Utah Gets Montana Sheep

[BuzzH]

BHR,

You hearing much about that herd between Bearmouth and Drummond....I see them quite often when traveling through (north of the freeway). Saw a ram there last year that looked old and big. I should have stopped and glassed him...damn thing was standing in a hayfield.

Also, I wonder if the herd near Bonner thats scattered across 200 to the South will ever be an open unit...seen a few good rams in there too.

 

[BigHornRam]

Buzz,

Unfortunately, I hear a lot of those sheep you mention are getting whacked by cars on I 90. That is one big problem with a lot of Montana's herds. Another problem is that the sheep for some reason seem to be more on the move than they have in the past. Lot's of theories, no real evidence why. The big concern is if they come in contact with domestics in all their travels. A U. M. grad student did a study that we help fund a couple years ago studying the routes used by these rogue herds, and how close they are coming to domestics. Lot's of small family 4-H sheep flocks here and there to worry about. The Navajo Sheep that those kooks that went back to California, turned loose before they left is a concern. I guess there are still some unaccounted for and some were last seen near Phillipsburg this fall. There are some pending legal issues for this kooky california couple for what they did.

Bambi,

Here are some more thoughts on the unlimited hunts. One is that FWP is talking about raising the resident sheep, moose, and goat tags to $150, which I fully support. This will cull out a few of the not so serious resident hunters from appling towards the unlimited units and make it less of a gong show then it has been in the past. Couple that with the point system that we now have in place for the limited hunts, and even less will apply for the unlimited areas. The $150 resident tag will also limit some from applying for ewe tags as well.

 

[mtmiller]

One is that FWP is talking about raising the resident sheep, moose, and goat tags to $150, which I fully support. This will cull out a few of the not so serious resident hunters...

BHR, I agree with the proposed increase, although I think it is a mistake to tie dollars and the ability for individuals to pay for these tags as to how serious of a hunter they are. I guess I am lucky that I have the ability to pay for the big three even if the price doubles. I am concerned about a family with a couple of kids that are all interested in applying. I guess my odds will improve if they can't afford the increase, but I would hope MT residents will always be able to have an opportunity to hunt in this state and the $$ does not keep them from applying for Big Three tags. How do you feel about a credit card system for resident hunters (only charged if a tag is drawn, less a processing fee)?

The $150 resident tag will also limit some from applying for ewe tags as well.

Is this an outcome we are looking for?

Also, I don't remember when the FNAWS banquet is taking place. Wasn't it in GF next month? Will you be attending? I may be interested in going, but I am guessing I will have to be sitting on my bid hand.

 

[Bambistew]

I'm seriously considered going on on Unlimited hunt again. Not this year, and probably not next year though. To many hunting irons in the fire right now, that and living out on the east coast limits my travels and expences as well...

In a couple years I plan on being back west so I hope to make it happen then, I will do it up right and spend a week or more scouting prior and then hunt the week of! Until then, I'll just keep playing the draw game and hope for the best. If I do draw a "super" ram tag this year in MT, I may even cancel my trip this year to Africa. Either that or quit work... I'm sure my wife would love that... Thank god the AF trip is about paid for, or she may cancel me!

Question for ya... If I burn my points and draw a ewe tag, can I get a tag the next year or two in an unlimted area or would I have to wait 7 years? I want to hunt sheep and I'm sick of getting rejected... and I dont' see my odds getting any better with the "bogus point" system MT has... this hope and pray chit is getting old... I dont' want to "finally" draw a tag 25 years from now... I'd rather take my chances and hunt an unlimited unit 6-7 times or untill I kill one in the next 25 years...

I remeber seeing sheep on I-90 there by bonner a few years ago... I distincly remember seeing young ram trapped in the meadian strip desperatly running back and forth trying to get accross the road. I called the fish and game, but i'm sure it was too late by then.

Are they going to raise the NR tags too? It won't suprise me if they do... I think MT is the cheapest state for sheep there is arn't they? I think their about half or less what everyone else is charging... ugg I just relized that would be a huge chunk of money to drop to shoot a ewe... but I could tie it in with a "cheap" antelope hunt or something, it might be worth it.. well if thats the price I have to pay then so be it... I can live on $100 worth of grocery's a month...I can eat raman noodels, mac and cheese out of a box and deer steak with the best of em!

 

[BigHornRam]

Miller,

MT FNAWS is Feb 4 and banquet the 5th at Great Falls Heritage Inn. Let me know if you are seriously interested in a ticket and I can hold one (or two?) for you, since this will sell out early. I will be sitting on my hand too, orders from the boss. I hear what your saying about the raise in resident sheep, goat moose tags. I would not apply for a unlimited sheep tag unless I was commited to the hunt 100% like Bambi was saying he would be. My wife is thinking about applying for a ewe tag this year if I promise to take her out to practice her shooting more often. She likes eating wild game and would like to contribute to the freezer. If the tag goes up to $150, being the stingy German she is, she might not want to apply. I am not to keen on the credit card deal like they do in Utah since it encourages a lot of people that really can't afford the tag, to apply anyway.

