If you have ever daydreamed about doing some hunting out west, there are some inexpensive opportunities available that won’t break the bank like a 2-week fully guided pack horse trip for elk and mule deer might do. You can actually have wonderful experiences hunting across Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming, or just about any of the western states that most hunters only dream about. Let’s look at some opportunities open to non-residents of various Western states.
Have you ever hunted coyotes in Pennsylvania? Well, something I discovered while hunting spring gobblers across all 50 states is that coyotes are in virtually every state in America! As such, pursuing coyotes out west can be a real “door-opener” when it comes to seeking access for a place to hunt. In the western states, coyote hunting requires a very different approach than in the east, given the open terrain where they are found. In most western states, as here in Pennsylvania, there is no closed season on coyotes, and there is no limit on the number you can take. Since they are most easily pursued in an open plains setting, hunting them lends itself to longer-range shooting — usually at several hundred yards, with distances up to 1,000 yards or more possible. Spot-and-stalk is a method used by some hunters, but more often they are hunted by calling, either with a handheld call or an electronic caller. If you approach it properly, probably the easiest way ever to gain access to a place to hunt is to request permission to hunt coyotes. After that, it just may lead to an invitation to return to hunt other game.
Additionally, one of the most popular species to go after out west is the lowly prairie dog. This burrowing rodent is native to the grasslands of North America and is a type of ground squirrel weighing about 2 pounds. They need very little water, as the vegetation they eat provides enough hydration. They are very social animals and live in close-knit family groups, usually consisting of one adult male, one or more adult females, and their young offspring. These groups live together in wards, and several wards make up a town. The burrows that they make can pose a danger to livestock, and they are known to be susceptible to plague. For this reason, most ranchers welcome a hunter looking for a place to hunt prairie dogs. Generally, prairie dog hunting is not regulated. The only thing you need to do is make sure that you have a landowner’s permission to hunt them. They can be taken at close range out to almost 100 yards with a .22-caliber rifle, but are often taken at several hundred yards with a higher-caliber, longer-range rifle. If you are shooting prairie dogs, make sure you pick up all of the brass from the ammunition you will be using.
Probably the least costly big game animal in North America to hunt when hunting out west is the pronghorn. It is also called a pronghorn antelope and nicknamed “speed goats” or, as the locals in Colorado say, just plain “goats.” It can run at a sustained speed of 35 miles per hour for 4 miles and can reach a maximum speed of 60 miles per hour, making it the second fastest land animal, second only to the cheetah. Excellent eyesight, which, combined with their exceptional speed, allows them to avoid predation by coyotes, wolves, cougars, and sometimes even golden eagles. They are grazers found throughout most of the states west of the Rockies, usually on the open plains. They can be hunted in various archery, muzzleloader or firearms seasons in the fall.
If you are interested in traveling out west to do some hunting, prairie dogs and coyotes provide probably the best opportunity to obtain a landowner’s permission to trespass on his land. As long as you show some common courtesy and respect for the landowner and are interested in helping him reduce or control the numbers of predators or pests on his property, a rancher is usually open to your request. It also provides an opportunity to develop a relationship with a rancher — a relationship that just might lead to being able to hunt small game or big game on the same ranch.
