advice re: buying sheep auction/other tag

yearin1 · Apr 15, 2005

would appreciate advice on buying good rocky mountain sheep tag through auction or otherwise. what is the best tag or a good tag in the 30k to 50k range. do any state auction tags go in this range and if so what type of ram would i expect. thanks

RamDreamer · Apr 15, 2005

LAST EDITED ON Apr-15-05 AT 11:13PM (MST)[p]The kind of $ you're talking about would buy only the Washington (California Bighorn), Wyoming (Rocky Mountain Bighorn) or North Dakota (California Bighorn) tags this year. You can find much on this subject posted at http://wildsheep.org/eve/ubb.x/a/tpc/f/5456064125/m/908108789

2_Point · Apr 15, 2005

I think that there are some Colorado landowner vouchers for bighorns.(???) You could check on some Canada hunts as well. Or you could do a Mexico Desert bighorn, if you weren't set on a Rocky.

Blank · Apr 16, 2005

Idaho tag goes for about $40-45K every other year, when Unit 11 is not included. Goes for $80-90K when 11 is included and you can have Jon Barker guide you in the big ditch.

RamDreamer · Apr 16, 2005

Blank,
That Idaho tag went for $180K last month. Undoubtedly due to that huge ram taken by the raffle tag winner in '04.

MNHunter · Apr 16, 2005

RamDreamer, I sent you a PM

Blank · Apr 17, 2005

RD: Thanks for the update. Been so busy with work I didn't follow any of the annual conventions or auctions results, except SCI in Reno. A friend here did finish his slam with a nice Mexico desert last month, but we are talking way out of my league here. I have my Idaho Rocky, and just keep plugging away on raffles and MT/WY applications anymore.

ramslam · Apr 17, 2005

The largest rams to come from there the last two years were un-guided.

COBUK · Apr 18, 2005

Don,

sent you a PM

oldoregon · Apr 18, 2005

1. Baja Sur, Mexico Vizcaino Biosphere?(Desert Bighorn Sheep), $52,000
2. Oregon, (California/Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep), $130,000
3. Utah, (Desert Bighorn Sheep), $56,000
4. Washington, (California Bighorn Sheep), $45,000
5. Texas, (Desert Bighorn Sheep, Elephant Mountain), $72,000
6. B.C., (California/Rocky Mountain/Dalls/Stones), $150,000
7. Mexico, Tiburon?(Desert Bighorn Sheep), $85,000
8. Montana, (Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep), $160,000
9. Baja Sur, Mexico Vizcaino Biosphere (Desert Bighorn Sheep), $66,000
10. Utah, (Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep), $70,000
11. Navaho, (Desert Bighorn Sheep), $36,000
12. Texas, (Desert Bighorn Sheep), $87,500
13. California, (Desert Bighorn Sheep), $75,000
14. Nevada, (Desert Bighorn Sheep), $72,500
15. New Mexico, (Desert/Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep), $177,500
16. Colorado, (Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep), $65,000
17. Arizona, (Rocky Mountain/Desert Bighorn Sheep), $199,000
18. Idaho, (California/Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep), $180,000
19. Wyoming, (Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep), $37,500
20. Alberta, (Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep), $180,000
21. Tiburon, (Desert Bighorn Sheep), $100,000
22. Carmen Island, Mexico, (Desert Bighorn Sheep), $90,000
23. 2nd Carmen Island, Mexico, (Desert Bighorn Sheep), $100,000

yearin1 · Apr 20, 2005

Thanks everyone for your advice. Any ideas on the size of the rams being taken with the Colorodo, Wyoming, and Washington Rocky tags or the Baja Sur Biosphere desert tag? I was in the San Carlos Apache game and fish office (Arizona) this weekend to see some pictures or some Rockies as they are offering 2 tags for 45,000 each. The rams did not look very impressive. They said their survey this year indicated they had 3 class 4 rams and one class 3 ram and that they scored between 160 and 180. The photos did not show a ram that looked close to 180.

RamDreamer · Apr 20, 2005

I sent you a PM.

BCbucks · Apr 20, 2005

You have 30-50 thousand to spend..... Geeze.

Why don't you treat yourself to 2 or 3 guided sheep hunting adventures in Alberta / BC / Yukon / NWT for that price.

Hell - I would go for dalls in NWT for 10-14 US
Then I would go on a Stone's sheep hunt in the Yukon for a fraction of what it costs in BC..... and then pay for either a guided california bighorn hunt in BC or rocky mountain bighorn hunt in AB or BC.

Hunt for 3 sheep instead of 1 !!!!!!!!! Makes sense doesn't it. And then you re 3/4 of your way to a slam.

ramslam · Apr 20, 2005

I can comment on the Washington tags. The current auction permit is for California Bighorns only. With the units offered for the auction permit, a 160-ish ram is what should be expected. There is one Rocky tag in Washington this year and it is being raffled by the Washington FNAWS Chapter. Download and order tickets at www.wafnaws.com.

ramslam · Apr 20, 2005

www.wafnaws.com

yearin1 · Apr 21, 2005

Your probably right, but I can't stop dreaming about a 180 type rockie with great mass that weighs about 400 pounds. I killed a good Az desert ram with over 16 inch bases and I just can't get real excited about dalls and stones and almost all of the pictures I see of Canadian rockies (other than the ones by the mine) don't seem to have much mass or size. From what I've seen, it's almost 20k to hunt rockies in Canada and if your lucky enough to get one, it will probably score 150 to 160. I think I'd rather pay about double if I could find a good tag and have a shot at a 175 to 180. I know size isn't everything and that it would be great to hunt a dall and stone, but my dream is to kill a hog rockie. Anyway, thanks for the input.