Sheep Outfitters

Hunt4more · Tuesday at 8:06 PM

How what percentage of the successful draw tag applicants do NOT hire an outfitter? Resident versus NR? Curious and I think it may be lower than most think.

littlebighorn · Tuesday at 8:18 PM

Hunt4more said:
How what percentage of the successful draw tag applicants do NOT hire an outfitter? Resident versus NR? Curious and I think it may be lower than most think.

Are you asking Rockies, Deserts, Dalls, or Stones and what states/units, etc.? There are lots of variables to your question.

Hunt4more · Tuesday at 8:21 PM

Let’s start with deserts and Rockies in the lower 48.

LIK2HNT · Tuesday at 8:36 PM

Did both my Rocky and Desert hunts DIY.

sticksender · 2024-07-24T06:55:11-0600

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 · 2024-07-24T08:01:33-0600

Hunt4more said:
Let’s start with deserts and Rockies in the lower 48.

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 · 2024-07-24T08:31:21-0600

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.

diablo · 2024-07-24T16:31:37-0600

No idea what the percentages are. I’ve killed two bighorns (and a goat) DIY. Im with @LIK2HNT, I wouldn't consider hiring an outfitter (unless required to).

dgfavor · 2024-07-24T18:22:14-0600

Tag in my pocket as we speak. Gonna go down in flames on my own!

PleaseDear · 2024-07-25T03:36:55-0600

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

maddog58 · 2024-07-25T09:58:38-0600

Hunted my desert with just family for help. But they’re dang good sheep hunters

Gadjet · 2024-07-25T11:14:40-0600

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.