Ok, i want to hunt sheep sometime before i die so i think i better get in on some of the draws. In what states can you buy a preferance point without having to fork over alot of $$?

Someone give me some direction please

Josh,

Their aren't alot of opportunities. It depends on what you think is alot of money. Some states like Arizona and Nevada, you have to buy a hunting license. Other states like Montana and Colorado you have to fork over all the money. The best option and most cost effective might be Utah and Wyoming. A preference point in Wyoming is $100 and Utah is $75.

I don't want to be negative but if you are just starting and you are older than 30, you will never get enough points to draw. It would be better to just apply where you can or wait for a state like Idaho to start a points system and get on the ground floor.

If you need any extra help, feel free to pm me.

ddj

In Colorado you pay the fee when you apply for the license. If you don't get drawn, your license fee is refunded and you get your preference point. Once you have four points you are in the drawing. I got lucky and drew the first time I was eligible. My outfitter had been applying for about ten years without being drawn yet.

Josh,
I'm not understanding your post. You want to hunt sheep but you only want to buy preference points?
What trouthunter said was spot on. The odds on sheep draws are horrible as there are only so many sheep and a lot of folks who want to hunt them. The least expensive way I know of for sheep is to do a backpack hunt in AK for dalls. But be prepared. It will be a lot of hiking with a lot of gear on your back. And be prepared for about $9 or $10k for just the hunt. That won't include airfare, tags and all the add'l gear you'll need.
Don't let me discourage though. Sheep hunting is in my opinion the epitome of hunting. It requires great conditioning, excellent marksmanship and a heck of a lot perseverence. That's why you don't see a lot of sheep on the walls. Even in a lot of 'trophy' rooms. Money can't buy those 3 aforementioned items.

I guess i should have been more clear. Trouthunter pretty had it spot on. I just dont want to fork over alot of money for preferance points. I do want to hunt Dall's but Bighorn's are really the sheep id love to chase So maybe ill focus on Colorado,Utah and Idaho. What about Montana's over the counter unit(s)? Ive heard they are very,very tough to hunt with not very many sheep and low sucsess rates. Is this correct?

Thanks guys,

Josh

Josh,

In Colorado you have to put in the $1500 for the tag and then get a refund for your preference point. This has to be done for 3 years before you can enter the draw. The odds for Nonresidents aren't good at all. Sagebrush probably is a resident and drew a little easier.

Utah costs are $75 for a preference point and the odds are worse than Colorado. I think last year the odds were less than .1%.

Idaho is probably your best shot but you can't get preference points. Everyone is one the same leg. If Idaho goes to a points system APPLY. The best chance to hunt sheep is to get in on the ground floor of the points system.

The Montana Unlimited areas are the nastiest, toughest hunts in Montana. Sucess rates are extremely poor, but if you just want to be in the high country with a rifle and a sheep tag, go for it.

Hope this helps,

ddj

yep. that info helps,thanks.

josh

Unless I'm missing something...(and I believe that I have done my homework) looking at the odds for Wyoming I wouldn't necessarily write off getting a decent chance at a tag there as long as one puts in for about 15 yrs...

Wild Bob,

The problem with Wyoming is the number of people who have more preference points than you. In Wyoming an area has to have at least 4 nonresident tags for an area to have just one tag in the random draw. In other words area 4 gives out 4 tags for non residents. 3 tags will go to those with the most points. 1 tag is then issued in the random draw. If an area has less than 4 tags, none are issued in the random draw.

The probem with just starting in Wyoming is the overall low number of nonresident tags and the high number of applicants. If you are just starting your preference points, in all honesty, you probably will never draw. I have 8 preference points for sheep and I most likely will not draw in the next 15 years. The tag numbers for nonresident sheep are low and the number of hunters exceed the tags. For instance, if Area 5 has 8 tags for nonresidents, and there are 250 people with more preference points than me. I need everyone with 12 points to get their tag, then eleven , then ten and so forth. Also, everyyear the "magic" tag number goes up by one.