Bambi,

If you draw a ewe tag this year, you can still put in for a ewe or ram tag next year.

"If I do draw a "super" ram tag this year in MT, I may even cancel my trip this year to Africa. Either that or quit work... I'm sure my wife would love that... Thank god the AF trip is about paid for, or she may cancel me!"

I feel your pain here and am trying real hard not to laugh! If you do shoot a ewe with a non res tag, I will bet it WILL be the tastiest critter you ever ate!

 

[mtmiller]

Thanks for the offer on holding a ticket. I will have to wait, as I don't know if I can find someone to join me yet. I might just go and take in the 2/4 events depending on the agenda (which I requested from Michael this morning).

I am not to keen on the credit card deal like they do in Utah since it encourages a lot of people that really can't afford the tag, to apply anyway.

My only problem with this is there are folks that can afford the permit, but can't afford the entire family. If a guy wants to put in for the Big 3 for his two kids, wife and himself that application fee would be $1,800 bucks for the family. He may not be able to afford this upfront, but if one tag was drawn he could certainly afford the $150 on a credit card. Pluses and minuses I guess.

 

[Bambistew]

ummm I think the critters I'm shooting in Africa will be the tastiest critters ever.. I dont' think the hides and horns will make much for soup... I think it would be pretty hard to keep them submerged with all that foam inside them...

I'm fortunate(stingy) enough to get to set aside a pretty a good chunk of money each month for hunting trips... so when I move back west someplace I'll finally be hunting deer and elk as a resident again and my "fund" will still be set up for out of state hunts... All I can say is that some poor ewe is in big trouble in a couple years. I'm thinking archery tackel or a muzzy would be the ticket!

I have finally come to the reality that a sheep tag is probably not ever going to be in my future... how can it be with 1-350+/- odds as a NR every year... I think MT gave out about 10 NR limited sheep tags last year, and about 3500 people put in for them... I'll take my chances and spend the money... ewe or unlimited... the sheep are in trouble!

 

[BigHornRam]

Miller,

I am following you here with the multiple tags and mutiple family members applying it could add up. Maybe the ankle biters could get a part time job and help ma and pa out? Hunting is expensive, just outfitting one kid with clothes (which they will probably out grow each year) and rifle is expensive. Maybe they could keep the youth tags where they are at, and set the adult tags at $150 as a compromise?

 

[1_pointer]

$150 bucks for the big three for a resident is TOO CHEAP IMO. Hell it's $508 for a premium elk tag for residents in UT. Of course my views/opinions on the affordability of things is not too popular here. It's all about priorities, if hunting is one the family will find the money. Just like the $10K trailer house with a satellite dish and a $40K pickup out front...

The credit card thing is convenient, but they odds go to crap; I've seen the numbers from the UT DWR. They went the cc route in 1994 IIRC and there was a HUGE surge in applicants. I can't afford to apply for all three big three in MT this year, but will apply for at least one. Then save more money for the future applications/hunts. It sucks, but that's the game and I want to hunt so I'm gonna play.

 

[1_pointer]

Additionally, I would rather see UT FNAWS be spending more money helping the DWR monitor already existing herds before worrying too much about establishing new herds. I know of two areas where Calif. Bighorns were re-introduced that the DWR has little/no knowledge of the population. They only have enough money to do one fly over a year to check the ones with collars and that is usually just to see if there's a mortality signal. Don't get me wrong, the new sheep aren't all bad. But, without monitoring of past efforts how can we tell we aren't repeating successes or failures?

 

[BigHornRam]

Pointer,

A lot of Montana sheep freaks help with the herd monitoring, taking fecal samples ect.. FWP is to busy managing the wolves, bison, and grizzly to do in depth monitoring of our sheep. We just funded a joint Wyoming study to learn about the migration routes of the Beartooth Sheep from winter range to summer range. It is an impressive migration if you see the country they travel through to get back and forth. Doesn't Utah FNAWS volunter with some of this monitoring? If not, maybe you could get involved and help out?

 

[1_pointer]

How involved I'm not sure, but I know of at least one FNAWS fellow that checks on one of the herds. The DWR spearheads the monitoring and I'm not a member of FNAWS (yet!). They did help fund an on-going study (started this past summer) on the sheep in the Newfoundland Mtns (aka THE FRIGGIN MOON). This range is completely surrounded by mud flats and half of it, the half with the most water, is part of a bombing range. I'll try to find out how much they are involved with the monitoring and may even pitch in.