Aspiring Sheep Hunter Looking For Information

[FullCurlHunter]

Hello fellow sheep adicts.

I am an aspiring sheep hunter with a dream of completing a grand slam some day. As I understand it to say the least, drawing a tag can take years even decades. So, I would like to start applying for tags in various states as soon as possible.

Here are my main questions that I would like the experienced to shed light on:

1. What states for what species?

2. When applying for tags, how do the individual states work in regards to preference points.

(Do these preference points only build up for the unit you apply for? Can you apply for more than one unit in a given state to increase your odds? Can you use preference points to "choose" a unit?)

3. Do you need to apply for Dalls & Stone sheep in Canada/Alaska or are these over the counter tags that one may buy and simply pay big money that outfitters are getting.

4. what are some good books or videos on sheep hunting that you would recommend that go over strategies, gear, where to find sheep..etc?

Thank you very much for your help, I greatly appreciate it!

 

[HornedToad]

Join FNAWS.

Join Grand Slam Club.

Join your state sheep association (if there is one).

Read their materials.

Good luck.

 

[COSA]

LAST EDITED ON Nov-20-07 AT 07:33PM (MST)[p]I really don't want to be the bearer of bad news, but money is the most important factor in achieving a grand slam. The Dall's going to probabbly go 10K+. The stone 25K+. Odds are you'll most probabbly only draw one desert or rocky tag in the next 30 years or so, and you'd probabbly donate thousands in application and nonrefundable license fees over that time period. There's still a couple states where it's relatively cheap to apply (Colorado & New Mexico).

I got lucky and drew a desert tag in my home state of NV. Grand Slam/Orvis sends me an issue every now and then. It looks like a Texas/Georgia Country Club achievement award thing to me. Especially when some of these guys are achieving Grand Slams in under 3 years (probabbly costing over 100K). Not saying I wouldn't do the same if I had that kind of cash, not gonna happen.

 

[RamDreamer]

It appears from your original comments that you realize you're up against some long odds, so that puts you ahead of the game mentally already.

You'll continue to see things that tend to deflate your desire to acheive your goals, that the statement directly above. The flip side of that is that you could get lucky the first year or subsequent years, or never, but you have to play the game and enter the draws in order to be drawn. Dream big. Dreams can indeed come true.

My wife drew a California bighorn tag in Washington when we lived there in '97, probably about the second year I started applying here for sheep. I put in for over a decade, applying in every state with wild sheep that I could (plus other species), and didn't draw ANYTHING. But in '04 I drew two sheep tags - a Montana ewe tag and the New Mexico Desert Bighorn tag. In '06 I drew both Rocky Mountain Bighorn ram and Mountain goat tags here in Colorado. This year I amazingly drew a Colorado Desert bighorn tag. So, as some say, persistence can pay off.

As you saw in one of the responses above, join with sheep nuts like Grand Slam Club / Ovis (www.wildsheep.org), FNAWS and others. If you're in Minnesota, you simply must join MN/WI FNAWS and attend their convention at the Minnetonka Marriott in mid-March next year.

A state-by-state applications breakdown, specific only to wild sheep, is published in the winter issue of Grand Slam magazine put out quarterly by Grand Slam Club / Ovis. There is a ton of wild sheep application information there if you delve into it. Additionally, you might try subscribing to "Huntin' Fool" ($100/year, 12 issues per year) as they discuss specific odds on drawing permits by unit and by state.

Good luck. And welcome to the club, it's an addiction like none other.

 

[FullCurlHunter]

Well nobody said the Grand Slam would be easy! I am 24 years old, that means I have over 50 years to draw some tags...I better get started

I am familiar with FNAWS & Grand Slam/Orvis but I would agree with the quote above in regards to the Grand Slam/Ovis looking like a Georgia country club accomplishment list in that it is just a bunch of pictures of fortunate and/or wealthy people with beautiful rams.

FNAWs does not give much on their website about their membership and neither does Grand Slam/Orvis from what I gathered. Anyone care to shed some light on how valubale these resources truly are to its members!?

Any additional resources as to other resources for sheep hunting, states' sheep drawing programs etc that will help me get started!?

