What if????

[Dreaminbig]

So say you drew a desert sheep tag at the hunt expo in SLC?
Your a non resident. Would you hire a guide or Just put a ton of effort into the hunt with some help from Friends?
I have lurked around here for awhile and this question just came to me this morning. Please give me some thoughts.

 

[littlebighorn]

I met the out of state guy who drew the EXPO desert tag last year We actually camped by him a few times while my son hunted his ram. He seemed to be a great guy, but he chose to do it on his own without a guide. I am guessing he spent way more time hunting than we did, but it also appeared that he did not know desert sheep. He seemed to be hunting them like you would deer. To my knowledge, despite putting in tons of time and effort, he did not fill his tag. I am guessing he made 6 or 8 trips to the unit from out of state.
I felt sorry for the guy, but I believe he would have actually saved money in the long run if he would have hired a guide and gone for one extended trip, and besides he probably would have been successful.
From experience, sheep hunting is no cake walk and way different than any other kind of hunting. Since the EXPO winner only paid $5 for the tag + out of state fee it would be the cheapest hunt you could ever get for a desert even if you did hire a guide. If I were in those shoes, I would definitely bite the bullet and hire a guide. You only get one chance at a desert in a lifetime (if you are lucky)! IMHO

 

[Zeke]

+1 to littlebighorn's comments. DIY is great IF that's your thing BUT you might be playing with fire on a non-res sheep hunt. To be successful many things must fall into place. Just finding water to drink might be too much for most. The guides that I know in the State are top notch guides and super people. That's a tough combination to beat!
Bite the bullet and pick a guide! Many residents use guides and to a person have said the guides enriched their hunts!
Way cheaper than paying 50K+ to hunt Mexico! Oh! that's a guided hunt too! Haha. Good luck with all the drawings.
Zeke

 

[nvsportsman]

Littlebighorn has a geat point. I drew two years ago as a non-resident. Being a OIL hunt and traveling from Vegas, there was no question that I was going to hire Randy Johnson and Brett Caldwell. Not only did I take a great ram, but the friendships that I made were a much greater reward. The images of that hunt will never go away, thanks to such a wonderful group of people. Sheep hunting is an addiction like no other. One down and three to go !!!!!!

 

[dwalton]

The money spent on a good sheep guide is worth it! With a desert sheep tag, this will likely be the only chance in your lifetime.

 

[Jdan9]

You got my answer when we talked this morning, hire the best guide you can, You'll be 25% done with your slam! This is a once in many a lifetime opportunity.

I believe you were rewarded with this tag because of the type of person you are. I recall a few years back you went way above and beyond to help a certain NR elk hunter that I believe you met right here on MM.

Congratulations it couldn't go to someone more derserving!

jd

 

[dwalton]

Congrats on the tag!!

Now we're not talking hypothetical, he's my real world experience on desert sheep. In 2003 I drew a resident Nevada tag and thought I'd go DIY. Scouting trips, 10 days hunting with friends and other costs: $4,200. End result was no sheep. Thankfully Roy Lerg took me after a phone call late in the season. After 7 days of hunting I had my ram. Cost for the guided hunt: $4,500.

Not only did we get a sheep, but I have a friendship with Roy that I enjoy to this day. Good sheep guides will make the most of your once in a liftime opportunity.

I'm sure Zeke and Littlebighorn can give you the inside scoop on the proven Utah outfitters.

Best of luck on your hunt!!

 

[Dreaminbig]

Thanks JDAN. It has been kind of crazy day!!!! my phone has been burning up. Talked alot of sheep hunting today and to alot of very experienced guys. The info gathering has begun and maybe in a couple weeks my feet will hit the ground!!!
Feeling very very lucky right now. Acually feeling like a "DIRTY DEVIL".

 

[sheepfever]

There is no doubt in my mind that you should hire a guide. I can vouch for Randy Johnson and Brett Caldwell. In my opinion they know Utah Desert's better than anyone. They are great guys to boot.

 

[Zeke]

What the F????? (friend)

Been THERE done THAT!!!!!!!!!!!just last year!!!!!!!
(SEE "DESERT RAM FOR JESSICA" ON THIS FORUM)

Congratulations!

HUGE country to say the least. It looks easy on a map until you can't get back to the truck and spend a cold night on the mountain (or canyon)! The Nonres last year went home without a ram!!! OUCH!
DIY is not the way to go on this little outing!

IMHO: GET A GUIDE

Zeke

BTW: My daughter drew a Dall sheep hunt at the Full Curl Society meeting and another friend drew a Rocky mtn bighorn expo tag this year!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Zeke]

Dreaminbig;

I met "sheepfever" by accident as he was starting his RM Bighorn hunt as I was coming off Jessica's successful Desert BH hunt.

Wise man! Maybe you should listen to him! Just a thought.

Yes, it's shaping up to be quite a year! Good luck!

Zeke

 

[HuntElk4Fun]

A Desert tag isn't something that comes along very often. Some of us may never draw one! I would get a guide IMO for what could be a once in a lifetime hunt!

I would be sure to call Adam Bronson or his brother Aaron. They are young and aggressive guides and a friend of mine went with Adam last year. I don't know the name of his outfit, but can get you a number if needed from my buddy.

