2023 Colorado Sheep & Goat Results

[Addicting]

Good luck to all of you. I'm 0+0 on all of these species in Colorado, so I'm merely a spectator to the fun all of you might have in applying/drawing. Hope there are "tags aplenty" for Hunt Talkers when the results come out.

You just dumping what your costs would have been into Oak’s raffles?

 

[Big Fin]

You just dumping what your costs would have been into Oak’s raffles?

Yup. That and some others.

At my core I'm a tightwad accountant who does a budget and analysis of every application dollar I spend. Some folks think I just apply for anything and everything. Nope.

Lots of states/species are missing from my application calendar/budget. There are some states/species will never drop off my calendar so long as I can tie my boots by myself.

I'm pretty sure I will get a call from RMBS in May to let me know this is the year I drew the statewide sheep tag.

 

[Mountain Man]

Yup. That and some others.

At my core I'm a tightwad accountant who does a budget and analysis of every application dollar I spend. Some folks think I just apply for anything and everything. Nope.

Lots of states/species are missing from my application calendar/budget. There are some states/species will never drop off my calendar so long as I can tie my boots by myself.

I'm pretty sure I will get a call from RMBS in May to let me know this is the year I drew the statewide sheep tag.

@Big Fin, I’m curious why CO sheep didn’t make the cut back before you had to buy a small game tag and had to pay a bunch for preference points. You were already accumulating points for other species so why not add sheep as well?

 

[BoulderBulls]

@Big Fin, I’m curious why CO sheep didn’t make the cut back before you had to buy a small game tag and had to pay a bunch for preference points. You were already accumulating points for other species so why not add sheep as well?

There was a point where you had to float the full check for a month(s) maybe that factored in?

 

[232401a]

There was a point where you had to float the full check for a month(s) maybe that factored in?

True, had to send in the full $1800-2200 per species in those days and wait for each to be returned, one-by-one, weekly, via check. But no withheld exorbitant processing fees. And ram and billy points were both free at that time as long as you applied. And didn't have to have a qualifying license in prior year for ram & billy to be free (that was the rule to avoid point fees for other CO big game).

In 2019, MSG points changed to $50 res, $100 NR. That price bump limits some folks and makes those free points from 2018 (and prior) look like a really good deal (in hindsight).

So, the 2019 point purchases are the ones that hurt. I don't feel as badly for the boomers with 3+25 as their total outlay of cash was much lower prior to 2019. Just needed cash on hand.

I'm also surprised Randy is at 0+0. Those were good years, in hindsight.

 

[Big Fin]

@Big Fin, I’m curious why CO sheep didn’t make the cut back before you had to buy a small game tag and had to pay a bunch for preference points. You were already accumulating points for other species so why not add sheep as well?

There was a point where you had to float the full check for a month(s) maybe that factored in?

@BoulderBulls hit the bullseye. Plus, I was applying for two people, me and Matthew. I was building a CPA firm at the time, using a lot of my after-tax cash to pay off an office building. For marital harmony, it would have meant giving up a lot of my less expensive applications that resulted in many great hunts for other species in other states. Just a function of having to prioritize and forego some items I couldn't justify.

I know this might seem strange, but I was not willing to give up my out-of-state pronghorn and elk apps for a chance at a CO sheep tag. And my "Big 3/4/5" dream was always bison, which I've lucked out and took one in MT and one in UT. I'm sure the sheep junkies think I'm crazy, but if you offered me a Colorado sheep and goat tag, but I had to forego my antelope hunts from 1995-2015 (period of firm/building pay down), I would decline the sheep and goat tags.

Had I been able to front as much money back then as I can afford to front now, I surely would have started in CO for the big 3. When I got the building paid off I was behind the curve and it made the analysis less appealing to jump in.

Edit - I was also sure I would draw a Montana bighorn tag by the time I was 40, even without a point system at that time. I'm no closer to drawing that Montana sheep tag today than I was in 1995 when I decided CO moose/goat/sheep would be a sacrifice in my out-of-state hunting applications.

 

[cedahm]

I put in for an archery sheep tag because it had way better odds, now I'm just about having a panic attack about it...

I put in for archery goat every year until this year when the panic attack started by just typing in the unit.

3+8 for both (I lost my points back when I was living and working overseas and just forgot/not top of mind). I also decided to no longer accumulate Goat points, the math on the $ just doesn’t align with my ‘want to’ for goats any more.

put in for a new sheep area this year. Hoping that turns the luck tide.

 

[jrabq]

3+21 sheep
3+11 goat

Got lucky and drew moose a few years ago and decided I'm done. No longer buying points for goat, really want a sheep tag.

I remember writing checks totaling $6,000 to CO for the big 3 before they changed the system, had to explain that to my wife EVERY year.

