reasonable deer hunting trips

Bushy Creek Whitetail Outfitters

Indiana whitetail outfitters, affordable whitetail hunts.

Affordable Whitetail Hunts start with Bushy Creek ! Everyone is price conscious to some degree these days. We can’t say as we blame you. We understand. No one like to waste money. So Bushy Creek has put together a package to make your dreams of whitetail hunting more affordable.

First, take a look at our prices. $1300 for early archery, and $1550 for November rut archery or firearms hunting is pretty affordable to start. But it doesn’t end there.  No sir !

We are going to purchase your non resident Indiana license and either sex deer tag and give it to you absolutely for free when you purchase one of our trophy whitetail hunting packages.

But we’re not through yet!

If you want to bring along a youth hunter who can hunt on a youth license, we’ll let him come along with you for free.  You provide the license, we’ll provide him 5 full days of hunting for free.  And if the youngster takes a deer or multiple deer, it doesn’t affect the number of deer the adult hunter can take.  And we’ll feed that youngster as well !  And you know how much kids these days can eat !

Just take a look at the faces on these happy youngsters !  You want to get your child’s attention away from their cell phone for a few days and get them back in the real world?  Take them deer hunting and let them harvest themselves a deer !

But we’re not done yet.  If you get three of your buddies to book with you as a group, we’ll knock off $100.00 from the cost of all four packages.  That’s a $400.00 discount for the group !

Nothing better than hunting with a group of your buddies !

And we’re going to feed and house you, and each member of your group of hunters beginning with dinner the day you arrive, then three square meals for the next five days, then breakfast on the morning you leave after your hunt is finished,  because we don’t want you getting hungry on the road.  And we don’t want you leaving the night after you come in from hunting.  Tired and possibly sleepy and having to find a place to stay late at night.  Nope !  We want you well rested and well fed for your trip back home.

Now think about how much you would spend on groceries if you were at home.  That’s 17 meals.  17 meals that you didn’t have to pay for.

So yes, we think we have some of the most affordable trophy hunting in the entire Midwest.  And we’ve got the prices and we’ve got the deer to back that up !

You want affordable whitetail hunts ?  We got you covered !

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8 Affordable Hunting Trips for the Budget-Minded Hunter

Many people think that you need big-time money to go on a big game hunting trip. While money can certainly buy you some exciting hunting experiences, you don’t need to break the bank in order to have a great time hunting. Check out our list of affordable hunting trips so that you can find how to have a great time hunting on a budget!

Hunt Elk in Idaho

Idaho may not be the first state that many hunters think of when they think of elk habitats, but there are plenty of good bulls that call Idaho home. Plus, the state provides over-the-counter tags at a first-come, first-serve basis , meaning that anyone has the opportunity to score an elk tag.

In order to find land to hunt elk in Idaho, you want to search in grasses and agriculture fields. There’s a plethora of natural forests, state forests (which are public), and private lands that are a part of the Access Yes! Program . If you have a GPS and a general bearing of your surroundings, you should be able to track down a bull, stalk him and get your chance at a kill.

Why It Made the List

The main reason that Idaho elk hunting made the list is the fact that you can primitively camp in most national forests at no cost. This saves you a good amount of money on lodging, meaning you can save most of your money on the tag, license, and permit (around $600 total), food, fuel, and more.

Price: Less than $1,500

Hunt Whitetail Deer in Kansas

Many hunters have heard the lore of the giant whitetail deer that roam in Kansas — and the stories are true. The entire state is littered with trophy deer, and although the price of a tag is pretty expensive (near $450), the rest of the trip is incredibly affordable, which makes it a great option for anyone looking for one of the best hunting trips on a budget.

The state of Kansas is broken up into four different regions for deer hunting, and the tags are all available through a drawing process. Once you get your tag, there are plenty of options for how you hunt. Depending on your budget, you can cut costs by camping in a tent or an RV, or if you have a little bit of wiggle room, you can stay in hunting lodges or motels. Do your research and find a method that works best for you to get a cheap hunting trip put together!

Price: $500 – $1,000

Hunt Antelope in Wyoming

Have you always wanted to try out hunting antelope in the United States? Wyoming provides you with plenty of opportunities to hunt down some speed goats without breaking the bank.

Wyoming is filled with state land and walk-in areas that you can hunt in. However, you’ll want to accumulate some preference points before you try for a tag since the tags can go pretty quickly. If you aren’t able to get a tag, there are leftover tags available, which will have less public land and less trophy potential, but still a good amount of antelope.

Wyoming is filled with different opportunities for you to hunt antelope at an affordable rate. You can find lodging at a campground for less than $25 per night, and if you prepare correctly (pack food ahead of time) and cut corners, you should be able to tag an antelope for a great price.

Price: $1,000 – $1,250

Hunt Turkey in Nebraska

When it comes to getting a lot of game for your dollar, it’s hard to beat a turkey hunt in Nebraska. In the spring, you are allowed up to three birds per season, and a single turkey permit costs a little over $100. Plus, with modern-day technology and smartphones, you can purchase extra permits on your phone, meaning that you can hypothetically get all three turkeys in the same day for less than $350.

If you’re looking for a cheap bow hunt, you’re not going to find many hunts that are more budget-friendly than a Nebraska turkey hunt. Once you’ve got your permits and your bow, the rest of the expenses are minimal. Most turkey hunting can be done on public land, and the state of Nebraska is relatively cheap in terms of lodging. As long as you don’t have to travel too far to get there, it’s an incredibly affordable trip to take.

Price: Less than $500

Moose in Alaska

Many people would assume that any moose hunt would cost well over $3,000 — and when you mention that it’s in Alaska, you would think that it would cost $5,000+. While a tag and license do cost close to $1,000, if you’re willing to put a little bit of work in and walk for a ways, you can swing an entire moose hunt for closer to $2,000, which is a pretty cheap big game hunt.

Obviously, one of the most expensive parts of this hunt will be getting to Alaska. But, once you make it there, you’ll have to put some work in. Lace-up your boots and be prepared to stalk some moose — especially if you are looking for a bigger one.

Price: Around $2,000

South Dakota Mule Deer

Not only is there an abundance of mule deer in South Dakota, but there’s also an abundance in public land, and with reliable populations and relatively light hunting pressure, there are plenty of opportunities for you to get a mule deer without breaking the bank.

A deer license in South Dakota costs just south of $300, but once that’s been paid, you can be generally flexible with the rest of your expenses depending on how comfortable you want to be in your hunt. If you’re hunting near the national forests, you can find lodging for around $60/night. Take some time to do some planning and figure out when and where you want to go for your hunt.

Price: $1,400 – $1,600

Hogs in Texas

Texas is a state unlike any other, so it’s only right that they have a hunting experience that’s completely unique. Not only can you hunt feral hogs in Texas, but you can do so at any time of the year and without a bag limit. Just purchase Item 157 (their “non-resident 5-day special hunting license) for a little less than $50 and you can hunt throughout the week!

There are some public hunting lands that you can utilize, but for the price, your best bet is to work through an outfitter and get put in a position to succeed. With such a low overhead cost and the affordable price of a license, spend the extra money on a good outfitter and make it the most productive week possible!

Price: $500 – $1000

Black Bear in Idaho

A bear hunt may seem to be the pinnacle of pricey, but it doesn’t have to be! If you’re looking to hunt black bears in the Rocky Mountains, you can do so for a reasonable rate in Idaho from late spring to early summer.

If you want to keep the hunt under $2,000, you’ll have to go without a guide. Thankfully, there are plenty of tags available over the counter in Idaho, and some places even allow you to take two bears. Take to the national forest land and prepare to do some spotting and stalking for a while, but if you are patient, you should get the opportunity to find a nice bear.

Price: $1,500 – $2,000

Make Sure You’re Fully Equipped for Your Big Hunt

Does one of these inexpensive hunting trips have you packing your bags and looking at dates? If so, you’ll want to make sure that you’re fully equipped for your big hunt! Have you considered hunting with a suppressor for these hunts? Contact the team at Silencer Central today and browse our selection of silencers and suppressors!

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OUTDOOR LIFE+

5 killer big-game trips for hunters on a budget.

Adventurous hunts that won't break the bank

By Darron McDougal | Published Oct 2, 2019 6:30 PM EDT

With creative planning and realistic expectations, you can hunt five North American big-game species for less than $2,000 each. Here’s how.

Hunt #1: Alaska Moose

A moose hunt for under $2,000 is impossible, right? Wrong. Be flexible on antler size and hunt the Last Frontier.

