What would be the best way to go about getting into Sheep hunting in 2025, assuming you were starting out fresh today?

[Steve O]

That sure sounds "cheap" for a Stone's Sheep.

Well, there are some Stone sheep outfitters that will book WAY over what their success rate is and then say, “well, that’s hunting” when 6/7 or 9/10 don’t come home with a ram.

I’d be VERY suspect of ANY “deals” when it comes to wild sheep hunts in AK or Canada.

 

[Steve O]

here is the controversy links related to thinhorn sheep in the yukon.
one of the study demonstrated that on 2800 dna sheeps only 1 was found to be related to stones

This one was taken as far north as an American can go in the Yukon and he will always be a Stone to me, science be damned

 

[yycyak]

@Northern Safari Sheep hunting is crazy right now. My 2cents as an AB civilian:

1. How much money do you have? I don't mean that to be a dick. If you have $100k USD +, a hunt is easy to find.

2. How much do you care about burning that cash? It's possible to get skunked. If you have other commitments (family, mortgage, etc) that 6-figures can be life-changing for your bubble.

Usually what I'm seeing from some outfitter pals is their "regular joe" clients putting a deposit on a hunt, and then paying 1/5th every year. Year 5 hits, and they do the hunt. If you have deep pockets, then you can just book and go.

Alternative, if you just want to get into the mountains: Go on a ptarmigan hunt. Same terrain, same suck. Less money. Less pressure. Taxidermy bill is easy.

Other (cooler) alternative: Goat hunt, although those are starting to get crazy prices as well.

Forgot to add: Enter all the WSF Alberta and WSSBC raffles you can. I hear VPN's work well, but wouldn't know myself. Sheep Show is a ton of fun. "Less Than 1" club etc.

 

[mulecreek]

The more I read into this, the more the Yukon and the NWT stand out for a Dall sheep hunt.

Anyone here that has hunted in both territories? How did they compare?

No experience with Yukon Outfitters but I hunted with Stan Stevens in NWT and I have nothing but positives to say. It was unlike any prior hunt I have been on. There are no people. There is no outside pressure. Just you and the critters. Finding huntable, legal rams is not an issue. Killing one can be, as it should. TBH it seems really hard to find negative feedback on any of the NWT outfitters. Pick one, plan and go. It's not a cheap hunt, but if you have the means it's your best option, IMO. As a prior poster mentioned, the long waiting period between booking and hunting makes the cost more manageable.

 

[Northern Safari]

Those are old/current prices. I talked to Harold of Gana at the sheep show LAST year and he was booked to 2028 and would not give me a price other than it would be SIGNIFICANTLY higher than the 43k listed.

That's too bad, they were who I had in mind. I have reached out to every outfitter for prices and am waiting to hear back.

 

[Andrew12gauge]

Have a fat wallet


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Northern Safari]

@Northern Safari Sheep hunting is crazy right now. My 2cents as an AB civilian:

1. How much money do you have? I don't mean that to be a dick. If you have $100k USD +, a hunt is easy to find.

2. How much do you care about burning that cash? It's possible to get skunked. If you have other commitments (family, mortgage, etc) that 6-figures can be life-changing for your bubble.

Usually what I'm seeing from some outfitter pals is their "regular joe" clients putting a deposit on a hunt, and then paying 1/5th every year. Year 5 hits, and they do the hunt. If you have deep pockets, then you can just book and go.

Alternative, if you just want to get into the mountains: Go on a ptarmigan hunt. Same terrain, same suck. Less money. Less pressure. Taxidermy bill is easy.

Other (cooler) alternative: Goat hunt, although those are starting to get crazy prices as well.

Forgot to add: Enter all the WSF Alberta and WSSBC raffles you can. I hear VPN's work well, but wouldn't know myself. Sheep Show is a ton of fun. "Less Than 1" club etc.

1. I've done pretty well for myself, "retired" and paid off the mortgage by 36.

2. I'm living comfortably now but don't have 100k to spend all at once, I'm fine with making payments for a large ticket hunt over several years.

3. I have currently booked and paid for 3 hunts including elk, caribou and mountain goat where I have just made monthly payments over 2 years. They all ranged between 10-20k, nothing quite like a sheep price.

I'll start looking into the sheep raffles, I assume the WSF and WSSBC limits applicants to those living in those provinces? I'm in Ontario.

 

[medvedyt]

This one was taken as far north as an American can go in the Yukon and he will always be a Stone to me, science be damned

View attachment 892886

it is a nice one and you find them or the same pattern around faro which was specially hit by the last study. that doesnt mean danm the science lol ...

 

[medvedyt]

1. I've done pretty well for myself, "retired" and paid off the mortgage by 36.

2. I'm living comfortably now but don't have 100k to spend all at once, I'm fine with making payments for a large ticket hunt over several years.

3. I have currently booked and paid for 3 hunts including elk, caribou and mountain goat where I have just made monthly payments over 2 years. They all ranged between 10-20k, nothing quite like a sheep price.

I'll start looking into the sheep raffles, I assume the WSF and WSSBC limits applicants to those living in those provinces? I'm in Ontario.

you might have to move 2 or 3 times to be resident and avoid the sheep guiding cost ...