Thank you very much

 

[kilbuc]

Create a sheep fund. Save your $$. In Alaska(some exceptions), and Canada nonresidents and aliens are required to have a quide so you can't get away from the high cost for Dalls and Stones. Put in for every state that hunts sheep, buy raffle tickets, do everything you can to get a tag. You can't hunt if you don't apply.

from the "Heartland of Wyoming"

 

[WYhunter]

I have been putting in for sheep tags for over 20 years and have never drawn a tag yet. Finally went on a Dall Sheep hunt in Alaska this year. It cost well over the $10K number previously mentioned but was worth every cent. You should consider going for Dall Sheep sooner rather than later because people like Alaska G&F are saying they will probably be on a total draw basis and not over the counter in a few years.

The odds of drawing get worse every year so you should consider putting in for the lotto's at the same time because your odds are getting to be about the same and you will need lots of money to get a grand slam.

That said, go for it and dream along with the rest of us.
Good Luck.

 

[littlebighorn]

You have chosen a worthy goal FullCurl, as long as you know that it will never happen without some serious sacrifice. Most of that sacrifice will be "green", but from my perspective it is worth it. I have a Wyoming Bighorn to my credit and I will draw a Utah Desert in the next few years because I have the points. The other two I will have to buy or draw at a raffle.(pretty tall order)
I agree with most of the above comments and RamDreamer is dead on. Join your local/state FNAWS and meet some "sheep nuts" like yourself. Most sheep hunters are more than willing to help you or answer your questions.
So here are my suggestions:
If your funds are limited (like most 24 year olds) try for a Desert in Nevada, or Arizona (unless you have 60 "Gs" to hunt them in Mexico. Put in for Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, for your Rocky. Then save every penny you can to buy the other two. Oh, and one more thing---If you are not married, stay single until you have your slam!!! Otherwise, spending that much money will cause a divorce anyway.
Good Luck and happy hunting!

 

[CAelknuts]

You're only 24, so you're very fortunate in that you have enough time. I'm going to offer one additional point to consider, in case it might apply to your specific situation. Depending on what your education, family and employment situation is, consider going to work for a stone sheep or dall sheep outfitter. You could do a lot of sheep hunting, packing and/or guiding to learn what you need to know in order to hunt them on your own. If you live in Alaska, BC or the Yukon for a few years, you could do this on your own if you're so inclined. It'd be one heck of a fine adventure for a young, single guy.

 

[bighornbob]

Move to British Columbia. Over the counter Stone sheep tags, over the counter Rocky tags and over the counter California tags. Dall sheep are on a draw but the odds are 2:1 for one unit and 6:1 for the other. Start applying for a desert tag now becuase once you have shot the above four sheep (BC slam) it may be 20 plus years and you will have hopefully drawn a desert tag. This way you can hunt sheep every year until you get that desert tag.

BHB

 

[Wyo]

BHB, Funny you mention moving to BC. As I am seriously considering doing just that. I figure by the time Im able to afford a stone and a dall it will be way out of my price range. I had considered saving for a couple years for a stone, but looking at the prices now and for 2008 it's gonna cost $30k before its all said and done. Give it three more years and it'll probably be $40k...way too much for one animal. Im also 24 and single and have no reason not to move to BC. I could handle living there for 5 years or so and then move back to the states and wait for a desert tag (unfortuneatly I just started applying for them last year). I've got enough points in WY that Ill draw a Rocky in the next 10 years I hope. I guess this is just my dream but I can't come up with too many reasons not to just do it!

 

[bighornbob]

Now would be the perfect time to move up here. Tons of jobs everywhere, mind you may fill your drawers when you see the price of housing up here. I guess that all depends on where you live in the states and what you are used too.

Waiting ten years for a sheep tag, dont think I would be able to do that. We have some draw areas up here but they are for easier areas. There is a California draw area 20 minites from my house that you can shoot a monster but the odds are like 600:1. I would rather drive another 1/2 hour and be hunting Rockies where there is a chance at a smoker ram as well. I had one give me the slip on the last day of the season that I figure was close to being a book ram. Its good knowing I can hunt every weekend next year trying to find him

BHB

 

[Wyo]

BHB, Where can I find more information about moving to BC? If I read right I can live there for a year and become eligible to hunt as a resident without even becoming a permanent resident of canada. I would like to live somewhere half way near good hunting and somewhere that isn't overly expensive. Other considerations is bringing my hunting rifle with me when I move, getting a canadian drivers license and licensing my vehicle there (if I even have to do all that if i don't become a permanent resident of canada) Im still doing the research seeing what is all invloved in doing this. Best case scenario I would be moving north sometime this summer!