These hunting trips in September are very doable.
Can you feel it? Hunting season is slowly creeping up. Before we know it, we’ll all be sitting in treestands on frosty mornings waiting for the first signs of movement as the sun breaks on a new day.
But who says you must wait for October or November for a great hunting experience? There are plenty of big game hunting opportunities starting in the next few weeks for hunters wanting to take advantage.
Here are five September hunting trips we’d love to cram into the next month.
Colorado Archery Elk
The Centennial State has long been considered one THE best elk hunting state in the U.S. It’s the place to go to for trophy elk opportunities. Success rates are high and hunting guides and public lands are plentiful. Oh, and many non-resident hunting licenses are available over the counter.
Don’t forget the stunning Rocky Mountain backdrop you’ll be hunting in many areas. What’s not to love?
Colorado’s archery season starts for elk on August 31 and runs through the entire month of September, leaving plenty of chances at a backcountry trophy elk. Make sure to check out our complete Colorado elk hunting guide for more info on how to set up your best hunting adventure. We can hear the big bulls bugling already!
Wyoming Pronghorn Antelope
If you’ve never seen a large herd of antelope tearing across Wyoming’s high desert landscapes, you’re missing out. These animals are beautiful, fast and very smart. The large, open areas they inhabit in the Equality State make for a challenging hunt for even the most seasoned of outdoorsmen and women.
Wyoming also has lots of public hunting areas, meaning you have plenty of options for early season pronghorn archery hunts. Many permits sell out quickly for these areas, but hunts with outfitters on private land are surprisingly affordable and are often easy to get.
Pronghorn season starts August 15 and runs through the end of September, which means plenty of time for bow hunters to take down a trophy buck with the stick and string before the more general season starts.
Alberta Archery Deer
It doesn’t matter if you’re into whitetails or mule deer, Alberta offers plenty of chances at an early season monster. Many hunters in the U.S. overlook our neighbors to the north, and the western states get all the attention for deer hunting. But Alberta quietly holds the world record for the Boone and Crocket non-typical muley and has held it since 1926! It’s not a bad place to consider for a trophy whitetail or mule deer hunt pre-rut.
Season start dates vary by hunting area, but most archery only seasons for mule deer and whitetail deer tend to start sometime between the end of August and September 4 at the latest and run the whole month.
Another thing Alberta has over many states in the U.S. is that is the cooler average temperatures than many states in the U.S. This means less worrying about your harvest spoiling, which is always a concern for early season big game hunting.
Alaskan Moose
This season is one of the shortest on the list. For 2019, the non-resident moose season runs from September 8-17. While that’s only a nine day hunt, the Last Frontier is one of the premiere spots on the planet for a trophy bull and the hunt of the lifetime.
Granted, this is also one of them more expensive hunts on this list. A non-resident moose tag will set you back $800 in Alaska, more if you’re not a U.S. resident. Non-residents are also required to hire a hunting outfitter to guide them, which isn’t cheap either.
But how can you put a price on the hunt of a lifetime in one of the last truly wild places on the planet? Moose hunts are truly a trip set aside for a special occasion.
Ontario Black Bear
Looking for a trophy bruin? Ontario is a place to find them in the fall. Many management units have open season from September all the way through November. The fall is a great time to hunt bears because they’ve been gorging themselves all summer in preparation for winter. This means some hefty animals that are sure to fill your freezer.
The license costs for Ontario are also reasonable in cost. A non-resident bear license is just $225, making it one of the more affordable September big game hunting adventures one can embark upon.
September is often thought of as a time of year preparing for the more serious hunting later in the fall, but if you plan properly, it can also be the time to make some of your best hunting memories.
Why wait? Have a September hunting adventure this year!
For more outdoor content from Travis Smola, be sure to follow him on Twitter and check out his Geocaching and General Outdoor Youtube Channels.
NEXT: 3 THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN ASKING FOR PERMISSION TO HUNT
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