Locations/Habitat:

Fairbanks: Urban with flats, rolling hills, and low-lying bogs and swamps

Food Sources:

Willow and alder browse, and grasses

Where to Hunt:

Fairbanks Management Area, national and state forest

If you’re looking to tag any legal bull, lace up your boots. When you spot one, stalk it. Make your shot count, because you don’t want your moose expiring in someone’s backyard. Get off the road and be prepared for a serious workout if you want to take a larger bull.

Budget Breakdown:

• Flight (Minneapolis to Fairbanks, including baggage): $550
• Economy rental car, including fuel: $300
• Camping on state lands: $0
• Food (10 days at $15/day): $150
• Moose tag and annual hunting license: $960
• Total: $1,960

Money-Saver Tip: You’ll need to stash a little extra cash for this trip because moose are heavy critters. The most cost-effective method for getting all that meat home? Process it on your own. Find a way to freeze it and then pack and ship it home overnight via FedEx or UPS. It won’t be cheap, but it will almost certainly be less than the baggage fees at the airport.

Licensing: Alaska Department of Fish and Game

Hunt #2: idaho elk.

Idaho isn’t Arizona. Still, I hunt it often because it has solid elk numbers and good bulls with first-come, first-served, over-the-counter tags—and no shortage of areas to explore.

• Sawtooth National Forest: More than 2 million acres of pine forest, meadows, and quaking aspen; moderate foothills to vertical canyons
• Caribou-Targhee National Forest: 3 million acres

Browse, grasses, and ag fields on adjacent private lands

National forests, state forests, private lands enrolled in the Access Yes! program

Keep your GPS handy and consider hiking deep into remote drainages. Bulls here respond well in the dark, not so much during daylight. Locate a bull and reach him by daybreak, then dog him until you kill him or he disappears, checking wind constantly. Cow-call sparingly. During midday or afternoon, monitor wallows, water holes, or seeps.

Primitive camping is allowed at no cost in most national forests.

• Fuel (15 mpg vehicle at $2.50/gal. for 3,500 total miles): $585
• Camping in national forest: $0
• Food (10 days at $25/day): $250
• Elk tag, hunting license, archery permit: $591.50
• Meat processing: 300 lb. at $.95/lb.: $285
• Total: $1,711.50

Money-Saver Tip: Store meat in a cooler with dry ice and process it yourself when you get home.

Licensing: Idaho Department of Fish and Game

Hunt #3: nebraska whitetails.

Nebraska borders the whitetail wonderlands of Iowa and Kansas, but has two big distinctions: Tags are sold over the counter and are about half the price. Public-land hunting opportunities abound statewide.

• Eastern Nebraska: Lightly wooded rolling hills and bluffs
• Southern Nebraska: Prairies and river bottoms
• Sandhills: Rolling hills with drainages, cedars, and occasional cottonwood stands
• Pine Ridge: Ponderosa pines amid rolling to vertical terrain

Corn, beans, acorns, and alfalfa

State parks, state wildlife management areas, national forests, national grasslands

With a September 1 opener, Nebraska offers a shot at velvet whitetails. Hunt staging areas near hoof-pounded food and/or water sources.

As the rut draws near, exploit river-bottom funnels to intercept cruising bucks. Late in the season, deer will be back on the food sources to recover from the rigors of the rut and build up reserves for the upcoming winter. Take a stand and wait them out.

• Fuel (15 mpg vehicle at $2.50/gal. for 1,700 total miles): $285
• Lodging (7 nights at $50/night: $350
• Food (7 days at $20/day): $140
• Deer license and habitat stamp: $267
• Total: $1,042

Money-Saver Tip: Camp out in warmer weather for $0–$10 per night and save $280–$350.

Licensing: Nebraska Game Parks

Hunt #4: south dakota mule deer.

Solid muley bucks certainly exist in South Dakota, and there is abundant public land, relatively light hunting pressure, reliable populations, and decent trophy potential.

• Missouri River Breaks: Deep, brushy canyons and steep, cedar-dotted hills
• Badlands: Rock formations, deep canyons, and sprawling grasslands
• Black Hills: Ponderosa pines and steep canyons bordered by gentle hills, ag, and coulees
• Northwest South Dakota: Pine forests and rolling, sage-dotted prairies

Corn, grasses, alfalfa, and sunflowers

Gaining access to private land is feasible (sometimes with a small trespass fee); private lands enrolled in the state’s Walk-In Area program; Black Hills National Forest; Buffalo Gap National Grassland; Custer National Forest; state game production areas

I’ve arrowed three mature South Dakota bucks—one on public land—in November. The common denominator? The rut gets wild, and mature bucks sometimes forsake all common sense. Watch the wind, but hunt aggressively. Use a silhouette decoy to draw a buck in close.

• Lodging (7 nights at $60/night): $420
• Deer license: $286
• Private land trespass fee: $500
• Total: $1,631

Money-Saver Tip: Tent camping opportunities are available.

Licensing: South Dakota Game, Fish & Parks

Read next: ultimate bucket list: the 10 north american hunts you must try before you die, hunt #5: wyoming antelope.

Nowhere else will you see so many speed goats. If you’re new to Western hunting or love antelope steaks as much as I do, Wyoming is the place to be.

Lusk/Gillette/Casper: Flat, as well as rolling prairies dotted with sage and occasional drainages

Forbs, grasses, alfalfa, and sagebrush

State land, Walk-In Areas, BLM land, Hunter/Landowner Assistance Program

Consider accumulating one or more preference points before trying for a tag. If you don’t draw, check for leftover tags for a unit with less public land and lower trophy potential but still plenty of goats. In hot weather, focus on water and alfalfa fields. If that doesn’t work, spot-and-stalk a buck. In late September, deploy a decoy.

• Fuel (15 mpg vehicle at $2.50/gal. for 3,050 total miles): $510
• Lodging (7 nights at $18/night in a campground): $126
• Application fee, hunting license, archery license and conservation stamp: $328.50
• Total: $1,104.50

Money-Saver Tip: Food costs can add up quickly. Save cash by preparing meals at home and freezing them for easy, inexpensive dinners. And don’t overlook the standbys of PB&Js, ramen noodles, or canned tuna.

Licensing: Wyoming Game & Fish Department

Author’s note: Costs will vary based on actual mileage or changes in fuel costs, flight rates, etc. ––Darron McDougal

The Best Budget Gear for Your Hunt

There’s no shortage of cheap choices on the market, but you don’t want to bet your whole hunt on crappy gear. Avoid the temptation to go full-Scrooge, and instead invest in durable—yet affordable—gear that will survive your hunt and prove useful on the next dozen to come. Spend some time bargain and second-hand shopping. If you plan to buy new items, skip new-for-this-year offerings and look for last year’s model. The performance difference is usually minimal, but the savings are often substantial.

With that in mind, here are a few of our favorite cost-conscious picks.

1. Rifle: CVA Cascade

Price: $557

This straightforward centerfire offers everything you need in a big-game rifle with minimal fuss. The synthetic stock is suitable for harsh conditions, and the rifle includes extra touches like a threaded muzzle, an extra swivel stud for a bipod, and good texturing for better handling. Best of all is its sub-MOA accuracy: Our testers printed an average group size of .841 inch with the Cascade. The rifle is currently available in three short-action calibers (6.5 Creedmoor, 7mm-08 Rem. and .308 Win.) with long-action options available in 2020.

2. Shotgun: Stoeger P3000 Pump

Price: $250

Stoeger’s shotguns aren’t known for their frills, and that’s exactly the point. This bare-bones pump is a workhorse that previously earned our Great Buy award You can take it anywhere, beat the hell out of it, and keep hunting—all for a couple hundred bucks.

3. Binoculars: Maven C.1 8×42

Price: $325

Another of our Great Buys , these handy 8x42s from Maven are a steal for the price. The direct-to-consumer company managed to shave cost by swapping some premium materials for more budget-friendly options (a polymer frame and glass sourced from the Philippines rather than Japan). But the C.1 still maintains a bright, sharp sight picture, and is a smart investment for more productive hunting.

4. Tent: REI Co-op Passage 2

Price: $159

You might consider REI a haven for hippies, but don’t let that fool you. Their in-house brand is the real deal, and usually the cheapest option among similar offerings from other name brands. Not only can their gear take a beating, but REI has a killer return policy in case something does malfunction. Their tents in particular are durable, and this 2-person backpacker is no exception. Best of all, it costs as much as two nights in a motel and lasts way longer.

