Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game ? Stone Sheep ? Not Much Discussion ?

Over the years since 2010 I haven't seen much discussion about the Stone Sheep. I always liked the color of the Stone's better than the others.
The Dalls certainly are pretty, white contrasted by the horns. The Rocky Mtn and or Desert Big Horns sure can be majestic but.....

I'm talking about the appearance of the Stone Sheep.

Is there something about hunting the Stones that's different? Is it personal preference ? Are the conditions different ?

If I had MY choice of ALL the sheep--- I'd choose to hunt the Stone Sheep.

Opinions? NO opinion is wrong.

Limited area and availability. There is also some confusion on what is a pure stone sheep and what is an integrade form. Jack O'Conner's second largest Ram was a stone sheep I believe. I think they are beautiful too, as are all wild sheep.

The $40,000 price tag kinda limits how many people can enjoy stone sheep hunting

This coupled with the limited number of permits mean very few have had the opportunity to hunt them, thus not a lot of discussion.

SAY ... WHAT.....?. Holy Moly Andy.

Well, THAT would STOP my pursuit before I went to Wal Mart !!
I don't have ANY words fit for public ears to describe my SHOCK. XXX XXXX , XXX XX X XXXXX!!!

S H A Z A A M !

Oh YEAH ! That SPLAINS alot.

edit >> I'm really disappointed.

Jwall,

If Stones at $40k shock you ( and that is the starting price, can be as high as 60) don't even think about desert bighorn in Mexico, $80k to $100k

Mr. Woody

Mexi------who?

I'm sure I'm not the only hunter who feels.........

there is not ONE game animal on the PLANET worth $ 80k---$ 100k. ATST to me, there are some B G animals I'd rather hunt than Desert B H regardless of that astronomical price. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not criticizing the Desert B H.

Beauty is in the eye..... I've always liked the looks of the Stone sheep better than the others.

Thanks for the info, even tho it is disappointing.

I like the looks of the thin horn sheep. But my Bighorn has a special place in heart. A DIY hunt here in Colorado.

I agree the stones are the best looking of the sheep.

J, These guys are right.. Even dalls are very expensive compared to the 80 when I went.. A good stone is awesome.. My 89 sheep was a Fannin, it had lost of gray in the shoulders, so some have said it could be classed as a stone, but not dark at all.. I think you are near my age.. Sheep hunting is really tough.. My days of chasing them are over as of this season..
Deer, blk bear, turkey, and upland game are my meat from here on.. Plus some fishing.. When I had the ability to hunt sheep no cash.. Now I have some cash and not the ability..This sucks..

Actually the cost of sheep hunting is higher. If you book today, which means hunting in one to two years, the prices are:
Dall’s $25,000
Stone’s $45,000
Desert non-draw $45,000-80,000
Add travel and licenses...$2000-3000. The northern sheep usually require a charter bush flight $1500-2000.

W C H

I began this discussion per Stone Sheep out of curiosity. Sure I'd like to hunt them but I'm in the same boat you are.
My knees won't take the rugged mountains. I have a health issue that has DECIMATED my stamina for exertion. I can do it but NOT for long.

Yes - you & I are w/in months of being the same age. I DO have a hope of being drawn for an Ark Elk hunting permit. I've been applying since 1998 - our 1st year of Elk hunting - NO LUCK. It's supposed to be a FREE drawing but $$$$ contributed has influence.

I like to see REAL hunting, not the staged stuff. I have 2 episodes from past TV shows.....the FAKE is easy to spot if you simply pay attention.

Africa, Alaska, New Zealand etc. are dreams I can enjoy.

Have A Great Hunting Season

Jerry

Thanks RinB

I didn't say to WCH, I've been wondering WHY Stone Sheep hunting has received so little <near none> attention.

I guess I know. Still disappointing.

Guys keep the conversation going. Don't stop on my account.

Thanks J.. Elk hunting can behad at a very reasonable cost, but for cows only.. They are the best eating anyway.. I am going Dec. 10th.. I don't care much for elk hunting, but my step daughters love it..

I was lucky as heck to live in CO for 35 yrs and arrow two bighorns during that time frame (6 ram tags) without a guide! I also drew a NR tag for Desert bighorns in NV and arrowed one way back in '91. My buddy had drawn the year before and went along...again no guide but he knew the area, so as good as a guide.

I never dreamed of hunting Stones due to the cost...but ended up moving to BC for work in late 2009. After waiting the year, I could hunt Stones! I ended up hunting them for 6 seasons and 8 back pack trips. Finally arrowed a ram in 2016, again without a guide. I agree, they are gorgeous sheep.

After I had 3/4 of a sheep slam I just had to chase a Dall ASAP! We have Dalls in BC but a resident has to draw a tag and the odds are about 1 in 12 and getting worse by the year, so didn't want to wait on a tag here. I booked a 2017 NWT Dall hunt with Canol Outfitters and it turned out to be great! I arrowed a Dall on day 7 of a 12 hunt. Rough country with a lot of big loose boulders in the slides....glad I didn't wait to go on the hunt as retirement age legs only have so many more mountains left in them.

I'll keep putting in for the Dall draw in BC as I'd like an opportunity to hunt them without a guide. As a note, not many have a Grand Slam with the bow as there are 68 archery slams registered with Grand Slam the last time I looked...I was #66, and it took me 34 years from my first bighorn in '84 until the Dall last year. As a further note there are slightly more than 2000 Grand Slams registered in total.

I went with a young buddy this year on a Stone hunt (left my bow in the truck)...he arrowed a full curl 10-yr old ram on the 6th day! Took us 3 days to pack it out, but that is what its about!

In BC we can hunt Stones with over the counter tags every year in most of the Stone range. We do have a few draw areas. Bighorns (Rocky and California subspecies both live here) are over the counter for part of the range and draw for some others parts. So, if you want a cheap Stone, live in BC and buy a $60 license, good for one sheep...Stone, (or Bighorn or Dall, limited to one sheep per calendar year).

Kurt

F A N T A S T I C !!!!! I have more to say but gotta go now.. Back later.

Kurt52,


Thanks for that post, and well done on your archery slam.
I had no idea stone sheep are over the counter for residents, amazing in this day and age. I suspect like our unlimited tag units here in Montana the terrain and or remoteness discourage most people?

Man I’m almost speechless !!!!!! Archery Grand Slam Sheep !!!!!

HATS OFF to you.

I guess I’ll have to move to BC for 1 1/2 yr. I’m SO jealous. Not just getting a Stone but with Stick & String. 1 out of 68. UHHH no Words come to mind.

Here again, ‘Beauty in the Eye’. Stones are my FAV.

Will you adopt me ? I’ll come home.

Always thought the Stones were the handsomest of our sheep, based mainly on the color plates in Old Jack's Big Game Animals of North America, which I first obtained courtesy of the Outdoor Life book club. Had to replace my original copy because I loaned it to someone who moved away, taking my book with him. It's worth looking for.

Sheep of any sort are off the menu for this old fat man now, unless I shoot one of those Texas mouflons someday.