Here’s how to draw a Dream License on the West’s Best Public Land
Public land hunting in the West is very different than the pumpkin army that Eastern hunters experience. The number of hunting licenses is strictly controlled so that your public land adventure may be similar to an exclusive private ranch. Additionally, fire danger requires that most public land, even in the high mountains must have vehicle access. Although you may not be able to drive these roads, they make excellent access routes for hunting and retrieving game. The limited availability of licenses assures that game herds thrive, usually with mature (Trophy) bulls among them.
Each state operates their license drawing differently, and states rarely highlight trophy areas so that their residents can take full advantage of the scarcity of information. One solution to this problem is to use a licensing drawing service such as by Cabela’s or The United States Outfitters (USO). George Taulman recognized the need for a licensing service decades ago and is the longest operating service in the West. By utilizing USO’s experience with trophy hunting areas you can apply to the very best trophy areas in the West and apply for multiple species in multiple states, greatly increasing your odds for drawing a license.
Once you draw the license you can hunt on your own, use USO, or other guide service to assist you. Last year well known outdoor celebrity Craig Boddington used USO to draw a coveted Desert Bighorn sheep license and one client bagged a monster bull elk that scored 440 B&C. Where you hunt has a greater impact than how well you hunt with respect to trophy size and a licensing service can have you square in the middle of monster antlers and horns.
