Alberta Bighorn Outfitter Recommendation

[KodaJax]

I am considering a Bighorn Sheep hunt in Alberta in 2027. Rifle hunt. Would like to get any recommendations on outfitters you have used. Would also like to know if anyone has hunted bighorns with Willow Creek and their experience with them.

Thanks for any information you are willing to share. Please PM me if you are more comfortable doing that.

Dave

 

[TWHrunner]

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timberlineguiding.com

These guys shoot some nice rams. I know the area they hunt and it’s really nice there.

 

[Scottf270]

I have not hunted sheep but I'll throw Carter Outfitters name out there. I follow them on Instagram and they post some nice rams.

 

[HornPorn]

I have not hunted sheep but I'll throw Carter Outfitters name out there. I follow them on Instagram and they post some nice rams.

Scott Carter quoted me $100K for 2026 and 2027. I spoke with someone who went with them this past year and he said they went 1/6 while he was there and the guy who got one, stayed after his 14 day hunt was over, and got him on day 17, and he was a dink.

Do your research guys, heavily. Ask about success rates, ask about shot opportunity, ask about resident pressure, and most importantly, ask to speak to clients who weren't successful.

I've found every bighorn outfitter I talk to, when asked about success/opportunity rates, etc. says something about how if you show up in shape and don't quit, etc....but I don't buy it. I think there just aren't very many legal rams walking around in certain areas due to poor management by Alberta

 

[Maxhunter]

I’d contact this outfitter he has killed a lot sheep with his bow. He’s an outfitter but doesn’t take sheep hunters. He can recommend a good reputable outfitter. Good luck!

Mike's Outfitting

mikesoutfitting.com

 

[WRO]

For that money I’d be looking at us reservations or private land tags in nm..


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[MntHunter]

Scott Carter quoted me $100K for 2026 and 2027. I spoke with someone who went with them this past year and he said they went 1/6 while he was there and the guy who got one, stayed after his 14 day hunt was over, and got him on day 17, and he was a dink.

Do your research guys, heavily. Ask about success rates, ask about shot opportunity, ask about resident pressure, and most importantly, ask to speak to clients who weren't successful.

I've found every bighorn outfitter I talk to, when asked about success/opportunity rates, etc. says something about how if you show up in shape and don't quit, etc....but I don't buy it. I think there just aren't very many legal rams walking around in certain areas due to poor management by Alberta

I didn't realize Carter's had got that high. He used to have a great success rate but I haven't talked to him in 4 year or so, so dated information.

Andre at Willow Creek is a pretty solid guy, and I do know 2 people who have gone with him and got their ram.

But I think you have hit the bigger overall point is that I dont think there are very many legal rams, and I also agree with you the show up in shape and don't quit does make a difference but it is not the only factor for success and maybe not actually be the biggest determining factor.

 

[HornPorn]

I didn't realize Carter's had got that high. He used to have a great success rate but I haven't talked to him in 4 year or so, so dated information.

Andre at Willow Creek is a pretty solid guy, and I do know 2 people who have gone with him and got their ram.

But I think you have hit the bigger overall point is that I dont think there are very many legal rams, and I also agree with you the show up in shape and don't quit does make a difference but it is not the only factor for success and maybe not actually be the biggest determining factor.

I also got a quote from Andre. $70K for 2026. He said up front, 60% success rate. Crazy that Carters can charge $30K more for a 17% success rate (1/6=.16666)

 

[Dawg In Montana]

I also got a quote from Andre. $70K for 2026. He said up front, 60% success rate. Crazy that Carters can charge $30K more for a 17% success rate (1/6=.16666)

I don’t think it is fair to compare a long term success rate, which I’m assuming the 60% is, to a one year rate with 6 hunters.

 

[MntHunter]

Carters has a pretty stellar reputation and to be honest if you told me in 2019 that he went 1 for 6, I would have said you were a liar. I'm honestly wondering if all the smoke messed with them, I know it did with quite a few outfitters.

