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

[Northern Safari]

I have so many questions and I'm not even entirely sure where to start.

I'm Canadian, approaching 40 and do not live in a province where there are OTC wild sheep tags. Never hunted sheep, never hunted in the mountains.

What would be my best plan of attack if starting out fresh today? To my knowledge I cannot apply for preference points in Western Provinces, i.e. Alberta or British Columbia and even if it were possible, I'm assuming it would be a losing battle starting this late in the game.

In terms of the United States, can Canadian (non-residents) DIY hunt sheep in any US state? Are OTC tags available to non-resident (Canadians) in any US state? I'm guessing the answer is no but I'm not familiar with hunting in the lower 48.

If both DIY and OTC tags are out of the question, what is the next best option? Paying for an outfitter in the States? Paying for an outfitter in Canada? Am I realistically looking at 100k whichever way I look at it?

I'm aware of Sheep Show where hunts are given away in raffles, does Canada have the equivalent to Sheep Show where you can enter draws to win a free hunt?

Assuming the goal is to hunt a single North American wild sheep in the next decade, i.e. before 50. Which of the 4 presents the best case today in terms of price, availability and success rates? Being realistic, this will likely be a once in a lifetime, one and done experience.

When considering all of the above, and based on the knowledge I have gathered here by reading posts on this forum, I am leaning towards a Dall Sheep hunt in NWT but I am curious what others have to say.

Cheers,

 

[Steve O]

On the bright side you are not much further behind the rest of us that have been applying for tags for the last 25-50 years. Wyoming was the last state with preference points and they made those worthless for all but a few non residents for just a few more years.

Apply for states like New Mexico and Idaho which do not have points at all and enter as many raffles as you can would be my advice.

Or pay the big money you have already discussed.

 

[ReddingArcher]

The raffles and the couple states that don’t have preference points is a good place to start. Honestly if you can swing the hunt in the NWT, it’s your best bet. It’s an incredible place that changes you when you get there. I hope I’m fortunate enough to get to see it again one day.

 

[Donjuan]

The only OTC hunt in the US is in MT in the unlimited units. It's a tough hunt that ends if quotas are met.

 

[Northern Safari]

The only OTC hunt in the US is in MT in the unlimited units. It's a tough hunt that ends if quotas are met.

I'm assuming only US residents can apply to that?

 

[Donjuan]

I'm assuming only US residents can apply to that?

I'm not sure. I would contact MT FWP

 

[realunlucky]

I'm assuming only US residents can apply to that?

You can call the office and ask them. I'll assume they'll take your money. The unlimited's is a quota system so you have to check in daily as the units close after rams are killed.

Sent from my SM-S926U using Tapatalk

 

[idelkslayer]

Your best bet is probably to befriend someone in one of the western provinces that allows hunters to "guide" their non resident friends and go on some OTC hunts.

 

[medvedyt]

get a friend in BC for sheep and goat.

Permit to Accompany Non-Resident or Non-Resident Aliens to Hunt Big Game

Information about the permit to accompany program allowing non-residents and non-resident aliens of BC to hunt in BC.

www2.gov.bc.ca

yukon no grizzly or sheep/goat allowed for special guiding.

 

[Northern Safari]

get a friend in BC for sheep and goat.

Permit to Accompany Non-Resident or Non-Resident Aliens to Hunt Big Game

Information about the permit to accompany program allowing non-residents and non-resident aliens of BC to hunt in BC.

www2.gov.bc.ca

yukon no grizzly or sheep/goat allowed for special guiding.

Have a few friends in BC, problem is they're the urban Starbucks kind.

 

[Jordan Budd]

IMO, I would start researching outfitters, put a deposit down and start saving to pay the rest over the next few years. Most outfits will be 3 years - 5 years out on their bookings.

Something you can do too is get put on a cancellation list, so if someone cancels they’ll give you the option and often times discounted so the spot fills. With that strategy you can get in with companies like Epic Outdoors and others that keep up with that kind of thing with multiple outfitters.

Hopefully that made sense. I just think with the timeframe and level of which you’ve hunted in the mountains, paying for the hunt would be well worth it to lessen the learning curve and 10 fold increase your chances of finding a ram.

 

[LongWayAround]

If you have never hunted in the mountains, I wouldn't even consider the unlimited units in Montana.

