Hunting Destinations in the USA
The adrenaline rush that comes with taking down the game is such that only a true hunter would understand. From tracking down the animal to taking the winning shot, to posing for a picture with your kill; these are all moments treasured by many hunters. However, you can only get that award-winning hunting picture with the buck’s head, massive antlers et all hanging over your fireplace only if you know the right locations to plan your hunting expedition in the first place. Don’t be that hunter who spends days on end in the woods peering through his hunting binoculars, armed with hunting crossbows only to show up to an expectant household with a backpack full of nothing.
If you are after a wild hunting experience, some destinations are rife with the big game. Making a trip to the African Serengeti with its lush rainforest and herds of big, exotic game is a hunters dream come true. But if you are not ready for the African wildlife just yet, read on for the ten of the best hunting destinations in the USA
1. Salmon, Idaho
With a name like salmon, fishing readily comes to mind when you talk of this town in Idaho. Well, this town certainly lives up to its name with a bountiful species of trout, salmon and all kinds of fish species for the hunting. The best part is, these fishes are available all year long. In the mood to take on bigger game? Salmon is chock full of elk and deer even though the emergence of wolves has thinned the herd so to speak. There is still room for you though if you would rather have more of a challenge; man versus wild cat type challenge that is.
Salmon also boasts of a teeming population of bears and mountain lions; but if you really want to up the ante and have a grizzly head hanging over your mantelpiece rather than plain ole’ elk, then you need to grab up one of your best hunting backpacks and get that motor running with your hunting GPS set for Salmon, Idaho. Situated right on the Salmon River with its variety of fish species and millions of acres of public hunting grounds, Idaho sure is the place to go.
2. Rapid City, South Dakota
This city in South Dakota is a hunter’s dream come true. You don’t even need a specific season before you find game. With game available all year round, it is always open season in Rapid City. This beautiful terrain is as great for hunting as well as photo opportunities with its picturesque mountains, lakes and cold-water streams. So take out that trail camera of yours and put it to good use. Don’t be in such a hurry to take down that big, black grizzly, think beyond your mantelpiece for a change and get some photos in first.
A close up picture of a mama bear and her cubs getting their first of many fishing training would make a perfect souvenir or keepsake of a memorable hunting trip. With a rich environment such as Rapid City, opportunities abound for both hunting and fishing. It all depends on whichever catches your fancy. Those lakes are loaded with rainbow trout. Prefer hunting in the mountains? Then you certainly will be running into a lot of deer, elk and even wild turkey.
3. Alaska
Surprised Alaska made the list? Well since money exchanged hands all the way back in the 1800s, Alaska is a part of the United States of America. If you are willing to confront the biting cold of the mountain range for the prospect of hauling some moose, then Alaska is the right hunting ground for you. Remember Bullwinkle, the cartoon moose your kids just can’t get enough of? Well, get your tree stand out and start scoping those mountains for some moose, and you just might get to take Bullwinkle home. The Alaskan – Yukon bull moose have been known to carry antlers spanning well over six feet and bulls themselves weighing in at a whopping 1, 200 pounds.
Those are literally the world’s largest and heaviest antlers. With antlers that impressive, your trail camera will need to be handy to capture such Kodak moments. You might want to reserve such big game hunts for when you go with the guys. You sure are going to need all the help you can get carving up and hauling all that meat and antlers home.
4. Georgetown, South Carolina
Georgetown is so much more than the name of the University many smart youths aspire to enter. It is also the name of the city that speaks to the soul of many a hunter. With the numerous rivers chock full of various species of fish that all converge right in Georgetown, and more than a quarter million acres in a land ripe for the hunting, it isn’t hard to see why. Enjoy the taste of free-range wild poultry? Then look no further than Georgetown. This South Carolina hunting spot is filled with wild turkey, quail and other smaller game.
Would you fancy the look of a large deer peeking through the back of your 4 x 4 truck? Well, that truck will finally be getting some use for what it was made for in Georgetown. Just get your hunting tree stands set up in an area known for deer sightings, perch yourself comfortably on it and keep your eyes peeled through your hunting binoculars. You don’t want to get yourself in the lockup for shooting what you thought was a deer.
5. Venice, Louisiana
Do you constantly get the itch to hunt at odd times of the year? In this small Louisiana town, the season is no hitch to scratching that itch, as there is game all year round. When it comes to fishing, Venice is one location where having fish on the grill is always guaranteed. Venice in Louisiana that is. The Italian Venice is no place to go looking for trout.