 

[wildwilderness]

I assume that Alberta tracks their sheep harvest. Looking at the stats would be where I’d start to see what areas are actually producing. Then I would look to see who has the concession in that area. Then follow up with that outfitter.

 

[MountainWild]

I am considering a Bighorn Sheep hunt in Alberta in 2027. Rifle hunt. Would like to get any recommendations on outfitters you have used. Would also like to know if anyone has hunted bighorns with Willow Creek and their experience with them.

Thanks for any information you are willing to share. Please PM me if you are more comfortable doing that.

Dave

Hey Dave, I just wanted to give you some feedback.

I have hunted with Andre before, but not for sheep. He is an amazing person and guide. I cannot vouch for his sheep hunting, but he is known to have a great reputation as a professional and ethical person.

I have hunted with Scott Carter before. I hunted with him in 2022. I think you need to go into sheep hunting in Alberta with your eyes wide open.

First of all, there is heavy resident hunting pressure. I did not expect as much as we would see. Residents get to hunt a week before nonresidents and guided hunters. On our way in, we saw three sheep coming out that were all barely, barely legal. Resident hunters shoot anything that barely makes 3/4 curl, which is the right as residence and we should not operate them for it. However, it makes finding a mature ram impossible.

While in the mountains, rams were very scarce and already very skittish from the resident hunting pressure the entire week before. I believe I am very fortunate to have harvested what turned out to be a nice 7/8 curl ram. I am thankful to Scott and his team that I harvested a ram.

I think, regardless of the outfitter, my experience is common in Alberta or non-resident hunters. If you are looking for a full curl ram, essentially anything over a three-quarter curl, and will be disappointed with that type of ram, I would not suggest hunting in Alberta as a nonresident.

That being said, I would not hunt with Scott again. Because I had been warned by so many people of the heavy hunting pressure in Alberta for big horns, I paid Scott to pre-scout the area. The agreement was that we would have two guides in the area pre-scouting for one week. He did nothing of the sort, and totally ripped me off on that part. The guides I was with did everything they could to find a great ram, but they had no idea of what I had paid Scott extra for. We went in together, they had not been in the area before me at all.

Also, after paying for a very expensive hunt and harvesting a beautiful ram, Scott miss handled my trophy care (post hunt), and ruined my cape. I had a very unique chocolate colored ram, with an irreplaceable cape, and he ruined it.

Scott controls more than half of the nonresident sheep tags in Alberta and essentially has a monopoly on hunting in Alberta. He uses a wide variety of guides that may or may never have hunted for him before. My experience with him is he treats his hunters like garbage whenever you try to talk to him about anything. He acts like you should be thankful just for the opportunity to be blessed to hunt with him. Four months leading up to my Hunt, he would not answer any phone calls, text, or emails. I didn’t even know if it was really going to happen until a few weeks before the hunt, after having paid in full for the Hunt years before.

My two cents.

 

[TheGrayRider]

Hey Dave, I just wanted to give you some feedback.

I have hunted with Andre before, but not for sheep. He is an amazing person and guide. I cannot vouch for his sheep hunting, but he is known to have a great reputation as a professional and ethical person.

I have hunted with Scott Carter before. I hunted with him in 2022. I think you need to go into sheep hunting in Alberta with your eyes wide open.

First of all, there is heavy resident hunting pressure. I did not expect as much as we would see. Residents get to hunt a week before nonresidents and guided hunters. On our way in, we saw three sheep coming out that were all barely, barely legal. Resident hunters shoot anything that barely makes 3/4 curl, which is the right as residence and we should not operate them for it. However, it makes finding a mature ram impossible.

While in the mountains, rams were very scarce and already very skittish from the resident hunting pressure the entire week before. I believe I am very fortunate to have harvested what turned out to be a nice 7/8 curl ram. I am thankful to Scott and his team that I harvested a ram.

I think, regardless of the outfitter, my experience is common in Alberta or non-resident hunters. If you are looking for a full curl ram, essentially anything over a three-quarter curl, and will be disappointed with that type of ram, I would not suggest hunting in Alberta as a nonresident.

