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As the cost of booking a desert sheep hunt in Mexico continues climbing beyond $50,000, most big game hunters are forced to apply for a tag with various state wildlife agencies. However, the non-resident application fees can range into the thousands of dollars. Many of these fees must be paid up-front and some are non-refundable. With the odds of drawing a state tag becoming astronomical, and the costs associated with submitting annual applications in multiple states also rising, savvy hunters have found a way to increase their odds: conservation raffles.
David Kidder, a hunter from Michigan, waited 26 years for an opportunity to hunt desert sheep before winning the Grand Slam Club/Ovis (GSCO) raffle in 2004. "I still can’t believe it! I pinch myself regularly, but the dream is still there, so it must be real," said David.
Nevada resident David K. Haas can relate to David Kidder’s long wait. "I put in for a desert bighorn for 14 years and finally drew a Nevada tag in 2004." David Haas had luck on his side, because in 2006 he also entered and won a GSCO raffle to take other rams.
The long wait to win a state desert sheep tag is not an uncommon story. The odds can be as high as 1 in 100,000, but odds of 1 in 1,000 are common. Many hunters never draw a tag or give up after a decade of rejection letters.
But sheep conservation organizations, like Grand Slam Club/Ovis, are looking to change that. "Hunting these magnificent rams can really get in your blood, but over the past several years, the cost to hunt sheep has climbed out of reach," said GSCO executive director Dennis Campbell. "With our Members-Only Raffle, we offer a fair chance for any GSCO member to win a guided desert sheep hunt."
Although GSCO presents several raffles throughout the year, the Members-Only Raffle limits the number of tickets any one member can purchase, keeping big-spenders and average Joes on a level playing field. Also, by requiring participants to be members of the organization, there are considerably fewer entries than in any state draw, dramatically increasing the odds of winning. In 2007, members purchasing the maximum number of tickets had a 1 in 125 chance of winning the desert sheep hunt.
A one-year membership in GSCO is only $60, less than ½ the cost of a non-resident hunting license in most states.
For complete details on the 2008 Members-Only Raffle desert sheep hunt, visit www.wildsheep.org.
Grand Slam Club/Ovis is a 501(C)(3) organization of hunter/conservationists dedicated to improving and perpetuating wild sheep and wild goat populations worldwide. Founded in 1956, GSCO is the official documentation and records-keeping organization for Grand Slams of North American Wild Sheep, Ovis World Slams and Capra World Slams.
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