It may look like it only would take 13 years to draw but in actuality the number goes up by one every year. As I said before, if you are just starting to apply for points, you will never catch up.

ddj

Well that makes sense, thanks for the info. I'm an optimist by nature though, I'm afraid I can't help that! Part of my rationale is that many at some point will drop out of the running for various reasons (ie financial issues, age, just plain getting tired of playing the waiting game, health). Also, the two year no point issue thing will take some out for various reasons. These situations probably are not big enough to impact my chances enough to amount to anything...but I've got to try anyway. Good luck and good hunting to all.

By the way...did I mention that I'm a 'thick headed German' descendant? Ask my better half...she can vouch for that!

Seriously though, great points - thanks for the information.

Thanks for the kind words.

Anyone who applies for sheep is an optimist. A person has to be with the long odds. I look at it as a game I play every year. If you don't apply you can't draw. I would be happy to help you with applying for the best chances and best value if you would like.

ddj

"Sometime before I die" also depends on how old you are when you start, which you didn't say, but "before I can't climb to where the sheep are" is probably more accurate.

I was 37 when I started trying to draw a Nevada Desert Bighorn tag; this year I'm 55 and drew the tag with 18 bonus points. Those steep, rocky "hills" kicked my butt. If I were starting today, and drew 18 years from now at 73, I'd guess there'd be no way. And I suspect that the demand for tags is increasing faster than the supply of shootable sheep, so the odds are going to keep getting longer, not better.

But you can't win if you don't play. I've known people who drew the tag the first year they tried. At the mandatory sheep school I sat next to a guy who drew with 34 bonus points.

Im 34. So if i start now,who knows.

LRH, nice ram

Josh

Josh,

Don't forget New Mexico. There are no preference points and only an $8 application fee. The draw back is $3,100.00 tag fee if you get lucky. In reguards to Idaho, you have to buy a $140.00 non-refundable hunting license to be eligible for the draw.

Ryan

Josh K – I’m in the same boat as you. I’m 30 and I have never applied for an out-of-state Sheep tag. Recently I came to the realization that I will never be able to complete a Sheep Slam. My father took a Dall Sheep (in the late 80s) and my brother went on a Stone Sheep hunt 2 years ago (unsuccessfully). My brother has been applying for out-of-state sheep tags for the last +6 years. He has not drawn yet but he has points. I have max Sheep points in California and I have not drawn. I also have never met anyone that has drawn a CA Sheep tag. I know they exist; I just never met any of them. I think the odds are better for me to win the Mega Lottery then to draw a CA Sheep tag.

Because of the rising cost of Dall & Stone Sheep hunts, and my 0 points in every other state, I will probably never go sheep hunting. Knowing that, I can focus on other animals/tags/places.

Besides Sheep hunting is too hard.

Josh,

Nevada would be another state to apply in. They have a $142 license fee that has to be paid every year. But Nevada does have a good poins system. For every preference point that you have they square the point. In other words, if you have been putting in for 3 years and have 3 points, they square the points. So actually your name goes in the drawing 9 times plus that 4th year for a total of 10.

ddj

I started applying for Desert Bighorn during college. So hopefully I'll get the tag by the time I'm 40.

Curious question for you guys. What happens if you have some preference points accumulated and you end up moving to another state? Do you lose those points, do they get transfered into out of state resident points, or something else?

I can only answer for Wyoming...but it does not matter - a preference point is just that (no distinction between res and non-res). You keep pref points regardless of where you live as long as you continue to either buy a point or put in for the tag drawing - unless you don't do either for two sesons in a row (in other words no more than one year with no activity for sheep) then you lose how ever many accumulated points you may have up to that point and then you start all over at zero.

Perhaps Trouthunterdj can explain some other state regs? I'm only familiar with WY.

