Which state has the best rates? I spent the last half hour trying to get pricing for various states, CO, UT, NV, WY, and never could find out what a non-resident tag would actually cost. I know it is late to get one but I am curious to know anyway. I am new to the whole process of the lottery systems in place for hunting in these states. Guess I am spoiled with walking into Wally World and getting a deer tag for under $20, or going online and printing off a permit from DOC.

Each state will have a book about tags. I have not hunted some of those states, but I hunt colorado yearly.


http://cpw.state.co.us/thingstodo/Pages/BigGame.aspx

From there, the top two links are left over tags (what you're looking for) and OTC tags.


This late in the season, the left over / limited OTC tags are pretty much gone. Your best bet would be to start planning your hunt for next year. The draw system can be a bit confusing at first, but its really not bad and can be done all online - at least for Colorado.


But, I'd first do research on where the best states to hunt big horn. I've never really looked into it besides vaguely here and there. I do not believe Colorado is one of the better states for it. I think Nevada is the best state for chance of draw in the lower 48.

Some animals require multiple "preference points" - what they are is when you're unsuccessful in a draw, you get a point to apply for the next years draw. Some animals (and zones to hunt in) can take multiple preference points before becoming successful.  

So, with that being said - don't give up hope. Just make it a long term plan. Pick your state and also start doing research on what unit you want to hunt. (In Colorado I'm limited to an area with my tag. For my bull elk tag, its 53/63.) Then next April, put in for this draw. You will have to pay the tag cost up front. If you don't get it, you then receive a refund.

Hope it helps,

I knew out of state tags were expensive...but $1,200 just for the tag in NV, not including other fee's, wait times, drawing, and lottery. I may just stick with white tails and keep watching YouTube for animals who are not native to Missouri.

In all honesty if you are wanting to hunt bighorns your best bet is Canada or Mexico. You would have to go guided and it would cost well upwards of $20k. If you intend to hunt in the US, the odds are so steep it is ridiculous. Places in Montana have a .2% chance at drawing for non-residents with max preference points. Other states are similar.  Some states do random draw tags as well as preference point tags. Wyoming allots 25% of their sheep tags to the random draw. Idaho's sheep tags are 100% random draw. There is one exception to the rule in the US. Montana has a few units that are OTC. There is a catch. These units are on a quota. Once the quota is taken from the unit, the unit is closed for the year. The units are tough to hunt, crowded, and have severely low harvest odds.

I want to hunt sheep pretty bad.  There are several bighorn sheep associations that do raffles each year. The odds for these raffles are greater than applying through the state that the tag is good for. Most of the raffle tags are good for any  weapon, any unit, any time of the year. Wyoming (maybe others) does a Super Tag raffle. It is a similar tag but is offered through the state's wildlife department. I am buying various raffle and super tag tickets. Next year I may try my luck at applying just to see what happens. If you don't start picking up preference points as soon as you are eligible age wise, odds are you will never get a tag. The good news is someone has to win those tags so it doesn't hurt to apply.

Unless you are dead set on bighorn there are other options for sheep. Alaska has Dall sheep. You must hunt them with a guide or a blood kin relative if you aren't a resident. You can buy OTC tags for them. The hunts aren't cheap by any means but are better than the rates for out of country bighorn hunts.

Here is a little more reading about sheep draws.
http://www.rokslide.com/forums/showthread.php?1635-Rocky-Mountain-Sheep-Math

What is the reasoning behind the requirement for having a guide?

In Alaska there are 3 species that require a guide or a kin resident. They are Dall sheep, mountain goat, and brown bear. I have no idea why other than every person from the lower 48 would pick up an OTC tag and head out after them if they were readily accessible.
http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=hunting.guidereqs

Sheep cost lots of money.

Even elk can be pricey. Deer can be pretty easy to draw and a good chance at nice animals through the west. Colorado has the best deal going for elk.

Or at least that is what I came up with. You have until November 2 to buy preference points for Wyoming if you want.

Colorado elk is still spendy. I go every year with my dad, we have property that borders the grand nation forest on the black mesa.  Draw tag cow is 540? Bull is 600+. Add in a bear tag, another 350. The. Travel expenses from Ohio.. (We drive. And haul our atvs out.)

I budget at least 2k for the entire experience and its a DIY hunt. (Been hunting the same area for 20 years... Well, he has. I'm up to 8.) So we know the area well and have a good success rate, especially on cow elk. (80+ % on cows. 30% on bulls but getting better.)


