Sheep Outfitters
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littlebighorn
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Are you asking Rockies, Deserts, Dalls, or Stones and what states/units, etc.? There are lots of variables to your question.
sticksender
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In Colorado each sheep kill is logged as to Outfitted or Not. This data can be viewed on the Hunting Statistics / Horn Measurements report published annually. Last year the percentage of outfitted kills was about 17% of the total.
littlebighorn
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The variables I'm suggesting include, is the tag holder an experienced sheep hunter, or has experienced help? Do they live close or far away from their unit? Are they dirt poor, or have expendable income, etc. etc.
In most western states where tag numbers are relatively large for residents,(Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, CO) I think a majority (80%) do not hire an outfitter, but probably few NR's (10-20%) go DIY. In Wyoming it's required for an NR to be guided if they hunt in wilderness (most units)
Given how hard it is to draw a sheep tag and the once in a lifetime reality of the tag, I think anyone who doesn't have serious sheep experience or help, is nuts to not hire a guide.
I've studied the NV checkout summaries for years and it was easy to see the serious sheep hunters vs those that didn't care that much, by the success rates and the days afield.
LIK2HNT
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For me part of the hunt is the adventure and accomplishment of planning and hunting DIY. Usually with a friend and family member if they can take time off. Sometimes you have to be smart on what unit you can hunt this way. Definitely a lot of places where a guide, horses, etc would be required. Those places I do not apply for. As far as an experienced sheep hunter, no time like the present to learn. Maybe I have been lucky. Definitely stubborn. And now getting older as the mountains get steeper.
PleaseDear
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I've done all of my sheep hunts DIY/Solo, Colo, Mont., Utah x2.
Mnt. Goat in Utah and in Colo the same DIY/Solo.
Robb
Mnt. Goat in Utah and in Colo the same DIY/Solo.
Robb
Gadjet
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I hunted 3 of my 4 sheep hunts DIY. Had to have a guide for Alaskan dall, but actually killed my ram on my own while the guide stayed in camp. And I've helped on several other sheep hunts without a guide. That being said, on a couple of those DIY hunts where I had to hunt anywhere from two weeks to just shy of a month to find and kill a ram, other tag holders in the same unit hired a guide and filled the tag on opening day. I get a lot of satisfaction from doing hunts unguided.
Hackleback
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There is a lot of information available both from harvest (from the agencies) and from others doing these hunts. People are much more willing to provide this information to others for these effectively one in a lifetime tags. If you are in good physical shape and have a decent back country camping and hunting background, the probability of being successful is high.
littlebighorn
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What tag do you have dgfavor? That's awesome.Tag in my pocket as we speak. Gonna go down in flames on my own!
Idaho 55, Cali bighorn. Not as "huge country epic" as many sheep hunts, and certainly not the biggest sheep, but I'm having a blast. It's close to home, I'm able to do a ton of "hunting before the hunt" - i.e. scouting - than I ever could on pretty much every other Idaho sheep hunt. Seems like most DIY folks are able to commit a trip for scouting and a trip for hunting - sometimes not even that. Guided folks probably just show up for the hunt. I'm able to get up, drive over, scout/glass for a morning and be home just after lunchtime...or lounge around in the morning, drive over in the afternoon and scout with the sun from a different angle...or take the trailer over, camp, and scout/hunt for a few days...I've done it all three ways.
I've got the first week and last week completely blocked out and a good scattering of days in between to hunt - about 30 days total. It's getting close to game time!
6.5-300 Wby Mag, 129gr Hammer Hunters, 3317fps, is the plan:
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littlebighorn
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You sound like you have the perfect tag dgfavor.
In my mind every sheep hunt should be an epic adventure. Given your flexibility, I see an incredible experience ahead for you. Unfortunately most sheep hunters don't have the scouting/hunting/free time, close proximity, etc. that you are describing so hiring an outfitter might be their only real chance for success.
I hired a guide friend to help me on my desert sheep hunt because he knew every inch of my unit, that was 300 miles from home. That said, I also put in 18 days scouting with just my son, so I could know I wasn't cheating myself with a once in a lifetime tag. I don't think showing up and shooting a pre-scouted animal on firs light the first day seems like a real hunt.
In my case, the guide friend's help essentially put me where I needed to be, gave me confidence and helped me pick over rams.
Ultimately I wouldn't change a thing on my hunt, and I'm sure you will say the same thing about yours dgfavor.
Keep us in the loop, with your scouting, etc. It would be way fun for us to virtually tag along, via MM.
Congratulations and best of luck!
By the way I love your screaming bullet choice. I'm a Hammerhead as well.
In my mind every sheep hunt should be an epic adventure. Given your flexibility, I see an incredible experience ahead for you. Unfortunately most sheep hunters don't have the scouting/hunting/free time, close proximity, etc. that you are describing so hiring an outfitter might be their only real chance for success.
I hired a guide friend to help me on my desert sheep hunt because he knew every inch of my unit, that was 300 miles from home. That said, I also put in 18 days scouting with just my son, so I could know I wasn't cheating myself with a once in a lifetime tag. I don't think showing up and shooting a pre-scouted animal on firs light the first day seems like a real hunt.
In my case, the guide friend's help essentially put me where I needed to be, gave me confidence and helped me pick over rams.
Ultimately I wouldn't change a thing on my hunt, and I'm sure you will say the same thing about yours dgfavor.
Keep us in the loop, with your scouting, etc. It would be way fun for us to virtually tag along, via MM.
Congratulations and best of luck!
By the way I love your screaming bullet choice. I'm a Hammerhead as well.
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Looks like you’re already having a great time. Enjoy every second of it. And I just started using 163gr Hammers in mt 28 Nosler and they worked great on my cow bison
