Montana Bighorn Sheep Quota Units

[shanevg]

Anyone know anything about the bighorn sheep units in Montana that issue unlimited tags, allowing hunters to keep hunting until a quota is filled?  The units are 300, 303, 500, 501, and 502 with all units having a 2 sheep quota except for 501 which has a 3 sheep quota.  Has anyone ever hunted these units?  Has anyone had any success?  Are they really deep back country units or what?  It sounds like some hunters harvest a ram in most years, some units like 500 and 501 have even met the quota in December before the weather generally pushes the sheep down.  If anyone has any information on any of these units, maybe we could get a few people from Hunt-Wa to give the hunt a try, it would be a lot of fun. 

[boneaddict]

unit 300-20 No harvest in 05, one in 06 and none in 07   08 filled by 9-09 last year.  33 tags were issued. 

[boneaddict]

unit 303-02  is weather dependent as the sheep come out of the park.  Filled in 06 and 07 and OCT 26th in 08 33 tags issued. 

[shanevg]

Yeah, 300-20 looks like probably the worst unit.  But 501-20 which has a 3 sheep quota has at least one harvest for the last 5 years with a population estimate of 50 and it doesn't look like the sheep location is dependent on weather.  

[boneaddict]

500-02 there was no harvest in 08 25 tags issued.

[boneaddict]

If I went for one it would probably be 501 with one of the highest populations. 

[boneaddict]

i think that country is more suited for goats than sheep.  Better be as tough as shoe leather and have some time on your hands.

[shanevg]

Do you know anything (other than what Huntin' Fool says) about the particular units?

[boneaddict]

Yeah, its not worth your money unless you are

tough as shoe leather and have some time on your hands.

 

You can't be in the draw if you try for one of those unlimited hunts and eventhough the odds aren't perfect, still better than Wa.  If I had zero points and the above requirements then I would think about it.

[shanevg]

Yeah, its not worth your money unless you are

tough as shoe leather and have some time on your hands.

 

You can't be in the draw if you try for one of those unlimited hunts and eventhough the odds aren't perfect, still better than Wa.  If I had zero points and the above requirements then I would think about it.

How many points do you have for Montana sheep (just out of curiosity?)

[boneaddict]

I think its 8...max points.

[popeshawnpaul]

Get a book called the Versatile Trophy Hunter.  He has some details.  I've been in that country and talked to a guy that took a ram in there at the bar last year in Cooke City.  Better find a sheep early and sit on it until the season starts or wait until one comes out of Yellowstone...

[shanevg]

Get a book called the Versatile Trophy Hunter.  He has some details.  I've been in that country and talked to a guy that took a ram in there at the bar last year in Cooke City.  Better find a sheep early and sit on it until the season starts or wait until one comes out of Yellowstone...

Do you need to have horses to properly access the unit?  Did you see any sheep when you were spending time in some of those units? 

[popeshawnpaul]

No, horses won't do you any good.  At least that's what the local guy told me last year.  You need to spike out on mountain tops and pray you find a ram.  This is a really tough hunt.  There are a lot of guides out there looking for sheep and a lot of competition.  That being said, it would be fun to try some time.  I saw a legal ram north of Gardiner last year during september.  I think that is in an unlimited area.  There are some locals that really know the areas a lot too.  I think you need to get over there and stay there for a month before the season locating sheep and trying to find a legal ram.  Then sit on him until season.  If that doesn't work out, then you would need to wait out rams until they come in from other areas.  There are tons of posts on montana unlimited areas with some on monster muleys.  You'll find better into there I would imagine.

[boneaddict]

I think you'd have to see this country to appreciate it.  Pretty sure I wouldn't want to be on a horse in it.  Like I said, it looks more like goat country than sheep.