CO; Moose, Sheep, or Goat? Pick 1.

[HuskyMusky]

I'm a non-res, so I have to front the full $1919 just to gain a pref point per specie! I'm considering applying for 1 of these 3 species this year, my question is which of the 3 should I start building points for?

Trophy potential? ie if CO has B&C moose, ok goats, and terrible sheep, I'd more than likely prefer to build points for moose in that situation, not saying that's the case, that's what I'm wondering?

Best odds?

I'm guessing CO Moose or Goat have the best trophy potential but I'm not certain of this.

I'm not too concerned about drawing anytime soon, but .0001% sheep odds vs. 3% for moose may lead me towards moose.

 

[buckbull]

For a little more money you can go to Alaska and shoot a 60 inch yukon bull than a scrawny shiras.

 

[nwwa huner]

I agree. If I had to pick one. Based on trophy potential and draw odds it would be moose. Colorado has some amazing moose, ok goat, and ok sheep. Any of these whether book or not is a trophy. But for a few more thousand you can go DIY in Alaska, or go guided in Canada.

 

[BKC]

I have drawn both the goat and sheep tag but am still waiting on drawing Moose. I have been applying since year one when it was just based on a lottery and not points. Then they swithched to preference points and then they added the weighted points. I have max everything on moose and it does no good, I can't seem to draw a moose tag. I think the moose has far more trophy potential. There are some good sheep in this state and mostly average goats.

My advice, and I know this is coming from a resident, is too borrow the money and put in every year for all three! You can't win if you don't play!

 

[Timberline143]

I would say Bighorn as well.. I am with BKC and have been trying for moose since year one. 26 years now of getting that refund check. However, I have drawn a Desert Bighorn in Colorado so cannot complain to much.. If I was a non-resident with out sheep points, I would apply for Desert Sheep.. Only one tag, but it does not use preference points to draw, so everyone has a chance. Don't have to wait till the 4th year of applying. Last year odds were 1 in 376.. Not bad for one of the hardest tags to get in the US..

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I would say Bighorn as well.. I am with BKC and have been trying for moose since year one. 26 years now of getting that refund check. However, I have drawn a Desert Bighorn in Colorado so cannot complain to much.. If I was a non-resident with out sheep points, I would apply for Desert Sheep.. Only one tag, but it does not use preference points to draw, so everyone has a chance. Don't have to wait till the 4th year of applying. Last year odds were 1 in 376.. Not bad for one of the hardest tags to get in the US..

You are right! My desert sheep tag is in!!

 

[Firearrow]

Apply for it all. Apply everywhere. Someone has to draw it.

You might look at it like this. What animal can you not live with out getting? Are you going to do it DIY? Do you enjoy lots of good pain (sheep/goat country)? Do you have more time/legs than money? These are jsut a few questions.

If you are looking for a booner Big Horn, look at MT, NM as well. If you want a good goat CO, ID, and MT. If money is not in to much of short supply, or you dont like the idea about about DIY, BC is the best place to go. Made a deal with the wife. If I don't draw a goat by the time I hit 40. I will start saving the money for BC. Don't much like the idea of handing over a check totalling about 9500-10,000 dollars. But for me there is nothing better than being in goat/sheep country. Nothing like it in the world, other than spending time with my family. Would even love to be a helper to a guiding service that hunts sheep/goats. I just need a little luck to draw something that says I can pull the trigger on my release for either animal.

 

[HuskyMusky]

Apply for it all. Apply everywhere. Someone has to draw it.

You might look at it like this. What animal can you not live with out getting? Are you going to do it DIY? Do you enjoy lots of good pain (sheep/goat country)? Do you have more time/legs than money? These are jsut a few questions.

If you are looking for a booner Big Horn, look at MT, NM as well. If you want a good goat CO, ID, and MT. If money is not in to much of short supply, or you dont like the idea about about DIY, BC is the best place to go. Made a deal with the wife. If I don't draw a goat by the time I hit 40. I will start saving the money for BC. Don't much like the idea of handing over a check totalling about 9500-10,000 dollars. But for me there is nothing better than being in goat/sheep country. Nothing like it in the world, other than spending time with my family. Would even love to be a helper to a guiding service that hunts sheep/goats. I just need a little luck to draw something that says I can pull the trigger on my release for either animal.

you can hunt bighorns in BC for $10k? with a guide/outfitter?

my mistake, I see you were referring to goats not bighorns, btw Kodiak,AK has some reasonable goat hunts I believe, $7k-10k I think...

It's funny I never see any articles on mtn. goats in the lower 48... but plenty of moose/sheep etc...

personally mtn goat is one of those animals I almost could care less about shooting a booner, it would be nice of course, but I think a decent goat with nice fur is just a beautiful mount/animal, so whether he has 10" or 9" or 8" horns not a huge deal to me.

 

[BKC]

I agree huskymusky. Wait as long as you can into your season, they startreally growing the hair when it gets cold. I have seen some nice long billys with short hair and they don't look real.

 

[Firearrow]

When I draw my goat tag, I will get it with my bow. With that being said I would love to wait for the back end of September or early October, but would worry about not filling my tag due to ugly weather.

My buddy drew a MT goat tag and we hit the hill for the opener, five days latter when we found 2 awesome billies, the weather came and blew us off the mountain. We hunted in a new spot but didn't find anything he wanted. He then returned on the back end of the season and was able to arrow a nice billy, in his full winter dress. Can't wait for my turn.

 

[Old Hunter]

You could wait all your life to get a Colorado Moose tag and fail. Way cheaper to go to Alaska, and hunt while you're young enough to enjoy it.

 

[HuskyMusky]

You could wait all your life to get a Colorado Moose tag and fail. Way cheaper to go to Alaska, and hunt while you're young enough to enjoy it.

that brings up a good point, maybe I'll poll it or something,

but let's say you get a ID shiras moose, or a MT bighorn, do you keep applying in other states? or just ditch your points and focus on other animals? or keep applying and maybe hunter another moose/sheep in another state? or give someone else better odds?

I knew a guy who applied for years for a desert bighorn, finally got tired of waiting, booked a hunt, 2 years later he finally drew his desert bighorn tag! so 2 deserts in 3 years.... of course 1 cost a lot more than the other.

 

[Musket Man]

Apply for all you can and someday you are bound to draw something somewhere! Most of the odds are so low you could never draw in your life, but someone has to draw the tags every year.