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That said, I too don’t understand the distain for outfitter, at least to the degree you seem to hate them. I have hunted with all kinds of outfitters all over the world. I would say almost to a T every one I have ever hunted with are great people. Some hunts were better than others, but over all pretty much positive experiences across the board. And some have become life long friends.

I personally have taken all 10 with a bow, and certainly don’t think I could have without the help of outfitters, private land access, Canada and Alaska (guide requirements). I understand the DIY mentality and satisfaction of doing it yourself, but there is certainly a place for outfitters and I personally think blanket distain is pretty closed minded and limits your hunting experiences over all. Obviously guys that only want to hunt whitetails can do without outfitters, and with leasing etc I see how they get a bad taste in their mouth from outfitters in general, but for a guy like yourself looking for adventure hunts outfitters can be an integral piece of the puzzle.

Also the $ aspect, yeah, it is freaking expensive, but being only 34 and only needing 5 more species I would expect you can save $ and do one hunt ever 2-3 years if you are truly committed to the quest. Repeats on the big stuff are what absolutely destroy that plan, but maybe you can get lucky and get 2 species on one trip as well.

Good luck with it,‘I sincerely hope you get there, it’s quite an accomplishment for regular guys with archery equipment.

—Jim

Most of us on the Bowsite earn decent bucks like you and “where there’s a will, there’s a way”. Good luck with chasing your dream.

PS: Thx for posting the chart. Never saw it before but figured out I have 7 of the 10. It sux being old but sure beats the alternative.

I still need an elk and a cougar, both of which I could have killed this past fall, if I'd been a bit more lucky or on the ball. So far trying to call a cougar in has been a blank, but I do have some friends with hounds. Hopefully I'll be 9/10 DIY and if I do ever draw a bison, then maybe 10/10.

I should add that the Bowsiter I hunted with for muskox went on to complete his archery Super Slam and way over half of those were DIY. I should actually put that in the "Brushes with Greatness" thread since I've hunted with him numerous times :)

You can easily buy auction/land owner tags for sheep and mountain goats and go hunt DIY.

It will cost you more than guided and the odds of success will be lower.

Other easy option is move to Alaska, or Western Canada and get OTC tags for Sheep and Goats.

Third option is apply for Ewe/Nanny tags in every State that offers them to greatly increase your odds of drawing

My opinion is they are helping it turn into a rich man sport, and you are correct… I would have no satisfaction in showing up to hunt ANY animal and someone saying here they are, have at it!

I’m sure there are some great guys who are outfitters….. but I’m sure they still charge you big bucks to come hunt! Either way this isn’t a thread about outfitters and who likes them and who don’t …. It’s about sheep and goats!

I’ll keep saving and see what happens one day, but unfortunately I don’t ever see the price’s getting any cheaper ??

That is an odd statement to make in a thread you started specifically to ask for other people's opinions.

I hate to be a pessimist, but it may be smarter to buy a hunt rather than wait and hunt forever.

And I also agree that prices will not go down. Nowhere to go except up.

I maintain my position, it’s virtually impossible for a guy living in KS to do it DIY and on a budget. If you Live in BC like Kurt or Ambush then you absolutely could.

—Jim

Apply for every raffle in the lower 48 for sheep and goat and keep your fingers crossed.

Play the lottery and hope to win. Then bid on governor tags in states that have goat and sheep

Also make sure to only in apply in areas that aren't wilderness and are required a guide.

Or listen to those with the experience on here who offerd up their free advice and have been there done that.

Ive never met Jim, but have talked with him numerous times, and respect what he has accomplished. What he says is true. It will be nearly impossible to achieve what you want to do without shelling out hundreds of thousands of dollars on auction tags, or you moving to AK or BC where you can get those tags as a resident.

Your view on outfitters is misguided in that they are not the sole reason for creating a rich mans game. Your fellow hunters, landowners, animal rights activists, and many other factors come into play there.

Accomplishing the super 10 is a fantastic feat, and to do it all with archery is top level. When you look at what you have left to chase and hope to harvest in one trip, just realize that there are plenty of others out there looking for the same animals, and there are more hunters looking than there are opportunities to be had. If you arent willing to find a way to obtain those possibilities, be it thru an outfitter, re-mortgaging your house, or moving, then you could realistically be too old or dead before reaching that goal, and you might need to look for a new one.

And moving to Alaska is not out of the question, once my kid graduates high school! As my work has opportunities there! Sounding like that may be the best option for sheep!

I know it wont be easy, if it was everyone on here would have all those boxes checked! Nothing that is “easy” is fun!

I was 57 years old the first and only time to date that I've hired an outfitter. Drew a bighorn ram tag in Colorado. Once in a lifetime opportunity and I had zero experience bowhunting sheep. Hunted the first week with the guide and another two+ weeks DIY...never saw a legal ram. So the comment "there they are, have at it" couldn't be further from accurate. That's not how it works.

