Giving Up a Dream, What to do?

[Nate Fikkert]

I know many of you keep an eye on western big game hunting.  Those who do, know that price wise things just keep going up.  Ever since I started hunting my dream of all dreams hunt/animal has been Bighorn Sheep.  So, years ago while living in flatland Wisconsin I began buying sheep points in Wyoming.  At $7 a year, why not?  I figured I would throw all my eggs in one basket and hope that someday I would draw a Wyoming sheep tag.  I now have 7 points.

In the meantime I moved to Wyoming for a while, and now have moved on to Utah.  Which brings me to my crossroads.  Wyoming has now decided to charge $100 non-refundable dollars just to buy a sheep point.  Realistically I am still years away from drawing a Wyoming sheep tag, at least 10 (which puts me at 40 years old) and probably more.  So I am looking at paying at least $1000 just to buy points, and who knows what the tag will cost then, it is $2250 now.

So what is a guy to do?  Do you give up the dream?  Do you count your losses at the $49 already spent on points?  Do you look to other states?  I am now so far behind in the points game in other places that I don't know if it pays.  I guess I am asking what would/are you guys doing who continue to dream, but can't afford to.

Tell me what you think?

Nathan

[BTH]

Don't give it up. You have at least ten years to contribute to a sheep hunt account. That's 3650 days. If you are a Starbucks drinker...put your $1.65 for a cup of regular coffee in the account every day and you have over $6K for your tag. Pack your lunch and you'll easily save the $1k for your points. It's your dream...do with it what you want...but you can easily save the dollars by planning for it now and staying in shape for the next ten years until the hunt.

[BTH]

Oh, and my last dream that I planned years for is in my avatar.

[BradLantz]

I've always dreamed of sheep too - but it will never happen for me. In fact, elk has outpriced non-residents, and in some cases (like the rumors on KS whitetail tags) deer too.

Money is destroying hunting, pure and simple, its the evil of the G&F depts that no one seems to want to recognize

Accept the charges and pay them, or accept the reality of it all, either way its going to hurt

[ethan]

That is rediculous, but like  BTH said you could save the money.  It's all perspective!

[Adirondackman]

Nathan,

I have also dreamed of a sheep hunt for many years but I'am 47 and so far behind in the points game that I don't even apply anymore. I probably will never have the money to afford a BC or Alasken hunt but I have found out about a hunt that is easier to get a tag for. The downside is that it is vary remote rough country and does not have a good number of animals. I believe that you are still young enough to get lucky and should continue to accumulate points. If you are interested in the other hunt that I mentioned shoot me a PM. I'am trying to plan to do this hunt in 2010. Good Luck and stick with your dream.

[Jack Shanks]

Nathan, I didn't get the sheep bug until a couple of years ago and just then started acquiring points. It is costing me about a thousand dollars a year just to apply in the states that I do. I'm 55 and my chances of drawing a tag before I'm too old to go are slim to none. Call me a fool but I'm going to keep applying until I loose the desire or ability to hunt them.

 Don't give up. Generally speaking, you are young enough to wait ten years and still be able to hunt Bighorns rather inexpensively. Right now a Bighorn hunt can be bought in Alberta or BC for 25K. Ten years ago it was less than half that price. Who knows how much it will be in another ten years? Following these trends if I were smart I would stop applying in the states and go to Canada. Ten years from now I will have spent at least 12 thousand in application fees, those Canadian hunts could very well be over 50K and I will be 65 years old. Hummm, maybe I better show those figures to my wife and see about getting a loan.

[JoeM]

Nathan,
I also collect sheep point in WY, I currently have 8.  You're not as far away as you think with 12 points there are units that you should draw (units 1&2) almost 100%.  There also a few units where you have a chance with as few as 10 points(units 6,7,&9).  
As far as tag prices getting out of control i agree!!!!  However there is a Senator from Californis who is trying to give every common man a chance the way it is supposed to be.  He has proposed that if you hunt on National Forest tags should be capped at $200 since we all pay taxes for these lands, and since they were created for everyone to use.  Lets see what he can do. Joe

[JoeM]

One more thought don't give up on the dream.   "Did we give up when the Nazi's bombed Pearl Harbor, No!!!"    Jim Belluci Animal House      

[Whip]

Nate, I would stay in if I were you.  $100 is a lot of money, and not to be taken lightly, but put in perspective of keeping your dream alive it is well worth it IMO.  

By the time you reach a point where you can get the tag you desire you will still be plenty young.  I'm sitting here at 53 years old, and though I now could easily afford the $100 needed to buy a point, time will certainly have caught up with me by the time I would ever get there.  It's too late for me.

For me, looking back, I sure wish I had done everything I possibliy could have to accumulate points earlier in my life. I did accumulate some points on some species, but not sheep, and not nearly in enough States. If I had started applying for more when I was younger I would be coming into some really good tags every year by now.  As it is, age is catching up fast!

