Hey All,

Well...my buddy got some interesting news yesterday when he realized his credit card was dinged by the AZ govt for the price of a sheep tag! Doesn't have the 'results' in hand yet but his first choice was 45A and he just realized his second choice was one that non-residents couldn't apply in, so guessing that means he drew 45A for sheep this year!

Pretty cool, and a hunt that I'm hoping to be a part of this year! He is a sheep hunter from Alberta and is 33 years old in good shape for mountain hunting. Has a family place in Mesa and a vehicle to use down there, but is starting to look at all the logistics of camps, vehicles, scouting trip, hunting as a DIY vs hiring the services of an outfitter (even if he could find someone on a day rate or pay for assistance, etc).

Anyone have any info about the zone, the sheep, etc? Just starting to do some preliminary info searching for him, pretty darn exciting for sure and will be awesome when he sees the results fully on paper, but for now the anticipation grows!!!

Info about 45A from the Arizona Game and Fish Department website:


Unit Boundaries

Beginning at the junction of the Stone Cabin-King Valley road and Kofa National Wildlife Refuge boundary; east on the Stone Cabin-King Valley road to O-O Junction; north from O-O Junction on the Kofa Mine road to the Evening Star Mine; north on a line over Polaris Mountain to Midwell; north on the Midwell-Alamo Spring-Kofa Cabin road to the El Paso Natural Gas Pipeline Road; north on a line from the junction to the north boundary of the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge; west and south on the boundary line to Stone Cabin-King Valley Road.

Species Information

Bighorn Sheep

Overview: The results of the 2014 sheep surveys showed that the estimated sheep population had increased from a historic low of 130 sheep in 2009, to a current estimate of 274 total sheep. The ten year average score of rams taken in this unit is 150 points. The estimated total number of rams in the population has been increasing, but the estimated number of class IV rams remains very low.

As with any bighorn sheep hunt, pre-hunt scouting is very important to a successful hunt in this unit. Good areas to scout are the Livingston Hills, which can be accessed from the MST&T road off of milepost 92.7 on Highway 95. This road will take you all the way to the MST&T tower, and there are roads to the south that will lead you into Burro Canyon. This is an area where hunters have had success in the past. Hunters can also access good hunting areas by taking Palm Canyon road off of 95 and then driving into Kofa Queen Canyon. All of these roads can get pretty rough, and four wheel drive is needed.

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Suggest you and your friend attend the Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society's annual pre-hunt banquet and talk with the numerous outfitters and ordinary hunters who have hunted there. They will have recent experience with that unit.

It can be done on a DIY basis, but why? This is a once-in-a-lifetime hunt. He will never draw another tag.

Bill Quimby

quote:

but his first choice was 45A and he just realized his second choice was one that non-residents couldn't apply in, so guessing that means he drew 45A for sheep this year! Pretty cool, and a hunt that I'm hoping to be a part of this year! He is a sheep hunter from Alberta and is 33 years old in good shape for mountain hunting. Has a family place in Mesa and a vehicle to use down there, but is starting to look at all the logistics of camps, vehicles, scouting trip, hunting as a DIY vs hiring the services of an outfitter (even if he could find

Have your buddy contact Bob Kyhn & Tim Downs in AZ. Really good guys, and AZ sheep fanatics!!!

quote:

Suggest you and your friend attend the Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society's annual pre-hunt banquet and talk with the numerous outfitters and ordinary hunters who have hunted there. They will have recent experience with that unit.

It can be done on a DIY basis, but why? This is a once-in-a-lifetime hunt. He will never draw another tag.

Bill Quimby

Thanks Bill. That's some great advice for the pre-hunt banquet. I sent him the link and hopefully he can combine a scouting trip with the banquet and kill two birds with one stone.

As to DIY vs Outfitter, he's still in the stages of figuring out a TON of stuff after getting the crazy shock of drawing a tag. A lot to consider and look at, so he's keeping all doors open.

Appreciate the contacts as well Aaron! I'll pass them along.

Unit 45a and the Kofa Mountains are rugged.
The success rate is not bad but most who hunt sheep there have a lot of time to scout and support from friends who did not get drawn.
Since being drawn for a Arizona sheep tag is once in a lifetime, a friend of mine applied for 42 years before being drawn, I would recommend a guide.

I have hiked in the Kofas, it don't look like Alberta.

Mark

I grew up in Yuma and spent a lot of time in and around the Kofa Mountains in the late 1940s and early 1950s. It has some terrible terrain, to be sure, but where we usually saw sheep wasn't as tough as most Coues deer habitat in southeastern Arizona.

Nonetheless, I agree with Mark Clark. Hire a guide.

I shot my own desert sheep in the low hills of the Little Horn Mountains that border the Kofas after applying 39 years for the tag.

As a non-resident, your friend will never draw another sheep tag here.

Bill Quimby

Thanks for the replies guys. It sounds like he has decided to hire one two guys who are (from what I can tell) absolute sheep fanatics!

Should be a fun time to be a part of this hunt!