With all the Sheep tags they already give out, who thinks they should start to give out some of them for the Stick-and-String hunters. What are your thoughts?
Sheep Tags
- Thread starter nvarcher
- Start date
Quiethunter
New Member
Here in Colorado there are a few archery only tags, but archery gear is legal means for a rifle tag. I have applied for rifle tags in units I would love to hunt using a bow. Since sheep tags don't have the same rules around blaze orange as deer and elk, there is really no reason for a true archery hunter not to entertain using stick and string for a rifle tag. I just wish it were easier to draw in general!
archery sheep and goat! i have bumped into those bad boys a few times wishing i had a tag its a good way for ndow to make some quick cash if we look back at sucess rates on deer there pretty low(nevada). i wouldnt imagine sheep and goat being any where near those stats.
Bitterroot Bulls
Veteran member
I wish MT would go to weapons-specific tags for sheep as well. The odds in MT are just awefull, even for those of us with max points.
Elkoholic307
Banned
No. If you want to hunt with them with a bow, you can. But, you have to draw the tag with the same odds as everyone else.
Why should I, using more primitive equipment, have to be placed in the same pool as rifle hunters. I'd have to compete with them, and it would take me just as long to draw a tag. So I would have no benefit from taking that disadvantage.
And why do you think you should have an advantage? Hunters should group together and support each other, not want something special for "their" group.
I support keeping sheep tags as general tags, without weapon restrictions. I may very well use a bow, muzzleloader, or rifle, depending on the tag drawn. I don't need a special allotment just for one weapon type.
llp
I support keeping sheep tags as general tags, without weapon restrictions. I may very well use a bow, muzzleloader, or rifle, depending on the tag drawn. I don't need a special allotment just for one weapon type.
llp
Why should I have an advantage? I don't see how I would be taking an advantage by using a bow while you go and shoot your sheep at 10-15 times the distance I would shoot mine. Why should the bowhunter be put in a pool with the other hunters. They do it for deer, elk, antelope etc. Do you disagree with that too?
Joe Hulburt
Active Member
In my thinking it is a great idea. More primitive weapons equal less harvest which should equal more people getting to hunt. How anybody could feel they were getting taken advantage of by having an increased chance to hunt sheep is beyond me.
IL Hntr
Member
I'm with Joe, well said. They do it for all other species and it has worked well, why not sheep.
Many are missing the fact that in many units sheep and goat tags are so rare that only 1 tag is offered. Very rarely are there 10+ tags in a given unit. And for non-residents, few states have even a handful of tags set aside for nonresidents. Once you start divying up tags to rifle hunters, bow hunters, muzzleloader hunters, etc. it gets pretty tough. You are rarely hunting at the same time as other hunters. It isn't liked the bow hunter is having his sheep shot out from under him from 500 yards as he makes the stalk. And success rates for primitive weapons are generally nearly the same for these premier species.
I've drawn more than 10 sheep, goat and moose tags in various states over many years. I've used several different weapon types by my own choice, and never needed a special tag type to use a primitive weapon. This is a bad idea that does nothing to further the speicies or the hunting expereince.
llp
I've drawn more than 10 sheep, goat and moose tags in various states over many years. I've used several different weapon types by my own choice, and never needed a special tag type to use a primitive weapon. This is a bad idea that does nothing to further the speicies or the hunting expereince.
llp
jameson hawn
New Member
In my home state of Washington we too have so few tags between the units that it may not be in the archers best interest to ask for seperate drawing. Regardless, when my time comes to hunt sheep or goat I will do so with bow-in-hand! Love the chase!
Umpqua Hunter
Veteran member
As was mentioned here, Colorado has sheep tags set aside for archery only. I am sitting with max points in Colorado, and have seriously considered applying for the archery hunt, but there is a darn good chance to go home without a ram and I will never be in the max point spot again. Though I do bow hunt, I am not a die hard bowhunter, and usually flex with the weapon I hunt with. Selfishly I wish there were more rifle sheep tags, then giving out archery only tags, but I have to agree, the harvest is much lower with a bow and can sustain more hunters afield. In one of the top units in Colorado (S-32) there are both rifle and archery tags. In the five years between 2005-2009 the success for rifle hunters averaged 85% success while the success for archery hunters averaged 25% success. That means you could put three times as many bowhunters on the unit and have the same harvest. Based on those statistics, if you had a unit that could sustain 4 rams harvested a year, you could give out 5 rifle tags, or 16 archery tags. What might make sense is a two season structure like in Unit 32 that has the bowhunters in first, followed by the rifle hunters. Just a thought.