unlimited sheep tags ?

twister · Mar 29, 2008

can a guy have a decent hunt on a mt guaranteed tag ? i see the success rate is horrible but so are the draw odds everywhere else would like to say i at least gave chasing a sheep a try when i am still young enough and tough enough to go full throttle . anybody out there try one of these before . thanks

nochawk · Mar 29, 2008

They are unlimited because you would probably have to spend a whole month before you finally get a shot at one.. those success rates dont lie, I think it was last year that 77 hunters got that tag and NOBODY harvested one.

Steep,Slippery,shale slide's, You have to call in everyday to check on the quota, I hunted it in the mid 80's and had Bear problems then. A lot of outfitters have stopped hunting it I hear... unless you can find a ram during summer scouting and sit on it until the season starts I wouldnt advise it.. there are alot of crooks and crannys for them to hide out in.

Tough hunt, but you will earn any ram you get there.

ismith · Mar 29, 2008

nochawk is right. Its unlimited for a reason. It is one of the toughest hunts in North America.
ismith

windsurferlawman · Apr 15, 2008

Yeah,

I've spent a bit of time hunting the unlm's. I will do so again this year.

Hell, at elast you are sheep hunting even if the chance is slim-

Michael

Wyo · Apr 15, 2008

Michael, if I read the regulations right you can hunt the unlimited tag every year if you are unsuccessful, and then if you do harvest you have to wait another 7 years to apply? Is that correct?

windsurferlawman · Apr 16, 2008

Yes,

You are correct sir. I have hunted twice recently and this will be my 3rd time

Michael

rockn9858 · Apr 16, 2008

if one were going to hunt the unlimited what unit would be the better of the 4

Bambistew · Apr 17, 2008

Its a toss up.

Your odds of killing a sheep in any of those units is about as good as drawing a tag in a limited region.

windsurferlawman · Apr 17, 2008

Depends on what type of a hunt you are looking for and what you are looking to get out of it.

Michael

twister · Apr 17, 2008

i was more than gun hoe but the rest of my crew decided it was to hard and long and steep to pack there hand bags and makeup kits that far.what a bunch of sissy girls

rockn9858 · May 1, 2008

I would like to plan a trip to MT in 09 for a sheep hunt. in an unlimited unit I would not expect to shott a WC animal but would like to have the op to shoot a legal animal and say that I have been there and i gave it my best shot.

What could I expect as a population in those units.

I am an archer so i know that the chances get even slimmer to harvest but someone has to do it.

I have a family freind who has a cabin Absarokee and i can not remember what unit that is just to the south with ulimited tags and is that unit any better than the other units.

FullCurlHunter · Jul 22, 2008

Think about this:

Most wait many many years for the chance at drawing sheep tags. Especially non residents. Now why would Montana offer unlimited over the counter sheep tags? Consider this...

1. Extremely Dificult Terrain
2. Low Ram Numbers, Low Legal Ram Numbers
3. Very Low success ratios.

However, yes your are sheep hunting!

Bambistew · Jul 24, 2008

I would venture to guess... that 75-80% of the hunters that hunt to those units don't even see a legal ram, much less a live sheep. The last time I hunted one, I saw more sheep (ewes and sub legal rams) than all other hunters I talked to (8 or 9) put together. Some hunted a week and didn't even see a sheep.

I woudn't handicap myself and use a bow however, you might as well just go camping and save your money if thats the case. I'd venture to guess if you did kill one with your bow, you'd probably be the first to do it.

Hornseeker · Jul 24, 2008

Nope...not the first. I have no idea how many, but a Dandy ram was killed by a bow hunter last year in an unlimited area...

However Bambi...the hunter is one that I could only compare to a couple other hunters I've ever known.. Knowing he did it...gives me NO inspiration...! :0)

I am thinking hard about it... I HATE to give up those points and miss my chance at the gravy hunt in the breaks or rock creek or something...but then again... I am 37 and hell...I could hunt sheep every couple years....and if things came together, I could kill one..then maybe Kill ANOTHER in 7years.. I know thats how the archer I know feels...he KNOWS he will be killing another MT ram in 7 more years...

Ernie

rockn9858 · Aug 7, 2008

I think the unit is 502 ? I would only go with a bow as that is my challenge. I will hold out for a tag in another state and did it with a bow/rifle if at al possible. so is the unit south west of absorkee any good (I know low numbers) any better than the other unlimited units. and how does it work? I think I read that there was a quota and once that is met for the unit it is closed. ????

Warren · Aug 8, 2008

A lot of times the sheep do not live in the unit, but migrate in when the weather gets bad. You have to be a bad boy to try this hunt. Call Larry Altimus...he knows a lot about these units. I'll go ahead and say it..you will not kill a sheep with a bow in an unlimited unit. Why not hunt high country muleys instead?

DonVathome · Aug 11, 2008

From what I know, congrat's to that bowhunter who did it. Wow. Unreal.

I really wanted to hunt sheep, and got REALLY lucky and drew a bow tag in CO this year. I had debated the MT unlimited hunts for a while. I finally decided there are units around, in other states, with great odds - bad units but I suspect no where near as bad as MT unlimited.

Food for thought. If it were me I would be looking into those easy to draw tags. There are some CO tags with very good odds, even for NR