Desert Sheep Hunt: Easier To Win Than To Draw

[Founder]

I'm sure many of you have already seen the banner ads for the sheep hunt on the website here. Here's a press release about the sheep hunt and drawing. Good luck!!!!!

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DESERT SHEEP HUNT: EASIER TO WIN THAN TO DRAW
Odds Of Winning A Desert Sheep Raffle Are Much Higher And Cost Less Than Betting On State Tag Draws

As the cost of booking a desert sheep hunt in Mexico continues climbing beyond $50,000, most big game hunters are forced to apply for a tag with various state wildlife agencies. However, the non-resident application fees can range into the thousands of dollars. Many of these fees must be paid up-front and some are non-refundable. With the odds of drawing a state tag becoming astronomical, and the costs associated with submitting annual applications in multiple states also rising, savvy hunters have found a way to increase their odds: conservation raffles.

David Kidder, a hunter from Michigan, waited 26 years for an opportunity to hunt desert sheep before winning the Grand Slam Club/Ovis (GSCO) raffle in 2004. ?I still can't believe it! I pinch myself regularly, but the dream is still there, so it must be real,? said David.

Nevada resident David K. Haas can relate to David Kidder?s long wait. ?I put in for a desert bighorn for 14 years and finally drew a Nevada tag in 2004.? David Haas had luck on his side, because in 2006 he also entered and won a GSCO raffle to take other rams.

The long wait to win a state desert sheep tag is not an uncommon story. The odds can be as high as 1 in 100,000, but odds of 1 in 1,000 are common. Many hunters never draw a tag or give up after a decade of rejection letters.

But sheep conservation organizations, like Grand Slam Club/Ovis, are looking to change that. ?Hunting these magnificent rams can really get in your blood, but over the past several years, the cost to hunt sheep has climbed out of reach,? said GSCO executive director Dennis Campbell. ?With our Members-Only Raffle, we offer a fair chance for any GSCO member to win a guided desert sheep hunt.?

Although GSCO presents several raffles throughout the year, the Members-Only Raffle limits the number of tickets any one member can purchase, keeping big-spenders and average Joes on a level playing field. Also, by requiring participants to be members of the organization, there are considerably fewer entries than in any state draw, dramatically increasing the odds of winning. In 2007, members purchasing the maximum number of tickets had a 1 in 125 chance of winning the desert sheep hunt.

A one-year membership in GSCO is only $60, less than ? the cost of a non-resident hunting license in most states.

For complete details on the 2008 Members-Only Raffle desert sheep hunt, visit www.wildsheep.org.

Grand Slam Club/Ovis is a 501(C)(3) organization of hunter/conservationists dedicated to improving and perpetuating wild sheep and wild goat populations worldwide. Founded in 1956, GSCO is the official documentation and records-keeping organization for Grand Slams of North American Wild Sheep, Ovis World Slams and Capra World Slams.
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Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com

 

[Cozmo8]

What conservation projects do the proceeds of the raffle go to?

 

[PleaseDear]

That would be a sweet tag to luck into!

Robb

 

[RamDreamer]

Cozmo8,

I found a list at http://www.wildsheep.org/conservation/funding.htm

 

[NDhunter]

They didn't mention that they got much of their funding for those projects by being greedy over the term "grand slam" and being awarded over a mil from a lawsuit. They are about at the bottom of my list of conservation organizations.

 

[chipc]

ND, I'm no expert on the situation but the reading I did made it sound like there were definitely 2 sides to the Grand Slam lawsuit. I'd say if they won the case they must have had a legit argument. Anyway, it does sound like they are commited to improving habitat and furthering research to help improve wild sheep populations. To that end I hope they sell a pile of tickets and make a lot of money doing it. GOOD LUCK ! C.C.

 

[nochawk]

Right or wrong that lawsuit cost alot of money that could have benefitted sheep going to lawyers instead. Sheep are the ones that lost in either event.

 

[littlebighorn]

Having been a FORMER member of GSC/OVIS I have to say that I have a very bad taste in my mouth for this organization, after the law suit! I read the suit entirely and it was pretty ticky tacky as far as I was concerned. In my opinion the proceeds of this raffle and the memberships it will generate will go to lining the pockets of the organization and it's founders and will do VERY LITTLE OR NOTHING for sheep! As much as I want a desert tag, I will find another way to get one.

 

[scree]

I'm with you littlebighorn!

 

[twister]

what was the law suit over? i don't get out much please fill me in.

 

[littlebighorn]

twister,
As I said, I read the whole law suit and it was too long to cover in a paragraph. Mostly GSCO sued FNAWS for using the term Grand Slam in their publications and promotions. Grand Slam meaning the taking of all four of the North American Wild Sheep. They claimed that FNAWS was violating GSCO's "intellectual property" by using their record keeping information and lists of people who had the grand slam or 3/4 slams or whatever.
GSCO admits in the law suit and in their information that they are mostly a record keeping organization to recognize those who collect the grand slam and FNAWS had no right to use the term Grand Slam or any information from their organization.
The fact is GSCO and FNAWS used to hold their conventions together as partners, but as soon as GSCO found out how the conventions all worked they split off from FNAWS and put on conventions of their own---trying to draw away supporters to their side.
FNAWS is all about supporting sheep through fund raising and promoting sheep conservation projects, etc.
GSCO uses their money to promote hunters and publish a very nice quarterly magazine showing sheep hunters and their trophies. (Mostly very wealthy hunters)
Even though FNAWS tried to settle the whole argument, GSCO refused to come to an agreement and they won the law suit, costing FNAWS several million dollars. Money that state and local FNAWS organizations worked hard to raise to help put sheep back on the mountain. Now that money will go to lining the pockets of those who will recognize wealthy sheep hunters.
Perhaps you can tell I am a little bitter about it all!!!
For the record, I used to belong to both organizations, but I will NEVER join GSCO again---even if I do get my Gr...Sl...Oh wait I can't use the term....I might get sued!

 

[twister]

what a disgrace over a name or a term .what a waste of money that could have been spent elsewhere.

 

[NDhunter]

I am sure that like anyting else involving lawyers those folks gobbled up most of that cash that should have gone to putting sheep on the mountain. Maybe GSCO does dump some money into projects like the advertise, I however will never contribute a nickel to their organization simply because of the way they went about their disagreement with FNAWS, it all could have been handled without going to the lengths they went to. A few months ago I wrote them an email telling them to never send me any promotional material again, they wrote back trying to defend their position. No thanks, my money goes to FNAWS.