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[CMF]

Took four slow night shifts at work to get through this thread, not to mention the rabbit holes I followed including ordering the Butler book, reading Greenhorns MT sheep hunt thread, etc. and it's been a good read.
I've had the UL's on my radar for a little while. With my kids at hunting age, a few more species I'm wanting to check off, and some points to burn, I'm going to give the draws hope a few more years. If I don't draw a bighorn tag in the next few years, which I'm sure I won't, I'll be joining ya'll.
Here's a bighorn for ya'll, unfortunately, he's not in the UL's, he resides in Badlands, NP. Hopefully, I can get this close to a bighorn one day with my compound.View attachment DSC_9818.JPG

 

[buffybr]

The part where “ my gun almost turned into a lightning rod “ reminded me about one of my trips into Unit 302 when it was still Unlimited. I had drawn a Goat tag in that unit that year, so I spent the $25 and bought a sheep tag just in case...

My hunting partner and I took my horses and packed a camp in for opening weekend of the season mainly to scout for goats. I intentionally left my goat tag at home so I wouldn't to shoot a goat before he would grow his winter coat, but I did have the sheep tag in my pocket.

We went in to the Hilgards from the end of Beaver Cr on the east side, and when we crossed the top of the range we had a long, open ridge to cross. We could see a lightning storm fast approaching from the west, so we dicided to put about 100 yards between us in case lightning would hit us it might not get both of us.

Luckily it didn't get either of us.

I don't remember if we saw any goats, we didn't see any sheep, but we did see a wolverine on that trip.

 

[Beignet]

Getting down to crunch time and I need to decide which unit I'm going to hunt this year.

What's the general consensus amongst some of you guys that have been at it for a few years: Do you switch up units or just stick with the one you know?

 

[EYJONAS!]

Getting down to crunch time and I need to decide which unit I'm going to hunt this year.

What's the general consensus amongst some of you guys that have been at it for a few years: Do you switch up units or just stick with the one you know?

Up to you, hard to walk away and start over though unless you already know the other country.

I'll probably be watching from the side lines again.

Good luck

 

[buffybr]

Up to you, hard to walk away and start over though unless you already know the other country.

I'll probably be watching from the side lines again.

Good luck

Forty years ago when I was hunting the Unlimited units I hunted 4 or 5 of the units and only hunted twice on the same mountain in one of the units. I didn't know how good we had it back then and I didn't hunt seriously enough. Each hunt only cost me a $25 Resident tag and a tank of gas, and I only hunted opening weekend of each year. Times have changed.

If you've scouted or hunted an area and seen rams in it, it doesn't make a lot of sence to hunt a different area. One of my regrets from years past.

 

[smw110136]

I rarely listen to podcasts, but knew this would be a good listen about sheep in unlimited areas. Interview with Tim Shinabarger.

Finally got around to listening to this one. Thanks for sharing @Greenhorn

 

[theat]

Question for you guys that have gotten your unlimited sheep tag through the drawing rather than just buying it outright. To buy it outright, it has to be purchased prior to the draw deadline (May 1). If you apply for the permit in the drawing, can you wait to pay the full tag cost until later in the summer? I've gotten conflicting info from FWP. I have a friend that want to join me, but he isn't 100% yet on if his work will let him and won't know until mid summer.

 

[EYJONAS!]

Question for you guys that have gotten your unlimited sheep tag through the drawing rather than just buying it outright. To buy it outright, it has to be purchased prior to the draw deadline (May 1). If you apply for the permit in the drawing, can you wait to pay the full tag cost until later in the summer? I've gotten conflicting info from FWP. I have a friend that want to join me, but he isn't 100% yet on if his work will let him and won't know until mid summer.

Yes you have the same deadline to buy the permit just like a goat or moose tag which has traditionally been in the first or second week of August to buy the actual permit. So if someone wants to plan and isn't sure early summer they have time to plan.

 

[theat]

Yes you have the same deadline to buy the permit just like a goat or moose tag which has traditionally been in the first or second week of August to buy the actual permit. So if someone wants to plan and isn't sure early summer they have time to plan.

Yeah, I was like 95% sure that was how it worked, but was told different by a lady at FWP special licensing. Just got off the phone with another gal there and was told the same as what you posted. There are a couple of things in the regs dealing with unlimited sheep that are incorrect or at the minimum very confusing.

 

[EYJONAS!]

Yeah, I was like 95% sure that was how it worked, but was told different by a lady at FWP special licensing. Just got off the phone with another gal there and was told the same as what you posted. There are a couple of things in the regs dealing with unlimited sheep that are incorrect or at the minimum very confusing.

Par for the course. Hell i know guys that have actually bought the tag on their 7 year wait..... still hasn't been fixed.

 

[Carnage2011]

Par for the course. Hell i know guys that have actually bought the tag on their 7 year wait..... still hasn't been fixed.

Roll into the FWP office in Missoula and try to buy an unlimited tag. “Nope, you have to draw sheep tags.” I explain that it’s unlimited and she says there is no such thing. I ask for her manager. Manager comes out and says “sir, not sure what you are talking about, but you have to draw tags for bighorn sheep.” I said “ok” and went to the parking lot to buy it on my phone…

Edit to add: This was two years ago so maybe it’s improved since then.

