.

This convenient little product holds your gun safely and securely while you get ready to go afield.

I’ll let you know how I like it.

I’m getting a lot of redirected traffic from Google and other search engines from people looking for Kentucky elk lottery results.  To make it easier for everyone to find, here is the link to the results.

But don’t get too excited…as of 8:30 CT, results have not been posted.  Trust me, I checked already!

On May 4th, applicants can find out if they were chosen to hunt elk in the state of Kentucky this fall.  You better believe I’ll be over at the website typing in my confirmation code and hoping to see a “Successful” stamp beside my name.

All across the West, hunters are mailing in their hopes at winning the ultimate lottery – an alpine mule deer tag, a river breaks rifle tag for elk, a once-in-a-lifetime bighorn sheep tag.  Here are the states which have deadlines in April.

Before we head across the Mississippi River, remember that Kentucky closes its elk lottery application period down on April 30.  Double the tags this year = your best chance to ever draw a tag!

*Colorado – from mountain goats to Shiras moose to pronghorn antelope to Rocky Mountain elk, this state’s application deadline is April 7.  You’ve got one week to hit paydirt in the heart of the Rocky Mountains.

*Idaho wraps up its application period for sheep, moose, and mountain goat permits on April 30. 

Read the rest of this entry »

…all you who I have talked to about Wyoming hunts for antelope and mule deer.  I was reminded again this morning, as I responded to an email from biologists from Delaware and Maryland who are planning a western antelope/deer hunt, of how many people I have attempted to help plan their own Wyoming DIY adventure.  I looked back through some of my records and found that the number of people with whom I’ve had direct contact about Andrew’s and I’s Wyoming hunt is well over 20 now.

Now, as a small return favor to myself, if you are reading back through the Outdoor Smorgasbord, and you read this and realize you were one of those people who contacted me…I want to know how your hunt went as much as I was excited to share how mine went.

So drop me an email, outdoorsmorgasbord@yahoo.com or leave a comment and let us know how your own DIY Wyoming adventure went in 2008.  Pictures WELCOME!

As winter pushes on towards spring, so do your opportunities to apply for some great big game hunting opportunities across the American West.  The next list of deadlines is as follows:

For Wyoming, moose, sheep, and goat applications must be in the WY Game and Fish office by February 28.  Wyoming offers the Lower 48’s best odds to hunt Shiras moose and issues more sheep tags than any other state in the West.

In Utah, if you want to hunt anything, online applications must be submitted by February 26.  Remember to consider the flood of pressure on some state agencies’ servers.  Don’t delay to the last day and lose out just because you got swamped off the website by too much Web traffic.

Utah offers great opportunities at mule deer, elk, mountain goat, moose, bighorn sheep, pronghorn, and even bison in the Henry Mountains (also a great tag to pull an early season archery tag for mulies!).

You have between 2 and 3 weeks to get in your elk application for the state of Wyoming.  Wyoming has some fantastic hunting, though low percentage draw odds, in many regions.   One of the most unique elk hunts in the state is in the rolling ravines in the Powder River drainage.  Though difficult to draw, some tremendous bulls are harvested every year out of these limited quota hunts.  The Wyoming elk deadline is January 31.

Also, New Mexico offers a free range hunt that is unique to North America in the form of their oryx draw hunt on the White Sands Missile Range.  February 4 is the deadline to chase these beautiful antelope that are native to places far from our American Southwest.  Bear and turkey draws must also be applied for by February 4.

The last pressing deadline is February 10 when Arizona closes their application period for elk and antelope.  For any dedicated western big game hunter, no one needs to explain the tremendous bull elk that reside in the arid conifer forests of Arizona.  However, the state’s antelope herd is in fine shape as well and offers one of the West’s best chances for tagging an 80″+ trophy antelope.

Funny how things haven’t changed in 130 years

‘In speaking of long distance shots’, I have yet to see a hunter who can hit with any regularity at that distance, when he has to judge it for himself; though I have seen plenty who could make such a long range hit now and then.  And I have noticed that such a hunter, in talking over his experience, was certain soon to forget the numerous misses he made, and to say, and even to actually think, that his occasional hits represented his average shooting.

I think we all know a few guys like that.

On a more interesting note, Theodore Roosevelt had taken game by running with dogs, chasing them down with horses, running game into a washout where they were essentially trapped until killed, but he had these comments in regard to hunting over a mineral lick (analogous IMO to hunting over bait, though I do not share the same extreme opinions as our former President).

Killing a deer from a boat while the poor animal is swimming in the water, or on snow-shoes as it flounders helplessly in the deep drifts, can only be justified on the plea of hunger.  This is also true of lying in wait at a lick. Whoever indulges in any of these methods save from necessity, is a butcher, pure and simple, and has no business in the company of true sportsmen.

Not my opinion, just telling you what Theodore Roosevelt said.  Let the hate mail rain down!

Anyways, short story long, try to read a few books this year that catalog some of the pioneering outdoorsman of our country.  You won’t be dissappointed picking up a copy of Hunting Trips of a Ranchman.

For any archers who wish they could have made a big hunting trip this fall, but weren’t fortunate to draw the right tags, this a great opportunity.  Short notice, but a great chance to pursue big Pope and Young bulls.  New Mexico is a great elk hunting state and any unit can produce top-shelf trophy elk.  On October 22nd, the New Mexico Game and Fish will make almost 290 antlered bull elk tags available on a first come, first serve basis to bowhunters.  Hunts will take place in November and December, and tags will only be eligible for bulls having at least one side with 6 points or more…but boy, what a chance!  Some guys have to wait 8, 10, 15 years to hunt elk in New Mexico…here’s your chance, over the counter bull tags.  For more information.