(Nevada) Mentor-like guide recommendations for a NV management ram tag

[Dsundy]

Hey everyone,
I was incredibly fortunate to draw a Nevada Management Ram tag this year (unit 066). While it's a management hunt, it's an "Any Ram" hunt so it actually opens up some a lot of potential (if I can find them).

I am still a relatively new hunter (less than 5 years hunting experience), and this will be my first time ever going after sheep. While I would love to DIY a hunt like this, I also realize how rare and special a Nevada sheep tag is. I absolutely do not want to waste this opportunity so I am strongly considering toward hiring a guide.

I am really not looking for a "show up and pull the trigger" style hunt. If I hire a guide, I'd want to look at it as a mentorship opportunity. I am a resident and I work in the mountains, so have the fitness and backcountry experience, but lack the specifics of knowing how to hunt sheep. I'd want to hire a guide service where I can hunt with the guide, learn how to glass effectively, understand sheep behavior, etc.

Does anyone have recommendations for reputable Northern Nevada sheep outfitters who excel at teaching and would be well-suited for newer hunters? If you have specific recommendations (or outfits I should avoid), please send me a PM. There's information-overload online and I'd appreciate some real (and relatively recent) intel.

Appreciate any advice or direction you guys can give.

 

[Sandbrew]

I'd suggest you reach out to the fine folks at Nevada Bighorn's Unlimited AFTER you sign up to be a member.

 

[HighDesertExplorer]

Congrats on the California Bighorn tag.

Victor Trujillo of Borrego Outfitters would be my recommendation. Victor specializes in bighorn sheep hunts and is highly regarded.

 

[downsouth175]

Congratulations on the tag! Which hunt did you draw? I believe there are 3 separate hunts this year. Depending on success in the early hunts the rams available to hunt are going to dwindle on the later hunts. Due to ongoing disease in this unit, this hunt is basically giving the public the opportunity to harvest all the rams in the unit, versus NDOW doing it in-house. Once the hunt is complete we still may see that. The intent is to completely remove the existing herd so it can potentially be repopulated with translocated sheep if the right conditions present themselves. NDOW's hope on this hunt is that all rams are harvested, not just trophy rams.

I also can recommend Victor. His partner Gary at Borrego Outfitters lives nearby the unit, and has killed a lot of NV California bighorn rams.

 

[Dsundy]

Thanks for the rec. Will reach out to both of them.

Congratulations on the tag! Which hunt did you draw? I believe there are 3 separate hunts this year. Depending on success in the early hunts the rams available to hunt are going to dwindle on the later hunts. Due to ongoing disease in this unit, this hunt is basically giving the public the opportunity to harvest all the rams in the unit, versus NDOW doing it in-house. Once the hunt is complete we still may see that. The intent is to completely remove the existing herd so it can potentially be repopulated with translocated sheep if the right conditions present themselves. NDOW's hope on this hunt is that all rams are harvested, not just trophy rams.

I also can recommend Victor. His partner Gary at Borrego Outfitters lives nearby the unit, and has killed a lot of NV California bighorn rams.

@downsouth175 - I have the second season (month of October). Your point gets to the crux of the dilemma I’m facing. Do I spring for a guide in hopes of getting the best ram possible? Or because there will be a lot of pressure and a diseased herd, should I save that experience for a future hunt?

I reached out to the biologist to get a read on just how diseased the herd is, what types of rams are available, etc. Still waiting to hear back and actually connect with him though. I know there hasn’t been an 066 sheep hunt offered for some years so in theory there should be some mature animals in there, even if they are sick. I’m new enough to this where I am leaning toward getting a guide and maximizing the opportunity while I have it, but still very much on the fence.