Growing up in Northeastern Pennsylvania, I always dreamt of going out west to chase elk, mule deer and whitetail. I have longed to hear a mature bull bugle from the distance in unknown territory. I am finally at the point in my life where planning my first out of state hunt is on the horizon. I have been taking some time to research, learn and get my ducks in a row for my trek across the country. While I haven’t made my trip yet, I have learned a lot about the planning phase because let’s face it, from the outside, planning an out of state hunt when you’ve never hunted anywhere but your home state seems like a monumental task. However, for me, stepping out of my comfort zone and into a new world is one of the many reasons why I love the adventure of hunting. I have gained a lot of knowledge in my quest to head out west and want to share this with anyone looking to do the same. Hopefully, after reading this article, you will feel more equipped to begin your plans too.

Drilling Down the State to Hunt

Though my goal is to hunt in states like Montana and Wyoming, I know that starting off with grandiose states like these will be too much for me for my first out of state adventure. So, if you have never hunted outside of your home state, I believe you will find many benefits to staying relatively close for your first out of state experience. A major benefit to this would be practice. As a coach and teacher, and also a husband and father, I am well aware of the importance and benefits of testing the waters in the shallows before jumping feet first into the deep end. So, for my first adventure outside of Pennsylvania, I am heading to Ohio. It’s far enough away for me to put my plans into action and practice hunting in a new area, all without breaking the bank, but close enough to enable familiarity and safety. With a close hunt, you may actually have the opportunity to scout the area you plan to hunt more frequently. This would allow you to become familiar with the land you plan on hunting before completely stepping into a new world. Staying closer to home will also help you save some extra money, which is a nice benefit as well. However, I also understand the want and drive to just take the plunge. So, if you don’t plan on staying close by, then choose the state that will provide you with the best opportunities to successfully fill your tag for whatever game you are hunting. Do some recon first and get as much detail as you can. Be sure you understand safe areas to hunt, current state regulations, tag prices, and the style of hunt you plan on doing. All of these will factor into where you go first. Try using the states’ regulation websites and some sites like gohunt to help you with these plans.

Scouting

Once you have selected the state you plan to hunt, a great idea would be to look into the past year’s harvest reports. This can be a huge help for individuals that have a limited amount of time to fill a tag so you can zero in on where you want to focus your hunting. From here, you can really draw up your game plan. This past year, I used online scouting apps like Huntwise to help me do some digital scouting. This enabled me to get in the right positions when I wasn’t able to physically get into the woods. So, let’s look at two different scenarios using Huntwise: getting boots on the ground and using digital maps to scout.

For this first example, let’s say you are close to home and have an opportunity to get boots on the ground before your actual hunt. We’ll look at my Ohio hunt next season. I live in central Pennsylvania, so getting to Ohio is an easy drive for me. My family loves to go camping and we stay at a campsite that is not far from the public land that I plan to hunt. I found this land using Huntwise. Thus, our family trips allow me to sneak away for a few hours and get some boots on the ground to scout. Before I head out, I mark waypoints on my Huntwise app of the spots I believe could be potential bedding areas, feeding areas and get the lay of the land from ridges to benches. With my waypoints marked, I begin scouting and make adjustments from there, just as anyone would do at their usual hunting spot at home. All this can be done on just a simple app. It’s a great tool for planning any hunt, near or far.

Now, let’s say the state you picked is farther away and your first experience in those woods is the first day of your hunt. You should still be doing some digital scouting using either Google Maps or apps like Huntwise. This may be difficult at first, but once you narrow the area down on these maps and find the spots you believe the game you are chasing will be, then the process will all be worth it. I have also reached out to individuals online who have hunted the area in the past that can give me insight to the location I am heading. There are many people willing to share their experiences through facebook groups, ArcheryTalk and Instagram. This has been another huge tool for me in this planning process.

Camp-Life & Gear Needed

The gear you need is all dependent upon the style of hunt you want. For this, you will need to decide whether you are planning to take on a multiple day backpacking in trip or your typical day trip. Each style will require proper planning and the right gear. My hope is that we all have a successful harvest on our trip, so the proper care of the meat is a vital priority. It is, therefore, crucial to plan ahead. For backpacking in, make sure you have gamebags, black garbage bags and a good pack with a loading shelf like the EXO MTN Gear 4800 to load the meat back. This will help you keep the meat cool and avoid spoiling until you return. For a day camp trip, having the proper amount of cooler space is going to be key as well. The Pelican 80QT on wheels is a great choice.

Furthermore, clothing is going to be one of if not the most important pieces of gear to have when on your hunt. Having the correct baselayers and outerwear for the trip is going to keep you hunting longer and help you stay comfortable while in unknown territory and far from home. So, be sure to check the weather and research typical weather patterns to make sure you pack accordingly. The First Lite Wick Hoody and Catalyst System are two of my favorite pieces of gear I own and would be great pieces to have for a trip out west. I definitely plan to have these with me when I head to Ohio to chase some whitetail. No matter what you decide for camping and where you are going to hunt, ensuring you have the proper gear is going to make the trip much more enjoyable and hopefully more successful.

Also, don’t be discouraged if you don’t already own the camping equipment or gear you need for your trip. It can be a huge expense to purchase all of it and haul it with you. Luckily, there is a new and exciting way to obtain the gear needed through a fantastic company called Big Sky Rentals. Big Sky Rentals offers individuals a chance to rent the gear they either can’t afford, don’t already own, or will only use for a limited amount of time. You can rent out full systems or a la carte items for a small and totally affordable price per day. At the end of your trip, you simply send it back. I definitely plan to use Big Sky Rentals for my upcoming adventures.

Above anything else I’ve learned throughout this research process, it’s to use my resources. If you know other hunters who have made a trip like this before, reach out to them. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Ask others to cross-check that you did your homework. Don’t let the idea of planning an out of state hunt stop you from doing it. Start small, practice, research, and above all, have fun. Good luck!