5. Knife: Ka-Bar Dozier Folder

This folder is one of my favorites, thanks to a tip from our hunting editor, Andrew McKean. It’s a basic blade, but I’ve bought half a dozen over the years simply because they’re less than $20, lightweight, and get the job done several times over before they needed resharpening. You can certainly use the Dozier for big tasks like quartering or field dressing, but you’ll most likely end up sliding one into your pocket and tossing an extra in your glove box for daily tasks. ––Natalie Krebs

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Affordable S outh Texas Deer Hunting Packages

Whether you like high fence or low fence,, we have a hunting package for you.

We offer a select number of hunts to clients every season and never overbook the number of hunters that we feel we can serve. With highly-managed hunting ranches and the most knowledgeable guides, we consistently harvest some of the best and biggest whitetail bucks in South Texas year after year.

The reason that we are successful in producing bucks for our clients year-after-year is due to the time and commitment we put into proper and strict deer management. Deer management has its roots in South Texas beginning in the 1950’s and has continually been studied and improved ever since. Brush management, supplemental feeding, proper harvesting of our deer and the use of the MLD program gives us the tools to allow our deer to grow to their potential.

High Fence Trophy Deer Hunts

Atascosa / Karnes / Wilson County High Fence Hunting Hunting Packages

Located in the corners of Atascosa, Karnes and Wilson counties in South Texas, this 1400 acre ranch has the prime habitat for growing huge trophy whitetail bucks . This beautiful hunting ranch has gently rolling hills covered with mesquite, blackbrush and guajillo brush along with… read more

Low Fence / Free Range / Fair Chase Whitetail Hunts

South Texas Free-Range, Fair Chase, Low Fence Deer Hunting Packages

This affordable, no trophy-fee whitetail hunting package is for a 4 day/3 night hunting adventure on 16,000 low fence acres in Val Verde County near Del Rio. For the avid hunter who wishes to hunt as wild as possible, this is the ranch for you. Hunting large acreage offers the experience to the hunter of the anticipation of… read more

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FIELD & STREAM+

Dream hunts: 20 incredible big game hunting trips.

From moose hunts in Canada to monster mule deer hunts in the desert, here are our picks for 20 hunting trips to plan your greatest outdoor adventure ever

By The Editors | Published Mar 4, 2021 5:24 PM EST

We know that big game hunting season is still months away, but just the idea of getting to travel more easily and safely this year already has us thinking about dream hunts. S we asked our experts to pick the best big game hunts in North America that the average hunter can actually pull off. To be clear: This isn’t another lists of cheap, DIY hunts (though some of these are easily taken on your own), nor is it a roundup of expensive outfitters. These trips are chosen for value. So, quit dreaming and start planning.

The 20 Best Hunting Trips for Your Budget

We’ve done the research—and taken many of these hunts ourselves—to create a list of the very best big game hunting opportunities and affordable hunting trips.

1. Where to Hunt Moose in Alberta

Logistics: Once you secure a moose tag from your outfitter, you just need a passport to get into Canada, the proper paperwork to get a firearm across the border, and a Wildlife Identification Number (WIN) card to hunt Alberta. Price: $5,000 to $7,000 — Will Brantley

2. Hunt Record-Book Black Bears in Northern Saskatchewan

Why You Should Go: Huge swaths of northern Saskatchewan are only accessible by boat or plane. Up there, most black bears die of old age. A few outfitters are pioneering into areas where bears have never been hunted. This region has the genetics for giant boars; it may be the best opportunity anywhere to shoot a true trophy-class black bear. Logistics: The best hunting is in June. Licenses are only available through an outfitter. Hunters fly into Saskatoon, and then make the rest of the trip in vehicles, floatplanes, and boats via the outfitter. Price: $4,000 to $5,000 (Guided) — Brad Fenson

3. Travel to Kodiak Island, Alaska, for a Blacktail Deer Adventure

Why You Should Go: If hunting blacktail deer on the home turf of the world’s largest brown bears doesn’t get your adrenaline pumping, then we can’t help you. These true wilderness hunts are usually based from a boat that provides a dry place to sleep (and protection from bears). Good bucks abound here, and depending on the weather, you may find them anywhere from the beach to the high peaks. Logistics: The small planes and boats required to get to Kodiak make travel challenging. Transporters provide boats for D.I.Y. trips, but the hunting is up to you. Outfitted hunts are much more inclusive. Licenses are over the counter. For more information, go to adfg.alaska.gov. Price: $3,000 to $4,000 (Transported and unguided or guided) — B.F.

4. Stalk Giant Velvet Mule Deer in Alberta

Why You Should Go: Three-hundred-plus-pound muleys, close-range spot-and-stalk, and velvet antlers are indeed the stuff of dreams for most bowhunters: It’s what makes Alberta such a hot destination during the September bow season—and your odds only go up during gun season. The region is marked by rolling prairie, steep coulees, and a smattering of cropfields, making it the perfect place to grow trophy bucks, and to sneak up on them. Logistics: The only way to obtain a tag in Alberta is through an outfitter, but there are dozens in the region. The Alberta Professional Outfitters Society has a directory. Price: $3,000 to $4,000 (Guided) — B.F.

5. Why Idaho Is the Best State to Hunt Color Phase Black Bears

Why You Should Go: Idaho has one of the largest black bear populations in the Rocky Mountains, and a high percentage of color-phase bruins. From mid April through June, you can spot bears on south-facing slopes, munching on the green grass they need to flush their systems after hibernation. You can hire a guide, or spot-and-stalk from the dirt roads and trails coursing through national forest land for a rare D.I.Y. trophy. Logistics: There are plenty of tags available over the counter, and some units allow you to take two bears. There are dozens of reputable outfitters for both spot-and-stalk and baited hunts. Price: $2,000 to $3,000 (Guided); $1,000 to $2,000 (Unguided) — Ben Romans

6. Wyoming Pronghorns Is One of the Most Affordable Hunting Trips in the U.S.

Why You Should Go: ­Wyoming has more antelope than people, and an array of hunting opportunities. To chase a trophy pronghorn, you can build points for a managed area. If you just want to hunt antelope, there are zones where you can draw every year or buy a leftover tag, of which there are usually plenty. You can hire a guide, hunt on public ground, or hunt private ground for a landowner fee—or in some cases for free with permission. Logistics: Wyoming begs for a D.I.Y. hunt, but there are plenty of good outfitters, too. Wyoming Game and Fish’s new Hunt Planner is an invaluable resource. Price: $2,000 to $3,000 (Guided); $1,000 to $2,000 (Unguided) — B.F.

7. Welcome to Axis Deer Paradise

Why You Should Go: If you’re after adventure, natu­ral beauty, exclusivity, and the finest red meat on earth, then Lanai, a 90,000-acre private island 40 miles west of Maui, is the spot. You may see hundreds of animals in a day while hunting one of the world’s largest populations of free-range axis deer . There are mouflon sheep, too. The terrain is spectacular and ­diverse, with mountains, plains, and ocean vistas. Logistics: You’ll fly to Maui, Hawaii, then ferry to Lanai. The stunning Hotel Lanai is under $200 per night. Since the game is privately owned, you’ll pay an outfitter about $3,000 for one day (though bowhunters might need two) of guided hunting that includes a trophy stag and two non-trophies. Price: $3,000 to $6,000 (Guided) — Jeff Johnston

8. Chase Barren-Ground Caribou in Manitoba

Why You Should Go: Northern Manitoba borders Hudson Bay, and the mixed habitat along the shoreline is the historical migration route of central barren-ground caribou. This hunt won’t cost you much more than a D.I.Y. fly-in adventure in other parts of the North, but it’s logistically easier, and success rates on trophy bulls are much higher. Logistics: The region is only accessible by airplane, with licenses available through outfitters who take care of planning and details. Much of the hunting is done from boats, and from both permanent and spike camps. Price: $5,000 to $6,000 (Guided) — B.F.

9. Stalk Trophy Mule Deer in the Nebraska Sandhills

Why You Should Go: The Nebraska Sandhills are the up-and-coming place to kill a big mule deer buck. Miles of rolling hills are woven with creekbottoms and some agriculture. Like Alberta, it’s ideal habitat for growing big deer and for spot-and-stalk hunting—but more affordable, and with great D.I.Y. opportunities. Logistics: Permits are available via application, and most tags are good for either a mule deer or a whitetail ­(outdoor​­nebraska.​gov/​hunting​­seasons). There are significant chunks of public land, along with some excellent outfitters for hunting private ground. Price: $3,000 to $4,000 (Guided); $1,000 to $2,000 (Unguided) — B.F.

