Longest sheep tag application drought?

M

Mbogo

Active Member
Messages
566
I'm going in to my 22nd year of applying for a bighorn sheep tag and still have never drawn one. I started in one state and expanded to where I am now, 7 states, so I don't have 22 points everywhere (or anywhere actually, I started in Oregon, which doesn't have sheep points.)
What's your longest sheep application streak with no tag?
 
19 points for desert sheep in Utah. Most likely will never draw. But I apply every year and hope for the non-bonus point miracle tag.
 
Started hunting in 1979, drew a ewe bighorn tag in 1987. Bought a dall sheep tag at Walmart for an area in AK that is now a draw permit area in 1995. Drew an AZ desert sheep in 2012. Drew a Wyoming ram tag in 2019. Have a boatload of points in UT (20), MT (max), NV Desert and California (18), CO (3+15), and AZ (9).

I think I'll draw at least one more...my guess is NV...but I still keep thinking AZ wants me to get a Rocky to go with the Desert.

I'm not going to complain if I never draw another.
 
Applied 15 years in 4 states before drawing my Idaho tag in 1993. Have been applying ever since, in even more, with no luck.
 
treedagain said:
I hope you guys draw sooner than later.
Pretty cool animal to hunt.
Click to expand...
Did you all notice that treed didn't post how many years he waited for his TWO Desert Sheep tags?? ?
Actually I'm happy for ya treed, and anyone else that draws a tag.

I'm no better because I got into the top point pool for a Wyoming Rocky and drew with 7 points. But I was the last applicant in my Utah point pool to draw my Desert Sheep with 24.

If you don't die first, it will eventually happen.(y)
 
Well 2020 is my 37th Colorado Big horn app...had to be 14 to apply in 1978... took 3 off big horn in mid 80's to hunt goat. Couldn't apply for both then...in 1990 i applied 1 time for Colo Desert. Drew It! Now here I am...remember sheep hinting IS NOT Limited......Sheep harvest is.... I do miss my double digit preference points they took to 0 22 years ago? For the "NEW" weighted system...
 
20 az, 20 wy, 19 co, 19 11 ut, 18 18 5 nv, 19+ mt, 17 or, about 10 nm, about 3 id, +raffle tags, 000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 sheep tags
 
Last edited:
This is my 21st year of applying for sheep. Every state but CA. I can draw moose tags...2 in WY and 1 in UT... I even put in for ND and TX and raffle tags. But no sheep for me. Fingers crossed for WY this year.
 
24 in Nevada (resident) for Desert, 21 for Rocky and California. I know it can be done, I drew last year a mountain goat in Nevada with 17 points. I'm just waiting and applying. One day, hopefully.
 
My Dad Might be with a Few Guys that went the Longest!

He Started Applying the 1st year we had Sheep Hunts!

Went to His Grave a Few Years ago with MAX Points!
 
I have been applying for about 35 years, and I am 57, I hope to live until around 90 (the age my dad is now) so it will probably be around 68 years of trying when I die!
 
I’ve drawn Wyoming Rocky, Idaho Rocky and Nevada Desert, for me they seem to cycle about every 20 years. I’m stacked up in the other states, hopefully one more before I’m 80.
 
0 for 39 in Oregon, sitting around 14 points in Montana, Arizona, Utah, and Nevada. Quit Wyoming when they jacked the price. Applied in Idaho and New Mexico a couple times. All told I am about 0 for 109.
 
No point applying for sheep tags since I wasn’t born 20 years earlier.... No way I’d ever draw a tag in the max pools given my age and non resident point creep.

I did put in for NM this year though.

Realistically, my only sheep tag will be an unlimited.
 
I’d like to know the youngest person to pull a tag in a max point pool In any western state. I’m not talking about hitting a 1 in 2100 chance, true max point holder.
 
I'm in the same boat as Lost in Oregon. Started when I was 12 and I just turned 55 so this will be my lucky 39th year of applying (I took 4 years off when I attended college. I'm currently up to 11 different applications each year - AZ, UT-2, MT, NM, CO, NV-3, SD-2
 
21 Wyoming points til last year when I finally drew. I was putting in way before the point system began here. 30 years total maybe?
 