 

[theat]

Par for the course. Hell i know guys that have actually bought the tag on their 7 year wait..... still hasn't been fixed.

I spent an hour on the phone with one of the higher ups in the licensing department last December talking about this. I told him that I had talked to a guy hunting sheep in the unlimited unit that had killed a ram there two years earlier. I had called the hunter out on it and he showed me his tag and some pics of the ram he killed 2 years earlier. Told me that his buddy had done the same thing. The guy at FWP kept telling me that the system wouldn't let a successful hunter buy another sheep license. I didn't complete the purchase, but the system sure let me add an unlimited sheep tag to my cart when I applied this year and Im in the middle of my supposed 7 year wait. I really don't think most at the licensing department know hardly anything about how the unlimited sheep tags work. The guy there kept saying that when you draw a tag the system automatically puts you on the 7 year wait, but I kept explaining that is incorrect since you can keep buying them until you are successful (and apparently even when you are successful). I told him that there needs to be some system or connection between the unlimited sheep reporting and the special licensing department. After an hour of talking to him, he still thought that I was incorrect. One of the last things I said was that it should be pretty simple to see if it has been happening since there are so few successful unlimited hunters that they could compare to current tag holders. He said he would look into it, but even after contacting him several more times via email, I haven't received any response.

 

[EYJONAS!]

Roll into the FWP office in Missoula and try to buy an unlimited tag. “Nope, you have to draw sheep tags.” I explain that it’s unlimited and she says there is no such thing. I ask for her manager. Manager comes out and says “sir, not sure what you are talking about, but you have to draw tags for bighorn sheep.” I said “ok” and went to the parking lot to buy it on my phone…

Edit to add: This was two years ago so maybe it’s improved since then.

I do laugh about the conundrums of MTFWP and the fine individuals that are employed there. But, I will say I'm very very nervous for what happens when Mr. Stewart retires.....

Maybe a smooth transition but i doubt it.

 

[EYJONAS!]

I spent an hour on the phone with one of the higher ups in the licensing department last December talking about this. I told him that I had talked to a guy hunting sheep in the unlimited unit that had killed a ram there two years earlier. I had called the hunter out on it and he showed me his tag and some pics of the ram he killed 2 years earlier. Told me that his buddy had done the same thing. The guy at FWP kept telling me that the system wouldn't let a successful hunter buy another sheep license. I didn't complete the purchase, but the system sure let me add an unlimited sheep tag to my cart when I applied this year and Im in the middle of my supposed 7 year wait. I really don't think most at the licensing department know hardly anything about how the unlimited sheep tags work. The guy there kept saying that when you draw a tag the system automatically puts you on the 7 year wait, but I kept explaining that is incorrect since you can keep buying them until you are successful (and apparently even when you are successful). I told him that there needs to be some system or connection between the unlimited sheep reporting and the special licensing department. After an hour of talking to him, he still thought that I was incorrect. One of the last things I said was that it should be pretty simple to see if it has been happening since there are so few successful unlimited hunters that they could compare to current tag holders. He said he would look into it, but even after contacting him several more times via email, I haven't received any response.

Well I fault the hunter for that and his buddy for pulling that kind of shit too. Some point a guy has to have some morals and self control realizing that isn't right. Things like this are exactly what can ruin these opportunities we have. Same with shooting lambs and not following rules of check in and reporting properly.

It's 2023 this fwp licensing bullshit needs to come to a head. For them to not even understand their own system or not even have the knowledge to relay the correct information on draws and stats is total bs. Unfortunately they just can't seem to figure it out. When your whole department doesn't have any form of any check and balance system in place that's a major red flag.

I commend you for calling the guy out. There's plenty of great people that participate in these hunts and follow the rules. Just like yourself because of the respect they have for all of it.

 

[Southern Elk]

Well I fault the hunter for that and his buddy for pulling that kind of shit too. Some point a guy has to have some morals and self control realizing that isn't right. Things like this are exactly what can ruin these opportunities we have. Same with shooting lambs and not following rules of check in and reporting properly.

It's 2023 this fwp licensing bullshit needs to come to a head. For them to not even understand their own system or not even have the knowledge to relay the correct information on draws and stats is total bs. Unfortunately they just can't seem to figure it out. When your whole department doesn't have any form of any check and balance system in place that's a major red flag.

I commend you for calling the guy out. There's plenty of great people that participate in these hunts and follow the rules. Just like yourself because of the respect they have for all of it.

Anyone caught doing that should be treated like they are hunting without a license, since they can't legally hunt for 7 years. Throw the book at them and give them a lifetime ban on top of everything.

 

[Drake4]

I know for a fact that if you draw a special sheep tag, and are on your 7-year wait, you can still buy an unlimited tag.
Not saying it's legal, but the system lets you do it.

 

[Southern Elk]

I know for a fact that if you draw a special sheep tag, and are on your 7-year wait, you can still buy an unlimited tag.
Not saying it's legal, but the system lets you do it.

You can also buy crack, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t know better.

 

[EYJONAS!]

You can also buy crack, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t know better.

 

[EYJONAS!]

Almost ram season.

 

[Hams42]

Almost ram se

Almost ram season.
View attachment 272762

Just a little little bit of snow left though. I was hoping to start bear hunting aka looking for sheep spots last week and there was still quite a bit snow down low so I can't imagine what it was like higher... I have spring fever something fierce!