What does it cost to hunt sheep?

[KINGSNAKE]

Poor table fair is a big bummer on the aoudad

 

[Cactus kid]

I didn't realize Texas drew pubic land tags for aoudad, good to know! I have a DIY private land hunt booked for next year.

Actually, there is some public land in Texas with aoudad, but it is limited entry draw hunts through the TPWD. There are thousands and thousands of acres of private free-range land in the canyons of the Panhandle and the mountains of the Trans-Pecos region that hold aoudad and offer hunts as well. You can find private land hunts for anywhere from $1,750 or so and up. Most quality hunts will run you more like $2,500-$3,000 or more, but it is some of the best sheep hunting you can do. Probably THE best for the money if you're paying for a hunt. Very challenging and fun animals to hunt in that kind of rough country.

There are lots of high fenced game ranches in the Hill Country and other areas that have aoudad as well, of course. And there are some that have escaped and are free ranging in those areas too. But hunting them in the wild and rough country of the Panhandle and Davis Mountain areas is the way to go. It's a real sheep hunt experience in those places.

In all honesty, after going on the desert bighorn hunt last summer, I'd have to say that aoudad are probably a more challenging animal to hunt. They're more wary and spooky - more like a whitetail. The desert sheep we encountered were much less spooky. They were damn hard to get to where they hung out, but they tolerated our presence much more than aoudad do. Every sheep hunter should go on a good aoudad hunt at least once. The only downside is that they are terrible eating. Bighorn is 1,000,000 times better on the table.

 

[Shane]

Poor table fair is a big bummer on the aoudad

It's a bigger bummer if you actually try to eat it. There are folks that claim to like it, but 99% of people who have tried it don't want 2nds. It's tough, gamey and nasty. Even the ewes and young aoudad taste bad. If you are an "if you kill it, you MUST eat it" guy, then you probably don't want to hunt aoudad.

 

[Duk Dog]

If you are serious about this and have a flexible schedule, get on some cancellation lists. It will be last min and zero prep time, but you can save yourself 25-50% on hunt costs.

Great suggestion. Only thing I'd add is do your research and figure out who you'd pay full price to hunt with and then get on their cancellation list. Personally I'm not sure I'd spend the money for a cancellation hunt with someone I wouldn't be prepared to pay the full amount to hunt with. Just my opinion.

 

[Chris]

Shane is absolutely right. Free range aoudad in places like the Palo Duro Canyon in the panhandle, and Davis mountains out west are excellent opportunities to get after sheep. They don't count towards the slam, but they are just as tough to hunt. The access/trophy fee is about as much as a NR tag fee in most states.

That being said, I'm headed to AK for dall for considerably less than $10k in August. The opportunities are there, just do the research, get on lists, and make some connections at some trade shows. If you're young enough and have the grit, call around to do some apprentice guiding. That'll get you there quick on the right outfit.

 

[dotman]

I'm surprised no one told you to try MT, there are 5 units with 100% success to draw. The odds are low but imo I think it would be a very rewarding hunt no matter the out come. You could turn this hunt into an annual hunt and really up your odds of success. Tag cost is $750 and you can drive there. Only limiting factor is these are quota hunts so when the quota is filled the hunt will end but most years the quotas are not filled.

Heck you could just take a few years to really scout it out before getting a tag. At the age of 26 and being as into sheep as you are this is a great op. Kurt, the owner of SG, got his BH this way.

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

I'm surprised no one told you to try MT, there are 5 units with 100% success to draw. The odds are low but imo I think it would be a very rewarding hunt no matter the out come. You could turn this hunt into an annual hunt and really up your odds of success. Tag cost is $750 and you can drive there. Only limiting factor is these are quota hunts so when the quota is filled the hunt will end but most years the quotas are not filled.

Heck you could just take a few years to really scout it out before getting a tag. At the age of 26 and being as into sheep as you are this is a great op. Kurt, the owner of SG, got his BH this way.

I thought it was only one unit. Have you tried hunting there?

 

[dotman]

I thought it was only one unit. Have you tried hunting there?

I have spent sometime there (from MT) but since living in KC haven't been back. There are 6 I believe but one unit is closed with a zero quota, not sure on the 6th but there are 5 quota units with 100% draw.

 

[pyroducksx3]

Anyone willing to pm me the MT 100% draw info?

 

[dotman]

Anyone willing to pm me the MT 100% draw info?

It pretty much is the 5 units just north of Yellowstone on the border. Look in the MT regs, they list them and have stats online for the past 8 years or so.

 

[pyroducksx3]

Thanks I would have never seen this option

 

[dotman]

Just looked page 34 of the sheep regs, they are called the unlimited.

 

[gonhunting247]

to the OP. your young. find some work in alaska, move there for say 5 years and hunt all the animals you want over the counter as a resident. that in reality is the only way ill ever be able to do it. my kids will be grown and ill be in my early 40's. my wife said she would do a few years in alaska if i could make it work. quit frankly i think that would be easier than coming up with 30 grand for a hunt and more fun. im not one for being "guided" theres my dream any way, guess ill see...

If a guy could actually swing it, this is a great approach. I lucked out and have 3 sisters that call AK home, or I'd probably be working up there somewhere now! Having relatives there kind of made it easy just to settle in at our home place in OR though!

 

[Cactus kid]

Great info! I had no clue about Montana and the unlimited units, this is a very interesting option. Why are the units so hard to hunt?

 

[dotman]

Great info! I had no clue about Montana and the unlimited units, this is a very interesting option. Why are the units so hard to hunt?

Nasty country, better not be afraid of daily grizz encounters as well. There are not a ton of sheep there either.

 

[MountainTracker]

So what's the catch? Why doesn't everyone do it? Sorry don't want to hijack the thread, but when I looked at the regs it mentioned something about applying by May 1. Is that for draw only? If so do you just buy the big game tag/lic over the counter? bc all i saw was the non res draw lic This is all very interesting to me. Thxs for any info you guys in the know can pass on.

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

From what I understand its a very low success rate and it is technically a draw (I think) but its unlimited so if you apply you get it

 

[dotman]

If you go this route you cannot build points to the better units the years you get this tag, most would rather wait for a trophy unit as these are not known to produce trophy grade rams and success is really low. Plus there are just a crap load of grizz and they terrain is brutal even for sheep country.

IMO it would be one of the hardest, most rewarding trophies even if no book would take its score.

Oh yeah, hundreds of people do this hunt every year, it has been around for years but probably only a few dozen throughout the years can say they took their ram. Some years a ram is never taken some years the quota is filled which is usually 2 rams per unit.

Lastly if you don't go the first week of the season the quota could be filled in your unit and your hunt is over before you leave home and there are no refunds or exchanges for another unit that is still open.

 

[MountainTracker]

Thanks for the info guys, it is a very interesting option

 

[mwhamm]

Move to Alaska! My friend and I walked in 20 miles and scored two rams and a grizzly. Total cost, maybe $1,500 in gas, food, and equipment. We even ran into a fly in guided client we were so far back in. Had we hired a guide the hunt would have been about $45k before incidentals and travel.

We have been Dall Sheep hunting for a while and have a good understanding of how it works.