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

[Northern Safari]

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?

 

[Steve O]

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.

Yes.

Low sheep density. High unhunted grizzly density. No water, awful logistics, endless steep rock or snag gnarly timber. With just enough nimrods roaming about to keep the sheep spooky and timbered up.

Let’s not compare it to nasty coastal goat jungles but absolutely one of the toughest hunts, in general, in the lower 48. I say in general because there are cases of high dollar low elevation private areas that some well connected high profile folks get themselves into.

Not many who buy an unlimited tag hunt the whole hunt they have planned. Very few; and I’m not counting the very very few who are successful.

 

[NRA4LIFE]

I would begin by having A LOT of disposable cash.

 

[medvedyt]

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?

the big difference is the possibility to use a chopper in nwt that you cant here. for the rest it is more related of the outfitter/guide relation and you and what you are looking for. back pack, horses, argo name the kind of hunt you want and you will find a way.
the main other difference is of course hunting season way earlier in nwt and end of july is doable while here the opening 1st of august.

 

[MntHunter]

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.

My buddy did that to me, my wife goes oh he just pays the wife tax and showed his wife her new LV purse.

His wife immediately replied how come you never pay the wife tax, and it cost my buddy some money.

 

[Northern Safari]

Is there a specific reason why Dall sheep cost more in the Yukon vs NWT?

 

[Steve O]

Is there a specific reason why Dall sheep cost more in the Yukon vs NWT?

That does not sound right at all.

 

[Blockcaver]

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

If you look at the regulations for each region of BC, there are no areas open for a BC resident to acquire a "Permit to Accompany" a non-resident to hunt a Bighorn, Stone or Dall (Thinhorn) sheep. None for caribou either. There are a very limited number of areas in the northern part of BC for moose and goat Permit to Accompany.

 

[Northern Safari]

If you look at the regulations for each region of BC, there are no areas open for a BC resident to acquire a "Permit to Accompany" a non-resident to hunt a Bighorn, Stone or Dall (Thinhorn) sheep. None for caribou either. There are a very limited number of areas in the northern part of BC for moose and goat Permit to Accompany.

I recall hearing that the Yukon was also scaling back on their permits to accompany to something like 250/year and limited it to direct family.

 

[Northern Safari]

That does not sound right at all.

Im seeing roughly $75,000 in the Yukon Vs $45,000 in NWT.

 

[medvedyt]

I recall hearing that the Yukon was also scaling back on their permits to accompany to something like 250/year and limited it to direct family.

it has been 100 a year for the last 15 years. in the past it was first come first serve and except the last 5 years the 100 were never filled. it then became by draw only. it was caribou/moose as well and grizzly for southern parts of the yukon. sheep and goat were not offered since a very long time and now it is only caribou or moose, black bear and wolf ... it is offered only to canadian residents so no to aliens and yes it should be offered to close or direct family but that is not the case so far. there is a different draw for bison as well.
it has to be said as well that very often the special guiding has attracted a lot of issues (waste of meat, paying guests and so on).

If you look at the regulations for each region of BC, there are no areas open for a BC resident to acquire a "Permit to Accompany" a non-resident to hunt a Bighorn, Stone or Dall (Thinhorn) sheep. None for caribou either. There are a very limited number of areas in the northern part of BC for moose and goat Permit to Accompany.

thank you for the precision.

 

[medvedyt]

Im seeing roughly $75,000 in the Yukon Vs $45,000 in NWT.

Is there a specific reason why Dall sheep cost more in the Yukon vs NWT?

maybe demand and the fact that some outfitters are selling fannin as stone ... but that is not my money.

 

[MntHunter]

maybe demand and the fact that some outfitters are selling fannin as stone ... but that is not my money.

I am guessing it is because there is a high probability of a Fannin. But 75k sounds high given a few of the outfitters I know. But I haven't really checked in 3 years or so.

I got lucky and got a Fannin on my first trip to the Yukon.

 

[Northern Safari]

I forgot all about Fannin, Dall/Stone Hybrid right? Unique to Yukon?

So far my search has lead me to the following prices:

Yukon:
Tombstone Outfitters - Dall/Fannin - $75,000
Midnight Sun Outfitters - Dall - $70,000
Ceasar Lake Outfitters - Dall - $60,000

Northwest Territories:
South Nahanni Outfitters - Dall - $49,000
Gana River Outfitters - Dall - $43,000 (backpack), $45,000 (Horseback)
Steve's Outdoor Adventures - Dall - $33,500 (not sure if this is legitimate or not, they appear to be an international outfit, https://steveshunts.com/hunting-packages/northwest-territories-moose-dall-sheep-and-mtn-caribou

What prices are others seeing in Yukon & NWT? Majority of outfitters don't list their prices online.

 

[medvedyt]

I forgot all about Fannin, Dall/Stone Hybrid right? Unique to Yukon?

So far my search has lead me to the following prices:

Yukon:
Tombstone Outfitters - Dall/Fannin - $75,000
Midnight Sun Outfitters - Dall - $70,000
Ceasar Lake Outfitters - Dall - $60,000

Northwest Territories:
South Nahanni Outfitters - Dall - $49,000
Gana River Outfitters - Dall - $43,000 (backpack), $45,000 (Horseback)
Steve's Outdoor Adventures - Dall - $33,500 (not sure if this is legitimate or not, they appear to be an international outfit, https://steveshunts.com/hunting-packages/northwest-territories-moose-dall-sheep-and-mtn-caribou

What prices are others seeing in Yukon & NWT? Majority of outfitters don't list their prices online.

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 stone sheep ...

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/yukon-stone-sheep-dall-1.4908206

Management implications of highly resolved hierarchical population genetic structure in thinhorn sheep - Conservation Genetics

Patterns of genetic variation of a species can be shaped by events that occur at wide temporal and geographic scales. Geophysical processes, such as continental glaciations, can affect species vicariance at wide scales whereas processes that act at finer scales, such as gene flow between...

link.springer.com

Population of rare Stone's sheep 20% smaller than previously thought

Genetic analysis reveals misclassification of subspecies of thinhorn sheep, and leads to a more accurate estimate.

www.ualberta.ca

 

[Wheels]

British Columbia World Class Stone Sheep Hunts | Huntin' Fool

British Columbia World Class Stone Sheep Hunts

www.huntinfool.com

 

[Northern Safari]

British Columbia World Class Stone Sheep Hunts | Huntin' Fool

British Columbia World Class Stone Sheep Hunts

www.huntinfool.com

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

 

[Wheels]

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

Never used Huntin Fool for a hunt, but they vet their outfitters so should be legit.

 

[MarkOrtiz]

You can always go hunt Barbary/Audad in TX, NM, or AZ.

 

[Steve O]

I forgot all about Fannin, Dall/Stone Hybrid right? Unique to Yukon?

So far my search has lead me to the following prices:

Yukon:
Tombstone Outfitters - Dall/Fannin - $75,000
Midnight Sun Outfitters - Dall - $70,000
Ceasar Lake Outfitters - Dall - $60,000

Northwest Territories:
South Nahanni Outfitters - Dall - $49,000
Gana River Outfitters - Dall - $43,000 (backpack), $45,000 (Horseback)
Steve's Outdoor Adventures - Dall - $33,500 (not sure if this is legitimate or not, they appear to be an international outfit, https://steveshunts.com/hunting-packages/northwest-territories-moose-dall-sheep-and-mtn-caribou

What prices are others seeing in Yukon & NWT? Majority of outfitters don't list their prices online.

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.