Texan moving to Utah

[jbseamus83]

Hello Everyone,
I am a born and raised Texan and 35 years old. I have been hunting whitetails and wild hogs since I was a sophomore in high school. I love hunting. However, I don't need to tell you guys that hunting whitetails in TX is a completely different activity than hunting big game in Utah - or anywhere else in the west. My family and I have made the decision to move to the Salt Lake area between April and May of 2020. I have watched so many shows (Fresh Tracks, OYOA, SoloHuntr, MeatEater, etc.), but I still feel so incredibly lost on how to even begin to start prepping for what hunting will be out west, as I have never hunted outside of TX.

I have downloaded and began to read the Big Game Application Guidebook and the Big Game Field Regulations Guidebook. I will start with those, as even applying for licenses and tags is totally different out here with points and drawings, etc. In TX you just go down to Academy, Wal-Mart, etc. and buy your license that includes all your tags for 5 deer, turkeys, fishing, etc.

I decided to join the forum to begin learning from some of you who know Western hunting. I will have a few connections in UT that I can hopefully tag along with on some hunts the first year, as I probably won't be hunting it (have to live in UT for 6 mos before being considered a resident). Other than getting out and hiking to learn the landscape and condition my body for the mountains, what should I be reading, studying, prepping over the course of the next year to help me out?

Thanks, and I look forward to being a part of this awesome community!

 

[Ruttin79]

Congratulations on such a big move! I'm a Texan too and have been considering moving out West myself. I wish you luck with your adventure. Just want to suggest one thing to you. Buy your Lifetime Resident Hunting License in TX before you move. That way you can keep coming back to the Lonestar State to hunt for the rest of your life as a resident. Happy hunting!

Chris

 

[JohnCushman]

Welcome aboard!!

 

[fishing4sanity]

Welcome to the forum and good luck with that move. The population in Utah has exploded over the last couple of decades, but when I used to fish down there, there were some rather exceptional places, hopefully they're still good. There is lots of great looking habitat, but the very little I've hunted there I doubt I'd be of any help. Feel free to post a few pics of your Texas critters, I always enjoy seeing hunting photos, hopefully you'll be adding some new western ones soon.

 

[jbseamus83]

Congratulations on such a big move! I'm a Texan too and have been considering moving out West myself. I wish you luck with your adventure. Just want to suggest one thing to you. Buy your Lifetime Resident Hunting License in TX before you move. That way you can keep coming back to the Lonestar State to hunt for the rest of your life as a resident. Happy hunting!

Chris

WOW! I had no idea that it worked that way! Since my family owns some land here in TX, I will definitely do that. It will be worth it! Thanks.

 

[jbseamus83]

Welcome to the forum and good luck with that move. The population in Utah has exploded over the last couple of decades, but when I used to fish down there, there were some rather exceptional places, hopefully they're still good. There is lots of great looking habitat, but the very little I've hunted there I doubt I'd be of any help. Feel free to post a few pics of your Texas critters, I always enjoy seeing hunting photos, hopefully you'll be adding some new western ones soon.

Thanks. We just got back a few weeks ago from visiting UT. My sister-in-law and brother-in-law live out there and we will be going out there to help them out some. I look forward to getting some really good fishing in as well!

 

[jbseamus83]

Welcome to the forum and good luck with that move. The population in Utah has exploded over the last couple of decades, but when I used to fish down there, there were some rather exceptional places, hopefully they're still good. There is lots of great looking habitat, but the very little I've hunted there I doubt I'd be of any help. Feel free to post a few pics of your Texas critters, I always enjoy seeing hunting photos, hopefully you'll be adding some new western ones soon.

Here are some of the animals from the past few years and one that I'm going after this year!

 

[Pucky Freak]

Welcome from IA!

 

[Rzrbck918]

Welcome to HT!

 

[PA deer hunter]

Welcome from Pa.!

 

[Jape]

Welcome! Utah is great with some really excellent people and the hunting can be good, but the opportunities are definitely limited. I think you are too late to get any points this year, but you should be a resident by the time pheasant season rolls around in November, 2020, plus there are some good spring bear tags you can look at for 2021 (they have increased the quota the past couple years).

 

[noharleyyet]

Best of luck, our family discussed a western relocation many times....starting at about your age.

 

[Elkhunter24]

welcome to HT!

 

[jbseamus83]

Welcome! Utah is great with some really excellent people and the hunting can be good, but the opportunities are definitely limited. I think you are too late to get any points this year, but you should be a resident by the time pheasant season rolls around in November, 2020, plus there are some good spring bear tags you can look at for 2021 (they have increased the quota the past couple years).

Spring Bears would be a lot of fun. I have never had the opportunity. So much to learn! Reading about the seasons and draws is a little intimidating coming from a state where I can get so many tags. It does seem like even if I didn't draw anything one year, I could potentially buys OTC antlerless tags. Am I reading that right?

 

[jbseamus83]

Best of luck, our family discussed a western relocation many times....starting at about your age.

This has been a couple of years coming, but we have finally decided to make the move. Family there really needs support with some personal issues, and my boys are old enough (10 and 6) that a move across the country won't be quite as hard as it would have been a couple of years ago. We are nervous and excited at the same time. I'm just hoping to get the most out of the adventure.

 

[Jape]

Spring Bears would be a lot of fun. I have never had the opportunity. So much to learn! Reading about the seasons and draws is a little intimidating coming from a state where I can get so many tags. It does seem like even if I didn't draw anything one year, I could potentially buys OTC antlerless tags. Am I reading that right?

The antlerless elk tags are not OTC, but there are a lot given and my experience is you usually draw out every other year or so. Utah also has a dedicated hunter program that gives you an opportunity to get a deer tag for three years (you can only harvest a deer two out of those three years) provided you give a certain number of service hours; something like 32 hours.

 

[ignorethefringes]

Welcome aboard! You'll find a lot of useful information around here. Best of luck!

 

[Crossbowguy]

Welcome from Northern NY! congrats on the big move and I think I want to do the same thing when I retire. I understand your confusion about the tag process because it is totally different than NY which is set up just like you described in TX. Hope you make new friends out west and get in the woods very soon!