max points for non res

[murfys69law]

Worked with a guy who put in forever and no luck. Talked his younger brother into trying and drew a tag first time. Don't know what unit and this was in 1986 but that's insane.

[Mathews22009]

This draw and bonus points is crazy, if you have max points you get passed up but some one with say 5 bps gets drawn!?!?! I say if you have max points you get a tag! I only have five points and would be glad to see a max points or heck anyone with 20 plus points get a tag!!!!

[HuntHarder]

Yeah, anything less than 25 will probably never make max points for sheep. 22 and 24b will never be your hunt. I came to terms with this a few years back, but do enjoy those that still apply for the hunts with 0.0% chance of drawing. It is those people, who have no clue how this system works, that ensure my odds are higher for the hunts I am after. Anyone I know that says they are buying a bonus point for sheep, I think in my head, why waste your money? It MIGHT increase your odds by .05% maybe. 80% of the tags are drawn by luck, hopefully my lucky year is within the next 20 years.

[Old Buck]

I just reviewed my bighorn sheep bonus point reports for 2012, 2013 and 2014. I found that all permits in unit 22 went maximum point holders all 3 years. In units 44BN and all 3 sub-units in 24B some of the permits went to applicants with less than maximum points during the last 3 years. Does this mean that any of these hunts are a good choice for someone with less than max. points? I don't know, you will have to decide that.

 

In the most recent bonus point report that I saw, there were 134 max. bonus point holders for sheep. In the 20% pass there will be 23 permits given this year. At this rate, I am guessing that in 3 or 4 years a few permits will be given in the bonus point pass to applicants with one less than max., as some applicants will continue to apply for those hard to draw units.

 

Remember, those of us with max. bonus points got to where we are by persistence and because we are very unlucky! My guess is that a number of you without max bonus points will draw Arizona sheep tags before me!

[bbd1234]

(Imo) I think that there are great Rams in units that are next to those units we are all talking about. You just have to hunt a little harder but its not uncommon to harvest a big desert bighorn.

[ruthunter]

Play your odds and you can draw a tag! I drew the 1st ever tag in unit 42 in 2013 with 8 pts. It's all about playing the odds. Good luck to all thus year in the draw!

[Sneaker]

It is my understanding that they change the hunts(at some unknown and varying interval) for which they allow a less than max tag or tags to be drawn. Only thing I have ever found in writing is that 20% of total sheep tags for all hunts together can be given in the max pass. Does anyone know of anything written that would speak otherwise? That some hunts will always go to max holders? Never seen such a rule so that would be interesting to know. Has 22 never had a non-max tag?

[HuntHarder]

22 has not had a less than max tag over the last 5 years, and probably never will unless they change something

[turkeyneck]

I'm a maximum bonus point holder. I've been putting in close to 40 years. I'm hoping to draw a tag while I can still pursue them. I'm not picky between a Rocky or Desert, just want it to be Arizona and respectable size.

I assume that the best units are 22 and 24B?

[bonecollector777]

If you're max points I think you should try and hold off for a desert sheep hunt. Rocky sheep can be killed in many other states. Deserts just a select few. But I believe if you're max points drawing a rocky tag would be much easier but not sure.

[Big Browns]

I'm a maximum bonus point holder. I've been putting in close to 40 years. I'm hoping to draw a tag while I can still pursue them. I'm not picky between a Rocky or Desert, just want it to be Arizona and respectable size.

I assume that the best units are 22 and 24B?

 

Unit 22 and 24B are two of the best Big Horn units it the state. That's why they require max points to draw. Depending on what you want, you have the opportunity to get a very nice Ram in several other units. Are you going to hire a guide? If so, ask for their unit recommendation. They will know what unit you have the best chance to draw. I highly recommend hiring Colburn and Scott Outfitters!

 

Adam

[bhuntin]

I think the more peeps that apply for rockies the better...esp max point guys....esp those getting up in years,oh what the heck,everyone go for rocky then maybe I can pull a desert out of a hat!

[Old Buck]

I really like sheep and sheep hunting. I have only been on 5 desert sheep hunts, 4 in Arizona with family and friends and one in Nevada when I had a tag in my pocket. I am still trying to draw my first ever Arizona sheep tag and even though I have been applying since 1968, I haven't given up. Each year I spend a considerable amount of time going over draw, survey and hunter checkout data. I have learned some interesting things. Contrary to what I thought, there are more applicants per permit for Rocky Mountain Sheep(159.5:1) in Arizona than Desert Sheep(132.5). Another interesting thing is that you don't have to hunt units 22 or 24B to kill a 180 inch ram. They seem to pop up here and there throughout the state. I even got to watch my son shoot one a few years ago in a unit that had lost favor with sheep hunters and had much easier draw odds. He drew his permit on less than maximum bonus points. It was a fun hunt and my son even let me carry half of the sheep off the mountain!

 

Now my 2 cents on sheep hunting and guides. If you can constantly glass and kill whitetail deer in Arizona, you don't need a guide. Get one if you want, but my guess is that you will do fine. On the 5 hunts that I have been on, the hunter killed a nice ram in 3 to 5 days.

 

I encourage all you future sheep hunters to look at the draw odds and apply in a unit where you have a chance of drawing a permit. Also look at Nevada and Utah next year. The more applications that you have in for sheep the better the odds are that you will draw a tag.

 

As for me, I will continue to apply for Desert Sheep in Arizona. My plan is if I can draw a Desert tag in the next few years, I will start applying for Rocky. If I can accumulate 25-30 bonus points maybe I can draw a Rocky tag before I am 95 and am forced to slow down on hunting.