$45G for a sheep

[havgunwilltravel]

Yes it does seem an 'affordable' figure to somebody at the right stage of their hunting career with a lot of hard work and saving behind them to pony up the price of mid 40K for a desert sheep tag. Heck if only i had of stayed home in my 20's and worked and saved and not travelled and hunted my way around the place i might have given a closer look to these auction tags...but then again that car that missed me one day as i got off a tram could have hit me and i would be 6 foot under long ago...so no regrets and no auction tags for me, just more point building and applying and dreaming of yellow horns in the desert through the glass one day...eventually

 

[wyoming556]

Keep in mind I'm not saying to actually go do this but it's propably cheaper to just poach one and spend some $ on attorney fees and fines if you get caught.

 

[Oak]

Keep in mind I'm not saying to actually go do this but it's propably cheaper to just poach one and spend some $ on attorney fees and fines if you get caught.

Maybe. A guilty verdict for poaching a bighorn sheep in Colorado receives a $25,000 surcharge on top of any fines and court costs assessed. I believe the Navajo desert bighorn tag went for $37,500 last night, which is more than in recent years. It typically goes for $30-$34K.

 

[wyoming556]

Maybe. A guilty verdict for poaching a bighorn sheep in Colorado receives a $25,000 surcharge on top of any fines and court costs assessed. I believe the Navajo desert bighorn tag went for $37,500 last night, which is more than in recent years. It typically goes for $30-$34K.

For Montana the fines and attorney fees would surely be cheaper than 480K.

 

[warmer]

It will be sold at the Midwest WSF convention in Minneapolis on March 23rd.

Thanks, Oak. I am totally against the auction tag, but the GFP approved it. Be very interesting to see what it is worth.

 

[naturebob]

Dustin, I grew up in PA. in the 60's; left for AZ. in mid 70's. Back then I called rifle season the cival war.Had gun shots on public land fly bye Me many times as a kid. I have never been back to hunt big game. And I love to hunt. I have hunted turkey back there 4-5 time recently. As far as big game goes You can have it. As far as Sheep goes it is a groupie thing. Most folks that apply will never get a tag, I have 20 resident points in AZ. and don't ever expect to get one. Most sheep guys go to all the SCI shows etc. and have the bucks.I know some that aint rich but most are well to do. I helped a buddy in AZ. 16 years ago and its actually pretty boring. You don't see alot of animals. I think its just a glorified Coues deer hunt.. Same type of glassing' just less animals. Do I hope I draw in My life ? Yes . Am I holding My breath? No. It's a small club. Good luck to those that do draw.....BOB!

 

[cmc]

Any one hear what the Az desert sheep tag went for?

 

[Oak]

any one hear what the az desert sheep tag went for?

$160,000

 

[glass eye]

Bob
I helped a friend from Yuma with a local sheep tag. You're right about the groupies, there was an army of them glassing for him and he didn't know any of them, they just showed up.
We were driving a wash that had zero tire tracks, very rough. Along the way he was discussing the idea of using his bow but was unsure. About then we bumped a mature ram out of the wash, he ran about 60 yds, stopped, and in plain view he pawed out a bed and layed down. After about an hour of picture taking the ram got up and fed towards us. When he got real close, about 10 yds, he "pretended" to be feeding as he moved closer to us, as if he was thinking " I wonder how close I can get to these creatures before I spook them, I'll just pretend like I don't see 'em and act like I'm eating "
I took pics of the ram with a pocket camera and he filled the frame at 5 yds away. Also got pics of my friend and the ram in the same frame, but for now I can't find the pics.
I think some sheep act tame because there are so few tags that they never get pressure.

I bowhunted mouflon ram in Hawaii this past summer and it was an exciting challenge because those animals recieve alot of pressure.

 

[Oak]

Here are most of the state/provincial tag sale results:

AZ desert: $160,000
Navajo Reservation desert (AZ/NM): $38,000
NM RM: $180,000
NM desert: $180,000
Taos Pueblo RM (NM): $92,500 and $90,000
UT desert: $55,000
NV desert: $87,500
CO RM: $90,000
WY: $70,000
MT: $485,000
ID: $150,000
OR: $135,000
WA: $64,000
British Columbia: $275,000
Alberta: $150,000
AK Chugach: $185,000

 

[Bambistew]

AK Chugach: $185,000

Is someone looking for WR number 4?

 

[Oak]

Is someone looking for WR number 4?

I'm not sure who bought it.

 

[jryoung]

How come MT is draws so much more than the other states with RM bighorn? Record potential?

 

[ginkgo72]

Number and size of Bighorn Rams...check out the record books

 

[naturebob]

Glass Eye,,,, We were in the Kofa's ,the B unit. Don't get me wrong I aint bashing them just saying it's a small group of people that are hooked on sheep. I know a few dedicated sheep guides that aint rich. They just love those bighorns. Must be nice to have$ to play with . I once saw the AZ. antelope tag go for 72-73 k at the ARizona Elk Society banquet......Crazy........BOB!

 

[Oak]

How come MT is draws so much more than the other states with RM bighorn? Record potential?

Here are the number of B&C entries by state from 2007 to present:

 

[wyoming556]

How come MT is draws so much more than the other states with RM bighorn? Record potential?

Becasue the outfitters in MT show pictures of 200" class rams and pass them around to potential bidders before the auction. They even have the sheep named in many cases.

 

[mtmuley]

The fact that there are big sheep here probably has nothing to do with it. mtmuley

 

[Elkmagnet]

Montana grows some amazing rams. To bad so many go to the highest bidder. Just think most of that $480,000.00 will go to ensure there are big rams around in 20 years so the guys kids can hunt them with the first $1000,000.00 auction tag.
Oh, all the great things this does for Joe hunter. For that I say thanks for you're generous donation. Here's your tag!

 

[mtmiller]

Becasue the outfitters in MT show pictures of 200" class rams and pass them around to potential bidders before the auction. They even have the sheep named in many cases.

Wyo, curious what outfitters were passing around pics? Do you have any names?