Montana draw system for bighorns

[brocksw]

Ok I understand the unlimited portion of this but just for my own clarification (sorry if this is a redundant topic) how does the Non resident draw system work. $1250 for the tag. If.... I mean when you're unsuccessful, full refund? Looks like there is a bonus point system for sheep, so in my case I'm out 20 bucks? Is there a maximum point total? Maybe It should be noted I hunt elk in MT every year so I'm already buying all the other required licenses.

Any info for Idaho Bighorn? Colorado? Wyoming? Which state in the lower 48 gives the best odds to non res for a big horn (excluding the MT unlimited)?

I know much of this info can be found on the respective websites but it's kind of a pain to find and I figured one of you brilliant minds would have a good handle on this info already... Or at least good enough for me.
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[brocksw]

Nevermind found a previous thread

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[wyosteve]

Wyoming gives the most bighorn sheep tags and some odds for non-residents are actually better than for residents.

 

[TreeWalking]

Wyoming gives the most bighorn sheep tags and some odds for non-residents are actually better than for residents.

WY residents get 75% of the sheep tags by statute. Around 70% of the sheep applications were by residents so overall residents have better odds in WY to draw a sheep tag. Odds are tough for everyone, resident or not, but I will take resident odds.

 

[wyosteve]

The odds of drawing, whether resident or non-resident, depend on the number of applicants and number of points those applicants have. Some resident areas have so many applicants that the odds of drawing are actually lower than non-residents.

 

[TreeWalking]

The odds of drawing, whether resident or non-resident, depend on the number of applicants and number of points those applicants have. Some resident areas have so many applicants that the odds of drawing are actually lower than non-residents.

Preference and bonus point systems muddy the strategy a bit. WY only awards a random tag to a non-resident if there are 4 or more non-resident sheep tags so only braindead tenderfoots are applying for the 8 other units unless have 17 or more sheep points. I would expect odds to be comparatively very good for non-residents in those 8 units since the smarter applicants wisely want to avoid drawing dead but to be very poor for the other 5 units where every applicant has a chance for one or more or the tags.

 

[Face8780]

Preference and bonus point systems muddy the strategy a bit. WY only awards a random tag to a non-resident if there are 4 or more non-resident sheep tags so only braindead tenderfoots are applying for the 8 other units unless have 17 or more sheep points. I would expect odds to be comparatively very good for non-residents in those 8 units since the smarter applicants wisely want to avoid drawing dead but to be very poor for the other 5 units where every applicant has a chance for one or more or the tags.

I'm a little confused by what you said. Being a non resident who applies in WY, I'm very interested. Could you try to explain this. Sorry if I'm missing it.

 

[wyosteve]

I'm not sure what Treewalking was trying to explain either. In WY. 25% of the sheep tags are allocated to non-residents. As an example, in an area with 40 tags, 25% or 10 would go to non-residents. Of those 10, a few (I can't remember the percentage) get put into the 'random' draw hat so to speak. So of the 10 for non-res. there may be 8 that are awarded to preference point holders and 2 go into the random draw. The unsuccessful applicants from the preference pool go into a 'random' draw, where preference points have no bearing on who draws. Basically a lottery where everyone is on equal footing. In areas with very low tag numbers, there may not be enough to do a random draw for non-residents. Hope this helps.

 

[TreeWalking]

I'm not sure what Treewalking was trying to explain either. In WY. 25% of the sheep tags are allocated to non-residents. As an example, in an area with 40 tags, 25% or 10 would go to non-residents. Of those 10, a few (I can't remember the percentage) get put into the 'random' draw hat so to speak. So of the 10 for non-res. there may be 8 that are awarded to preference point holders and 2 go into the random draw. The unsuccessful applicants from the preference pool go into a 'random' draw, where preference points have no bearing on who draws. Basically a lottery where everyone is on equal footing. In areas with very low tag numbers, there may not be enough to do a random draw for non-residents. Hope this helps.

WY is not "by area" pool but is by unit. If there are 3 or less non-resident tags in a unit, zero tags are going to anyone but the 3 highest point holders.