Utah Sheep in Eastmans

[deerjunkie]

So for the record... I've lurked for years finally joined up. I enjoy hunting deer and I'm a utard transplant! Now that I live here I'm interested in desert sheep but also bison. I recently read in eastmans that Utah sheep aren't in good shape? I told a buddy this and he laughed pretty hard. He mentioned they killed some dandies on Zion and we have some other really good units and apply for sheep. They listed Zion as marginal? My buddy knows sheep better than I do and I get the feeling they don't know jack about them. I grew up in wyoming and they mentioned there I could build points and only need 10 to start applying for a tag. Since I'm no idiot knowing that's a joke in wyoming, should I go with my buddies advice for sheep or stay away and go bison?

 

[littlebighorn]

It's no secret that Eastmans don't much care for Utah, especially the conservation tags program and the Hunt Expo. I also saw their MRS on Utah and was stunned at how "out of touch" they were with much of what they reported.
Having said that, it is also no secret that Utah's sheep are generally the runts of the sheep world. While there are a few exceptions, it is generally true that we have small sheep here.
If you are just starting with no points, your chances of drawing a OIL tag of any species is very low. However, every year it seems that someone with no points gets a tag.
I suspect the Zion sheep draw odds this year will be astronomical, so if you want a chance at a desert sheep, you may want to look at another area or check out the Buff odds.

 

[Zeke]

+1 & Bingo!

I couldn't have said it better, Littlebighorn.

Having hunted sheep several times (between 1980 and 2010 for both me and others) in a couple States I still have to say that Ut sheep are "way cool" and the sheep hunting is much better nowadays. But.... the buffalo are cool too! haha

Good luck with your decision.



Zeke

 

[Tagalong173]

Personally i would put in for sheep. Because i love sheep hunting, but thats just me. Utah sheep are typically smaller then the average sheep. But there still fun as heck to hunt.

And there have been some big rams killed off the Zion's this year. 2 over 170 and 3 in the mid 160's. But honestly you will probably never draw that tag.

Having said that you could probably kill a 160 ram off quite a few other units, if you hunt hard and scout hard. And have some friends that know what there doing.

 

[Zeke]

Tag

I respect your wisdom but I think a good top-end ram for most Utah units is closer to <150" than >160".
Maybe that's splitting hairs but it's true none the less.
I know many good hunters who spent the time and paid their dues and couldn't turn up a 150" ram. Setting a goal of 160" or bust would be a bust about 95% of the time in all but a couple units.
Look at the DD the last couple years. 1 in the 160' range and a couple in the mid 150's IN 2 YEARS! All the rest were well under 150". This is not the exception but more the indicator.
That's why we are so excited when we get to handle a 173" ram!!! (if you catch my drift)

Zeke

 

[littlebighorn]

+1 Zeke.
Tag is easily excited! He means well, but I would be careful about taking advice from a punk kid who is willing to emasculate himself for a sheep tag.
As Zeke said, the average sheep killed in Utah is probably in the low 140s. None-the-less they are desert sheep and a prize worthy of many days in the desert.

 

[Tagalong173]

LAST EDITED ON Jan-11-11 AT 09:31PM (MST)[p]When i said a 160 ram on quite a few units. I meant four units and maybe a fifth if there is some luck involved. And with any of these four units it would still be harder then heck to kill a 160 ram (even the Zion's). I was not trying to say that it is a gimme in my first post, I was just trying to say it is doable.

I am not going to list the units. But I know this because I have either seen the ram with my own two eyes. Or I have seen pictures of rams that are alive and well.

I'm not trying to act like I know more then you two, because you guys have been around the block a couple hundred more times then me. And I know you both know a lot more then I will ever know about sheep hunting. But you gotta give me a little credit, I am still learning but I know Utah Desert Sheep pretty well.

 

[PleaseDear]

Eastman's was fairly accurate on the quality of sheep in the units.

Zion--being the first year was seemingly off with the marginal gig but maybe alot of the big rams got harvested the 1st year?

I have sheep and a Buff so I would have to favor sheep over Buff.

When the 'odds' get 1 in 25 and worse....I think there is lil' difference on which species to start to try and draw.....

You do have more options for getting a Buff than you do a Ram....