Just turned 61 a few weeks ago. That bighorn sheep hunt remains my only guided big game hunt to date. That said, I currently have my name on three outfitter lists for three big game species I've never hunted...and likely never will have the ability to hunt DIY. To be clear, DIY remains my priority for most species that I pursue...but DIY is just not feasible across the board. I'd rather hunt these species with a guide than to never hunt them at all. To be clear, I have built points for two of those species in multiple states for more than twenty years...and have come to the conclusion those tags are likely not going to happen in the years I have remaining to bowhunt.

At 34 years old...you should never say never when it comes to hiring an outfitter. Very good chance the time will come when you require an outfitter. If you ever desire to hunt Canada or the big four in Alaska (as a non-resident), an outfitter is your only option. That's just the world in which we live..

So if you are dedicated to getting the Super Ten, you better either move or start saving and swallow your DIY pride. And your "Best Before" date will expire quicker than you think.

And just an FYI; if I was looking for advice about varied and multitudinous hunting options/experiences, jtreeman would be top of the list to quiz. He's more than just a smiling face in a kill pic ;)

Some solid advice from those that know above. If you should decide that an outfitter might be acceptable to meet your goals and you want to hunt a ram in Canmore at a discount over current booking rates, I can hook you up with a deal.

Possible to do it DIY? Yes. So is winning the lottery. Without moving to a place like Alaska, it’s very unlikely you can get it done in your lifetime without going through an outfitter.

I would have no satisfaction in showing up to hunt ANY animal and someone saying here they are, have at it!

I need you to pass on the info of the outfitters you’re referencing here! Feel free to private message me their names haha

And Jim is awesome. He’s the second coolest Treeman behind Ace, but second ain’t bad.

My guided hunt for Mountain Caribou and Dall Sheep has to rank at the top of the heap for awesomeness. A guided hunt can be a huge advantage over doing it on your own. You will most likely spend more trying to figure it out than you would have if you just hired a good outfitter with a good reputation for the animals you are after.

When I draw any of the top tier tags (sheep, goat, or moose) in the lower 48 where a guide is not required, I most likely will be doing them DIY (with as much "unprofessional guide" help as I can get!). But, if it is one of those that has taken over 20-25 years to finally draw, I very well may hire an outfitter to help increase the odds. Also playing the long odds game as a NR in Alaska for moose, bison, and muskox that will be the same. With a son in Alaska, hopefully will be able to pull off some of the hunts requiring guides with him in the upcoming years and may need to move up north myself...

At 23 for bison in Utah and hopefully will draw it before I die. The drawing systems are all tough to get one of those coveted tags and the odds say you are much more likely to never draw a sheep or goat tag.

If you want to ever even have a shot at the sheep, goats, bison, or muskox unguided, you need to pack your bags and move to Alaska ASAP. You probably also need to change your occupation to something that will allow you to stack up money faster than what you are doing now and allow for time to hunt...

I understand DYI to mean...........Do Yourself In (DYI), not Do It Yourself (DIY). :)

I’d be 6 for 10 by now if T Roy woulda let me come down and kill that damn cat. May never hit the super ten…. Got other goals to accomplish first, but I’ll assure you, to get any of these goals accomplished it takes time, money and the help of others.

At this point in my life I cannot justify the sheep or goat cost.

So impressed with those that have accomplished this or the super slam

From where I sit, 80% complete is actually less than 50% complete … goats and sheep are the big hurdles - for multiple reasons.

Maybe a good goal for a guy in his 50s who needs to lose a few pounds.

Bowsite is a special place...

Musk Ox is in the works.

But the cost for sheep!! And it’s never going to be lower.

IMO, just being able to do different type hunts is a 10!

I've got 8 and a bear will give me 9

Good luck, Robb

I'm a lion away from the 10, but wouldn't mind changing that sometime soon!!

Hoped to get to 21 archery in short order but couldn’t stay in Alaska… should have resorted to the rifle as I was in easy range on Dall Ram, Moose, Caribou, Grizzly but chose to pass hopefully getting them with archery the next time…. Now that I am not a resident that’s a lost opportunity.

More to the point of there OPs question. Certainly, you can do it. It just depends on how serious you are, and how much you can spend doing it. It would help if you would consider guided for some. I understand wanting to do it all DIY, but that's not very practical. It also helps to live where most of them are available. You can get 8 of the 10 categories in CO, for instance. I did it, and my wife came close, by pursuing the Big 8, 9, and 10 in CO (we still need a desert sheep for 10), plus some out-of-state hunts that interested us. The Super 10 was never a goal. As was mentioned, going after females is also possible. My cougar, and black bear are females, and so are my wife's elk, sheep, and moose. Just have fun hunting. Goals like that can enhance the journey, or ruin it.

Good Luck

For me it has been more a love of hunting something, and somewhere, new than it has been a checklist. The hunts have not been a means to an end, they’ve been exciting adventures that have taken me to some of the most incredible places in North America.

My first big outfitted hunt was a ten day fly in horseback hunt in the mountains of northern British Columbia in 2001. Ten days with one guide, who was a great guy, a little wall tent and a small string of horses in some of the most spectacular country in North America.

You can be hard headed and check your species boxes while trying not to use outfitters but, trust me, you are making a huge mistake denying yourself experiences like that.

Gonna have to head north for that caribou though…

Good luck, Robb