Don't let that happen to you.

[Ragin Bull]

Nathan,  never give up on your dreams. I also have a dream of a sheephunt oneday.  Ever since I was very young I wanted to hunt elk also.  I'm living that dream now as I go every year and wouldn't have it any other way. Yes, prices are expensive, but isn't everything. Why should I give up something I truely love to do. I look forward to elk hunting all year long, that is a part of my hunt.... the anticipation. and when i get there you cannot wipe the smile from my face with a stick.     LOL Its worth it.  Find a way!!!  R.B.

[Benoli]

JoeM, I'd be interested in which Senator is pursuing the $200 cap. Thanks

[Jager]

I would suggest looking at another state. Im not sure though, maybe the other states are the same. Although when you think about it, a $100 dollars anymore doesnt go very far so right it off as dream tax. Doesnt Utah have sheep?

[John Scifres]

As long as you are meeting your other obligations, $100 a year isn't much money.  Personally, I wouldn't do it simply because it perpetuates the exploitation.  The State is continually moving down the path of the ends justifies the means.  Economic laws do not apply to public goods.

[JoeM]

Benoli I'll try and find his name for you today.  Joe

[JL]

I take it, you have to build points before your elible to get in a sheep tag lottery? Not sure how many you need to go but if you have 7 points already, and your only 30, keep with it hoss.

I think all hunting fees have gotten out of hand, from licencing to land leasing. Seems every way you look these days, everybody has their hand out. I guess they have to limit the amount of hunter who persue certian species but to regulate thru the wallet is plain wrong, in my opinon. We all pay for those federal lands and should all have equal chance to hunt them. $25K for a hunt? For a working man with a family, may as well be $250K! I must be in the wrong line of work or something...

JL

[DeerSpotter]

Dreams, are only realities you have not experienced yet !

When I was a kid, I dreamed about flying an airplane, when I was 18, I was placed on air crew of the P - 3 Electra (Navy), I got the opportunity, not officially, to set in the pilot seat and fly that plane for 20 min. one day while joy riding in Rota Spain with the Captain.  It was just the Captain, an engineer, a copilot, and my buddy and I.

Took flying lessons, and quit after awhile, took some more lessons and quit after awhile.  I went to the dentist one-day and saw in a magazine an add, " you can have your childhood dream" it was about flying a Cessna airplane.

I made the mistake of telling my wife !  She said;
" why don't you finish your license" it cost me $8,500 by the time I was finished.  I purchased my own airplane,I had it for two years, purchased it for $19,900, when I sold it two years later, it sold for $28,500.

My dream worked out, and I'm sure yours will to, having said all that, it's pretty easy to tell someone to spend their own money.  You have to weigh what it will cost you " if you never achieve your dream" that would be the heavier price, as my wife says " shoulded on yourself"

" I should have done this or that "

There's an old expression I've heard " I worked so hard, I get lucky sometimes" that's what it amounts to, you do so many things, and all of a sudden, you've achieved your dream.  When I look back at all that I had to do to get my pilot's license there was only one moment that was memorable in flying, okay maybe two,

I took my wife up for a flight, it was the first time she flew with me, we went up to 8500 ft., I had her open the window, and touch a cloud, I'll never forget the look on her face, it was worth every penny I spent.

Dreams are sometimes like vapor, you need to have enough of it so that it accumulates enough to become water, so your dream can grow.  And you can also think about this, if your dream was easy enough for anyone to achieve, everybody would be doing it, you will be among considerably fewer that have achieve their dream of sheep hunting.

As many guys that turn the pages of magazines, buy videos about it, talk about it, but there are far too many, that will never put their feet on the same dirt, that the sheep has walked on, let alone to mount that head on the back of their shoulders knowing that every moment of sacrifice, was worth the sacrifice that the sheep gave to give you your dream.

Pastor Carl

[JoeM]

July 31 2007
Congressman Duncan Hunter R-California introduced the, "Teddy Roosevelt Bring Back our Public Lands Act."  The legislation seeks to reduce costs incurred by out of state sportsman who hunt exclusively on Federal land.  In 1909 President TR signed the last piece of legislation successfully creating over 42 million acres of national forest, the American outdoorsman came into his own.  Because of Roosevelt's leadership the average Amerian man could fire up his old chevy hed out west for a week of elk hunting.  Not any more.  Today state beaucracies are closing the door on the average Joe by charging uotrageous tag prices to non residents.  I'm not a very good typer so I'm sure you can read more on Mr. Hunter's website.   Joe

[vermonster13]

You only get to go through this life once and the money stays behind. Why have regrets when your turn to move on comes?

[IB]

Nate My Man.....Play the odds, and try and draw as you build up points.

I have been very BLESSED with WY. sheep havin had 3 permits. 2 were Back to Back the year they changed the regs.