10. Tag a 350-Inch Bull Elk in New Mexico

Why You Should Go: The Gila National Forest in southwest New Mexico is 3.3 million public acres of famously good elk hunting. Secure a tag and you have a solid chance at killing a 350-inch bull. The terrain is largely sandy, and full of pinyon and ponderosa pine. The climate is mild. Though some outfitters use horses to get deep into the backcountry, plenty of the Gila is accessible on foot. Logistics: New Mexico doesn’t award preference points. Nonresidents hunting solo are allotted 6 percent of the licenses in a drawing pool; nonresidents who book with a guide, 10 percent. You can apply as a party to help your chances, and a good outfitter can assist you with the process and put you on elk once you’ve drawn. According to the outfitters we polled, most hunters get drawn at least once every four years, so put in now. Price: $5,000 to $6,000 (Guided); $2,000 to $3,000 (Unguided) — W.B.

11. Plan the Ultimate Big Game Hunting Trip in Montana

Why You Should Go: Montana’s Bob Marshall Wilderness is one of the only places in the world where you can rifle hunt rutting elk, mule deer, black bears, and wolves all at the same time. Hunter success with a good outfitter runs about 50 percent, meaning that a hardworking hunter should take two of the four species during a 10-day hunt, with pretty good trophy potential. Logistics: Riding in via horseback takes a full day and can leave you too sore to hunt hard the next, so opting for a picturesque helicopter ride into “The Bob” is worth considering—and less costly than you may think. Contact an outfitter early to apply for tags, and you’ll almost surely draw. Price: $4,000 to $6,000 (Guided) — Joseph von Benedikt

12. Travel to Utah for One of the Best Mule Deer Hunts Ever

Why You Should Go: Utah’s extended archery hunt offers a chance to chase rutting muley bucks on an easy-to-draw tag. Draw for any unit in the state (some regions are almost 100 percent odds even for nonresidents), but don’t hunt the regular season. Hold off and that unused tag will qualify you to hunt the archery-only area in the public-access Wasatch Mountains during late November and early December. There’s no rifle season here, allowing bucks to grow big and old. It’s arguably the best big-buck hunt in Utah short of drawing a premium tag, which can take decades. Logistics: You’ll need to earn an online-education certificate for this hunt, but it’s not difficult and well worth it. Prepare to glass big country, stalk up steep canyons in knee-deep snow, and shoot long. Price: $1,000 to $2,000 ­(Unguided) — J.v.B.

13. Chase Northwest Colorado Pronghorns

Why You Should Go: There are antelope all over the West. But if you’re after a true bruiser of a buck, few regions are better than northwest Colorado. Moffat County consistently produces more Booner speed goats than any other county in the state. The rolling landscape here has plenty of peaks and valleys for spot-and-stalk hunting, and numerous irri­gated alfalfa fields and livestock operations for water-hole archery hunts. Logistics: You can apply for points, hunt the ample BLM ground in the area, and probably kill a giant buck in a couple of days—especially with a rifle. The best trophy units here can take up to 15 points to draw, though with a little research, you can get a tag within five years in units that are almost as good. If you’re going guided, a number of outfitters have tags for sale every year. Price: $3,000 to $4,000 (Guided); $1,000 to $2,000 (Unguided) — W.B.

14. How to Plan a D.I.Y. Coues Deer Hunt

Why You Should Go: These tiny gray deer live in lonely, high-desert country, and they behave—and are hunted—more like desert bighorn sheep than whitetails. Prepare to have your mettle tested against steep, remote mountains infested with thorns—and your soul renewed by a backdrop of shockingly beautiful desert sunrises and sunsets. Logistics: Tags are easier to draw during the November pre-rut than for the December rut hunt. If you’re willing to build points, you can eventually draw a tag for a unit offering a legit chance at mature bucks with big genetics, though it’s possible to draw every year in some less popular units. Check the Arizona Game and Fish for details. Price: $1,000 to $2,000 (unguided) — J.v.B.

15. Guide Hunts for Mountain Lions in Idaho and Colorado

Why You Should Go: If you love the sound of hounds at work, intense physical challenge, and an element of danger, go on a mountain lion hunt. Both Colorado and Idaho have thriving cat populations, and the states are neck-and-neck for B&C entries. When the dogs strike a hot track, the experience is as intense as it gets. Logistics: Both states ­offer over-the-counter ­licenses and long seasons open to hunting with hounds, but you want to go later in winter. Ideally, you keep a flexible schedule with an outfitter and hunt after a fresh snow. Check regs closely; in Colo­rado, you must pass a free (but easy) online course before getting a license. Check quotas daily. And plan on bringing the meat home—it tastes just like pork. Price: $4,000 to $5,000 (Guided) — W.B.

Win the Lottery: Our Top 5 Bucket List Tags for the Ultimate Big Game Hunting Adventure

These five bucket-list hunts can take 10 years or more to draw. But you’ve just got to try…

1. Bighorn Sheep: Missouri River Breaks, Montana

If you draw, you can tackle this adventure on your own or hire an outfitter. Montana Fish, Wildlife, & Parks

2. Trophy Elk: Arizona

In several trophy units, bulls scoring 380 B&C or better are regularly taken, including some over 400. Arizona Game & Fish

3. Mule Deer: Utah

Odds of drawing in a trophy unit are long, but this 20-plus-point tag promises a muley buck of a lifetime. ­ Utah Division of Wildlife Resources

4. Mountain Goat: Colorado

You don’t have to leave the Lower 48 to hunt a billy if you’re persistent. Colorado Parks & Wildlife

5. Desert Bighorn: Nevada

The holy grail of sheep tags will cost $1,200 if you’re drawn. Nevada Department of Wildlife — B.F.

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Best Places to Hunt Deer with a Rifle

If you're a rifle hunter and are serious about mature whitetails, a number of states and provinces are well worth exploring in gun season..

The Southern Great Plains subregion is a magnet for riflemen seeking free-range trophies. But it’s by no means the only centerfire area worth hunting. (Photo by Russell Graves)

Killing a big whitetail with a rifle is pretty simple, really. When he shows up, just put the right bullet into the right part of his body. He’ll die within seconds: same as any other deer will.

But getting the chance to prove it? Well, that’s another matter. A rifleman can go years between opportunities, especially in heavily hunted areas.

Fortunately, in some states and provinces you and your rifle not only have a legitimate chance to bring home venison, but also a trophy rack. The key is finding a place that balances opportunity with the right management strategy and favorable season timing.

You might doubt that such places exist, but they do. In fact, they’re fairly common. There are some in every time zone, though they do tend to become more abundant as you move westward across whitetail country.

This isn’t to say you can’t shoot a great buck in a heavily hunted area. It happens every year. It’s just that your odds of killing one are far better in places with lower pressure and a track record of giving up mature deer. This is a numbers game we’re playing, and the numbers favor those who are rifle hunting in places with a lot of mature deer.

My goal here is to point out some of these hotspots, so those looking for better hunting can do more in-depth investigation. Rather than list individual states or provinces, I’ve largely clumped them into subregions. Within each, the herds, habitat and rifle seasons are similar enough to address them together.

NORTHWESTERN GREAT PLAINS

This subregion includes parts of several well-known whitetail states: Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska. We could throw in western Kansas as well, but that state’s lack of a rut rifle season leads me to address it later in our rundown.

True Boone & Crockett bucks might be uncommon in the dry, open country on the western edge of the Northern Plains, and tags can be expensive and/or hard to draw. But once you have that tag and a rifle in hand, you should find some good bucks to pick from. A big plus is that there’s a lot of public land. To me, that makes it perhaps the overall most attractive region for nonresident rifle hunters seeking DIY adventure.

Despite the visibility of deer, rifle success rates on good bucks are encouraging. That’s because this is an extremely rural part of the U.S.; even though many locals hunt, that still means lower pressure than in most other places. Landholdings (public and private) also tend to be large, giving you more freedom to cover ground and pinpoint deer activity. The widely scattered agricultural plantings and pockets of cover are obvious, and that fact speeds up scouting considerably.

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While most crop fields are on private land, they draw deer off nearby public lands in the evenings. And sometimes you can still get private land access at little or no cost. Of course, permission on private land is harder to get than it was years ago, but some quality outfitters operate in prime areas. Many offer hunts that can be for whitetails or mule deer, as the species coexist in many areas.

Be aware that some zones have been slammed by EHD over the past few years, and there’s a chance you’ll run into a late-summer die-off after drawing your tag. But for the most part, this subregion offers highly dependable away-from-home whitetail hunting.

Shooting skill is at a premium here; a big buck might pop out at 32 yards, but he’s far more likely to be at 320. If you have a flat-shooting rifle and know how to use it in windy conditions, you can hunt a lot of ground from one vantage point. Sitting on a canyon rim or edge of a vast winter wheat field gives you a bird’s-eye view and can let you make an unhurried shot at an undisturbed buck. Bipods, shooting sticks and rangefinders really earn their keep here.