That being said, I would not hunt with Scott again. Because I had been warned by so many people of the heavy hunting pressure in Alberta for big horns, I paid Scott to pre-scout the area. The agreement was that we would have two guides in the area pre-scouting for one week. He did nothing of the sort, and totally ripped me off on that part. The guides I was with did everything they could to find a great ram, but they had no idea of what I had paid Scott extra for. We went in together, they had not been in the area before me at all.

Also, after paying for a very expensive hunt and harvesting a beautiful ram, Scott miss handled my trophy care (post hunt), and ruined my cape. I had a very unique chocolate colored ram, with an irreplaceable cape, and he ruined it.

Scott controls more than half of the nonresident sheep tags in Alberta and essentially has a monopoly on hunting in Alberta. He uses a wide variety of guides that may or may never have hunted for him before. My experience with him is he treats his hunters like garbage whenever you try to talk to him about anything. He acts like you should be thankful just for the opportunity to be blessed to hunt with him. Four months leading up to my Hunt, he would not answer any phone calls, text, or emails. I didn’t even know if it was really going to happen until a few weeks before the hunt, after having paid in full for the Hunt years before.

My two cents.

Good information and post. Thanks for your honesty regarding your hunt and the outfitter’s treatment of clients. These statements are invaluable before deciding to sign a big contract and book a hunt or continue researching and shopping. Happy hunting to all, TheGrayRider a/k/a Tom.

 

[Fishn4eyes]

I think anyone you hunt with in Alberta is a crap shoot.

It's tough.

I hunted with Scott Carter in 2021 and shot an 8 1/2 YO as aged by the bio.

It's not a big ram by any means and I hunted my balls off for him.

Shot him on day 11 and he was the only legal ram we saw and probably saw less than 10 rams total.

It was a tough, mental grueling hunt.

To Scott's credit, he told me I could stay until I shot a ram and I fully intended to whether it was 11 days or 30 days. I told my wife I wasn't coming home until I got one (which was a slight exaggeration but I was going to stay from September 1-October 1 if necessary).

All that being said, I probably wouldn't hunt with Carter's again or anyone else in Alberta. It's just a tough, low percentage success hunt and I'm forever grateful I shot one as it was my slam ram.

I saw a few comments about Andre and Willow Creek and he was my second choice and recommended by Mike Ukrainetz who I've hunted with 4-5 times for bears. Andre seems like a good guy but I went with Carter Outfitting instead.

 

[MountainWild]

What you get with Scott Carter -

 

[dirtshooter]

I thought this was an interesting AB sheep hunt...

 

[cbeard64]

A few years back I needed a bighorn to finish my slam. Whenever I talked to any one the Alberta bighorn outfitters at the shows the hair stood up on the back of my neck. I have never had outfitters be so non-responsive/evasive when asked even the simplest questions. Just platitudes and doubletalk. As Forrest Gump said, “I’m not a smart man…”, but I knew better than to plop down 60-75 grand on an Alberta bighorn hunt.

 

[Naturalborn 1981]

I am considering a Bighorn Sheep hunt in Alberta in 2027. Rifle hunt. Would like to get any recommendations on outfitters you have used. Would also like to know if anyone has hunted bighorns with Willow Creek and their experience with them.

Thanks for any information you are willing to share. Please PM me if you are more comfortable doing that.

Dave

Tyler McMahon is the owner of sherwood outfitters. I've killed a 170 with him back 10 years ago. I have hunted with him since 2000. Great success rates. Great bases on those rams. Huge area to hunt, definitely not 100k. More around 50 or 60. His dad and him have been in the willmore since 1968.

 

[easttex]

I guess if you gotta have a bighorn you gotta have a bighorn, or stone for that matter, but there are better values out there. Consider Mongolia. Expensive but much higher success rates for better quality rams.

 

[adamkolesar]

What you get with Scott Carter -

That's a real shame. It's also an indicator of the contempt that outfitter has for his clients and the animal itself. Unexcusable!