Colorado Bighorns and Goats

[Steve O]

Matt,

You are going to have to open your ears...you are NOT hearing me      You cannot predict when you will draw a sheep tag anywhere!

All you can do is decide if it is something you want to do bad enough to "invest" a ton of money in the draws with NO guarantee you will draw a tag.

I would say the AVERAGE chance one has to draw a sheep tag is 500:1

[HornHunter]

you can predict when you will draw a tag within reason, its a min. of 3 years in CO, if your really serious right now you are probably money and time ahead to go to canada.

unless your planning to move to a western state in the near future the price of a canada sheep is really not out of the question, figure what your going to be doing for the next 5-7 years, family, job, location,it certainly isnt going to get any cheaper, and the draw odds are only going to get worse,
sheep hunting (drawing tags) has changed so much in the last 10-15 years, used to be a CO resident could draw a tag every couple of years, you could rely on that, some areas, you could draw every year, unheard of now.

so dont get discouraged just figure out do you really want to do this, its exspensive and thats just the start,but do some homework, and check out those raffle tags the money goes directly to sheep management, not some deep dark gov. hole, and you have the same chance as everyone else to win the tag of a lifetime.

[Steve O]

Scott,

I wasn't trying to discourage Matt; just trying to accurately portray the odds of a NR drawing a sheep tag.

I disagree that any NR can predict drawing a sheep tag anywhere but Wyoming.  AND unless you have 8 or more points there, it is going to be at least 30 years to draw in the 75% pool.  A CO resident may have a chance of predicting when they might draw a tag--but you guys have so many more available to you than we do.  BUT, I thought the first 3 points in CO are weighted preference, then everything after 3 are bonus points.  I think I am at 3+3 right now.

I put in every year to UT, AZ, NM, CO, WY, MT, NV, ID, and many of the raffles for sheep because I have to hunt them again and I am hoping to hit a tag before I've got the $20,000 put in that an Alberta Bighorn hunt would cost    

And I do keep saying that you can't get a tag if you are not in the draw.

[Budog56]

Originally posted by Steve H.:
Get a job in Alaska when you get out and you'll be hunting sheep and goats in 3 seasons.  That's the only SURE way to get tags!

So does this mean you have to live in Alaska for 3 years to get a resident huting license?? What Kind of jobs would be availible up there?

Sorry not trying to steal the thread just curious as I am single 24 and dream about hunting everything in alaska with my bow.

[mmgrode]

You guys have mentioned raffles for sheep hunts through sheep hunting organizations- Where are these raffles held? How many hunts/tags are given out? how many typically enter the raffles? I know, a lot of questions, but I really want to do this sometime in the future(probably in 5 to 7 years from now).
Steve O- You say you want to hunt them AGAIN. Must have had a good time the last time, good enough to keep you applying. Thanks for the discussion fellas, Matt

[mmgrode]

Also fellas, how about goats? Where, how much, how long, etc...? Thanks again, Matt

[Jeff Holchin]

I wish I had planned ahead for sheep and goat hunting back when I was in college, and not waited until I was 35 to begin applying.  It took that long to be able to part with thousands of dollars for several months at a time, knowing that I didn't even have a chance at drawing for the first 3 years in Colorado!  I gave up on Wyoming sheep last year, with the price increases just for preference points.  I still apply in Montana even though the odds for NR sheep, goat and moose tags are very low.  Idaho is an option for sheep, but not while I am trying to draw a moose tag there since you can only apply for one "once in a lifetime" animal.  Same thing with Utah.

You are on the right track, mmgrode.  Investigate your options, make a plan, and stick to it.  One advantage you have over us married with kids guys, is that you don't have to explain the thousands of dollars sent out every year, just to apply for moose, sheep and goat tags in numerous states.

[HornHunter]

Matt
check out the Rocky Mountain Bighorn Society i believe thats there web page you can buy raffle tics online, they draw at there banquet this winter
goats are probably worse odds then sheep in CO

[HornHunter]

Steve O
what I meant is you at least have a chance after 3 years in CO, so there is a little predictabilty

It wont be long and CO will follow wy and several other states where it will cost to just get a pref. point, yes it will make a difference because the average joe cant afford it, and its to bad cause it prices kids out of the running

another option matt is a ewe tag, they are the same price, but you have goods odds, and you can experience sheep hunting, often times the ewes are tougher to harvest then rams, so its not a push over hunt at all, they make a fine trophy, somthing to think about

One of my close hunting buds went stone sheep hunting back in 1984 he had to borrow money from the bank sold everything he had and worked like a dog to go, shot a big stone, we all thought he was nuts, for going in debt, little did we know.

[Steve H.]

Seth,

When I made the "three years" statement it was based on Matt being a Junior in college so year one is his senior year, year two is first year in Alaska which is what it takes to get full resident status, and a third year til the seasons actually get here for that year.

If someone moved to Alaska TODAY they would be able to hunt sheep AND goats as a resident for the first time during the 2008 season.

(Are you a Nebraska boy? or just "stuck" out on the prairie?)

P.S.  For ~$25 I can buy a resident hunting license that is good for ~ one ram, one goat, 2-3 black bear, 1-10+ caribou, one moose, one elk, 3-6 deer, and all the smaller stuff!

[mmgrode]

Come on Steve H.- now you're just making us jealous;) That's actually what I pay here for my archery deer tag. man-o-man you got it good. So you actually can hunt all those species every year if you want to? Take care, Matt

[Steve H.]

It's true.  

If you have the time AND many hunts take money to get into the bush but many can be had by determination and a long walk.

[wifishkiller]

MAn this one is starting to kill me lol.  I was so close to moving to AK then I got to colorado.  I still think about it all the time.  Will see if I get this job in the next few weeks if not I might have to open some doors    I dont no if I could leave behind the mt lions though they are kinda under my skin