Robb

 

[Dreaminbig]

Next week the Eastmans crew will have to stare at my "marginal puny" Desert Ram for 4 days. My booth is right across from theirs at the ISE show in Sacremento and my mount will be proudly displayed in the front of my booth!!!!!!!!!!
Just goes to show you can't beleive everything you read in print or on the internet

 

[littlebighorn]

Hey Tony,
I would love to head on down to Sacramento and see your "finished product", but I am saving my time off and my limited "shillings" for my next sheep adventure. At any rate, how about emailing me a pic of your mounted ram. He is a beauty. The best ram taken on that unit this year. I would love to see him again. I hope you had a great year and you book up with lots of high rolling Cali dudes!

 

[Zeke]

Tony,
Your ram is WELL above average. There's nothing puny about it.

With that said, the sheep in Ut don't AVERAGE anything even close to yours. You did well and I can't wait to see the ram up close.

Maybe we're splitting hairs with score. I've never seem an ugly Ut desert ram regardless of size.

Some tech savy dude will post something for us. I'll bet the norm is low to mid 140".

There have been good sheep hunters who have spent the time and NEVER could find a 150" ram, let alone a 160"!

Tag,

No disrespect for you at all. I'm simply stating a fact. Maybe we have a different definition of "doable". To me it means it can get done, yet lots of good sheep hunters have been unable to "git-er-done" on a 150"+ ram. They don't find it doable!

BTW, why do you keep taking a shot at me? 100 trips around the block? I'm NOT quite that old YET! LOL

Zeke

PS, heck, take a look at the Nevada ram harvest reports. Lots of 140- rams! Nev is KNOWN for killing bigger rams than UT.

 

[Dreaminbig]

I feel very blessed to have taken the ram i did. I stare at it every night now and shake my head. Even if it was a 130 sheep I would still be happy. I think the whole score thing is getting blown out of proportion. Why can't a hunt just be fun anymore and if you take an animal from the species you are after it is icing on the cake? Maybe money?? Maybe I am just in crabby mood today?? Anyway Utah will always be a state on my "have to apply list".

 

[Dreaminbig]

Not tech savvy but the info I saw had the Dirty Devil rams going from low 140 to high 150. So I would say avg is about dead on to what you guys said. I would think a 140 desert ram on the wall is better then no desert ram on the wall!!!!

I saw a post on the Accurate reloading site of the guy who bought the San Rafel tag at the Expo last year. Looks like a ram in the 140's and he couldn't have been happier with it. Class guy in my opinion!!

 

[Zeke]

Tony AKA Dreaminbig
You're right on the money!
The whole score thing has been blown out of proportion for sure and ANY legal ram from Ut is a fine trophy.

The hunt should be about what you make of it, not the score of the dead animal. I've always said "you can't tell the quality of the hunt(er) by the score of the trophy"!

At any rate, Ut sheep average low to mid 140's and a guy would be crazy to pass a ram that approaches 150" except in an area of two. You would also be crazy to hold out for a 160" ram since it probably won't pay to do so.

Just my 2 cents. Well.... you got what you paid for. 2 cents worth. LOL

Zeke

 

[Tagalong173]

I would also love to kill a 140 ram.

I would just love the chance to hunt sheep.

 

[Zeke]

deerjunkie

Did we hijack your post? Did we ever answer your question?

Ok here goes, then I'll back out.

1-YES, apply for sheep. You can hunt Buffalo elsewhere.
2-NO, don't hunt them thinking 160" or bust!
3-Yes, they are the coolest animals on earth and even an "average" ram is a fine trophy!
4-your buddy is correct.

Zeke

 

[bowhunt]

DeerJunkie,

Welcome to Utah.
Yes Sheep over Bison for sure, in my book. There are many options available to harvest a Bison, but very few opportunities exist for Sheep outside of the draw, unless you have 65k plus.
The Utah herd, in general is hurting, both numbers and genetic diversity are a concern.

However there are units that have good numbers and have good diversity. Recently a large group of sheep from Nevada were introduced into one of the Utah units.

2 units have good numbers of sheep that migrate back and forth from Arizona.

I think you could have a great hunt in Utah, and kill the trophy of a life time.

Good luck!

 

[deerjunkie]

Thanks guys and no you didn't hijack the thread, it's all good stuff. I'll probably apply for sheep and go with it. Don't know why I even leaned on listening to what they wrote. Seems they are rarely accurate with about anything and since they are horrible in their home state of wyoming I should have known better in regards to any other state!!! I have time to decide what unit and will join the ranks that hopes to hit the jackpot like everyone else! Thanks again!