Going for another hunt: Stone or repeat Dall?

[ericthered]

I’d like your thoughts. I hunted Dall Sheep last year in NWT. Two days into the hunt, I take a nice ram - my first. Now of course, I want to go again. A 2025 stone hunt is $75k and a Dall in NWT nearly $40k. Would you do a repeat Dall hunt saving the money or would you go for the Stone? What would you do and why. I will probably book in April.

 

[Cspraggins]

If I could swing it, and I only wanted to kill one animal, I would go stone having already taken the dall.

If the option was there for moose/caribou/grizzly on top of the dall, that might change the equation a bit.

 

[Wildwillalaska]

I’d vote Stone hands down. I love hunting Dall but want a Stone something fierce. I missed out on a cancellation hunt back in 2018 by a couple minutes and they have jumped in price every year since—putting me in a repeated cycle of sticker shock. And sooner or later I’m going to drop the coin for one—I know it. If I didn’t have such close and reasonable options for Dall, moose and bear right here by the house, I’d have already likely pulled the trigger on a Stone hunt. Already wish I had.

For me, if I were booking a hunt into Canada, it would be Stone for sure. Right now kicking around a desert BH or argali for 2024 or 2025, foolishly hoping with Canada opened back up and prices as high as they’ve gotten that Stone hunts will come down some in years to come. Most likely I’ll just end up in another repeat sticker shock and kicking myself for not taking the plunge in the good old days when they were only $75k.

Good luck deciding and on your trip.

 

[Nick Muche]

Stone supply is down, Stone demand is through the roof. Prices are not coming down. Book now or pay higher prices almost certainly. Or book a Fannin hunt.

You could split the difference of the two costs and hunt Deserts.

 

[schmalzy]

Option C, go on 2 dall hunts.


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[Muleyczy]

If your chasing your sheep slam obviously a Stone sheep is the way to go, however if your after the adventure I like Schmalzy’s idea of going on two dall hunts. Add a caribou to spice it up.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Similar situation.....I went on a dall (mixed bag) hunt in 2018 in the NWT. Going this year on a stone (booked in 2020), even though I could have gone on 2 dall hunts instead. Maybe the only difference is the color of their hair, but it's a different province, a different outfitter......so a different experience in my mind. Kind of why I wanted to go on a sheep hunt in the first place vs just hunting whitetails in the southeast for the rest of my life....I'm all for new hunting experiences if/when time and money allow.

 

[CHL]

Agree with everyone. I’ve killed both the Dall & Stone (Fannin’s), and would certainly pony up and save a little money and go after your Stone. After leaving the Hunt Expo, most “good” outfitters I know of are $70K - $80K, and said they expect prices to continue to rise. I’m thankful to have ‘em and have a Desert Sheep hunt booked for December. Like someone else said, it’s in the middle price-wise and looks to remain stable at least for now.

 

[cbeard64]

It’s such a personal decision that it doesn’t really matter what anyone else would do.

I have all four sheep so at this point I would do 2 Dall hunts in the NWT or Yukon just for the additional time spent in that beautiful country. Same country, half the cost and the success rates are much higher.

 

[tam9492]

If I had all 4, or maybe even one bighorn and one thinhorn, I’d start looking internationally at ibex and argali.

 

[Mojave]

I have zero sheep vice my free range West-Texas Aoudad.

For Stone Sheep Money $40,000-80,000 I'd do this instead:

Dagestan Tur Azerbaijan $9500-12,000
Spanish Ibex $5000-15,000 per ibex depending on size and species; Gredos is the most expensive, then Beceite, Ronda and Sierra Nevada the cheapest.

Marco Polo and Mid-Asian Ibex Tajikistan or Krygistan $35,000-50,000 plus ibex $8500.

Pakistan
Sind Ibex $20,000
Punjab Urial $29500
Blanford Urial and Sind Ibex combo $46500
Blue Sheep $28,000
Hymalayan Ibex $14000

Nepal
Blue Sheep $40,000

Mongolia
Altai Ibex $13000
Gobi Ibex $12000
Argali's are more expensive than a Stone and Markhor put together.