 

[ttj]

Let's see.....2 or 3 scouting trips at a minimum after spending a ton of time on the phone, picking the brain of every person you can find might get you a place to start. Do you have experience judging sheep and do you have 3 or 4 good friends/family members that can take 10+ days off during the hunt, plus scouting time. I spent 8 days scouting a desert sheep unit last spring in Utah and I didn't see a sheep! I have family members that have hunted the unit recently as well. Yes, my brother killed a great ram DIY. If you have mega time, and have a huge support network that can take a bunch of time off and know how to hunt/glass/judge sheep, then by all means, DIY. Personally, I would take the advice of the members on this forum and hire Randy and crew. It's a OIL tag, that you paid $5 for. The cost of replacing the hunt with an auction tag or a hunt in MX would run $30K plus. I have been putting in for desert sheep in Utah for 19 years and when I draw, I will be hunting with High Desert Wild Sheep Guides.

 

[Dreaminbig]

I have been in contact with some names listed above and some others. I think I am going to hire a guide to make this tag count. But am going to give it a little time to sink in before committing. A little overwhelming going on a desert hunt as your first sheep hunt!!!Thanks guys any info is most appreciated!

 

[Zeke]

Dirtydevildude aka dreaminhuge! haha

+1 to your comments tj. Your advice was spot on! I'll add one small point. You could scout, scout and scout some more and when the rut starts, all bets are off. The rams are NOT where you found them a month or even a few weeks ago. You'd better know where the rut grounds are and how to hunt them during this time of frustrating/exciting sheep movement!

We are lucky here in Utah to have several hard working, honest, fun and knowledgeable guides to share your hunt with.
I'm sure there are great guides in every State or Province.

Good luck trying to sleep tonight. You had better just daydream about a big, old, broomed off Utah ram!

Zeke

 

[Dreaminbig]

Up at 4:30 this morning because I couldn't sleep. Got phone calls yesterday from New Hamspshire to Alaska. My wife just laughs at me when I am hunched over the computer or my info notebook. Had two phones going at once last night. One guy I talked to equated it as " the superbowl of sheep hunting". Thanks for all the info guys.

 

[littlebighorn]

Congratulations you what if, dreamin dirty devil you! (Zeke is rubbing off on me)
It is a long wait until the season opens, but you are in for an amazing adventure. The first time you come up to the edge of that country you will likely mess your britches! It looks like the grand canyon, but it is also way cool! Good luck with your decision and get some sleep now because you won't get any come Fall.

 

[Dreaminbig]

Sleep is way over rated!!!! If I could kick the sleep habit I could get way more done. Been talking to some of the best in the state (from what I have been told). The only thing holding me back from a full blown out ouftted hunt is cash. Things have been tight lately. ( drawing this tag has been the only bright spot in a while) I am very familar with rockies ( living in MT) but not deserts. I will probably be lisitng some rifles on the classified sections here pretty soon to fund this little expedition.

 

[Zeke]

dreaminbig;

Even the coolest guns can be replaced. Sheep tags CANNOT!!

I know the feeling though. I've let a few of my sweetest guns slip through my hands to pay for sheep hunts.

You'll only cry a little. LOL. Maybe just a whimper when they sell. You have a ram to hunt!!!!!!

Good luck, get some sleep, have a fabulous experience!

Zeke, out.

 

[Deerlove]

Call me crazy but I had a DD tag in 08 and I was going to do it myself. No one to blame but myself if I didnt succeed. I knew sheep were in the area. I had the time went solo for few days, then a buddy showed up and we killed a sheep the next night. Russ

 

[bighornbob]

I personally would do a DIY. With the internet and the resources available now and finding people that have hunted the unit and that are more then willing to give you directions. One would be well ahead of the game say to 10 years ago.

I also live in British Columbia and hunt sheep every year and would find it a challenge to do it with out a guide. With a Rocky and Cali under my belt, I am heading up for stones (probably the easiest sheep for a resident) this year.

A BC resident is also probably the only person (except those that have moved a few times) that could take a grandslam that is unguided. One could actually be the first.

BHB

 

[Dreaminbig]

just got home from spending a few days on the Dirty Devil. Pretty impressive country. Learned a few roads and potential camp sites did some hiking around and just had a blast. Thanks To all you guys that have sent me info.

 

[Zeke]

I just spent the weekend in you sheep unit with my family. We had to revisit the site of my daugher's sheep kill!
I had my 15x56's running the whole time. No luck spotting sheep on this trip. Oh well, that's the way it goes!
Good luck on your hunt of a life time!
Zeke

 

[camuleycrazy]

I would say it depends on what unit. What kind of a hunter a guy is and who his friends are. My buddy drew a Nv. Desert tag a few years ago hunted 20 days with 4 of us enjoying the hunt together. He killed a very nice ram maybe the best in the unit. He will go with me this year as I drew Colo. and hopefully we will be able to do the same. The time spent without a guide with good friends is the good part. Some guys go with a guide and kill the first day. What fun is that! That said if you don't have anyone to go with you better get a guide and enjoy.

 

[Dreaminbig]

If someone can remind me how to post pictures on this site I'll throw you a bone and post a picture of the ram I killed Friday.

Thanks again to all the guys who shared info on the unit.Dream come true!!!!!!

 

[Tagalong173]

LAST EDITED ON Oct-10-10 AT 02:18PM (MST)[p]S

 

[Tagalong173]

Hey if you want to email them to me i can post them for you. Unless you just want to post them yourself

[email protected]