Any Sheep Hunters???

[TWP]

Hey Guys, I was just wondering if anyone has done any sheep hunting with their bows? Dalls, Rocky Mountain and Desert Bighorns, and Stones. I want nothing more than to have a Sheep Grand Slam with my bow before I die. I'm 28 and work for a living, and was wondering where I should start on this quest? I know the odds of drawing are horrible, so I was wondering how any other middle class hunters have done it??? Save, save, save?

Any and all info, suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Trevor

[41Chevy]

Start with a big bank account.

[boomer453]

better start building preference points..........everywhere.

[thebomb6_99]

The Desert and Big horn are going to be very hard to get unless you just flat out pay for a tag. But the best way to go about it is apply every year in every state that offers them. You can hunt the Dall sheep here in Alaska but you have to have a guide and it will cost you.

[TWP]

I was looking at costs of putting in for tags, vs just saving all those tag apps and putting it towards a hunt every year. I am not much for waiting around, even if I know it will take me 10 years I would rather know when/where I was going to hunt. Does this sound reasonable???

[fishdog]

just start putting in for the draw in every state every year, use cabelas tags system so you dont have to write 10 grand worth of checks every year . you can look into the unlimiteds in mt, but its a very very physically demanding hunt and it takes alot of guys a few years to get one up there with a gun. as far as dalls and stone sheep, if thats your dream take out a second on the house or sell everything you can to pay for one they arent getting any cheaper. im headed back to the unlimiteds this year hopefully we will connect and ill have my first leg of a grand slam

[fishdog]

you also have to realize that if you want to do it with a bow it could take multiple trips for each species. not trying to discurage you just something to think about it.

[RdRdrFan]

A North American sheep slam with my bow is probably my biggest hunting dream as well. With that said, Dall and Stone are for sure paid hunts for those of us who live in the lower 48. They must be guided and it isn't cheap. Don't discount the draws for Rocky Mountain or Desert. That is really the only way to reduce the cost of the endeavor. If not, you are looking at $150,000-200,000 for the slam IF YOU SHOOT EACH SPECIES ON THE FIRST TRIP. That is a huge "if" even with a rifle much less a bow.

[MountainMan]

There are a few guys I know that have killed Bighorns here with their bows. Seems the hardest part is drawing the tag, not the actually killing of the sheep. We see them alot right by where we used to elk hunt.

The last guy I know that killed one, killed it last year and it took him 17 years to draw.
The problem with most bighorn tags is that they're once in a LIFETIME, meaning once you draw it, no matter what, that's it.

Montana is the only state I know where you can buy a tag for bighorn fairly easily.

Good luck to ya, I'd love to do that someday as well.

[TWP]

Not discouraged at all

you also have to realize that if you want to do it with a bow it could take multiple trips for each species. not trying to discurage you just something to think about it.

I know the odds are slim to do so. But that isn't why I'm setting this goal. It's supposed to be hard, if I wanted easy I would sit in a tower blind and shoot things with a sniper rifle. It's not about setting my sites low, but by setting them for the "impossible" for many folks. Believe me, if my personal goals come to fruition in the next couple years the money won't be the problem. That is THE REASON I want to hunt with a bow, because you can't hunt sheep in a pen or buy your "slam" you earn it with a bow. Even if I never make it, I will be better off physically due to all the training and hopefully financially for the extra motivation. :-) That's what I'm hoping anyway....

[BrandonA]

Dad went on a Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep hunt and killed a beatiful ram. He put i for 10 or 11 yrs before he got drawn. I started applying this year in several states. The first one I draw will be a rifle hunt for sure.

[Raleigh]

Man card is required for sheep hunting

I havent hunted them but I have a docter friend that can throw some cash at hunts and has done two sheep hunts. My buddy is no panzi and is tough as they come and he was brought to tears several times during his hunts.

One of North America's true adventures and would love to hunt one.

Good luck to you.

[tex8569]

You'll need 2-3 bow hunts for each specie on average. Get involved in building preference point in every state for Desert and Rky Mtn Bighorn. At least 3 states for each one. That way if one hunt fails when you go, youll have one for the next year or so. It will take 10-15 years before you draw a tag so start now. Otherwise its 25k-50k+ for the bighorns.

You can shoot a Fannin and count it as a Dall or Stone. Fannin and Dall hunts cost about15k-25k now. A reputable Stone hunt cost 30k+ now. Many of the good areas have multiyear waiting lists.

There are sometimes 20%-50% discounts that come up on cancellation hunts for all 4 species. If you can keep financial and logistical flexibility, you could focus on that but you'll also have to be in Sheep shape almost year round. A great test would be a Mtn Goat hunt.

Also, you might as well enter different states hunt raffles like the Texas Slam or FNAWS raffles. It at least give you a chance at a reasonable price, $10-$100.

Bowhunting Safari Consultants is a company my friends and I use. They can book hunts with an Archery reputable outfitter for any North American animal and they have a service to help you draw tags. Here is their website- http://www.bowhuntingsafari.com/
Talk to Mark Muehrer. Great guy. A close friend of mine booked a succesful Stone Sheep with him last year and is going after Dall and Bighorn through him next year.

[az2tx]

I've hunted Dall and Stone, the thing you have to realize is a sheep hunt that today is 18000.00 was 10000.00 7 or 8 yrs ago. The price keeps going up. Get your pref points in the western states, hunt the Dalls in the NWT with Nahanni Butte the Lancaster boys are the best there is for Dalls with a bow. The big horn you are probably looking at the Canmore area in Alberta, until he died Bob Fontana probably had the best California bighorns anywhere

[41Chevy]

Man card is required for sheep hunting

I havent hunted them but I have a docter friend that can throw some cash at hunts and has done two sheep hunts. My buddy is no panzi and is tough as they come and he was brought to tears several times during his hunts.

One of North America's true adventures and would love to hunt one.

Good luck to you.

It really came close to turning me into a blubbering idiot. I've never hurt so much in my life. It's too bad that the Texas Grand Slam doesn't allow bow hunting for their Bighorns.