Once in a lifetime...

[wildstreak]

Just once in my lifetime I'd like to be able to hunt Moose and sheep. Either one would be great, both would be unbelievable. That said, I didn't make this revelation until recently and I am afraid its too late. I am soon to be 43 with zero points for either animal in any state. Hunting the Yukon or Alaskan wilderness isn't really feasible right now simply because of cost. Maybe with a few years of saving I could pull it off.

With all that said, Any suggestions?

 

[bghunter]

BC might be good choice, if you can save $100/mo, you should be able to go hunting moose in 5-7 years. You might be lucky to draw Idaho moose, the odds are pretty good there.

 

[boiler]

A self-guided AK moose hunt is pretty reasonable and I have seen some fairly cheap Ontario moose hunts. Check into these and start saving, or start a go-fund-me acct. Online!

 

[mallardsx2]

Unfortunately those are expensive animals to hunt....The moose is doable on a budget but the sheet is something that is going to cost you money.

Be like me.....accept the fact that you will never kill one.


I'll take it a step further. If I hit the power-ball....I still wouldn't waste my money on a sheep of any kind.

I would hunt moose every year though. Filling my freezer with delicious meat.

 

[RICMIC]

I was just at a sports show, where I talked to an outfitter for fly-in moose hunting trips in Ontario. My brothers go to one of their camps every year for some fantastic fishing, so I was familiar with their operation. The quoted price was $4.5K per hunter for a group of four. It was a guaranteed tag, (2 bulls, 2- cows) at $500 each. You are all flown in to a wilderness area for 10 days, stay in a heated cabin with a shower and cooking facilities. Boats, motors, and gas included. Any moose are flown out and kept in a cooler for you. The fall fishing is pretty incredible too. This is unguided, but you could hire one for $300 per day.
I'm not selling the camp, just an idea for you on the expenses. Before I did something like this, I would check on success rates, and speak to former clients. PM me if you should want further info.

 

[Hilltop]

There are a gob of moose hunts in Canada from 4k on up. I have been researching Alberta's Peace River region. Good hunts there run 5-6k with really good success rates on 40"+ bulls. 43 isn't that old- plan it and go hunting!

 

[6mm Remington]

I think I would save my money for moose and sheep in Alaska while at the same time applying for a moose and a sheep tag in Montana where I live. Now the odds of drawing are not very good. I have been applying myself for Montana for moose and sheep for 38 years in a row and have never drawn one of these tags.

Montana Unlimited sheep permit areas.
This would be worth considering. If you apply for one of the unlimited areas, you are guaranteed a draw. It is very rough country and the rams do not typically get to be the size of some of the other areas in Montana, but still you would be hunting sheep and having a great time. Once the quota for the particular area is filled, the season in that area closes within a 24 hour period. So if on day 3 all of the say 5 ram tags have been punched, it closes down period. Because of the logistics of the terrain, locating animals, and everything else involved, I would highly recommend a guide. Jack Atcheson Jr. out of Butte is a good one and he has taken hunters to some really nice rams out of these areas.

Good luck.

 

[6mm Remington]

wildstreak I hope this helps.

A ram a friend of mine took while I was hunting with him here in western Montana. Very pretty ram. He was 40 inches long and about 15 1/2 inch bases.



This fellow from Bozeman shot this ram in western Montana also. Man was he something! 49 inches on the long horn!

 

[wisconsinvette]

Idaho does not have a point system. You have the same chance as anyone.

 

[brushcreek]

I have a 2x1 guided moose hunt booked in newfoundland, canada for just under $4K this October. The antlers aren't nearly as big as Alasakan moose but there are more moose on this island than anywhere in the world.

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

Idaho does not have a point system. You have the same chance as anyone.

Idaho's odds are deceptively poor due to the nonresident tag allocation limit. Many units have no nonresidents issued although many nonresidents apply. Make sure you do your homework.

 

[Gr8bawana]

Idaho's odds are deceptively poor due to the nonresident tag allocation limit. Many units have no nonresidents issued although many nonresidents apply. Make sure you do your homework.

