I have heard it said you will know a day into your first sheep hunt if you are a sheep hunter. It will either become something that is part of you, that you HAVE to do again, or you will determine it is something crazy people do. I was hooked from the get-go. I’ve helped on 3 Rocky Mt Bighorn hunts, and went to Alaska and hunted a Dall sheep for myself. I am obsessed. All I can think about is how I can go again. What I have to do to hunt these magnificent animals again and again. After my Dall sheep hunt, I am now obsessed with fulfilling my ultimate hunting bucket list item, a North American sheep slam. No easy goal, but I will get it done. This is what is required, and what it takes to achieve this goal.
Rocky Mountain Bighorns
I start here as it is the one, living in Wyoming, that with patience I can draw this tag. Many western states have Bighorns and a hunter with luck and patience has an opportunity to draw a tag and go hunt them. Wyoming, Colorado, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and a few other states have a draw system of some sort to apply for. Obviously being a resident in any of these places is a huge help, but it is possible as a nonresident. Another option is to do a guided hunt in Canada where there are some hunts available without the long drawing odds. Expect to pay a lot of money here, upwards of $40k.
Dall Sheep
Second on my list is the Dall sheep, the spectacularly beautiful white sheep found in Alaska and parts of Canada. In Alaska as a resident, there are places to hunt these animals every year with OTC tags. As a nonresident, a guide is required, but you can still get an OTC tag. In Canada, all sheep hunting for non-residents requires a guide. The price on these sheep hunts are the most affordable, that being an objective term…Canada is a bit pricier for these hunts than Alaska.
Desert Bighorns
I go here next as it is “possible” to draw a tag for one of these sheep in the United States. Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Colorado…they all have tags and huntable populations. The odds of drawing a tag are very long, but it can be done. Start buying points and applying. Texas also has desert sheep, but the hunting is basically through a landowner tag and guided. A very spendy alternative. The other option is Mexico. The biggest sheep and largest populations of these sheep are here, but it is guided only and starts around $50k.
Stone Sheep
Last, but certainly not least, is Stone Sheep. These are found only in parts of Canada. There is no opportunity for drawing a tag as a nonresident. The only real option is to find a way to save the money and buy a guided hunt. Expect to start at $40k for a solid outfitted stone sheep hunt. One could always move to Canada, become a resident, and have the opportunity to hunt them without a guide…that would depend on how strong the want is I guess!
This is what it takes to complete the North American Sheep Slam. No easy feat for sure. I have the Dall sheep, will eventually draw a Bighorn tag in my home state, so it’s the Desert and Stone Sheep I am working on…trying to figure out what I can sell, or what part of my life I can mortgage to make this happen. If you are addicted like me, then you will try about anything to make this a reality.