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Southern great plains.

For our purposes, in this subregion I’ll include only western Oklahoma, that big chunk of Texas lying west of interstate highways 35 and 37 and adjoining parts of northeastern Mexico. We could throw in western Kansas, but again, its rifle season structure leads me to address it separately.

Like the aforementioned states to the north, this part of the whitetail world is largely made up of bigger cattle ranches and grain farms. But it’s different in the sense that fewer areas are open to public hunting. Western Oklahoma does have some state wildlife management areas and a few federal properties worth exploring, and the state’s recent boom in big deer has many hunters looking there. Whitetail habitat in western Texas is largely private, and all of it in Mexico is.

Overall deer densities tend to be higher in this subregion than farther north, especially as you move into the Rio Grande Valley. The herd has less vulnerability to EHD, and there’s a higher percentage of cover that isn’t totally limited to bottomlands. Plus, many bucks in this subregion are mature, with some true giants in the mix.

Texas, Oklahoma and Mexico offer over-the-counter (OTC) tags that are by “hotspot” standards reasonably priced. You also can rifle hunt the heart of the rut, though Oklahoma’s relatively short season opens a few days after what many would call the best of it. Baiting is legal and widely practiced on private lands throughout this subregion.

Shots here can exceed the limits of common sense. Some cutlines (called “senderos”) in the thorny Brush Country of South Texas and just across the river in Mexico can run for miles. That’s why such cartridges as .25-06 Rem., 7mm Rem. Mag., .300 Win. Mag., .28 Nosler and 6.5 Creedmoor have many fans there. Seriously flat shooters are useful in this world of elevated box blinds and long shots at doe-bumping bucks.

WAY DOWN SOUTH

Large parts of two states in the Deep South — Alabama and Mississippi — stand out as solid options for today’s rut-focused rifle hunter. What’s more, both these OTC states offer the plus of rut hunting extremely late in the season. In fact, with the exception of a few areas restocked with Northern deer, the best action tends to be from around Christmas well into January, and in weather almost any hunter would consider comfortable.

In much of Mississippi and Alabama you’ll find plenty of woods. But they’re interspersed with clearcuts, plus fields of winter rye and other small grains. Does flock to these as winter sets in, and bucks eagerly follow.

Many “greenfields” have enclosed blinds alongside, offering the hunter weather protection and a solid shooting platform. A steady rest certainly comes in handy when a buck steps out of the far tree line, as that can put him 300 yards or better from the blind. Flat-shooting rifles naturally find favor here.

One other Southern state bears mention for its uniquely timed rifle opportunity: South Carolina. In its case the window doesn’t stay open extremely late, but it opens extra-early. The rifle season in the coastal region known as the “Lowcountry” begins Aug. 15, giving the rifle hunter a chance at taking a velvet buck.

Every year some fine trophies are shot by hunters waiting on the edges of bean fields and clearcuts. Tags are OTC, and a number of outfitting services (often operating as “plantations”) offer quality hunts.

OHIO VALLEY

You can’t hunt deer with a centerfire everywhere along the Ohio River, which informally separates the South from the Midwest. But you now can use one in more places than ever, enhancing your ability to take a great buck.

Thanks to nearly a decade with a one-buck annual limit, Indiana has begun to flex its trophy muscles. The habitat ranges from flat farm fields in the north to hardwood hills along the Ohio River. With its recent expansion of centerfire legality and a gun season centered on the rut, the Hoosier State is coming on.

Kentucky has been a rifle hotspot for years now. Its November gun season covers the rut, and OTC tags are affordable. There’s also a lot of public land, and the habitat in the western half of the state is open enough to take advantage of an accurate rifle. To the east the land is far more rugged, with less cropland, but even there scattered fields, clearcuts and powerlines offer barrel-stretching potential.

Despite many years of rut rifle hunting, Kentucky has a lot of big deer. Its single-buck limit is the key factor in helping it maintain a good sex ratio and trophy production. Annual B&C buck numbers are the highest of any rifle state at least partly within the Eastern Time Zone. Many whitetail experts consider this state the model for balancing hunter opportunity with high trophy output.

PRAIRIE PROVINCES

While by law DIY hunting isn’t much of an option for Americans chasing whitetails in Canada — and COVID-19 has rendered that nation virtually off-limits to U.S. hunters in 2020 — two provinces belong on any list of rifle hotspots for trophies. Alberta and Saskatchewan have yielded some of the greatest bucks of all time, and riflemen shoot the vast majority of them.

In Alberta baiting isn’t allowed, so most giants are shot as they cruise for does. Whether moving on their own or in response to deer drives, these beasts can pop out of cover at great distance and then quickly vaporize back into the “big bush.” All this puts a premium on top-flight shooting components, mental preparedness and of course, skill.

In Saskatchewan, more restrictive rules on nonresidents make legal baiting the top tactic. With harsh weather and a heavy forest canopy in most nonresident areas, blinds generally sit at or close to ground level within easy range of grain-baited sites. Canadian deer can get big, but any rifle spitting a bullet of at least .257 caliber is ample.

We also could throw parts of British Columbia and Manitoba into the mix here. But they haven’t matched the sheer numbers of stud whitetails the two provinces between them keep cranking out.

OTHER SCATTERED HOTSPOTS

While the ideal scenario for trophy success is getting to use a rifle during the rut, select states produce tons of big bucks despite less favorable timing for catching them on their feet.

In particular, Kansas and Ohio leap to mind. With gun openers hitting in late November to early December, neither offers rifle hunting in what we’d call “prime time.” That certainly cuts down on encounters with mature bucks, but it also helps preserve the buck age structure and tight sex ratios that make these states elite for big deer. Legal baiting also can assist gun hunters who choose to employ that method.

In Kansas, as of 2013 any centerfire became an option for deer. Yes, any. In Ohio, the range of legal cartridges is limited to “straight-walls,” such as .357 Mag,, .350 Legend and .45-70 Govt.

Especially in years when rifle season in Kansas sees lingering rut activity, the hunting can be spectacular. Some of the world’s best gun bucks have been shot there. Tags aren’t cheap, and they’re becoming harder to draw, but the potential payoff is worth it. Meanwhile, in Ohio tags remain OTC and quite affordable.

Another place worth mentioning is northern Missouri. Rifles have always been legal during the November rut, but despite high overall pressure, big bucks are taken every November. As is the case in neighboring eastern Nebraska, trophy prospects vary with local management practices. Affordable OTC gun tags and higher hunter numbers lead many spots to get pounded, but in areas with less disturbance the rut can see good buck activity in legal light.

On the East Coast, Virginia stands out as an overlooked rut rifle hotspot. It doesn’t yield the number of B&C deer neighboring Kentucky does, but for numbers of older bucks — many with great spreads — it’s the top state on the Eastern Seaboard. Virginia’s big deer live all over, from the Blue Ridge Mountains down to the Tidewater. Tags are OTC and affordable, and there’s ample public land.

One other state bears mention. In Illinois, the first of two short gun seasons occurs as the rut is just past peak in mid-November. While centerfire rifles remain illegal for deer, the workaround is that certain deer-worthy handguns are allowed. Nobody can explain why a .44 Mag. handgun is OK for deer in the Prairie State but a .44 Mag. rifle isn’t — but that’s the way it still is. So if your heart is set on centerfire hunting Illinois bucks and you can draw a permit (issued by county), grab your T/C Contender or something similar and give it a go.

IN CONCLUSION

Some well-known rifle states and provinces obviously aren’t on my list. That doesn’t mean I think they’re poor choices — they’re just overall not quite as productive for big deer, in my view.

But your mileage may vary, as the saying goes. So if you like to spend rifle season sneaking along behind a track in Maine, glassing a powerline in Arkansas, watching a thicket in Pennsylvania or rattling on the edge of a Wisconsin swamp, rest assured I’m not slighting your spot at all. If you’ve uncovered a location where big bucks are on the move in daylight in rifle season, good for you. Feel free to send me those GPS coordinates. You know, strictly for . . . uh . . . research purposes.

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Do you ever think about crossing state lines to deer hunt, but the notion seems overwhelming? It’s not as difficult or expensive as you might think.

There are many reasons to consider feeding your whitetail wanderlust. For one, it provides you with more tags, hence more whitetail hunting opportunities. Of course, with that also comes the possibility of extra venison. Secondly, it feeds your sense of adventure. Hunting in Texas, I’m treated to a variety of terrain, cover, and antler classes. However, it’s always nice to see new territories, even different trees.