Does this mean they applied for a unit with no tags available to non-residents?

 

[Hilltop]

Does this mean they applied for a unit with no tags available to non-residents?

Yes. This happens a lot as some states don't release tag allocations before the application deadline. One moose area I was looking at in Idaho had tags about every third year available for non-residents. On those years, the odds weren't bad- maybe 10% or so. I never did pursue the tag as I've decided to go to Alberta for my moose.

 

[swampokie]

Yes and you donate your 154$ hunting license plus app fee for the cause!

Idaho's odds are deceptively poor due to the nonresident tag allocation limit. Many units have no nonresidents issued although many nonresidents apply. Make sure you do your homework.

 

[sneakypete]

I did a BC moose hunt last year it cost about 14,000, though it was a multi species hunt. I will be hunting with the same outfitter in 2017 with my son on a 2 on 1 moose hunt for a little less than 20,000. It is cheaper if you have someone else to go along with you. Here's a picture of the moose. I just got him back from the taxidermist.

 

[CrimsonArrow]

I did an ontario fly in moose hunt last fall. My partner shot a 40" bull the first day and I filled our cow tag. 2 days after killing the bull, we saw a nice 50" bull, and the week after we left, the last hunter saw 4 bulls 40-50", but only had a cow tag. Hunt included cabin, boat, flight, and homecooked meals for 3800 + tax and license. About 4800 total. Very affordable and high success rate.

 

[BuzzH]

If your moose doesn't need to be a bull, you could apply for shiras cow hunts in MT, WY, CO, and ID and that would increase your odds quite a bit. Same with ewe sheep tags in Montana, not a lot of demand for those.

Even at your age, if you start now, keep yourself in decent shape, and apply faithfully there is still time to draw.

Since 1995, between my Dad, Brother, and I we've drawn 6 shiras moose permits 4 sheep tags, and 2 goat permits.

 

[480/277]

Just once in my lifetime I'd like to be able to hunt Moose and sheep. Either one would be great, both would be unbelievable. That said, I didn't make this revelation until recently and I am afraid its too late. I am soon to be 43 with zero points for either animal in any state. Hunting the Yukon or Alaskan wilderness isn't really feasible right now simply because of cost. Maybe with a few years of saving I could pull it off.

With all that said, Any suggestions?

Don't EVER give up your dream !
Newfoundland moose is one of my foundest hunts. And I have been on more than most. Was my bull big , no but the hunt was awesome. The guides some of the best. Even today the hunts are affordable . Do the fly in if you go, IMO worth every cent over a drive to camp.

Alaska DIY moose was a great time. I hunted with wright air out of Fairbanks. As wild country as it gets. You better have a strong back.Alaska moose are big to say the least.

Sheep, THE GREATEST HUNT OF MY LIFE!!!
If I was a young man I would sheep hunt every chance I could make happen.
But at least I went once. I killed my ram on day ten of a ten day hunt at 5:15 pm
What a thrill. He was bedded on a spire with 2 others bedded . At 265 yards my ram was full curl , no doubt. The bigger ram was 20 yards behind him. Clearly not full curl but much more mass than mine. We dropped our packs 100 yards down the mountain. My guide was using my binocs trying to count rings. I told him he had untill my ram got out of his bed to count rings and if he was not sure the full curl was going down. We were there for a while, my ram stood up and the guides ring counting ended.
If you dream of a sheep hunt, find a way!!! You will never regret it !!!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Great replies, I agree don't give up on the dream! I've been fortunate in Washington that I drew a moose tag after 10 years of applying and a sheep tag after 12. Both were amazing hunts but going to Alaska on a dall hunt was the best! If a moose is your passion it sounds like there are lots of good reasonably priced options out there.


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[Gr8bawana]

Every year I apply for Mtn Goat and Desert Bighorn in my own state of NV. The odds even for residents are very steep. I've got 10 bonus point for both animals and at 53 I figure I have at least 15 good years left of being able to climb where those animals live.
If I didn't apply I would assure myself of NEVER drawing a tag.