Unlimited Hunt or $1250 in raffle tickets

[trouthunter1106]

Just curious what everyone's thoughts are when it comes to draw and raffle strategies versus staring at a 2.6% success rate in the Unlimited Districts of MT. I did my first Unlimited hunt this year and drummed up a few sheep but nothing legal. My unit did end up meeting the quota and despite the challenge of finding sheep and keeping my head in the game I did feel like I had a chance all of the 9 days I was in the unit.

A friend asked me the other day if I thought that spending $1250 a year to hunt the unlimited units with low success rates had a higher chance of success versus spending the $1250 on raffle tickets through the Wild Sheep Foundation, affiliate chapters and super tag type raffles. Just kinda got me thinking and I'm sure people on here have had success doing both.

I 100% plan on continuing with the Unlimited hunts because like I said, I felt like I had a chance the whole time. Thanks a bunch in advance.

 

[huntstrong2850]

Just curious what everyone's thoughts are when it comes to draw and raffle strategies versus staring at a 2.6% success rate in the Unlimited Districts of MT. I did my first Unlimited hunt this year and drummed up a few sheep but nothing legal. My unit did end up meeting the quota and despite the challenge of finding sheep and keeping my head in the game I did feel like I had a chance all of the 9 days I was in the unit.

A friend asked me the other day if I thought that spending $1250 a year to hunt the unlimited units with low success rates had a higher chance of success versus spending the $1250 on raffle tickets through the Wild Sheep Foundation, affiliate chapters and super tag type raffles. Just kinda got me thinking and I'm sure people on here have had success doing both.

I 100% plan on continuing with the Unlimited hunts because like I said, I felt like I had a chance the whole time. Thanks a bunch in advance.

I’ve sat there and watched guys drop a grand at the sheep show on tickets then put them all into one tumbler and walk away with nothing.

If you had to make a choice like that for one or another you could be sitting there waiting to win a raffle tag for a decade, but you might go next year and find a legal ram in the unlimited. If it was me I’d rather hunt that decade for a sheep than sit and wait for a chance to hunt a sheep. My opinion


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[ljalberta]

I'm lucky in Canada to be able to buy an OTC sheep tag (for now and hopefully in the future as well). However, if it were me in the lower 48, I'd be like you and take the unlimited hunt every year over raffles! Plus when you finally are successful, you can have 7 years of raffling your heart out until you can get back to the unlimited.

 

[sodak]

I look at the raffles and tickets as preparing to hunt sheep.

Going hunting in the unlimited areas is hunting.






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[tdhanses]

If I had the time to hunt the unlimiteds every year I would do that over raffles every time. First it isn’t all about the success and being out in the woods is much better then sitting at home hoping you have a winning ticket. So don’t just look at the odds of success but the entire package.

 

[OFFHNTN]

Very good question!
If I lived in MT and was close to the unlimited units, I would do that every single year without a doubt vs the raffles and drawings. But when you are a thousand miles away it's not quite as easy. With that said...........I think I would still do the unlimiteds unless the raffles were fairly high odds and limited the tickets sold to a reasonable amount like 250 or so.

 

[kscowboy01]

One way you are guaranteed to hunt sheep, the other way you are not.

I would tell you to go hunt it. Plenty of people come to my home state and hunt deer every year and spend more than $1250. Practice your long range shooting and commit yourself to do this for the next 10 years until you tag a ram or agree that it isn't going to happen for you. I would bet that if you really are a good hunter, you'll see a legal ram during these 10 years. The longer you are in there, the more you learn the area and where your days are best spent. By the end of these 10 years, the learning curve is gone.

The other alternative is that I put you in touch with a Dall guide in AK and you book a hunt 5 years out and do a payment plan. Nothing wrong with a white sheep!

 

[trouthunter1106]

Thanks for all the responses and I'm with you guys in wanting to hunt verse take the chance at a raffle. I'm looking at it as a multi year project in the Unlimiteds that I'm hoping will end with a tagged sheep. Like kscowboy01 said, a decade in the units will more than likely provide me a much higher chance of success compared to sitting at home admiring all the points I've accumulated in a few states.