 

[Northern Safari]

IMO, I would start researching outfitters, put a deposit down and start saving to pay the rest over the next few years. Most outfits will be 3 years - 5 years out on their bookings.

Something you can do too is get put on a cancellation list, so if someone cancels they’ll give you the option and often times discounted so the spot fills. With that strategy you can get in with companies like Epic Outdoors and others that keep up with that kind of thing with multiple outfitters.

Hopefully that made sense. I just think with the timeframe and level of which you’ve hunted in the mountains, paying for the hunt would be well worth it to lessen the learning curve and 10 fold increase your chances of finding a ram.

Yeah I'm leaning towards guided and am just trying to mentally grasp how much this is going to be. I've paid for 3 guided hunts in this way by spacing out the payments over 2-3 years. They were all however a fraction of what I'm guessing a sheep hunt will go for.

Another benefit to putting down that deposit today for 2028 or whatever is locking in at today's prices.

From a preliminary search I'm seeing that many outfitters refuse to disclose their sheep hunt pricing on their websites "contact for details".

From the few where they do lists prices i'm seeing the following (USD)

British Columbia Stone Sheep Hunt, 2027 - $105,000

Alberta Rocky Mountain Bighorn, 2026 - $115,000 (Carter)

NWT Dall Sheep, 2026 - $43,000

British Columbia California Bighorn, $150,000..

 

[Northern Safari]

If you have never hunted in the mountains, I wouldn't even consider the unlimited units in Montana.

A few others have said the same, is that due to the difficulty of the terrain? accessing the area?

 

[Steve O]

A few others have said the same, is that due to the difficulty of the terrain? accessing the area?

It’s the most difficult hunt in North America. It is not for a rookie. It is for the most dedicated and experienced mountain hunter who has an incredible desire to take a ram. It is not for 99.9999% of hunters.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

My first bit of advice is to not get into sheep hunting. It is a significant amount of money which over the course of a lifetime, literally can change lives. What was posted earlier was over $400K; put that to work for 20+ years and ask if potentially four, no guarantees on a kill, heads on the wall are worth that.

If you want to chase sheep in North America, just set aside some money each year and put in for the various lotteries. The odds are likely to be better overall than putting in for draw hunts.

If you have to chase sheep, ignore North America and hunt the world. Go chase ibex and sheep for a fraction of the cost. If a sheep hunting friend talks smack, ask their wives how they managed to pull off paying X amount for that sheep, and that sheep, etc.

 

[Jordan Budd]

Yeah I'm leaning towards guided and am just trying to mentally grasp how much this is going to be. I've paid for 3 guided hunts in this way by spacing out the payments over 2-3 years. They were all however a fraction of what I'm guessing a sheep hunt will go for.

Another benefit to putting down that deposit today for 2028 or whatever is locking in at today's prices.

From a preliminary search I'm seeing that many outfitters refuse to disclose their sheep hunt pricing on their websites "contact for details".

From the few where they do lists prices i'm seeing the following (USD)

British Columbia Stone Sheep Hunt, 2027 - $105,000

Alberta Rocky Mountain Bighorn, 2026 - $115,000 (Carter)

NWT Dall Sheep, 2026 - $43,000

British Columbia California Bighorn, $150,000..

Yeah the Dall hunts will be the most "cost effective". The other three are pretty sought after and are just going to be those higher prices. Could also look at Alaska for a Dall.

 

[AntelopeEater]

If you want a cheap easy ram hunt you can go to Bitterwater Outfitters in California, no license or tag needed because it is a private ram in a big private fenced in ranch.

But it’s more like paying to harvest a farm animal than a truly challenging hunt. The ram meat I got from it though tastes great seasoned with cumin and stir fried with rice and veggies

 

[medvedyt]

It’s the most difficult hunt in North America. It is not for a rookie. It is for the most dedicated and experienced mountain hunter who has an incredible desire to take a ram. It is not for 99.9999% of hunters.

it is the most difficult related to terrain or because of the scarcity of the game ... just wondered because i have heard from experienced hunters and mountaineers that the hardest hunt in north america was the richardsons mountains and the dall sheep there note that i never hunted there just climbed ... and i have seen very harsher lower mountains even in southern alaska but not as remote as the richardsons.

 

[medvedyt]

Have a few friends in BC, problem is they're the urban Starbucks kind.

well it is a matter of time and good encounters.