Out of State Hunting

For trophy hunters, in particular, there are always the dream destinations like legendary whitetail states such as Iowa and Illinois. What hardcore deer hunter doesn’t notice the seemingly common mammoth free-range bucks taken in Pike County Illinois; or the brute B&C bucks taken on Lee and Tiffany Lakosky’s Iowa farms. It can make you covet such notable locations, if not just the idea of trying something different outside the confines of your home state.

Indeed, on television, hunting channels, YouTube, and social media lies other worlds full of whitetail eye-candy. However, many of these parts represent both a difficult and expensive endeavor. Out-of-state deer hunting is more expensive overall than it was at the turn of the century. For example, archery deer tags in Iowa currently cost over $500. For example, there is typically a 3-year wait for a non-resident bow tag.

Fortunately, there are whitetail journeys that are still attainable for the average hunter – over the counter opportunities involving reasonable prices and freedom from draw systems and waiting periods. If you’re going to make the leap, it’s important to research it early and map it out during the offseason. Here is a list of 5 of the most affordable deer hunting destinations in the country. Hopefully, it will provide you with a head start and some motivation.

The Cornhusker state offers a good variety of opportunities for different hunting styles. It features the Sandhills (west to west-central), river bottoms (south-southeast), and the Pine Ridge hills (west). Diversity reigns supreme in this often-overlooked state. Hunting pressure is typically low, with a very sparse population between its towns and cities.

Mid-higher aged bucks are attainable here, especially in the central and western regions. Another plus is that active food plots are common in many of the state’s Wildlife Management Areas (WMA’s). This means that, with a little scouting and strategy, area bucks and travel patterns can be determined.

Bag Limit: 2 either-sex licenses can be obtained. Further, archery deer licenses are valid for either whitetails or mule deer in many areas.

Nonresident fees: Habitat Stamp, $25; Deer Permit, $242

Visit Outdoor Nebraska  for more information.

First off, the Sooner State provides a bounty of opportunity harvest-wise offering a whopping six deer (two bucks) for bowhunters. With almost one-million available public hunting acres, opportunity abounds. The cat is out of the bag, as Oklahoma has gone from whitetail sleeper-state to a go-to destination for mature whitetails. In fact, according to the Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA), more than half of the state’s harvested bucks are 3.5-years old or greater. Now that’s an attractive and rare statistic.

Oklahoma’s Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) are particularly attractive, with many of them featuring good whitetail habitat. The southeast region of the state features favorable timber and cover and has the state’s biggest deer population. Additionally, though whitetails are by far the state’s greatest draw, the western region is home to mule deer.

Bag Limit: Six deer (no more than two may be antlered) 

Nonresident fees: Deer License, $300 (archery, rifle, or muzzleloader)

Visit Wildlife department for more information.

Based in Texas, Jerald Kopp is President of 1st Light Hunting Journal. His articles cover a variety of topics about hunting and the outdoor lifestyle. Jerald is an avid outdoorsman with deer hunting and whitetails being by far his greatest passion. He was introduced to hunting and fishing at an early age and has been enjoying it for 40+ years. In 2005, he established the Empowerment Outfitter Network (EON) – a faith-based non-profit organization that provides hunting opportunities for disabled and terminally-ill children and youth. When not hunting, he spends his time traveling and enjoying life with Amy, his wife of over 30 years. Jerald and Amy have two adult daughters and a son-in-law.

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Where to hunt white-tailed deer.

The range of the white-tailed deer covers almost all North America. They are most common everywhere east of the Rocky Mountains. From the Rockies west, mule deer and black-tailed deer dominate, but whitetails are still found in river bottom areas and lower foothills in many western states. Whitetails are also found in many other areas of the world where they have been introduced, including New Zealand, Finland, the Czech Republic, and Serbia. Record books recognize a wide variety of subspecies, from Coues whitetails to Texas whitetails to northern whitetails, but the differences are largely in size and geographic region. Northern whitetails of Canada and the northern Midwest are the largest in body size; body size tends to get smaller the farther south you go, although antler size does not necessarily do the same, as some Texas whitetails have antlers that rival their northern cousins.

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United states.

Price distribution

Guided whitetail deer hunts start at about $300-$500, depending on the location and duration of the hunt. Archery and muzzleloader hunts, where the chance to harvest a trophy is smaller, are typically cheaper. Prices increase with trip duration, the work that the outfitter has put in to improve the trophy quality and abundance, or the need to travel into remote areas, but most will cost under $3,500. The hunts offered around the $10,000 mark on BookYourHunt.com are mostly combination hunts with other animals, or calculated for a party of 3-4 hunters.

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Learn more from our blog story.

When most Americans say “deer”, they typically mean “whitetail”, but there are other kinds of deer in North America. How many are there? Three? Six? Fifty-eight? Eighty? Select your answer and read our blog story to check yourself. Don’t forget that no matter how many kinds of deer there are, each of them represent an exciting opportunity for a challenging hunt.

When to hunt White-Tailed Deer?

Whitetail deer hunting season is generous, beginning in August or September in most states and provinces, and often lasting well into the next year. However, the greater part of it is typically archery only, with the modern firearm seasons limited to a few weeks in October-November. This season usually coincides with the rut, which is generally supposed to be the best time to hunt white-tailed deer.

Hunting methods All hunting methods (15)

Whitetails are hunted with a variety of methods depending on terrain, habits, and local laws and traditions. Most common is stand hunting, where a hunter watches from a likely area, either from a treestand or ground blind. In some states such as Texas and Michigan, baiting is legal, and hunters may be positioned near a feeder or bait pile. Driving is also a traditional method of deer hunting, especially in Eastern states that are thickly wooded. Still-hunting and spot-and-stalk are the most challenging and rewarding methods.

Hunting From a Blind

Rifle Hunting

Bow Hunting

White-tailed Deer

Why hunt white-tailed deer.

White-tailed deer are by far the most common ungulate in North America, and one of the world’s most popular animals to hunt. There’s a reason for this: While whitetails are extremely abundant throughout most of their range, they are wary and very challenging to hunt. Some hunters pursue whitetails to put healthy, organic, local meat in their freezer; others - for the challenge of outsmarting an old, mature buck, while for someone else the most important part of it is being in the same old autumn woods that their ancestors hunted for generations. But in any case a white-tailed deer hunt is a continuation of the tradition that is as old as America itself.

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All Inclusive Deer Hunting Vacation Packages

Heartland Lodge offers the best all-inclusive deer hunting vacation packages available throughout the Midwest. We offer 100% free range deer hunts that includes everything a hunter needs to make a great deer hunting trip. Our deer hunting vacation packages include all the meals, 5-star lodging, and transportation to and from the hunter’s stand. Coming to Heartland Lodge for a deer hunting vacation is a great way to relax and spend time with family and friends and continues to be a tradition for several of our hunters we have return each deer season.

**Interested in an all-inclusive deer hunting vacation ? Give me a call at 217-982-4039 or E-mail [email protected] for more information today! Prime spots sell out quickly!!**

Sign up to win a FREE All-Inclusive WHITETAIL HUNT for Two Hunters!! Sign Up Now Here >>

A Deer Hunter’s Dream Vacation Package

What more would a diehard deer hunter enjoy than a deer hunting trip to Pike County Illinois chasing giant whitetails!? Heartlands all-inclusive packages are the perfect deer hunter’s vacation. We manage over 5,000 acres of some of the highest quality deer hunting ground throughout the Midwest. Located in between the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers, Heartland Lodge manages for a healthy herd and has a strict 140″minimum on all whitetail bucks. Our properties consistently produce giant whitetails year after year. How? Because we have the genetics, food, and cover that mature deer need to grow into their full potential.

Check out our latest TRAIL CAMERA PICTURES ,  DEER HARVEST PICTURES , or go to our HUNTING RATES page for pricing on hunts that are still available!

Deer Hunting Vacation Trip Checklist

Thousands of whitetail hunters plan deer hunting vacations every year. What makes a trip to Heartland Lodge different than going to other vacation destinations? We take care of everything from food plots, monitoring trail cameras , hanging treestands, cooking amazing home-cooked meals, and processing your deer for the trip back home! Here’s a small checklist of items you should bring along on your all-inclusive deer hunting vacation>>

• Your bow or gun
• Bow release/broadheads/arrows/quiver
• Knee high rubber boots (Recommended)
• Orange hat and vest (Gun only)
• Bow or gun case *required in Illinois when in vehicle
• Rattling antlers
• Pull up rope
• Safety belts are required
• Hand warmers
• Slippers or heavy socks (Shoes are removed in mud room at lodge)
• Range finder
• Tags/license
• Phone charger
• Contact lenses/glasses
• Scent away spray
• Scent free deodorant

Hunting the Illinois rut>> Don’t pick the wrong outfitter>> Illinois firearm trips>> Illinois archery trips>>

For more information on booking an all-inclusive whitetail hunt, please give me a call at 217-982-4039 or E-Mail [email protected] today!