Not including cabin upkeep costs and such.


To start big game hunting, I'd highly recommend elk. Colorado is a great place to go. Either DIY or managed hunts can be done for under $5000 and tags are easy to get.

If you want to hunt any sheep under $15k, you are kidding yourself. Sorry but I went through the same phase with sheep, only option I came up with is to fly to New Zealand and hunt tahr, chamois etc.

Otherwise it's 15+ year wait for lotto draw and $15k+ in guide fees and another $3-5k in travel and misc stuff.

From my research this post is spot on. We want to use our horses though, and pulling them all the way to Colorado was more than we wanted to deal with so Northern Wyoming it is.

The only reasonably priced option for a sheep of any sort is NM Barbary sheep. There are a few OTC units there. They also have some draw units. You can hunt Barbary in Texas too, but as with most Texas hunts it will be a private land guided hunt which drives up the cost.

There is one more Bighorn hunt I forgot to mention. Texas does a draw for Bighorn every year. It is a completely random draw with pretty steep odds. If you do draw the hunt is fully guided by the Texas dept of wildlife on public land. It is a really good deal and well worth the $10 you will have tied up in applying. If you apply in any of the other states you will be out more than $10 in interest between applying and getting your money refunded.

 
A sheep tag in NV is literally a once in a lifetime tag that can take decades worth of points for a resident to draw.  There aren't that many of them issued each year and we covet them, hence the incredibly high cost for an out of state tag.


 

Sheep are dumber then a bag of rocks. If you get a tag its almost a sure bet you'll slay one if your even a semi competent hunter.

Your sheep chances are multiplied by how in shape you are. There is a reason they call it in "sheep shape"

I agree. Only speaking from hunting in NV your ass needs to be in shape to hunt anything here so I guess I take that for granted. I'll rephrase and say if you can motor around in the hills and spend hours at a time glassing you'll slay one easily.

Don't come to AZ for a sheep, I am at 15 bonus points and I am still in my 20's and don't expect a tag till im in my 50's

Also, in AK, you have to have a non-resident tag for big game...page 10 of the hunting regs shows the tags cost for each species....

http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/applications/web/nocache/regulations/wildliferegulations/pdfs/general.pdf58EF7097287937370804D8032634D0F6/general.pdf

Oregon has desert and Bighorn sheep, the tag is once in a lifetime but there are no points to worry about. Everyone that puts in has the same chance at a tag, so you atleast have "a" chance to draw. Non res Tags are a small percentage of the overall but you do have a chance.  

http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/hunting/big_game/sheep_goat/index.asp

http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/hunting/big_game/controlled_hunts/docs/proposed_tag_nos/Bighorn%20Sheep%2016%20-%2017%20(25Apr16).pdf

In most instances it is cheaper to go on an African plains game hunt then it would be to hunt most any sheep species as a non resident hunter.  
Here in NV it isn't easy to draw any tag let alone sheep.  I know people who have put in for the draw for upwards of 30 years and didn't draw.  One guy I know finally drew his tag after 35 years and was unable to do the hunt because of having serious health problems prior to the hunt.

double post

Go to the Nevada Department of Wildlife website, it will give you all the information you need. I know many people that have drawn sheep tags.You have to get your application in early, I think the drawing for tags is in April. Nevada has the largest population of bighorns in the lower 48, three subspecies. I see sheep all the time. You might see some from the highway or you could hike around the mountains forever and not see one if you don't know the country. It would be unwise to strike out on your own without a guide after you laid out the cash for a tag, and because well, Nevada can kill you. You and or your guide will have to attend a class before you hunt. The Nevada Department of Wildlife has a book for $50 that shows the location of guzzlers ( water catchments ) for wildlife, but sheep move around and may not use any one particular guzzler for weeks or months at a time so pre season scouting is a must.    

Good luck.

I'm not a sheep hunter but I see a lot of sheep. There is a range to the south east with some nice rams and a while back I saw the biggest ram of my life. He had enormous bases and carried heavy mass farther out but most impressive was how wide he was, and yes he crossed the dirt road right in front of my truck. He stopped about 40 or 50 yards from the side of the road as he was climbing the ridge and I was able to look him over good with my 10 by 50 binocular. I got him to stop quite a few more times as he picked his way along and look back down at me. I would like to have had my camera with me but my trophy will have to be the memory of him working his way up the slope. I hope if someone gets him, it is someone I know.