My dream of all dreams was to draw a sheep tag for the Missouri River Breaks. But, am I overlooking other great units that could be drawn sooner? I have heard Unit 424 is 'supposed' to be the next best. Your thoughts...
Best Sheep Unit Besides The Breaks?
- Thread starter Elkoholic307
- Start date
Bitterroot Bulls
Veteran member
My thoughts are what is the difference between a <1% chance and a 1.5% chance of drawing?
Not much.
If you are shooting for the best, the breaks are it. It is almost a foregone conclusion the next world record will come out of those units.
Just about every LE unit in Montana will produce a B&C ram. Every LE unit also has terrible draw odds.
It is a hope and prayer for any unit, so you might as well choose the one you want the most.
Not much.
If you are shooting for the best, the breaks are it. It is almost a foregone conclusion the next world record will come out of those units.
Just about every LE unit in Montana will produce a B&C ram. Every LE unit also has terrible draw odds.
It is a hope and prayer for any unit, so you might as well choose the one you want the most.
I haven't looked at any draw odds because I'm really not planning on applying for anything other than 680. It would take A LOT of convincing to steer me from that unit.
I was bored, and noticed there wasn't much MT sheep discussion. So, I thought I'd start some.
So, in your opinion, the best units besides the breaks are..?
I was bored, and noticed there wasn't much MT sheep discussion. So, I thought I'd start some.
So, in your opinion, the best units besides the breaks are..?
Bitterroot Bulls
Veteran member
680, 482, and 622 get top honors. Even a quick look at the record book tells the tale. These units have 200 inch sheep.
After that you get to 216 and 210, but they got the cough recently, and aren't quite up where they were. My next best would be 122 and 124.
In my neighborhood, 261 and 270 have decent trophy quality, too, but the cough hit them bad recently. These two units have a lower high end than the others mentioned above.
It is hard to find a bad LE unit in MT. Utah has big bull elk. Colorado has big mulie bucks. Montana has the monster rams, no doubt.
After that you get to 216 and 210, but they got the cough recently, and aren't quite up where they were. My next best would be 122 and 124.
In my neighborhood, 261 and 270 have decent trophy quality, too, but the cough hit them bad recently. These two units have a lower high end than the others mentioned above.
It is hard to find a bad LE unit in MT. Utah has big bull elk. Colorado has big mulie bucks. Montana has the monster rams, no doubt.
I've heard of your monster rams, that's why I'm applying there 
But realistically, I don't see myself getting a B&C ram. A respectable, mature ram will do. (When and IF I draw a tag.)
Is there any way to guess how many points a NR needs to draw a LE unit?
But realistically, I don't see myself getting a B&C ram. A respectable, mature ram will do. (When and IF I draw a tag.)
Is there any way to guess how many points a NR needs to draw a LE unit?
hvfd21walker
Active Member
Elkoholic307 there is no true bonus point system for Montana. You can apply for bonus points but all that does is give you an extra chance the next year. Like Bitteroot Bulls says the breaks is the best. Down in our neck of the woods the sheep have been hammered with the cough.
mntnguide
Very Active Member
Having worked up in the Rock Creek (210,216) area for 4 summers, it sure sucked when the "cough" hit there. I took a group of guys on a sheep hike up there every month for the past 4 summers. 3 years ago we counted 72 rams in one day all within 500 yards during the day. The largest 5 we saw easily broke the 180 mark, and 1 true beauty i believe would have pushed the 200 milestone. It was just great getting out and seeing rams of that quality. Last year I found about 10 rams in three different hikes through the summer, and none were of the high quality. I did hear the older rams really took a bad hit with the pneumonia. Unfortunate to lose a place that grew record book rams within 6 years of age....
Bitterroot Bulls
Veteran member
mntnguide,
A total of 5 rams 199 and higher have come out of those units, including the state record 204 7/8 ram taken by James Weatherly in 1993. All but one of them were taken in 1992-1994, which was the heyday of those units. They will come back, but not for a few more years.
Elkoholic307,
If you draw a 680 tag, you better see yourself getting a Booner. A 180 plus sheep wouldn't be too hard to come by. A 190 ram is a reasonable expectation.
190 is hard for me to wrap my mind around, but very good to know that it's a definite possibility.