Last Updated: August 31st, 2023

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Stringtown, Oklahoma

Oklahoma Whitetail Deer Hunts

Are you an avid deer hunter who has been after a trophy buck for years? You've heard that Oklahoma is a great place to hunt for big bucks, so you decided to look for an Oklahoma whitetail hunting outfitter. 5 Stone Ranch offers the best-guided whitetail deer hunts in Oklahoma, some refer to it as Okla deer hunting.

We can provide you with the knowledge and expertise you need to successfully hunt your trophy whitetail deer.

Oklahoma is a great place to hunt for big bucks because of the state's diverse landscape and abundance of deer. The state is home to a large number of trophy bucks, with many bucks scoring over 160 points.

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What to look for when picking a whitetail deer trip

When looking for an Oklahoma whitetail hunting outfitter, there are a few things you should keep in mind. 

You should make sure the outfitter is experienced and has a good reputation. We have years of experience and our guides are some of the most knowledgeable in the business.

You want to make sure the outfitter has access to quality deer hunting property. Our ranch is 2200 acres of prime hunting ground. The deer population is plentiful, and the big bucks are here.

Make sure the outfitter can provide you with the necessary equipment and supplies for your hunting trip. We can provide lodging and meals along with a full range of hunting equipment.

When is Deer Season in Oklahoma

Oklahoma also has a long deer season, running from early November through late December. This gives hunters plenty of time to bag a trophy buck. For detailed dates and times about Oklahoma, deer hunting season check the webpage: WildLIfe Department Hunting Seasons.

Oklahoma department of Wildlife

So, if you're looking for the best Oklahoma whitetail hunting, look no further than 5 Stone Ranch. Contact us today to book your hunt.

What is a trophy deer

Trophy whitetail deer are the most prized deer in North America. They are hunted for their size and racks. A trophy buck is typically a deer that measures more than 150 inches in total length and weighs more than 200 pounds. The average trophy buck will have antlers that are at least six points, with some bucks having more than 12 points.

Oklahoma offers some of the best trophy whitetail deer hunting in the country. The state is home to a large number of trophy bucks, with many bucks scoring over 160 points.

Oklahoma is also home to 5 Stone Ranch, a deer hunters' paradise. Here at 5 Stone Ranch, we are like family, and we will work hard to make sure you have a successful hunt.

Whitetail deer hunts for groups

Whitetail deer hunts for groups are a great way to spend time with family and friends. At 5 Stone Ranch, we can accommodate groups of any size. We have a variety of packages to choose from, and we can customize a package to fit your group's needs. Contact us today to book your Oklahoma whitetail deer hunt.

How much is a guided whitetail deer hunt

Check our pricing page for updated pricing for whitetail deer hunts . At this time our guided whitetail deer hunts are $3000. They include lodging, meals, and a full range of hunting equipment. Let us take the hassle out of planning your deer hunt. You will have an unforgettable experience, and you will be able to take home a trophy buck. Contact us today to book your hunt.

Prices are subject to availability and can change based on the size of the trophy. 

What you can expect from a guided hunt

Typically this means that the guide or outfitter provides hunting grounds, as well as gear and advice/instructions to help you succeed. Oftentimes, food and lodging are included in the price of the guided deer hunt.

When you go on a guided deer hunt, you can expect to have a great experience. Our guides are experienced professionals who know how to get the most out of your hunt. They will work hard to ensure that you have a successful hunt. You can also expect the following:

Lodging: We will provide you with comfortable lodging while you are on your hunt.

Meals: We will provide all of your meals while you are on your hunt.

Transportation: We will provide you with transportation to and from the hunting grounds.

Hunting equipment: We will provide you with all of the necessary hunting equipment.

Expert advice: Our guides are experts, and they will give you the best advice you need to have a successful hunt.

 Contact us! To book your Oklahoma whitetail deer hunt .

  Book Your Hunt Today              Tel : ( 330)-647-4279  or   (315)374-8172

Whitetail ridge outfitters, whitetail archery  hunting.

PRIME HUNTING LOCATIONS

       Ohio Whitetail Ridge Outfitters offers prime hunting locations that are family owned and operated in Ohio's far Northeast Region.         Our hunting lodge is located on over 1000 acres of privately-owned Whitetail Deer Habitat.         Enjoy the comforts of home at our lodge which offers free-range whitetail deer hunting experiences. We offer 5 Day Archery Hunt, 4 day January Hunt, Muzzleloader , and Spring Turkey Hunt.  

     have a pleasant stay at our secluded hunting lodge located in northeast, ohio surrounded by a serene lake, rolling hills and lush green valleys.      we we provide permanent tree stands and ground blinds. we  also provide sight in targets and of course a fire pit, sleeping quarters and plenty of good food. our 30 acre serene lake also offers plent of good fishing.            come and enjoy the great outdoors with us       , our goal here at ohio whitetail ridge outfittersis to provide all our clients with high quality hunts, an unforgetable stay at our lodge and a memorible experience to share with their family and friends. take a look at our site and check us out on facebook and see what you can expect from us here at ohio whitetail ridge outfitters. feel free to call us anytime with questions and to directly book a hunt. remember space is limited ,so hunting outfitters are based on first come first serve basis- book your hunt today.

Enjoy your stay at Lodge location which offers a free range whitetail deer hunting

experience at our secluded hunting lodge that overlooks a serene 30 acre lake with plenty of fish,

 5-day Archery hunt, 4 day, January, Muzzleloader hunt as well as during Ohio Gun Season and

Spring Turkey Hunt. You can hunt from our permanent tree stands and ground blinds,

(food & lodging not included with, Turkey Hunts.)

Call Today to Book Your Hunt  

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     BOOK YOUR HUNT TODAY!     Call: 330-647-4279      315-374-8172     

CALL US: 234-600-7577

CRAZY BONE OUTFTTERS, LLC

Semi-guided ohio & kentucky trophy whitetail hunts.

Located in northeastern Ohio & Kentucky, our 8,000 acres of privately managed & exclusive access offers our hunters true opportunities at harvesting free-range trophy whitetails that Ohio & Kentucky are famous for.

Our hunters are able to book a variety of semi-guided hunt options that vary between Ohio and Kentucky. Please review our dates on the HUNTS page, and call for our current availability. We would love to have you come hunt with us!

With the mountainous terrain, CRP, corn, soybeans, mining strip jobs, oak flats, and swamp bottoms, we have the ultimate whitetail habitat combinations that monster bucks love in Ohio and Kentucky. Come see for yourself!

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Tips for protecting natural resources while hunting.

Submitted Photo One of North Dakota’s more popular hunting seasons, the firearm deer season, runs for roughly two weeks each November. Photo from Adobe Stock.

North Dakota’s firearm deer-hunting season kicks off Nov. 10, and pheasant hunting is already underway. Conservation voices have some guidance on how to be a good steward of the land.

If you’re planning a hunting trip this fall, the nonprofit Backcountry Hunters & Anglers hopes you keep certain conservation rules in mind.

Trey Curtiss, the group’s conservation programs coordinator, said obvious tips include not littering or lighting campfires in extremely dry areas, even with North Dakota seeing plenty of snow already. He added that when you take down an animal, you should try to make use of most of the carcass to avoid any waste. It goes beyond the meat that’s collected.

“Thinking about ways that you can use more, whether it’s bones for stock or some of the entrails for a ‘dirty rice’ recipe,” he said, “and then, even maybe some of the hair or feathers for fly-tying, and things like that.”

The fly tying he refers to involves using feathers for fly-fishing hooks. Curtiss also urged people to train and practice as much as possible to avoid firing unnecessary rounds. Being in good enough shape to remove meat from an animal quickly and get it on ice is another way to avoid waste.

If you’re successful, Curtiss said, avoid taking a gratuitous picture with the animal and posting it on social media. He said many states still face challenges in attracting a new generation of hunters and can’t afford to turn off more people to the sport.

“I think it’s noteworthy that hunters be respectful and realize that their audience isn’t always just hunters,” he said. “There are other folks that are going to be looking on, and it’s up to us to ensure that we promote hunting in the best light possible.”

He reminded people that a lot of wildlife conservation funding in the United States comes from taxes and fees on hunting and fishing. As for waterfowl hunting, Curtiss stressed not using lead ammunition to avoid harmful elements making their way into the water. The Biden administration has been pushing to phase out lead ammo for hunting on federal lands.

