otc montana sheep
- Thread starter izzy69
- Start date
Montana
Veteran member
Bitterroot Bulls
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Some units close quickly. Some units depend HEAVILY on migration. Tough hunts, but the easiest/cheapest way I know of to put a sheep tag in your pocket.
sdcowboy
New Member
Bitterroot Bulls
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Bitterroot Bulls
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Yep. It might only be good for 48 hours though. That is the catch.
In the migration units, you might find a ram 2 days before the season opens, but he will be in Wyoming before opening day. It is definitely NOT an easy hunt.
I know a few people that made it work, but I will continue to roll the dice on limited units myself.
BB i have been researching this for a couple of years i had it narrowed down to two units until you brought up migration it didn"t come up in any of my research it"s something to think about i didn"t think they be migrating that early i"ve been app in three states for sheep i thought this could be a way to start hunting them until i draw one if i ever do and maybe i"ll get lucky and get one
Umpqua Hunter
Veteran member
I think it could be a cool experience to try one of the unlimited areas, and I don't want to rain on your party, but having hunted or helped on 10 successful sheep hunts, the AVERAGE hunt has been 8 days, even in exceptional sheep country with limited hunting pressure and high hunter success. I researched the unlimited areas years ago, and even considered hiring some of the best guides in the area, but even then the odds at killing a sheep were quite low. I would have to believe to have any reasonable chance of success it would take weeks of scouting over multiple trips. I've known of two guys who have had good success on these hunts and they both were long time residents of Montana and spent enormous amounts of time in the field.
thats what i like to here if it was easy everyone would do it they only get about 150 people a year for all 5 units i see by your pic that you already have a sheep i just want to have a chance to try good or bad at least i tried i would spent the same money on a elk or deer hunt out west anyway thanks for the info every bit helps even if its words of wisdom
sjsmallfield
Veteran member
Not that I have any experience but it sounds to me like you should spend about 7-8 days before the hunt starts trying to find your ram. Then when you find one, sleep on him for the opener. Good luck man. I think you may need it for that hunt.
Umpqua Hunter
Veteran member
I'll just throw one more thought out there to consider. When someone goes elk or deer hunting, there are often hundreds of legal animals on the unit. Even great sheep units often have less than 20 legal rams in the entire unit (hundreds of square miles). Tack on to that that bighorns are notorious for hanging out in the timber. Many times it is like finding a needle in a haystack. It is one thing to spot rams a mile or two away in a little opening in the timber, than it is to be on that same hillside trying to relocate and kill that ram in one of those openings. The ram in my avitar I killed in a high success unit in Wyoming (Area 5). I spotted this ram on day one and it took me until day 8 to shoot him two miles away from where I spotted him. The weather was hot and he was bailing off into the timber at daybreak.
Bitterroot Bulls
Veteran member
UH is right,
There aren't a lot of legal (3/4 curl) rams in those units.
On the other hand, you can still have a great time in great country. Remember it is your responsibility to know when the quota is filled and season is closed, so have a way to communicate with the outside world.
There aren't a lot of legal (3/4 curl) rams in those units.
On the other hand, you can still have a great time in great country. Remember it is your responsibility to know when the quota is filled and season is closed, so have a way to communicate with the outside world.
Fink
Veteran member
So, to check if the quota was filled or not, you have to call in each evening, correct? What happens if multiple sheep get killed on the same day, and the quota is exceeded?
Bitterroot Bulls
Veteran member
It is my understanding that when the quota is filled, the FWP closes the season in 48 hours. This gives guys some time to find out the quota is filled. The actual harvest could be higher than the quota.
I"ve seen that in my research sometime the harvest is higher then the quota and some units don"t met the quota I'm not taken this hunt lightly I have talked to game and fish find out which guides work what units can't compete with them thanks for the timber tip I'll keep in mind when doing my map research trying to get as much info as I can before I even think of going on this hunt got a plan started just got to put it all togather
AnthonyVR
New Member
I know of an old local that killed a nice ram in the unlimited units a couple years ago. He was riding out the 7 year waiting period that comes after you are successful on harvesting a ram. He watched this ram for 3 years while waiting to become eligible again. The moral of the story is that if you really spend the time there are sheep in SOME of the units. BUT I have also guided in one of the unlimited units and can tell you that even if you showed up a month early and hunted every day of the season you would still have almost no chance at shooting a legal ram, they are simply not in the area until after the season closes. If this is something you are dead set on attempting PM me and I will try to help you in the right direction.