Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Moose, caribou, sheep, goat DIY hunts

I’ve been looking at a bunch of DIY type hunts for game I’ve always dreamed about but can’t afford a fully guided hunt. My issue is that I can’t spend $10,000 on a fully guided hunt. I’ve been resigned to the fact that I’ll likely never go on a moose/caribou/sheep/goat hunt but can’t quite put the thought away. A DIY hunt definitely has lower odds of success but preparation, hard work, and a bit of luck helps increase the odds. I’ve been pretty successful on DIY elk, deer, and bear hunts so the concept is not foreign to me.

I thought I’d throw it out here for consideration and ideas. I’m looking for solid ideas, mainly geared at reasonable odds of both drawing a tag and success. As far as specific species, I’ve been looking at various options.

Moose: My Dad has hunted Newfoundland several times and taken several moose from there. A guided hunt here is likely doable and runs ~ $45-5500. I’ve been looking at the northeastern states and it appears Maine is the only viable option and has surprisingly high success rates. Several western states have moose draws but these seem to have long draw odds. I have a buddy that did an AK float trip for moose/caribou a few years back. They shot a moose a bit far from the river and advised not to do that ever again. Is it possible to DIY in Maine? Any other DIY moose options to consider?

Caribou: I’ve looked at eastern Canada hunts but understand most of eastern Canada caribou populations are down. We have a connection in Newfoundland but in the past couple years they have only received a small handful of tags, and the hunt price has gone up. Which leaves Alaska. I’ve been poking around several air charters and think a DIY AK caribou hunt is doable. KC has been helpful in sharing his experiences.

Sheep/goats: I don’t really see any viable DIY options. Draw odds are very high in most of the western States. MT does have an unlimited opportunity but I’ve talked to guys that have tried that and the odds of success are long – long enough to not consider it. WY has a lot of sheep but a long line to draw a tag. Any other options?

Any thoughts are welcome.

Caribou in AK. Good chance of success and easily doable for the diy-er. Find a good partner willing to help out with details and work on the hunt and start planning where and who you want to get you there. Planning and anticipation is part of the fun. We did it 15 years ago, hired an air service and spent 10 days out on the tundra. A good time with all the ups and downs.

There are a bunch of low probability draws that if you win, can lead to pretty cheap hunts.

You mentioned Maine, but consider the NH and NB,Canada moose lottery's. In NB you will need a guide but its easy to find one (if you have the tag) for $2.5 or 3K or less.

You can be in the running in Colorado for a Mountain Goat or a sheep after 3 years with 3 preference points, which is all you can get. You then get an extra chance with 3 points each year after that. So the first year with 3 points you have one chance in the draw, 2nd year 2 chances, 3rd year 3 chances, etc. A DIY Mountain Goat hunt if you are mountain wise at all is not an impossibility. Sheep can be done DIY if you do your homework and scout a bit. Odds are probably better on a Mountain goat I'm guessing.

Only way for DIY sheep and mtn goats, that I know of is through a state drawing or a relocation! Odds are long, but you can't draw if you don't put in. That's my only hope... 'Course, for goats at least, the $$ spent on applications over the time it would take to draw one would probably pay for a guided hunt for one.

Problem with either of those species, in the L48, is that the draw odds are inversely proportional to the access to the country they call home. There are some hunts that, relatively, don't have horrible odds, but they are tough hunts.

You are correct in your analysis Pointer. In Idaho there are Rocky tags and Mountain goat tags in the River of NO Return Wilderness, Salmon River, with decent draw odds but it is the nastiest country in the lower 48.

Yep. Helped a pard haul a ram out of there. I made two trips in with him, and another pard a third. IIRC, he shot it on his 32nd day hunting it. IMO hunts in that country are about as mentally taxing as they are physically. Tough and spectacular country.

I've done a DIY goat hunt in CO. As long as you're in shape it isn't too hard to pull off. Getting the tag is the hard part.

Took this billy in 2001:

I hadn't considered NB but will do some looking. Thanks!

I looked at NH but it looked like the odds of getting a permit were slim.

This is my understanding as well. A long time ago member - Muley Stalker shot a nice billy ~ 10 years back and I discussed it with him and came to the same conclusion, especially given I have exactly zero points now. It is worth a shot.

In Idaho there's no point system so it's everyone for himself every year. You can't apply for more than 1 trophy species (moose, goat, or sheep) in a year.

Calif bighorns are found south of the Snake River, mostly in Owyhee County. Hunting them is backwards. The land is relatively flat compared to farther north but it laced with deep, vertical canyons. Getting one in one of those canyons can mean a rugged pack job going UP.

I had an IDAHO Rocky tag several years ago in Camas Creek area. I hunted with Shane McAfee and murdered a nice ram in White Goat Creek. Nastiest place I have ever been.

murdered? Some terms just turn me off.

I think you'll find, if you do some research, that you do not get 2 chances the 2nd year, 3 chances the third year, etc. The process that CO uses for weighted preference points and how they can help your chances of drawing is too complicated to get into here, but suffice it to say that the weighted points only influence the random number your application is assigned (by reducing that number) and that the lower the number, the more likely you are to draw the tag. You still only have one chance to draw, though.

you can also buy raffle tickets. I know Colorado has sheep ,mtn goat & moose that are sold every year on the banquet circuits. The other states probably as well. Long shot of winning but for $20 it's worth a try.

I've done DIY for both sheep & mtn goat here in Colorado-get in shape & do it. I drew WY moose but used an outfitter.

Test just trying to simply the process for the guy and give him some general info. That's all. Basically the more weighted points you have the better your chance to draw is supposed to be how about that? And yes murdered.

DIY Alaska is very doable. Also did one about 20 years ago, with a buddie. Brought all our own gear, and hired an air service out of Bethel. Great hunt, most expensive part was the air taxi part.

Quite the feeling when you see the plane fly off and you know you are on your own for 10 days.

Spam is your friend.