Just keep putting in and one day when your totally not expecting it, you will draw. Sheep tags in most states are a lifetime investment
 
If I read it correctly.
You can start applying your Child in
Montana at 6 MONTHS OLD!!!
LOL
Boy they plan on having you in there system
For a really long time!!!!!?
 
38 years and counting for me with sheep and moose in Montana.

I drew a goat tag when I was 14 but haven't drawn one since so I'm 1 for 38 for goats.

Drawing great tags is not me forte evidentally!
 
Only 25 years into it for CO/AZ/UT/MT/NM/NV Some of them I am more like 16-19 points as I phased in new states.

Drew and hunted 2 CO archery ram tags and a
ewe tag. Killed a ram and a ewe So no room to whine about draw odds.

219D1228-239F-4F6F-886F-8D4C4F8B13A1.jpeg
 
I’m interested to hear if any of you that have put in for multiple states for many years have ever calculated how much you have spent on points until you were able to draw a tag?
 
I don't want to know how much I have spent....When I started you could hunt a bighorn in British Columbia for around ten grand.
 
I don’t no how much I’ve spent and at this point I don’t think I want to know, I look at my OIL tags as a lifetime investment. I would probably bail out of most states if I drew one more sheep tag.
 
I drew MT the first year I applied, beat some long odds there!
23 points in AZ and NV and still trying
 
23 points in WA, Points in NV,UT,CO, WY, MT I live in the best Cali unit in the state and see them every day. Some day
 
I’ve got the opposite streak going. I’ve had a sheep tag every year since 2012 and even have one this year!
 
BuzzH said:
Started hunting in 1979, drew a ewe bighorn tag in 1987. Bought a dall sheep tag at Walmart for an area in AK that is now a draw permit area in 1995. Drew an AZ desert sheep in 2012. Drew a Wyoming ram tag in 2019. Have a boatload of points in UT (20), MT (max), NV Desert and California (18), CO (3+15), and AZ (9).

I think I'll draw at least one more...my guess is NV...but I still keep thinking AZ wants me to get a Rocky to go with the Desert.

I'm not going to complain if I never draw another.
Click to expand...
Which area went to draw in 95? Metal creek?
 
I've been applying in Colorado since I was 14. 48 now, no tags. Have been applying in Utah, Arizona and Nevada since 2005, no tags.
 
Started applying for sheep in 1995. Drew a Nevada desert as a resident in 2003, and a non-resident Wyoming rocky in 2007 (one point less than max). Started to drop out of the various states, as the fees vs odds began to sway my application process. Still apply in Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and Wyoming (resident). I honestly don't expect to draw another tag in my lifetime, but would gladly take it if it happens!
 
In 2014 I drew Wy the second year I applied. but you never know so keep appling. That year I sent over $17000 dollars out west for sheep draws, I borrowed nearly all of it from our home equity line and credit cards. My wife didnt understand that most of it would come back and that caused a few rough moments. now you might think I'm the luckiest bastard in the world, well with that I guess I am and I believe that. But these draws are fickle souls. I've been putting in for New Hampshire moose for more then 25 yrs, before they started a point system and still haven't drawn. I was in when the odds for NR's was about 1 in 25. In 2000 I put an app in for a friend, he didn't want to try so I paid for the app, don't you know it, he drew on the first try.

Don't give up! one day the the fate tumblers will all line up and click in for you. Build up some sheep karma too, go to a sheep convention from the WSF and spend a few bucks! or help as a volunteer with one of the groups.
 
Tomichi said:
Well the drought is over the 37th app got me my Rocky tag...
Click to expand...
Congratulations my friend!
I can imagine the Rocky Mountain high you are on right now!
I’m sure you will make the most of it.
With all the hunting experience you have I’m sure you will kill big.
Good luck!
Be safe!
And have a good time!
 
I drew in Oregon in my 30th year of applying. I still apply in NV and AZ, but with 12 and 8 points I will never draw either one. No complaining here.

My dad has been applying in Oregon since around 1970. He is 78 (79 in June) and could still get it done if the tag gods smile on him.
 
