MT senior citizen sheep hunt

Jerry · Jan 5, 2013

Personally I think it's a good idea! Being one of these old boys that have been applying for multiple decades, time is running out. It is not always possible for people of fixed incomes to go out of the state or country for a hunt. Believe me I've tried to figure out how to go! Entitled! I say earned the right is more like it!

Eberle · Jan 5, 2013

I heard one time if you are a resident in Wyoming your whole. Unsuccesful on drawing a sheep tag, you automatically get one at 60 years old. Not sure if that is true or not. But I agree with Jerry, it is a good idea. When you reach 65 there is not much time left to physically handle a sheep hunt.

crumy · Jan 5, 2013

I don't believe that is true because one of my hunting buddies Grandpa is 68 and still trying for one. We are wyoming residents. But I think that is a great idea. Same with Moose and Bison if you want.

Umpqua Hunter · Jan 5, 2013

It's a "nice" idea, and sounds good on the surface, but I believe it has some serious problems. Here are a few of my thoughts for what they are worth.

1) To put it simply, there are not enough draw sheep tags to give every "dedicated" sheep applicant a tag in their lifetime. There just aren't, it is that simple.

2) Montana already has a bonus point preference system which squares your points. If they keep the current system in place, someone who applies their entire lifetime will already have drastically improving odds later in their lifetime. Someday, there will be some "older guys" applying their 40th year and they will have 1600 times better odds than a young guy applying his first year.

3) Each year, people have a choice where they apply. Someone who applies for their lifetime in the Missouri Breaks is going to have far less of a chance to draw than someone who chose to apply in lesser areas. They made that choice. Simply by choosing to apply for a lesser quality area, someone can dramatically increase their odds of getting drawn over a lifetime of applications. You can still have an awesome time in those "lesser" areas.

4) I have read numerous posts over the years (on various sites) of people who have applied their whole lives and they are frustrated they have not drawn a sheep tag. In my home state (Oregon for example), you would have to apply about 4 lifetimes on average to draw a tag. That means 75 out of 100 of lifetime applicants will NEVER draw a sheep tag.

5) Any tags that would be allocated for older hunters has to come out of the tags issued to other applicants, which only compounds the problem for the other applicants of not drawing until they are older.

6) The only way to give out more tags is to put more sheep on the mountain.

7) A sheep tag is a privelege, not a "right".

Montana · Jan 6, 2013

No offense. Especially those mentioned in the article, but I think we have so many other things to worry about besides more "entitlement" issues. And to anyone that has hunted sheep in montana, we all know the phrase shooting fish from a barrel should be shooting sheep off the mountain. Sad to say it but its true.
So my point is that it has nothing to do with age or ability, simply entitlement.

BKC · Jan 6, 2013

This is a great country but one of the things that drag it down is the "entitlement attitude" of many of our citizens ( and a lot of our non citizens). Lets not screw it up any more by allowing this attitude to infiltrate the hunting community. Not everyone gets to accomplish everything on their bucket list.

Bitterroot Bulls · Jan 6, 2013

I am not on board with this idea either. I could see having a "senior" draw for one tag statewide every year, where you would have to meet the criteria to be in the draw, so at least one of the old geezers would get one tag every year. I pretty much totally agree with UH's points.

crumy · Jan 6, 2013

I see what you guys are saying and I can see your side as well. I just think if a guy has been a resident and drawing for 40 years without missing a beat and is 60+ there out to be some advantage. Not entitled, but extra help. I am far away from being one of those guys, but I can see where the "pioneers" as they are called with the Wyoming G/F license should get some consideration under some strict criteria..

Umpqua Hunter · Jan 6, 2013

Fink said:
In my opinion, it's one thing to offer better odds to children, as they are the future of the sport, but to create a separate draw pool for guys that have spent the last 40-50 years hunting seems kinda selfish.

I wish there was a "Like" button

crumy · Jan 6, 2013

I was talking about Wyoming. That is where I currently reside and there is no advantage for 60+ there that I know of.

Fink said:
There is an advantage, as UH pointed out, up to a 1600 times better odds advantage, what more do they want? Sorry, but we all aren't gonna draw tags with 1% odds in our lifetimes. There are a lot of ways to go about getting a sheep tag, sitting around for 40 years trying to draw one with 1% odds is just one of them..

