Soul-searching - pursuit v. budget

[Ragnarok Forge]

Check out Alaska or BC for Mountain Goats.  Stone and Dall Sheep can also be hunted there.  You will need a guide and it won't be cheap but it is free range.  Another option for regular goats it to hunt Kauii in the State of Hawaii.  If you willing to hike there are feral goats to hunt.  Several posts exist here from sucessful hunters who have done it.  Otherwise start putting in and trying to draw and expect to be close to dead when you draw.

[hayslope]

I'm like a few of the other responders in that I was totally unaware that anyone had high fence operations for mountain goats or wild sheep.  Ya learn something everyday.

As for the one recommendation about photographing them, I have to agree.  When I lived in Colorado and religiously applied every year for that coveted sheep tag, I appeased my cravings with a little self-medication.......I would take weekend trips to the sheep unit (archery unit) in the mountains behind the Air Force Academy.  The goal was simply to "get" one on camera from bow range.  While I was successful on legal rams on several occasions, I knew it certainly was not any kind of indication that, if I did eventually draw that tag (I didn't), that I would be successful.  But it certainly gave me a lot of confidence and had to be the next best thing to actually carrying a bow for them.  Great country and great animals.

BTW - ALL the REALLY LARGE full curl rams will challenge your stalking abilities to the nth degree    

I still believe that this Colorado archery unit is the best area for sheep for the non-resident DIY trad guy.  Drawing that tag is an entirely different story.

Oh yea.....I envy you Canadians who live near the Alberta Canmore zone!

Camera or not.......just being near them in a unit where they are hunted is a thrill.  They are not the sheep you see waiting for handouts in Rocky Mt. NP or Yellowstone.  From my point of view, if you have the time or can afford the vacation, it's the closest thing to actually getting your sheep hunting fix.  One thing is for sure.....it will give you a "taste" of what it will be like (if the moon and stars align and you draw that tag).

[lpcjon2]

Huntit,for that price it would be cheaper to get an apartment in the state you want to hunt and wait six months and get a resident license.Heck for 50g's you could buy some land and hunt on your own property.

[NorthernCaliforniaHunter]

The cost of an airline ticket to Maui or Kauai. You can backpack for free.

I'm saving my pennies.

[GMMAT]

Guys....This is an actual price list......

 

PRICE LIST  
Boar Trophy 600.00
List Of Hybrid Barbedoe Rams
Ram Barbedoe 600.00
Ram Merino 600.00
Ram Texas Doll 650.00 & up
Ram Corsican 600.00
Ram 4 Horn 650.00
Ram Black Hiwon 650.00 & up  
Ram Muflon 800.00 & up  
Goat Spanish 600.00
Goat Angoria 600.00
Record Book Rams Available 1000.00 & up  
 

[hunt it]

I know but guys with $$$ pay it every year or these places would not be offering. I think for the handicapped person who has a dream - why not. I just cannot see any able bodied real hunter going on one of these. But every year guys from all over the world come to Saskatchewan and Quebec to bag monster elk for $20,000.00 + and I guarantee when they go home there is no mention of fences!

[CaliCreole]

Hey GMMAT i sent you a PM

[Ragnarok Forge]

There is a ranch here in Oregon that offers similar prices with some higher.  It is about 3 square miles in area which is plenty of property to hunt if I wanted the animals they offer.  To me that is free range enough to count.  If you spook the animals, you are not likely to see them again in couple of weeks of hunting.

  There are lots of big ranches in the US where you can hunt on large properties.   If the property was less than 2 square miles, I wouldn't want to hunt it.  For me there has to be a chance for the animal to escape from me for good.  I would not find pleasure in chasing a sheep or goat around a small area until I wore it out and got a shot.

If you want to hunt a small area to get an experience and you go in knowing what you are going to get, more power to you.  If it is legal then you can do it without any prejudice on my part against you.  If you are looking for something you can call a trophy and be proud of the in my book, look to the larger properties and hunt hard.  Hard earned sucess is far sweeter than an easy kill.

[inn8hunter]

GMMATT:

For a grand, if you are just looking for fun, and it isn't a "prescious" grand as it would be for me with soon-to-be three kids in college - I'd say go for it and report back to us on your experience.

i.e. "it was worth every penny," "it was worth it, but I wouldn't do it over again," OR "yikes, what a waste of time"

I know I'd be interested to know how a hunt like this goes.

Tim

[Zbearclaw]

HI is a great spot where for a few days you could hunt axis, turkeys, goats, and pigs while the wife is at the spa, and get home round trip for less than a caged ram that in no way lives like the animals you say you want to hunt.

High fenced operations have their place and I am not knocking them, but a fenced critter that makes it's day avoiding blinds and chasing feeders going off is not very similar to a wild sheep or mtn goat.

I would do a HI family trip with bowhunting, or a free range aoudad hunt if I were you.

Luckily I am not, I have been told many times that one of me is almost too many...

Good luck and have fun.

[twitchstick]

This is a touchy subject for me. I was so content when I was hunting coyotes this morning,it was a warm beautiful day. But in the back of my mind I was thinking "I will be in vancouver in april" on business but can't afford to go hunting bear. I might stay an extra day and get a day with the fly rod but guide costs just to much for bear this year. Not even with a free plane ride. This year I put in for a harder unit here on my mt.goat tag vs putting in for one I would have a great chance at drawing. I could ramble on with more like; in New Zealand 2011,wyoimg/colorado deer/elk pionts I have ready to burn,cow moose pionts max out,might have an inside line on mexico sheep hunt. I think most of us go through this every year to some degree,it a compormise. I am very lucky were I live here because of all the differnt animals I can hunt localy but I will not be able to hunt them all(draw systems/money). But I guess that ok. It's all about time and money. Don't get me wrong I am very happy any day in the field,thats the problem. I just want to experiecince more,as much as I can. I might not ever get the slam done but I guess I can have fun trying. But I won't lie I will be lucky if I can even hunt a whitetail deer in my life time.  

[coaster500]

What about a fair-chase aoudad hunt in West Texas or New Mexico? That looks like it would be an inexpensive hunt and might be the toughest animal you ever hunted? It can be done on public land and might satisfy you sheep need?

[RUTANDSTRUT]

ill second the auodad hunt in texas.  these are considered the "poor mans sheep hunt".  these sheep would probably be the hardest animal to harvest with archery tackle next to free range ibex in new mexico.  both hunts cost an average of about $3500 guided.  aoudad could be done for half of that diy or trespass fee hunt.  beautiful animal in true sheep country.

[Steve H.]

Here I thought you were asking about noble and majestic animals and how to possibly make a trip happen for real.

Now we're talking about barnyard goats and sheep in pens.....

[GMMAT]

LOL....

I've never heard anyone come back from Africa.....citing they hunted "barnyard" animals in "pens".

[Steve Kendrot]

You could fly to New Zealand and hunt for Himalayan Thar and\\or Chamois. Not to mention red deer, and several other big game species. Their fall is our off season so you don't even have to sacrifice hunting at home to go. No hunting license and no bag limits either. And the mountains are spectacular...

[Zbearclaw]

Originally posted by GMMAT:
LOL....

I've never heard anyone come back from Africa.....citing they hunted "barnyard" animals in "pens".

I don't know one guy that has gone that didn't have fun, but also most wish they had gone to someplace more wild.  

Seems like your mind is made up, have a great trip.