Help on Archery Sheep unit in Wyoming

Outdoordan · Dec 19, 2005

HELP! I want to start hunting sheep with bow and have 5 or 6 points in Wyoming and want to possibly cash in. (If I can draw of course). What units would give me multiple stalk opportunities. Am I going to need to hire a guide, or is there units I can backpack in to. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!

dwalton · Dec 19, 2005

Unless you are very lucky in the random draw, 6 points or less will not get you into the game. You could draw area 6 or 9, but most years, no rams are taken. Area 5 has places where a non-resident can hunt on his own, but then again, you have to very lucky in the random draw. With 6 points, you're looking at least a decade or two to be able to "cash in" your points. Hope this helps.

RamDreamer · Dec 19, 2005

And remember that this year your application fees will be hit with a $100 preference point fee before your refund is sent to you. It's not an optional program.

NVMDF2 · Dec 20, 2005

Dan,
Good to see you back on the site. How was your season? Really a fun one this year. I got Mikes archery deer hunt on film, and a buffalo he shot with a bow. How was Idaho, have you been hunting the late hunts up there. Got a good archery hunt for you next year, I'll send you the info.

Shon

huntin100 · Dec 21, 2005

Good luck in drawing. I have 6 points for sheep also. You don't need a guide for unit 5. Draw odds last year for random draw was .47%. 857 applicants for four permits. Expensive to play those odds. Someone will be lucky.

Outdoordan · Dec 21, 2005

>Good luck in drawing. I
>have 6 points for sheep
>also. You don't need
>a guide for unit 5.
> Draw odds last year
>for random draw was .47%.
> 857 applicants for four
>permits. Expensive to play
>those odds. Someone will
>be lucky.

Wow, I am overwhelmed with optimism. Well, thanks for the news good or bad. I really appreciate the help. Has anybody any first hand knowledge of alberta's bow only? good outfitters? I don't want to wait for a decade. NMMDF2 email me at [email protected]

dwalton · Dec 22, 2005

Outdoordan,

Don't have any first hand experience, but you might want to look to the Grand Slam Club for assistance.

http://www.wildsheep.org/directory/grand_slam_advertisers.htm

You may also want to check with Cabela's Outdoor Adventures. They work with an outfitter in the Canmore area. Get ready to dig deep into you pockets, though. They list the hunt for $16,850. Best of luck to you on your quest!

huntin100 · Dec 23, 2005

Dan, You may want to try Colorado. They have archery only hunts. Odds are better of drawing. I put in for 5-6 states for sheep and points. The bottom line is you have to be one of the lucky ones to draw. I'm hoping I can draw just one tag in the next 20 years before I get too old. You may want to do a guided hunt and try for areas easier to draw. Good luck in the future.

Outdoordan · Dec 23, 2005

You know I haven't been putting in to Colorado. I know I need to as they have some good hunts and areas. I put in for NV, AZ, WY, MT, UT, and ID. Is there anywhere else I should put in. Good info here and again thanks. Merry Xmas.

NDhunter · Dec 23, 2005

About all you have left to choose from are OR, CA, ND, WA, NM, TX, SD, and NE. The last 2 being res only, so if you live in SD or NE you have 7 more states to choose from. NDHunter.

RamDreamer · Dec 23, 2005

The problem with Colorado is that if Outdoordan has never put in there, he will have to apply in 2006, 2007 and 2008 with no chance of being drawn. A person must accrue 3 preference points just to be in the running. So if Outdoordan starts applying for bighorn in Colorado in 2006, he'll have an actual shot at a tag in 2009.

Sorry to be the bearer of more bad news, but welcome to the bighorn tag chase.

By the way, if you're after a California or Rocky Mountain Bighorn you can scratch California and Texas off the "possibles" list. Those two states have Desert Bighorns only.

Outdoordan · Dec 26, 2005

I know that California is a Resident only hunt. I live part time in Idaho and parttime in California, but my residency is Idaho. (That is where my house is). Thus, I can put in for Idaho but not CA.

RamDreamer · Dec 26, 2005

Outdoordan,

That's absolutely not true. You may apply for sheep in California. Not elk or antelope, but you may apply for sheep and deer.

It will cost you the price of a non-resident license to apply, along with the application fee (and the tag fee if you draw), but you may certainly apply as a non-resident.

There is a limitation that only one non-resident may draw in the California sheep draw. A guy from here in Colorado drew this year and is hunting for the desert ram that would complete his Grand Slam if he's successful.

Much information on the subject of applying in different states is available over on the Grand Slam Club / Ovis website's forum: http://wildsheep.org/groupee/forums

Outdoordan · Dec 27, 2005

I stand corrected. But I don't think I want to stand in line with 10,000 people for one tag! It is an option tho. How about the raffle tags? I know that Idaho has one, and Arizona has one or two. How about other states?

Outdoordan · Dec 27, 2005

I just joined GSCO/Ovis! Now I really can do some wishfull dreaming! Has anyone gone to the convention?

RamDreamer · Dec 27, 2005

Outdoordan,

Just didn't want you to not take a shot at a California Desert ram tag because you didn't think you could. I bought the lifetime license before I left that state so I don't have to buy the non-res license every year.

Good move on joining GSCO. There is more info in those publications than you can imagine. Plus it keeps you motivated.

RamDreamer · Dec 27, 2005

Outdoordan,

RE: "How about the raffle tags? I know that Idaho has one, and Arizona has one or two. How about other states?"

Yes, Idaho has one. Arizona will have two in '06 (both for "Nelsoni" desert bighorn). Colorado has one. New Mexico has one. Utah sometimes has one for a Desert. Washington has one (in '05 they had two - one Rocky & one California). Oregon has one. There are also additional raffles for sheep hunts that are offered by various conservation organizations. Details on all of this tend to get posted on the Grand Slam Club / Ovis forum, you just have to look around through the various major subjects for it.