Prefer your fishes bigger and more trail camera worthy? Then step out of the marshes and take on some marlin, tuna and even swordfish but make sure to keep your hunting boots firmly strapped on in marshy areas while you’re at it; we only hope you picked out the waterproof variety. Your feet are going to need all the protection they can get from all that moisture. Out in the woods is not the place to fall victim on some painful, toe munching fungus. The rubber-soled hunting boots are your feet and back’s best friend in marshy fishing spots like Louisiana where you need good grip. No room for slipping and sliding like some rookie in the wild.
6. Appleton, Wisconsin
Aiming for some big game? Then Wisconsin is your best bet. There are a lot of whitetail deer, massive buck and Grizzlies over there. You will need to be really patient for this one as those massive bucks or bears you got your eyes on aren’t just going to come waltzing within range of your crosshairs. Using your hunting GPS and some advice from the locals on where best to take down buck, you could figure out where best to set up ‘shop’.
Bigger game can be quite smart and harder to take down, hence the need for you to be safely ensconced in hunting blinds high above ground. It is your best bet in singling out a buck to take down while successfully avoiding becoming game yourself for some hungry wild cat. With 661, 000 acres of prime hunting grounds there is more than enough room for you and your buds to pick off a few elk. Should you find yourself in Wisconsin in the fall, you might want to check out the wild geese that migrate there.
7. Charleston – Beckley, West Virginia
Don’t dismantle that hunting blind just yet. Charleston – Beckley is teeming with black bears, deer and smaller game like squirrels. Above ground, looking through your hunting binoculars, sizing up prey is what smart hunters who plan to live to hunt another day do. Just make sure not to set up where there are too many trees overhead. Remember, both black bears and mountain lions can climb trees. Whether a hunting crossbow or a rifle is your weapon of choice, with a target as large as a deer, nailing your prey shouldn’t be an issue.
Want to get warmed up with smaller prey like a squirrel? Your rifle is a good weapon for picking off the small stuff. Unless of course, your hunting crossbow skills are the kind that can put Katniss Everdeen of Hunger Games to shame. Want to relax with a little fishing? Charleston’s New River is filled with various species of wild trout, muskies and walleye fish. What better opportunity to give your hunting binoculars, eyes and hunting crossbow a breather than when fishing?
8. Dallas County, Alabama
If you are a hunter that deals strictly in four-legged game and would rather stay away from water, then Dallas County is the hunting ground for you. With a deer population estimated at over 1. 75 million, there is no shortage of game. The thing with big game is, you might have to spend days tracking one to make sure you don’t blow your chance at the kill shot. This is one hunting ground where there are no restrictions on the kind of weapon you may use to take down prey. Hunting crossbow, rifle or shotgun, whichever is your weapon of choice, you are permitted to use it.
With over 1. 75 million deer running loose within just 170,000 acres of hunting ground, Dallas County is the true embodiment of open season. Your hunting backpack might not even be enough to haul back all your kill. Make sure your boots are the comfortable kind with soft plush midsoles to support your back and feet from all the hiking that inevitably comes with tracking big game.
9. Vassalboro, Maine
Poultry lovers with a taste for the free-range variety would love the Vassalboro hunting grounds. This small town in Maine is prime turkey country with hundreds of them running loose in the wild, nice and ripe for the hunt. If you make it over to Maine in November and you just might pick yourself a large turkey to carve up just in time for Thanksgiving.
With your hunting crossbow in hand, you could take down an entire flock of birds. You don’t exactly need a stakeout with days of tracking to pick off a couple of wild birds. Seeing as even the store bought turkeys gets the kids so excited, the rich taste of free-range bird with a little bit of chew that they get to pluck and dress from scratch would send them into a tizzy. Put that GPS to good use and head for the Southern Maine where the concentration of wild birds are.
10. Arizona
Arizona is one hunting ground where you can find all kinds of game. Depending on what kind you are after, you just pick a spot where such animal is rife. Take your hunting GPS with you though. You do not want to play it by ear in the wild. Want to hunt down some deer, elk or antelope? Stick to the Pinetop region of Arizona for the large game. Prefer to start small and gradually work your way up? The Yukon is the place for you then. In the Yukon, you can go for rabbits or do some pheasants, quail and even doves.
If you feeling brave and would like to take a walk on the wild side for a change, you try the Kingman area of Arizona. That region is home to mountain lions and black bears. So if you would like a lion fang necklace as a hunting keepsake, you need to get to Kingman. Your hunting blinds won’t be sitting this one out. You need all the stealth and strategic positioning you can get when taking on apex predators.
Sources:
- Katniss Everdeen – Wikipedia
- Bullwinkle – Wikipedia
- Yukon – Wikipedia