Sevens,

Most states isuue the hunter an ID number. Either your social security number or a random number you choose. This number is assigned to you and stays with you no matter if you are a resident or a nonresident. As of this time, you can rack up a bunch of points and move into Wyoming or Colorado and have an easier draw, sometimes.

ddj

Garth Carter runs an excellent publication called the Huntin Fool. The magazine has all the information you will need to draw in the Western states.

Monthly they publish easy to follow information, as well as very handy tips. Huge help.

Good luck on your draw!

The unlimited areas in MT are extremely tough and if you don't live in MT and have the time to scout your % of getting or even seeing a sheep is very low. There are some outfitters that guide in the unlimited areas. You are better off going to Alberta and paying the shot to get a sheep.

MT unlimited areas are extremely tough hunt with a small amount of sheep. If your not a resident and have lots of time to scout your chance of getting a sheep is almost nill. There are a few outfitters that guide in the unlimited areas. Check out Alberta to hunt Bighorns. Spend the money and get it out of the way as prices are only going to go up!!

quote:

Originally posted by LRH270:
I was 37 when I started trying to draw a Nevada Desert Bighorn tag; this year I'm 55 and drew the tag with 18 bonus points.

I started drawing in Nevada at 40 (I think, I already lost count). I think I have 4 points now.... still a long wait. Unless I get lucky. Till that time I'll just have to keep fit chasing those bighorns around in my back yard.

Frans

If price is prohibative, like it is for most of us, Alberta is out. Keep applying in the lower 48 and hopefully you will draw someday. ITs just that the odds are against us. A Dall sheep hunt in Alaska is the most "economical" of all the sheep hunts.

ddj

Twilli is right on about the unlimited districts in Montana. It is very tough and highly competitive due to the small kill quota system with 48 hour closure. However, as far as I know it is still the only place on the whole damn planet that you can hunt sheep for the price of admission to throw your hat in the ring. Twilli and I have discussed this many times. I have been applying for sheep tags along with moose here as a resident here in Montana since the freakin Pleistocene. Ain't drawed yet!! About every 4 years I get pissed and buy an unlimited tag and go sheep huning. I have been close a hand full of times to scoring but I have the luxury of being next to the mountains. If you want to try, let me know PM later in the season. I can give you some ideas. Jack Atcheson Jr. in Butte was THE guide for several years and he killed most of the sheep in areas near Gardiner and Big Sky. You might try him and see what he costs. I'm 61 and fast running out of knees so be advised. If you just have to go, nut up and buy a hunt in Canada or Alaska and go!! By the time you draw in the western states, you could have saved enough money to go twice, much less once. Good luck.

There are open areas in Alaska where you don't have to go through the drawing permit process. For a non-resident, though, you'll have to hire a guide unless you have a second-kindred relative living here that will go with you.

I drew a Utah Desert Bighorn tag the first time I ever applied for a sheep tag. The next year my friend drew a Rocky Mountain Bighorn tag on his first try. So it does happen occassionally. Not very often. but occassionally

My friend with his Rocky, and if you look at the country, It's steep and tough to climb. I wouldn't want to be climbing around this stuff at 70

In Alberta [ you must be a resident ] you can buy sheep permit over the counter. Must admit it would be alot cooler knowing you could sheep hunt every year. Not sure about sucess rate but know guys up there that has killed rams. It floored me how heavey a full curl ram horns weighed till I pisked up a mounted head of a friends up near Camrose Alberta

If you are lucky then you will have to problem to draw a tag.I put in for my stae -Montana - and I also put in for a lot of other states for the 3 type of sheep. What I do is use Cabela's T.A.G . You can put in for alot of critters in states for a litte down and they float the rest and its great but I only apply for states with a point system. Call them toll free and just talk to them and they will tell you everything you want to know about the state and areas. Montana is the cheapest and the one with the higher scoring sheep heads but hard to draw. I have been trying for 34 yrs. Good luck

www.african-montana-taxidermy.com

Once you kill that first sheep, it never stops, you'll come back for more....save the duckets and do Alaska! like what DPhillips said.