 

[TOGIE]

I know this might seem strange, but I was not willing to give up my out-of-state pronghorn and elk apps for a chance at a CO sheep tag. And my "Big 3/4/5" dream was always bison, which I've lucked out and took one in MT and one in UT. I'm sure the sheep junkies think I'm crazy, but if you offered me a Colorado sheep and goat tag, but I had to forego my antelope hunts from 1995-2015 (period of firm/building pay down), I would decline the sheep and goat tags.

Weird, I shared a similar sentiment in a thread about NR Wyo MSG today and got dang near laughed out of the room by some

 

[232401a]

Weird, I shared a similar sentiment in a thread about NR Wyo MSG today and got dang near laughed out of the room by some

True story.

Wyoming is sensitive. Watch where you step.

We chit on Colorado freely. So have at it.

 

[Flatrock]

True, had to send in the full $1800-2200 per species in those days and wait for each to be returned, one-by-one, weekly, via check.

Really wish it was still like that!!!

Think I'm at 3+9. I apply every year for the lowest end hunts with the "better" odds.

 

[Mountain Man]

@BoulderBulls hit the bullseye. Plus, I was applying for two people, me and Matthew. I was building a CPA firm at the time, using a lot of my after-tax cash to pay off an office building. For marital harmony, it would have meant giving up a lot of my less expensive applications that resulted in many great hunts for other species in other states. Just a function of having to prioritize and forego some items I couldn't justify.

I know this might seem strange, but I was not willing to give up my out-of-state pronghorn and elk apps for a chance at a CO sheep tag. And my "Big 3/4/5" dream was always bison, which I've lucked out and took one in MT and one in UT. I'm sure the sheep junkies think I'm crazy, but if you offered me a Colorado sheep and goat tag, but I had to forego my antelope hunts from 1995-2015 (period of firm/building pay down), I would decline the sheep and goat tags.

Had I been able to front as much money back then as I can afford to front now, I surely would have started in CO for the big 3. When I got the building paid off I was behind the curve and it made the analysis less appealing to jump in.

Edit - I was also sure I would draw a Montana bighorn tag by the time I was 40, even without a point system at that time. I'm no closer to drawing that Montana sheep tag today than I was in 1995 when I decided CO moose/goat/sheep would be a sacrifice in my out-of-state hunting applications.

Thanks for the thorough reply. I am aligned with your approach. I grew up in CO and my dad started applying me for moose as soon as it became available. Then during college I could not afford to keep doing it (even at the $300 resident price) so I lost out on those 4 years of accumulating points. I wish I would have just asked my dad to float that money for the application. I’m sure he would have done it without hesitation, but it didn’t occur to me to ask.

Unfortunately my dad had zero interest in sheep hunting so he never started me down that path when I was young. I didn’t start accumulating those points until 11 years ago.

I’ve been planning on drawing a tag eventually from the resident pool, but now I’m not going to be returning to CO after transitioning out of the military so I only have 2 more draw cycles to get lucky before getting kicked to the NR pool.

 

[WildWill]

Got into the point game in 2015. Did the math on MSG in Wyoming and said no but hell no with the recent changes that was absolutely the right call for me. Decided Colorado was worth it for sheep and moose but only because I'll be perfectly content with a cow/ewe tag. If not I would have stayed out of Colorado as well. My advice is make a savings plan stick to it and buy yourself a sheep or moose hunt maybe both depending on your ability to save.

 

[TOGIE]

Wyoming is sensitive. Watch where you step.

yeah, for sure. i've always assumed it has something to do with the lack of women up there.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

yeah, for sure. i've always assumed it has something to do with the lack of women up there.

Naaa… I mean yes, but really it’s the wind…

 

[BuzzH]

yeah, for sure. i've always assumed it has something to do with the lack of women up there.

I always know there is no other State where the NR whining is so fevered...it's no-stop crying.

I think Wyoming should send a package of Kleenex with every NR application.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I always know there is no other State where the NR whining is so fevered...it's no-stop crying.

I think Wyoming should send a package of Kleenex with every NR application.

With a pic of Rob Shaul giving the finger on the box

 

[Deleted member 18333]

i've always assumed it has something to do with the lack of women up there.

It doesn't. The fact that folks from CO don't know why Wyo shits on them so much, is the reason we shit on them so much.

 

[BuzzH]

With a pic of Rob Shaul giving the finger on the box

We'll send 2 packages when 90-10 passes for deer, elk, and pronghorn.

 

[TOGIE]

I always know there is no other State where the NR whining is so fevered...it's no-stop crying.

I think Wyoming should send a package of Kleenex with every NR application.

i think your tinnitus makes you think everyone is whining.

i don't apply for wyoming msg for the same reason i don't apply for anything at all in 47 other states: i can't afford it, so i allocate my money accordingly. i still don't understand how that is construed as whining.

you guys are pathetic. all of you. you will never have my respect buzz, i thank you for your hard work on wildlife issues, but you will never have my respect.