I drove up to the hi-line yesterday morning and came back home through the breaks in the afternoon. Probably shouldn't have since it just made me really excited. That is some awesome country though. I kind of wish there was a way to 'predict' when you'll draw like Wyoming's system.
By the way, it was 60 degrees in Havre yesterday. Crazy!
I drove up to the hi-line yesterday morning and came back home through the breaks in the afternoon. Probably shouldn't have since it just made me really excited. That is some awesome country though. I kind of wish there was a way to 'predict' when you'll draw like Wyoming's system.
By the way, it was 60 degrees in Havre yesterday. Crazy!
Montana
Veteran member
There is a hidden secret in the land of giant rams. One that if you find you will not believe it is true. Bitterroot Bulls may know but this is definitely not the place to discuss. I found it, from a little tip after a successful applicant. No monster but I got to live the dream.
Well I know that the Gallatin Range is not known for monster Rams, and I just want to say that is true. I was there a few years back with my buddy on this goat hunt. We saw two bands of sheep, and two total rams. Both not even half curl, and the one that I got close enough to to count rings was 4.5 years old, and not greater than a half curl. I know this doesn't help, but I was board, and I hope this helps you out from NOT putting in for this unit. And yes we covered some ground. Good goats though.
Bitterroot Bulls
Veteran member
Firearrow,
The Southern end of the Gallatin Range is an unlimited tag. If you put in for it, you are a sheep hunter. The trophy quality is not like the rest of Montana, but the hunter opportunity is exceptional. The rams have to be 3/4 curl to be legal, and the season closes when the low quotas (2 in 2011) are met. If you don't mind putting it all on the line for a short hunt, and aren't looking for a big ram, it is an option. the Northern end of the Gallatin Range is limited with only one tag. Trophy quality is lower here also, but you wouldn't be crowded with other sheep hunters.
The Southern end of the Gallatin Range is an unlimited tag. If you put in for it, you are a sheep hunter. The trophy quality is not like the rest of Montana, but the hunter opportunity is exceptional. The rams have to be 3/4 curl to be legal, and the season closes when the low quotas (2 in 2011) are met. If you don't mind putting it all on the line for a short hunt, and aren't looking for a big ram, it is an option. the Northern end of the Gallatin Range is limited with only one tag. Trophy quality is lower here also, but you wouldn't be crowded with other sheep hunters.
Our first spot was the south Easter ish portion of the unit. This is where we saw the sheep. We were focused on goats. Found two billies treat we're right at ten inches. Never got a shot damn snow storm came and blew us off the mountain. Other spot was just north of the park. Saw no sheep, but a few sheep hunters, with lots of nannies, and kids. My buddy arrowed the only good billy we were able to find. He did it on the last weekend of the season too.
Montana
Veteran member
Lol... It does sound like one after reading it
Sorry didn't mean to sound like a a$$
I didn't think you sounded like one, haha. Do I have to draw a tag first to learn the hidden secret or is there an easier way?
Jon Boy
Active Member
I havnt heard of this before so forgive me for my ignorance. Does this mean everyone who applies gets a tag but theres a very small quota so it ends in a day or 2?
hvfd21walker
Active Member
Jon Boy, for that unit everyone that does apply gets a tag. The quota usually closes the first day of the season.
Montana
Veteran member
You hunt this differently than you would hunt any other hunt... You scout all season, then when the it comes to the opening day (Sept 15th), you take a week off. You "hunt" 5 days before the season, bivy every day, once you locate a ram, you stay with him, keep your distance, a mile or so, then the last evening, once it's dark, you move in, 1,000 yards or so, bivy, and then hope he is doing the same thing you've watched him do for the previous few days. You weeks worth of hunting only allows you to pull the trigger 1 or 2 days. The mental discipline will be the greatest challenge. the 1st and 2nd day you feel you are the luckiest man in the world, by the 4th day of hardly moving out of your seat and looking through glass I promise you are the most board individual on the planet, then the emotional roller coaster of the 5th day, the day before it opens, almost seems impossible to bare.
It's not rocket science but for some reason very few people hunt it properly... And oh yeah, you have to hope that 1 of the 1,000 people who arrive the day before to "scout" don't bump your ram
Jon Boy
Active Member
Dam that sounds like my kind of hunt! haha Ill have to look into it. Is there much wilderness to it and are there weapon restrictions?
haha Ill have to look into it. Is there much wilderness to it and are there weapon restrictions?