Unfilled Tag on Guided Sheep Hunt

[Afhunter1]

You mean that you killed a grizzly on your Brown/Grizzly Metal Locking Tag. Legally, by statute, you can't put a Sheep Metal Locking Tag on a grizzly bear.

Yeah that was it. Thanks for the clarification!

 

[IBen]

. Guide was decent, but I definitely spotted most of the sheep.

Wait…. you actually had to hunt for yourself?

 

[TheWhitetailNut]

Why wouldnt you want people to name guides? I think its better to hear the highs and lows and help folks do research. Id rather book with some who had happy unsuccessful hunters that want to return. And Id dang sure want to avoid a poorly run operation.

For me it wasnt a sheep but a mountain goat in the chugach. I missed one with a bow so obviously had my chance. I didnt like how we ran into multiple other hunters nor thought we hunted enough but like I said, had my chance. Im going to kodiak this fall to make my second attempt.


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Because Werner does not run a poor operation. After reading the post I still don't know what the problem was. I'm friends with someone who worked in his outfit for years and I cannot wait to go.

 

[keller]

What are you waiting for? Canada is welcoming travelers with open arm's. None of us are getting any younger

Because Werner does not run a poor operation. After reading the post I still don't know what the problem was. I'm friends with someone who worked in his outfit for years and I cannot wait to go.

 

[TheWhitetailNut]

What are you waiting for? Canada is welcoming travelers with open arm's. None of us are getting any younger

After 15 years of nothing, I drew 3 tags this year plus had a bear hunt in Sask. this spring, I need to replenish my hunting budget. Maybe if he gets an opening next year..

 

[TheWhitetailNut]

Purely out of curiosity, if you pay 5-50k for a sheep hunt. Do you have to pay that wether your successful or not?
Like couldn’t any dipsh*t go out there and say they are a guide and get paid 50k and suck?


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Somebody does get stiffed every year. Generally the folks who can pay $30-70k for a sheep hunt are pretty disciplined and diligent irrespective of their tax bracket.

 

[wind gypsy]

I have read this thread and thought about it alot. There is something earlier in the thread about weighing the money and risk. Honestly since I went up the hunts have went up substantially like everything else. It’s at the point now that although I can probably make it work. I don’t know that I will. To wrap my head around 30-35k for a hunt is really getting hard for me to justify. I really want to achieve that goal. Monetarily I don’t know if it’s worth it to me. I’ve hunted elk, aoudad, mule deer, along with alot of other things. And for 30-35 grand I can sure do a lot of hunting and have a lot of fun

Not saying I won’t go. But I’m saying it’s awful hard for me to justify it and make it right in my brain.

Yep, could get a good elk ranch hunt, a mountain goat hunt, and a drop camp moose/caribou for that $!

 

[wind gypsy]

Can I play devils advocate for a second? You can go on a super physically demanding hunt for a different species for damn near for free and not kill anything. Like hunt the frank church for bears and kick your ass and be miserable for as long as you want(with some great adventure and scenery). And a non resident bear tag cost about $100 dollars and the gas to drive to the edge of the wilderness or worst case spend $500 on a plane ride in. And guys aren’t paying 25k-60k for that. So it must be more about the trophy than most guys let on.

The combination of rarity of sheep and where they live and that not many people can/will do it is what makes the trophy IMO. The pursuit of something that not many are willing to sacrifice for (whether it be $, moving to AK, or the commitment to grind it out in the unlimiteds) is a large part of what makes sheep desirable and makes the trophy desirable. And they are just cool.

[Edit to clarify: I agree with your sentiment that it is more about the trophy than most guys let on. The desire for the trophy adds to the meaning of the pursuit - they aren't mutually exclusive]

 

[JBrown1]

If you went off social media, you would think everybody who goes on a sheep hunt these days is killing a Boone & Crockett ram.
.........................
Interested in the reality of success rates, how often someone comes back empty handed on a guided sheep hunt, and what the scenarios were.

One well known, and well respected, small outfit that has been in business for many years publishes the results of all their hunts. It looks like their success rate is +-75% over the past 20+ years.

It's sobering to think that 1 in 4 goes home empty handed.

 

[Bluto]

Lurking this forum for a couple of years and have gotten cold feet twice now and still haven’t booked.

I think maybe I won’t. Had a bad guide experience this year with elk, after finally breaking down and going that route. Should have stuck with DIY.

The sheep numbers and real world experiences not on brag boards I think has priced a sheep hunt out of the realm of sanity for me personally. I get the concept of the adventure and just enjoying the hunt. Been doing that for decades. But man, prices as they are and increasing while opportunities decrease? I guess I don’t get it.

I’m happy for those who do. I’m just bummed I don’t think I’ll ever get to go, I’m getting too old to wait it out for better numbers and I think I’d snap if I did it and ended up with a poor outfitter experience again. Best of luck to those making the trek, everyone else is counting on ya!