I understand that 2.6% success rates in the unlimited districts is fairly soul crushing, and maybe I just haven't done enough research, but how many points would it take to get to a 2.6% draw odd and where would that be?

 

[Molon Labe]

I would just keep hunting the unlimited. You will eventually connect on a ram...you will have great experiences.

There are no states with 2.6% success on sheep tags. And you will never have max point pool in any state for sheep...so you will always be in the "random" draw.

 

[kscowboy01]

If you lived in CO and were willing to do archery, there are some good archery units a guy could draw. You'd have to practice your butt off and I would recommend getting a guide. I know of a group in a decent unit that will get you a shot at a ram. That's probably your best chance in the Lower 48 for a ram.

 

[Jimbob]

I just like to hunt. I am not really into the idea of getting a collection of different animals. I like being in the wilderness and I love learning about the animals that live there. The idea of trading time in the mountains hunting sheep for buying raffle tickets to hopefully win one hunt seems like the most ludicrous thing I have ever heard.

I think you are doing it right and making some great memories. Next year it could happen for you.

 

[C Bow]

This will be my 4th year hunting the unlimited area I have learned so much in the last few years. Great experience

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I’d rather hunt than throw away $$$. To be fair though, winning one of those drawings would be awesome. Probably the only way I’ll ever get to hunt stone or desert.

 

[WyoBowhunter21]

If it were me, I would choose to hunt every single year. My chances to be in the woods are higher than putting raffle tickets in the big clear box. If I put economics to it, my risk/reward for the unlimited is lower risk/higher reward than my risk/reward for the raffle tags which would be high risk/low reward. Just my thoughts but I have a tough time buying raffle tickets in general.

 

[MtGomer]

Your success rate isn’t 2.6%. It is what you make it. The success rate statistic = number of kills/number of tags. It considers with the same amount of weight the guy that lived out of his backpack for 2 weeks and saw sheep or maybe even passed up a ram just as it considers the guy that bought a tag and never went.

 

[trouthunter1106]

Your success rate isn’t 2.6%. It is what you make it. The success rate statistic = number of kills/number of tags. It considers with the same amount of weight the guy that lived out of his backpack for 2 weeks and saw sheep or maybe even passed up a ram just as it considers the guy that bought a tag and never went.

And even if every quota for every district is filled, it doesn't push that 2.6% number up much higher. It being my first time and not knowing what to expect I was fully prepared to be in my district for 9 days without seeing ANY sheep. Just the fact that I saw a few ewes and a couple young rams made that trip a HUGE success in my eyes.

I've talked to a few folks around here about it and they kind of shake their head and discount the Unlimiteds as a real sheep hunt and look at it as more of a really tough back packing trip. Hopefully they never realize how amazing of an opportunity it is and they continue to stay home admiring all their points.

 

[lonedave]

Your success rate isn’t 2.6%. It is what you make it. The success rate statistic = number of kills/number of tags. It considers with the same amount of weight the guy that lived out of his backpack for 2 weeks and saw sheep or maybe even passed up a ram just as it considers the guy that bought a tag and never went.

This equates to my personal philosophy that we make our own luck. I've always tried to live by this rule.

 

[jdhmhatch]

With the unlimited areas, at least you are guaranteed to be in the mountains.

 

[Mtnboy]

I'd go hunting...it'd suck to burn $1250 in the raffles and have nothing to show for it.

Spend some time in the Unlimited areas and at least you'll have an awesome adventure and maybe even a sheep on the wall to show for it.

 

[COSA]

It all depends on what you want. Most of the unlimited sheep won't be "trophy" rams, score wise. Been hunting it for 3 years as a resident, and it is awesome country, but looking for a needle in a haystack - I know of some very good hunters that have been at it longer without a ram to show for it.... Depending on the migration, I think their is a very limited number, if any legal rams in a unit during the season.