Many of us who live in strong whitetail states of the Midwest and Southeast wouldn’t have it any other way. Still, many of us dream of new challenges. One that comes highly recommended? Chasing whitetails in the western U.S. And if that notion appeals, now is the time to start planning for 2026.
For those who would ask why, I’m here to tell you the reasons are many. Although I haven’t hunted every state offering a whitetail season, over my career I’ve hunted many, and most western experiences have been refreshing.
As a Midwesterner who regularly hunts public land across Wisconsin and Minnesota, dealing with deer that regularly experience extreme levels of hunting pressure can not only be frustrating, but it can skew your thinking. If my deer hunting experience had only been relegated to those two states, I’d guess things would be mostly the same everywhere. But thankfully, that’s just not so. Not even close.
While it’s true that whitetails are whitetails wherever they roam, and none have a death wish, I’ve found western whitetails to be far less spooky. And in my experience, western whitetails are also more predictable and more patternable. All those are byproducts of the greatly diminished hunting pressure you’ll find out west.
Another bonus is the mostly wide open western terrain. I enjoy glassing animals during elk and mule deer hunts, and lots of western whitetail terrain allows you to do the same. Heading to the highest points in your chosen area and investing a few days of long-range scouting along riverbeds and large draws can get you in the game quickly — even in terrain you’ve never seen before. So don’t forget your 8- or 10-power bino, and you’ll never regret packing a spotting scope and tripod.
If you haven’t already started researching a western whitetail hunt, right now is a great time to kick that dream into gear, ahead of nonresident license application periods that start opening in earnest beginning in April (Montana, Colorado, Kansas, North Dakota and South Dakota).
Start your research with buddies or friends of friends who have been there and done that, then browse state DNR websites to further narrow your search. If you haven’t already got one, a premium hunting app subscription (HuntStand, OnX) can dial you into promising areas quickly while showing you highly detailed 3D maps that will give you a better feel for the terrain. A good app is a hunt-planning goldmine.
Don’t forget to consider lodging: Camping can be a great option for those with the gear and desire. And thankfully, most off-the-beaten path western hotels/motels won’t break the bank. Another benefit of traveling to where the deer can be plentiful — but the competition is not.
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