 

[Benny]

Something to keep in mind if solely looking at harvest percentages from outfitters is that “usually” the outfitters that typically will take larger sheep (in a good genetic area, manage well, etc) will attract a certain clientele.

That clientele will usually be looking for something special and are not first time sheep hunters looking for any legal sheep.

Not saying always but for guys looking for something specific, going home empty handed doesn’t scare them.

Just something to keep in mind if an outfitter goes 5 for 8. Where the 3 that didn’t kill looking for something big or were they “any legal sheep dies” type of hunters.

 

[dallen]

I consider myself immensely blessed to have the opportunity to hunt Dall sheep on an regular basis. I first moved to Alaska in the late 80’s and was addicted the first time. It’s a combination of the country, the hardships and the animal. I‘ve always considered it the Ranger school of hunting . Hunting has changed. My normal sheep spots all became drawing permit areas and there seem to be a lot more competition for less sheep in fewer areas. I started hunting sheep before sheep hunting was cool. Unless I decide to place a lot of effort and/ or $$ to get into the hard access areas, I figure to be extreme backpacking with a gun. And that still results in a nice ram at times. Sheep are no guarantee…..hunting is hunting. Guided or not.

 

[cbeard64]

It was Day 20 of a 21 day hunt when I took my ram this year. I knew going in a ram was not guaranteed. All the guides busted their butts on my behalf. I had experienced a grand adventure up to that point and was ready to accept the outcome without regrets.

All of which made finding the ram even more special.

 

[cbeard64]

Lurking this forum for a couple of years and have gotten cold feet twice now and still haven’t booked.

I think maybe I won’t. Had a bad guide experience this year with elk, after finally breaking down and going that route. Should have stuck with DIY.

The sheep numbers and real world experiences not on brag boards I think has priced a sheep hunt out of the realm of sanity for me personally. I get the concept of the adventure and just enjoying the hunt. Been doing that for decades. But man, prices as they are and increasing while opportunities decrease? I guess I don’t get it.

I’m happy for those who do. I’m just bummed I don’t think I’ll ever get to go, I’m getting too old to wait it out for better numbers and I think I’d snap if I did it and ended up with a poor outfitter experience again. Best of luck to those making the trek, everyone else is counting on ya!

The cost factor is real. There is no remotely economical sheep hunt with any reasonable chance of success these days unless you draw in the states or win a raffle. No matter your take on it, that’s just the fact. Any good sheep hunt is going to be expensive.

As for the outfitter/guide question, I wouldn’t let that be a factor in your decision. Good sheep outfitters are not hard to find if you do your homework. Especially if you concentrate on outfits with dedicated concessions who have been in business a long time. I have been on four sheep hunts and all the outfitters and guides on those hunts have been top-notch.

 

[NMO]

Something to keep in mind if solely looking at harvest percentages from outfitters is that “usually” the outfitters that typically will take larger sheep (in a good genetic area, manage well, etc) will attract a certain clientele.

That clientele will usually be looking for something special and are not first time sheep hunters looking for any legal sheep.

Not saying always but for guys looking for something specific, going home empty handed doesn’t scare them.

Just something to keep in mind if an outfitter goes 5 for 8. Where the 3 that didn’t kill looking for something big or were they “any legal sheep dies” type of hunters.

This may still be the case in some areas for Dall's sheep, not too sure, but I can say from experience there are few clients these days (even the ones with endless pockets) that will pass stone sheep. At north of 70K usd it just isn't happening. Regardless of what a client says about the kind of ram they are looking for (dark, twisty, broomed etc) almost all understand what it means to pass a legal (hopefully 8+ and representative of the species) stone sheep. Perhaps one in 20, and likely less.

 

[Benny]

Yeah roger. My experience has been exclusively hunting and guiding dall hunts. Do agree with you that many of my acquaintances don’t seem to be eating stone tags for lack of size.

 

[cbeard64]

At prices approaching 40K it will soon be the same situation for Dall’s hunts. No one will pass any legal ram.

An unintended consequence of this market I fear. No value judgment intended.

 

[fulton13]

My sheep hunting started a bit slow. I did all four species in two years and only killed one. (Desert). Since then, I’m 7 for 7. Of those first four, only one was truly a bad experience that I hope nobody ever has to go through. The other two were on me. (One miss and one wound) Looking to continue my streak next week!

Where all have you been? I have dreamed of going on a sheep hunt.

 

[JjamesIII]

I hunted 40 days over 4 hunts before I killed a dall. He was the first legal ram I saw and was a nice full curl 10 year old ram. 2 hunts in Canada for stones and 2 in Alaska. Killed ram on second hunt in Alaska. Can’t wait to get back to sheep mountains.

 

[Kotaman]

Where all have you been? I have dreamed of going on a sheep hunt.

For sheep: Alaska, Yukon, BC, Alberta, Mexico, NWT.