 

[satchamo]

If you were American the answer would be to get rich, move to Alaska or buy some sheep and turn them loose in a pasture and call it sheep hunting


Not sure for Canada tho…

 

[medvedyt]

If you were American the answer would be to get rich, move to Alaska or buy some sheep and turn them loose in a pasture and call it sheep hunting


Not sure for Canada tho…

the best way is to get the resident status for every province or territory you want to hunt: that give in any order alberta, bc, nwt and yukon ...

 

[yycyak]

In that case, go get after it. Most of the good outfitters are booking 2-3+ years out, so you have time to budget right now.

Harold Grinde's outfit in NWT is fantastic. The pack horses are always a hit.

Midnight Sun out of the Yukon is also pretty great from what I've heard. Jessie and Logan are good people.

The WSF AB and BC raffles require you to be in the province when you buy a ticket. I've also heard people will have a friend who lives in the province buy a ticket for said people...

1. I've done pretty well for myself, "retired" and paid off the mortgage by 36.

2. I'm living comfortably now but don't have 100k to spend all at once, I'm fine with making payments for a large ticket hunt over several years.

3. I have currently booked and paid for 3 hunts including elk, caribou and mountain goat where I have just made monthly payments over 2 years. They all ranged between 10-20k, nothing quite like a sheep price.

I'll start looking into the sheep raffles, I assume the WSF and WSSBC limits applicants to those living in those provinces? I'm in Ontario.

 

[chanson_roland]

Have you looked into OnlyFans?

 

[Northern Safari]

Have you looked into OnlyFans?

Is it lucrative, in your experience?

 

[tstowater]

Except in the case of Desert sheep, the demand for sheep hunts continues to rise which is outstripping the supply which is generally steady or deceasing. Economics plus the dollar going to the sh**ter only means the price will go up. Plenty of people out there with enough money to chase a dream, a Grand slam, a Magnificent 7, another Slam, etc.

I think most of the options have already been explored so I don't have any to add other than book a hunt, move or get lucky in a raffle. Based on personal experience, I would suggest getting a couple other mountain hunts in before chasing sheep. Sheep hunting is definitely a different hunt in multiple ways. Good luck with whatever you do.

 

[chanson_roland]

Is it lucrative, in your experience?

LOL. Well done....

 

[idig4au]

The more I read into this, the more the Yukon and the NWT stand out for a Dall sheep hunt.

Anyone here that has hunted in both territories? How did they compare?

I've done 2 backpack dall/caribou hunts in NWT and one backpack hunt in Yukon for fannin. No helicopters. Just bush plane access and onward hiking of ridges and valley basins. The way sheep hunting should be done.

The Mackenzie's in NWT are a special place....why I immediately rebooked so I could have the experience again. If I could afford it, I would go to NWT every year. I would add the caveat, I went when the prices were not as ignorant as today.

The Yukon was a great experience. The country was not as open as the Mackenzies, at least where I was at. I didn't see any many sheep as in NWT but was till able to take a 10 yo ram. I would certainly go back, and have considered so for moose.

If you want to experience an NWT/Yukon type type sheep hunt, look at Kamchatka snow sheep. Similiar experience, a bit more adventure, just as physical and a proper mountain hunt. The prices still fairly reasonable sheep hunting wise, although I see they are escalating as well. Just not at the stupid rate as the NA sheep hunts the past few years. Its really just ignorant now.

 

[ReddingArcher]

That's too bad, they were who I had in mind. I have reached out to every outfitter for prices and am waiting to hear back.

I can’t recommend Harold and the whole crew at Gana River enough! They make you feel like family and offer an incredible experience. If I could book with them every year I would. Hopefully I’ll be able to go back at least one more time. If you can swing booking with them, I would.

 

[cbeard64]

I knew as a younger man the key to being able to do many of the things I wanted to do was to pick a profession, work hard at it, and become successful. To be crass, make enough money so that I could do the things I wanted to do.

I also put in for every sheep draw available and have bought a ton of raffle tickets. One of those paid off with a NR AZ desert tag.

If you are an American and don’t live in Alaska, I think that approach still applies and is the only realistic one, though it takes even more $$$ and the draw option has become much harder too.

 

[medvedyt]

I've done 2 backpack dall/caribou hunts in NWT and one backpack hunt in Yukon for fannin. No helicopters. Just bush plane access and onward hiking of ridges and valley basins. The way sheep hunting should be done.

The Mackenzie's in NWT are a special place....why I immediately rebooked so I could have the experience again. If I could afford it, I would go to NWT every year. I would add the caveat, I went when the prices were not as ignorant as today.

The Yukon was a great experience. The country was not as open as the Mackenzies, at least where I was at. I didn't see any many sheep as in NWT but was till able to take a 10 yo ram. I would certainly go back, and have considered so for moose.

If you want to experience an NWT/Yukon type type sheep hunt, look at Kamchatka snow sheep. Similiar experience, a bit more adventure, just as physical and a proper mountain hunt. The prices still fairly reasonable sheep hunting wise, although I see they are escalating as well. Just not at the stupid rate as the NA sheep hunts the past few years. Its really just ignorant now.

if you really want to hunt the Mackenzies in the yukon it s more than doable: you have concessions 5, 6,7, 9,20 and 22. and on the top of that grizzly is open on that side.

do not know what are the results for those areas and a few of them got new operators which may bring more hunting pressure as new prices for outfitting concessions are crazy too ...