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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: Zach Mikita on March 23, 2009, 10:17:00 PM

Title: cheap hunts
Post by: Zach Mikita on March 23, 2009, 10:17:00 PM
Any suggestions on cheap, enjoyable around the midwest?  Living in Iowa I get the opportunity to hunt whitetails and easterns.  How easy is it to bear hunt up north? Or antelope out west?
Title: Re: cheap hunts
Post by: suzie_shooter on March 23, 2009, 11:21:00 PM
zach it is fairly easy to bear hunt up north. I guided for bears in Ontario for a year and was easy to do.  you need a passport now to get into canada but its an easy process.  i would highly recommend Mountain View Camp in Blind River Ontario if a bear hunt is what ur after. Great people and it is a great trad hunt.
Title: Re: cheap hunts
Post by: suzie_shooter on March 23, 2009, 11:22:00 PM
oh and by the way it is very reasonable compared to a midwest deer hunt which im sure you know what they run being from IA.
Title: Re: cheap hunts
Post by: String Cutter on March 24, 2009, 07:23:00 AM
A birth cert. and drivers lic. is all you need to go to and come from Canada. Unless there changed it this year???
Title: Re: cheap hunts
Post by: Whip on March 24, 2009, 07:52:00 AM
By easy, do you mean how difficult is it to put a hunt together, or how easy is it to kill an animal you are hunting?

If you're looking for cheap I am assuming you mean do it yourself?  If so, that eliminates Canada I think.  Pretty sure you now need to go through an outfitter for that.  

Antelope out west can be done very cheap and do it yourself is not difficult with some good research and planning.  Mule deer also can be done by yourself very easily, and although the licences are pricy, elk are another option.

Do you have access to some good whitetail hunting in Iowa?  There are guys out west that would jump at a chance to hunt a quality spot in Iowa in exchange for a western hunt.  It might take them a bit to draw a tag in your State though.

All of the above do take some work as far as planning and preparation go.  And they are not easy to hunt.  But you will get out of it what you put into it, and I would say go for it!
Title: Re: cheap hunts
Post by: Wary Buck on March 24, 2009, 08:54:00 AM
String Cutter--I believe the border crossing procedure is changing and that if you are an adult you will need a passport even for land travel (you for sure do for air travel) now.
Title: Re: cheap hunts
Post by: Irish Archer on March 24, 2009, 08:59:00 AM
I think they"ll let you into Canada just fine. The passport comes in handy for when you wan't to get back home.
Title: Re: cheap hunts
Post by: PSUBowhunter on March 24, 2009, 12:39:00 PM
dont rule out your neighboring state of Nebraska. We did a muley hunt there last fall. We rented a cabin and drove from PA, and the whole hunt cost around $600/person. There are also alot of antelope in the western part of the state.
Title: Re: cheap hunts
Post by: Gehrke145 on March 24, 2009, 12:49:00 PM
Antelope are easy and cheap, same with mule deer.  Both hunts have a great chance for a kill on a nice animal.  Theres a lot of deer in the 130s, a good amount in the 140s, a few in the 170+ range, all units seem to hold deer in this range (at least the 6 units i've hunted), and a good amount of antelope in the 60s.  Of the 2 antelope are the easiest to hunt and kill on public land.
Title: Re: cheap hunts
Post by: Zach Mikita on March 24, 2009, 02:03:00 PM
Where are you talking about? gehrke145
Title: Re: cheap hunts
Post by: DBerrard on March 24, 2009, 02:49:00 PM
Passports are what? $150? I'm not sure but I think around there. For $200 you can get a NR bear license for MN. Your job would be to find a place to hunt 'em...wish I knew but clueless. I bet there are some Minnesotans on board here that'd help out though.
Title: Re: cheap hunts
Post by: LKH on March 24, 2009, 02:57:00 PM
Northern MN has lots of bears and you don't need a guide.  Lots of public and timber land available.
Title: Re: cheap hunts
Post by: bohuntr on March 24, 2009, 04:42:00 PM
I would second the muledeer and antelope suggestion. Either western Nebraska or western SD would be good options for you.
Title: Re: cheap hunts
Post by: Gehrke145 on March 24, 2009, 04:49:00 PM
lol that was suppose to be a pm to someone else
Title: Re: cheap hunts
Post by: ranger 3 on March 24, 2009, 07:34:00 PM
I just got a passport for by land or by sea for $45.
Title: Re: cheap hunts
Post by: John3 on March 24, 2009, 08:51:00 PM
Non-resident South Dakota pronghorn buck & doe tags= $245.00..  Beautiful country full of Mule deer and antelope.