In my mind the only reason to complete a grand slam is if you are chasing a Weatherby. Zero reason to do it other wise.

I am in a good financial bracket, but it is not so much that spending $200,000 on four sheep is a good idea.

A friend has a grand slam and shot the North Ameican 29 and another 200 species. He isn't even serious about a Weatherby, and is just going through the motions.

His thoughts are that sheep are worth it, but only if you are paying Weatherby dues.

 

[Steve O]

^^^^^ Asia; fantastic advice.

Dall sheep outfitters are watching the Stone hunts and licking their chops. I talked to the guy I wanted to go with in the NWT at the Sheep Show; no openings till after 2025 and no price other than substantially higher than the current $36,000.

Kinda ticked me off how dismissive he was so I’ll cross the NWT off my list and go to Alaska.

 

[Steve O]

But, to answer your question and spending your money I would go for the Stone. Different sheep, one more towards the four, different province and area. Stone for sure.

 

[Mojave]

Dall sheep outside of Alaska will be $40,000 by 2030, if they are not $50,000.

They were $5000 in 1993.

 

[WyoBowhunter21]

If I could swing that and was chasing the sheep slam, I would do Stone now. Things are not looking good for the near future on stones with the people I have talked too. If I wasn’t chasing that, I would go for a desert big horn and something else thrown in the mix. You could go on a couple great hunts for the next couple years. My dream is a moose, caribou and sheep. So I would do that if I could. If you do go, please post up your story.

 

[cbeard64]

Add another 10-15K to all Asia hunts compared to NA for extra travel, trophy import costs, hotels, etc.

Plus some people don’t care for the additional time and hassles involved in doing those hunts. I’ll leave it at that. I have talked to many who have gone and watched dozens of videos of Asian mountain game hunting and even the most upbeat ones never fail to mention what a PITA the logistics are. Most also mention the many frustrations of dealing with many of the folks involved with the hunt(s).

Personally, I have never cared to travel to that part of the world. Although I have considered Spain and would make an exception for an Asian Argali if I had and extra 200K lying around.

 

[Scottf270]

My opinion only:

1. If you will ever desire to chase a "slam" and or money isn't a giant concern, I'd go for the Stone.
2. If you just love hunting sheep and a different color coat or province isn't paramount, I'd do another dall (or two) and or do a combo hunt for moose or goat.
3. Go after a bighorn. You can probably do either one for about the "stone" price. Then you would have a thin and a thick horn. Based on success and availability, I'd probably do free range desert bighorn in Mexico.
4. Be careful with stones. I think success is much lower, and have heard of outfitters selling more hunts than tags leading to "gar hole" hunts.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[TheGrayRider]

Are all of the Dahl sheep outfitters in Alaska and Canada already booked through 2025? Any updated information is appreciated. I wasn’t able to make latest convention. Thanks in advance, TheGrayRider.

 

[Mojave]

The conventions are kind of rough. You have to remember that many Canadian glamour game outfitters are at Jagd and Hund in Dortmund, Germany, Hohe Jagd in Vienna, Austria, the Grand Slam Club Ovis show, the Sheep Show, Safari Club, Dallas Safari Club and possibly Houston Safari club.

People are booking 5 years out. Just what it is.

In my mind there is greater certainty booking with a reputable agent, or directly outside of the show.

If you are going to do the research yourself, it does't take much work to search the bigger hunting forums and ask the question. Or research hunting reports on Accurate Reloading, African Hunting and other forums where the focus is international hunting.

Plus it isn't like Africa, where you can get a 5-15% off deal on a Canadian glamour game hunt at the consumer shows. Maybe on a whitetail or black bear hunt.

 

[wildwilderness]

I know of a Dall/Fannin hunt in the $35k range…

A true stone hunt is different that Dalls hunt, terrain and habitat depending on area. Also horns can be bigger.

You can get the 4 Slam sheep, but there’s more with the Fannin, California, Mexicana etc…

Non-sheep addicts don’t understand the drive!