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Montana Sheep Units

Looking at draw units for sheep in Montana. (Yes, I know the last day to apply was yesterday.) Just want to figure out where to start looking for preference points. I'd like to find a unit with good success and decent sized rams (first sheep hunt). So far I have primarily looked at 121 harvest reports. Any other units to look into?

Personally since the odds are so long I would apply every year no matter what.

There are also unlimited units you can hunt where you are guaranteed a tag but they are very challenging. I’ve hunted goats in these units and can attest to the challenge.

Montana has amazing sheep hunting and if you feel lucky I would apply for the units in the Breaks. I am sure others will chime in.

I have drawn moose and goat in MT but never sheep. Not yet anyway. Good luck!

I apply for the Breaks units every year. Odds are I will never draw in my lifetime but for me it is my dream hunt so I will try...forever. Odds are better in some of the other units but also a long shot. Pick a unit and settle in for the long haul. If you get tired of waiting, buy an unlimited tag and have at it. Odds are long at success, but at least you’re hunting and not just waiting for a unicorn.

Keep in mind there are Montana RESIDENTS who have been applying for over 50 years and have not drawn a tag. It does not matter what unit you pick odds wise. You are gaining bonus points, not preference points. Big difference. Take a ride out and look things over, the terrain varies quite a bit between sheep units.

It all depends on what you want from a sheep hunt. You said you wanted a chance for a big sheep and great success rates, so then it's the Missouri Breaks (the only hard thing is drawing the tag - the odds are incredibly low, even for residents). If you want a challenge killing one, and to hunt them in the mountains, then the Missouri Breaks is not the place to go. There are some great units, where you can kill a big sheep, and have to work at it, but success rates are still high. Then there are units like 121 (which I drove through today), where they have big sheep but you have to be careful not to hit them when you are driving the main highway. All depends what you want to get out of it. The unlimited sheep hunts are tough, super tough for a DIY hunt - few sheep spread out over a huge area, and the very rare decent sized sheep, lots of grizzlies, and the weather could make them almost impossible to get to where the sheep are some years.

Thanks yall. A lot to consider. Look forward to diving into some units to look into them more. Also did not realize there were unlimited tag units. Will have to look into that some more. Irishman, any units in particular to look at for where you said "have to work at it, but success rates are still high." I don't want to sound cocky, but I'm not afraid to take on a physical challenge. That'll make a harvest so much more memorable. Thanks again for the advice everyone.

Huntin' Fool covers the unlimited units very thoroughly. Otherwise the draw hunts are really just lottery odds for a sheep tag.....another place to put your name in the hat for an extremely slim chance to draw. They publish the ram horn measurements and success rates by unit, but honestly I wouldn't spend more than a couple minutes worrying over which unit is better than another. Any ram tag you can draw is a good tag. The Breaks units are considered among the best for trophy quality, and are usually on the list of units that NR can apply for each year.

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