Shane13 · Jan 6, 2013

Preference point systems give long-time unsuccessful applicants plenty of help already, don't they?

If a fella wants to have a guaranteed chance to hunt sheep by the time he's 60, then he could take the money he'd otherwise spend on drawings every year and save/invest it until he had enough saved up to buy a hunt, couldn't he?

crumy · Jan 6, 2013

In Wyoming, it only costs a resident around 5 bucks for a tag as they get the money sent back if they don't get. So that would take a while.

but I do get what you are saying. I understand that not everyone is going to draw. It is just my opinion that for a person that has put in for 40 years without missing and is 60+ should get some extra help. Maybe do the thing UH mentioned that goes on where they get "bonus" points. I am not asking anyone to agree with me. Just chiming in my 2 cents. I put in for my son, but I don't even bother for the ram. Because yes if I want to go on a ram hunt I will just pay an outfitter and go somewhere that drawing is more favorable.

Shane13 said:
Preference point systems give long-time unsuccessful applicants plenty of help already, don't they?

If a fella wants to have a guaranteed chance to hunt sheep by the time he's 60, then he could take the money he'd otherwise spend on drawings every year and save/invest it until he had enough saved up to buy a hunt, couldn't he?

llp · Jan 9, 2013

If you have put in for 40+ years without fail, then you have maximum points in WY. This gives you very, very good odds of drawing a sheep tag, and a guaranteed draw in some units. Can't think of anything better than that.
llp

BKC · Jan 9, 2013

Age should not warrant special treatment within the hunting community. A hunter is a hunter. We should'nt reward someone because he put in his or her time. What makes his or her time any more valuable than the next hunter? Matbe you should have started earlier putting in for hard to get tags. Is it someone elses fault you haven't drawn the tag you so dearly want?

xtreme · Jan 9, 2013

This is my sheep hunt No tag, no gun, game warden right behind me (retired warden) age70

HayHay98 · Jan 10, 2013

I'm a resident of WY and fortunately for me, being 32 years old, and beyond lucky, I killed a sheep this year and a mtn goat. However, the preference point system worked flawlessly for me and will work flawlessly for young hunters and hunters that started applying at age 45 and younger. For those guys who started from the point onset but after age 45, there are a couple of points to remember. If you look at the G&F website, there are 118 maximum resident preference point holders for sheep. Those point holders can draw a sheep tag. However, some or most of those hunters are most likely holding out for a special, hard to draw area, BUT if they were so inclined to want a sheep tag, there are numerous areas that they could apply for and be all but guaranteed a sheep permit. So, some of the hunters are holding out for premium tags and should NOT be allowed extra preference just because of age. With that said, it is VERY unfortunate that hunters in other states and even in WY won't be lucky enough to draw the tag they always wanted or even allowed the opportunity to hunt. I wish there was a fair way to get everyone an opportunity to hunt a ram in WY. But, the current system as set up in WY, will, as long as we have good numbers of sheep, allow hunters who purchase points every year an opportunity to hunt a ram in their lifetime. Heck, at this rate, I may even have another opportunity to hunt a ram when I'm in my 60's. Is it guaranteed, absolutely not! But with my dollars I donate to the NWSF, RMEF, and other organizations, I'm doing what I can to keep sheep and other animals, habitat, and opportunities for myself and my children. A very sensitive subject that ultimately ends in that if we as hunters put our dollars and efforts into preserving our hunting heritage, that provides more opportunity for all of us. No system is perfect, but the system in WY does work, just not as quickly as I think we all would want it to. But more animals will mean better and quicker draw odds. Good luck to everyone this upcoming season!

SouthernWyo · Jan 13, 2013

A ridiculous and selfish proposal. Another clear example of the entiltlement mentality that dominates society today. So someone hasn't drawn a specific hunting license yet? Any one of us might not be around tommorow to draw a sheep license, does that mean we should all get special treatment? Life is not fair, it is a simple fact. Some people need to get over it.

HayHay's statements above are on the mark but I would have one addition: "I wish there was a fair way to get everyone an opportunity to hunt a ram in WY." - The most "fair" system to offer an opportunity for limited licenses is a random draw. No preference for any reason. Will everyone ultimately get the opportunity to hunt? No, but everyone will have an equal opportunity to draw.

MT senior citizen sheep hunt

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