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Leaving the field for the forest.

rae Waynes shouldered his hunting rifle and took a knee in the steep, wooded blufflands of Buffalo County.

It was one day prior to this fall's Wisconsin youth deer hunt and he was using the gun's scope to spy on whitetails in the distance. Two days later, his 7-year-old daughter, Layla, would shoot her first deer — aptly described by mom and dad as a "mega-giant."

During his playing days as a first-round pick for the Vikings, Trae Collin Waynes maintained a low profile off the field. In retirement, he has entered the hunting world with a splash as big as Layla's 11-point buck.

At age 31, the former cornerback has become one of the biggest landowners in one of the nation's most coveted whitetail landscapes. Since 2018, his Home Grown Outfitters business has acquired upward of 3,500 acres of pristine hunting land in Buffalo County, spending tens of millions of dollars in the process. Lifelong residents of the county 75 miles southeast of the Twin Cities have never seen anything like it, and his buying spree, along with his NFL celebrity, have tongues wagging in nearly every local deer camp and on many of the area's farms.

In the 2015 NFL draft, the Vikings picked Waynes 11th overall out of Michigan State. He played five seasons under coach Mike Zimmer. In his final two NFL seasons, he was plagued by injuries while with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Today, Waynes looks fit enough to rejoin the Vikings secondary. He was a freshman at Michigan State when Kirk Cousins was the team's senior quarterback. They remain friends. But Waynes said he endured enough of the sport's mental and physical toll by the end of the 2021 season, when he played a few snaps for the Bengals in Super Bowl LVI.

"I knew I didn't want to play football forever," he said during a recent tour of two of his hunting properties.

Moreover, he intentionally chose a 70-acre homestead in southern Montana to get far away from the spotlight.

"I wanted to go somewhere where they didn't care about football," Waynes said. "We moved there to escape the big city, that fast life and all the chaos."

Now his life revolves around his wife, Kyra, and their four children, frequently outdoors. They hunt (Kyra recently took down a Montana bull elk), fish, ride horses, do barn chores, search for shed antlers and ride four-wheelers.

"The hunting aspect for my family has been a bonus," he said. "I'm not forcing them to do it … but they won't be isolated from things like gutting a deer or firearms safety."

Buy high, sell higher

Amid Buffalo County's gorgeous contours of farm fields and forests, deer hunters have long placed upward pressure on real estate prices. Not only is the habitat ideal for whitetails, most hunters in these valleys share in the nobility of allowing young bucks to grow old and big.

With Home Grown, Waynes has pushed the land market to new extremes. Area farmers who once said they would never sell their land have received offers from him that they couldn't refuse. The churn has also lifted the market for seasonal land leases — the traditional ticket for outsiders to hunt in Wisconsin's land of record-book bucks.

MeatEater, a national outdoors lifestyle company, once ranked Alma, the county seat, as the second-best deer hunting town in America. Buffalo County also produced the famous Field & Stream magazine buck of 2008, a 16-pointer believed to be among the largest typical whitetail bucks ever taken. Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre has hunted here, as well as Hank Williams Jr.

"Everybody wants this land and nobody wants to let it go," said RP Pelke, a real estate broker in Durand, Wis. "He [Waynes] comes in and a guy like that is really pushing it. … For sure, he's having an impact."

Greg Haselwander, a real estate broker who has been making land deals in Buffalo County for 20 years, said sizable parcels were selling in the range of $4,500 to $6,000 per acre before Waynes jumped in. Since then, deals of $7,500 to $8,000 per acre have become the norm while exemplary pieces go for over $10,000 an acre, he said. Waynes has been a central buyer, but other outfitters have joined the fray.

"The trend is to put farms together to own a big piece," Haselwander said. "Then it's easier for buck management.''

Expanding opportunities

"We have a very popular deer-hunting county," said Cale Severson, director of land management and conservation in Buffalo County. "With Trae now, it's kind of wild."

Waynes himself wouldn't disagree. He said Home Grown has a waiting list of 3,000 would-be customers from around the country who are willing to pay upward of $7,000 to spend a few days hunting for a once-in-a-lifetime wild buck. Nothing is fenced in. At night, the guests rest easy in a deluxe lodge where meals are prepared by a professional chef. In the field, they are positioned by a licensed guide in weatherproof blinds.

"We don't overhunt our properties and we keep our guests comfortable," Waynes said. "At the lodge, it's almost like a locker room setting, but for hunting."

Especially during Wisconsin's peak deer season before and after Thanksgiving, Waynes travels from his home in Montana to partake in the camaraderie.

"When there's a buck harvest and Trae is around, he gets more excited than the client," said Jeff Althoff, Waynes' business partner.

Waynes and Althoff said they have already enjoyed large financial returns by buying and selling parcels, flipping them once they groom them into dreamy hunting lands. The end game of their business plan in Buffalo County is liquidation, but they are holding on to most of their properties and selling trophy buck hunts while they build their brand.

For now, they said, Home Grown's portfolio includes 25 properties in Buffalo County, ranging up to 650 acres in size. Three of the properties include hunting lodges. Their modus operandi after buying the land is to cut trails with heavy equipment, log certain timber stands, plant new trees, install deer stands, plant food plots for wild deer and dig watering holes for them. Those investments are substantial, Waynes said, but he and Althoff plan to make it all back — and then some — by selling to upper-crust buyers from around the country who desire the ultimate "turn-key" deer hunting property.

"If I can't get my money back, I won't buy it," Waynes said. "These purchases are long-term investments."

According to the football website overthecap.com , Waynes earned $52.8 million over his seven-year career in the NFL. He said he has been able to expand Home Grown without taking on investors. Besides redrawing the land ownership plat map in Buffalo County, he and Althoff are looking for similar opportunities in Iowa and Kansas.

Early love for the outdoors

In part, Waynes said, his new life is a departure from his upbringing in Kenosha, Wis., where his parents are school guidance counselors. Ron and Erin Waynes were both collegiate track stars, but Trae chose football. One of his childhood friends and high school teammates was Melvin Gordon, the former University of Wisconsin running back now with the Baltimore Ravens.

Waynes said no one in his extended family hunted, but he learned to love the outdoors on childhood visits to his grandparents' 30-acre farm in Illinois. His autumns were taken up by football until he finally experienced deer hunting while playing for the Vikings. That's when he started peeling down to Buffalo County with friends on his days off.

One of those friends, a Minnesotan he met by chance at Mystic Lake Casino, was Althoff, a corporate finance whiz and town team baseball player from Delano. They and their wives have grown close.

"It basically came from that Minnesota Nice," Waynes recalled. "They reached out, like, 'Oh, you are new here … can we help?' I'm more reserved, but they were really open."

Kyra's father, Bill Luther, said it was Althoff who eventually pitched an 11-year business plan to Trae and Kyra for what became Home Grown Outfitters LLC and Love the Grind TV, a professionally produced, hunting-oriented YouTube channel.

Althoff said Love the Grind models excellence in the field while preaching ethical hunting. It's an emphasis somewhat related to him hitting the "reset button," he said, after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor for falsely registering a game farm buck in 2018 in Wisconsin. He considers the violation, unrelated to Home Grown, a blessing as a reminder "to do everything the right way."

Formerly a successful corporate finance executive in the Twin Cities, Althoff now spearheads the business' field operations in consultation with Trae while Kyra handles the administrative work. Trae created the "Home Grown" moniker as an ode to his Wisconsin upbringing.

Severson, Buffalo County's land manager, said Home Grown's expansion is to the point where county officials will soon meet with Waynes to possibly introduce lodging and commercial kitchen regulations.

He also said there has been some concern at the county board level about the hunting properties being enrolled in a forestry program that reduces the rate of property taxes. But, Severson said, lands acquired by Home Grown were probably already in the lower tax category.

"One person grabbing all this land in a block has raised some eyebrows," Severson said. "But I don't see a big change in land use … Our county's historically been at the forefront of conservation."

As Home Grown spreads its wings, Waynes and Althoff said they're benefiting from an assortment of revenue streams. Besides collecting outfitting fees and timber receipts, they're benefitting from marketing agreements with nine hunting goods manufacturers. Their video and photo productions generate money and they run a consulting business instructing hunters on how to landscape their own properties for growing and holding trophy bucks.

"I'll be sitting very, very well by the time we liquidate," Waynes said.

Tony Kennedy is an outdoors writer covering Minnesota news about fishing, hunting, wildlife, conservation, camping, natural resource management, public land, forests and water.

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