Last edited:
I don’t have the years on me at this point but dad got me started at 12 years old and I’m 28 now. I’m currently 3 plus 13 in Colorado, 16 years into Wyoming, 14 into Utah, 10 in Montana and AZ and just started in Idaho two years ago with zero tags to show for it.
 
Great topic. Been applying for over 30 years. Slowly adding states as funds allowed. And some states do not have points. Gathered a lot of points and drew 2 tags this year. Should of purchase points in some states earlier than I did. This is what I went into this years draws with.
AZ - 23
CA - 18
CO - 3/17
MT - 18
NV - 21 each species
UT - 11
WY - 20
OR -no point system
ID - off and on no points
I though it would never happen. Then this year got 2 tags.
Bill
 
The_Coloradoboy said:
I don’t have the years on me at this point but dad got me started at 12 years old and I’m 28 now. I’m currently 3 plus 13 in Colorado, 16 years into Wyoming, 14 into Utah, 10 in Montana and AZ and just started in Idaho two years ago with zero tags to show for it.
Click to expand...
Your Dad gave you a great jump on things Cboy! It's financially painful to keep it up, but it will pay off for you some day if you don't get discouraged. From my perspective, sheep hunts are worth the wait.
I did the same thing with my son, who's 33, but he's already drawn a Desert and should draw a Wyoming Rocky tag any year now!

Best of luck to everyone and hang in there!
 
LIK2HNT said:
Great topic. Been applying for over 30 years. Slowly adding states as funds allowed. And some states do not have points. Gathered a lot of points and drew 2 tags this year. Should of purchase points in some states earlier than I did. This is what I went into this years draws with.
AZ - 23
CA - 18
CO - 3/17
MT - 18
NV - 21 each species
UT - 11
WY - 20
OR -no point system
ID - off and on no points
I though it would never happen. Then this year got 2 tags.
Bill
Click to expand...
Congratulations LIK2HNT,
Where are your 2 tags for?
That's incredible!
 
Mbogo said:
I'm going in to my 22nd year of applying for a bighorn sheep tag and still have never drawn one. I started in one state and expanded to where I am now, 7 states, so I don't have 22 points everywhere (or anywhere actually, I started in Oregon, which doesn't have sheep points.)
What's your longest sheep application streak with no tag?
Click to expand...
I feel your severe pain ! I've got 26 points for RMBS, AZ., also 18 points AZ Strip Deer 13-B, 17 elk, AZ., 15 antelope AZ.. Only one I may draw before I croak may be Strip Deer AZ.
Last time I drew in AZ was 1995 deer & it blew up bad due to heat wave ! No shot, no nothing.. Nothing since then ! In AZ that is. Jerry Gold ?
 
littlebighorn said:
Your Dad gave you a great jump on things Cboy! It's financially painful to keep it up, but it will pay off for you some day if you don't get discouraged. From my perspective, sheep hunts are worth the wait.
I did the same thing with my son, who's 33, but he's already drawn a Desert and should draw a Wyoming Rocky tag any year now!

Best of luck to everyone and hang in there!
Click to expand...
It is... most painful part is watching my buddies draw sheep tags with half the points in the same unit(s) I’ve been applying in haha
 

Similar threads

t_boneking
Dall Sheep Double
Replies
35
Views
1k
Blackie6
B
M
Where to go, where to look, what to do? For a big muley.
Replies
64
Views
3k
antlerradar
antlerradar
BrowningRage
Hunting with kids - Success!
Replies
3
Views
327
tailchasers
tailchasers

Click-a-Pic ... Details & Bigger Photos

Member Gallery Photos and Videos!

1995_MD_Archery.jpg
20181013_151959.jpg
6931141A-D1FF-479A-9F59-924418624AAD.jpeg
Tripod/Cheater Buck - MonsterMuleys.com
2EBFC118-6C60-4BE1-A069-A0DF6FC656F9.jpeg
Screenshot_20221206_104658.jpg
20240428_170234.jpg
IMAG0397-1.jpg
3CE4B474-46EC-4FB4-A86C-B8FE79FE660B.jpeg
IMG_0231.jpeg
66882590352__EB133E0B-131C-4C88-9B11-01D939C5413C.jpeg
D70A96FB-93C8-48D3-9CBB-601E01AED8B3.jpeg
Back
Top Bottom