Like any other fall, the vast majority of hunters hitting the mountains this year will be taking on the challenges of a self-guided hunt. For most, the added challenges and self-reliance involved in a self-guided hunt are necessary components of the experience. The downside to a self-guided hunt is that if it doesn’t go well, you’ve got no one to blame but yourself. The best thing about a self-guided hunt is that if it does go well, you’ve got no one to credit but yourself. The more effort that goes into preparing for your hunt, the less likely you are to end up in the former category.
There’s a good chance that the tag you have in your pocket is in an area you’ve never been before. Spending some time scouting your unit before the hunt is ideal but not usually feasible when hunting out of state. The next best thing to putting boots on the ground in your hunting area will be to talk with someone who has. You will want to talk with as many of these resources as you can to turn up as much information as possible. There is a correct approach to do so. The following is what works the best for me.
Begin by researching the area on your own and coming up with a tentative hunt plan. Look for access points and the type of terrain ideally suited for your target animal during the time of year you will be hunting. This is mostly done by a combination of e-scouting and searching online hunting forums. It’s worth noting that most of what I find in forums can be inaccurate and sometimes even intentionally misleading; 90% of it is garbage. There will, however, be some consistencies between certain threads that I can put stock into for further research. This part of the process is geared towards helping to formulate specific questions to ask contacts regarding hunt locations, access points, drivability of specific roads, good camping locations, water sources, etc. I also gather whatever harvest information is available to help determine what caliber of animal I’m after.
The next step is to begin assembling a few lists. The first is a list of around 10 questions that you’ve come up with that you feel are the most important things to find out about your hunt. This list tends to evolve as you reach out to your contacts as you come up with more pointed information that leads to more specific questions to be asking. Another list is made of all the contacts you can come up with to reach out to about the hunt, including Huntin Fool’s Previous Tag Holder List, personal contacts, biologists, and conservation officers in the area. Make sure speaking with one of our Hunt Advisors is on your list! Begin by reaching out to contacts who you feel may be of the least amount of help, saving those you expect to get the most information from for the end. The reason for this is that the better questions you can ask, the better information you will get, and you want to save that for your most important contacts. Also, I tend to get better information from those who can tell I’ve been doing my research. This is especially true of biologists and game wardens, which I usually save for last. These calls are usually hit or miss. Some can be a goldmine of information, and others can be worthless. Another suggestion when reaching out to contacts is to email or text them to set up a time to talk that will work the best for them. Aside from being polite, this allows them a little time to reflect on their experience and be prepared with their maps when you speak. They will typically have more time to spend with you this way than they will on a cold call.
Once the research process is complete, it’s time to finalize your hunt plan. This will be compiled of at least a plan A, B, and C and sometimes even a D and E, depending on how much time you have to hunt and how long it will take to properly hunt each spot. With that being said, it is also important to be flexible and adjust your strategy on the fly if the hunt dictates you do so. With a hunt plan in place, you now know exactly what type of hunting you will be doing and can begin compiling a gear list suited towards the specifics of each hunt. On a self-guided hunt, you are responsible for being prepared for whatever weather Mother Nature throws at you as well as getting an animal out of the backcountry on your own. Having the right gear can make or break these two factors. As always, you can give us a call if you have any questions about whether or not a certain piece of gear that you have will work or needs to be upgraded. If you’re missing a piece of gear necessary for your hunt, you can pick it up online at our Gear Fool store as well.
A final consideration, and one that is often overlooked, is what to do with your animal if successful in the field. If you are not driving home with it, have a processor and taxidermist figured out before you leave for the hunt rather than scrambling last minute to figure out your best option.
After everything is lined up, there is only one thing left to do. Put your work and planning to the test and go hunting. It’s time to capitalize on all the hours you have put into planning your hunt, getting in shape, and practicing with your weapon.
It doesn’t matter if this is an over-the- counter tag or one you’ve been waiting 25 years to draw, be prepared, show up, have fun, hunt your guts out, and leave it all on the table. In doing so, your hunt this fall will be a success.
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