Your First Western Hunt: Part I

Custer State Park, South Dakota - Taken June 2022 by Jasveer Sandhu

The Decision to Go:

“How do I even begin to plan a western hunt?”

This was the question I raised to my wife as we sat next to the campfire on our honeymoon. Now, I know what you’re thinking. “You brought up leaving for a hunting trip to your spouse on your honeymoon?!” Yes, and I have to say it was an encouraging discussion! My wife has always been a huge supporter of my passions for the outdoors so when I brought up a western hunt, she enthusiastically voiced her approval. She even thought about joining me! That brings me to my first lesson as I have been planning my first western hunting trip, Get your spouse or partner on board if possible. You are about to embark on an endeavor that requires both time and finances, so depending on your relationship status it is critical to voice and discuss your goals with your spouse or partner. Their support will go a long way in being successful in the field and in the home. Some things to consider may be going together if they are interested in joining or offering to hunt nearby a place that they may find appealing so they can enjoy what relaxes them while you enjoy what relaxes you. Another strategy may be to set a future hunt timeline such as committing to one major hunt every several years which may ease their concerns about the fiscal and schedule burden that your trips may cause.

Once my wife and I had discussed the risks and rewards of a western hunt she asked me “what are your goals for your hunt”? What an excellent question and one that I had overlooked entirely. It is critical to establish your hunting goals. I knew that I wanted to go out west and get hunting, but I hadn’t really considered why I wanted to do that. With reflection, I realized that I wanted to challenge myself physically, mentally, and in the matters of woodsmanship, and adaptability. To test my skills and assess the very constitution of my ability. I believe that to prove to yourself that you are able to achieve great things is a noble pursuit, but it need not be the only one. You can start by seeking to achieve small things first. You see, I am a self-prescribed security freak. I realized that my first western hunt was not only about seeking my limits, but it was also about establishing a baseline for my skills. With time and consideration, I concluded that what I truly hoped to do was to get comfortable with the western wildlife management system, laws, biomes, and species. I needed to assure myself that by tackling a challenging hunt and being successful in an unfamiliar place, I could push myself further and further in the future knowing that the pool of hunting experiences available will be far to deep to touch the bottom before I reach the point of no longer being able to adventure far from home. By this means I was able to define what success meant to me, here is what I aim to carry forward as I plan and embark on this journey.

·       To learn what types of hunting opportunities exist in the Western United States

·       To improve my knowledge of how to navigate and apply for limited draw tags as a non-resident.

·       Learn how to prepare for a hunting expeditions into an area that is unfamiliar to me.

·       To learn how to research a species and predict its movement and tendencies with little or no personal experience

·       To hunt and camp effectively for more than 3 days.

I hope you are excited to follow my journey as I go. I will continue to share my lessons learned and the story of my successes as well as my failures. Feel free to reach out to me, should you have questions. God Bless and Happy Hunting!

Jasveer Sandhu