North American Sheep Slam

Dall Sheep

Possibly the least difficult (only because of the lower price tag and the fact that you *sometimes don’t have to draw a tag) as well as the least expensive North American sheep hunt is for a Dall ram. Because of this, a Dall sheep hunt is usually the first one hunters go after for their Sheep Slam. Their population is steady and increasing and they are easy to glass.

Dall sheep hunts are available in Alaska, the Yukon, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories. Although there are some over the counter units, for the best units you’ll probably need to draw a tag. Luckily, it is realistic to draw at least one in your lifetime.

Stone Sheep

Stone sheep are considered “thin horn” sheep, similar to Dall sheep. Their range is not only remote and typically rugged, they also have the smallest population of the four species, making them more expensive to hunt.

Stone sheep hunts are available in Northern British Columbia, into the southern Yukon Territory.

Fannin Sheep

Usually significantly lighter, but is technically still considered a Stone sheep. Their habitat is generally a little steeper and more rugged, but other than that, they are quite similar.

Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep

The Rocky Mountain bighorn is the largest of the North American sheep. Most hunters play the waiting game for Rockies and hope to draw a tag and either go self-guided or hire an outfitter in the area they drew.

“Rockies” are found in: Alberta; British Columbia; Arizona; Colorado; Idaho; Montana; Nebraska; Nevada; New Mexico; North Dakota; South Dakota; Oregon; Utah; Washington; and Wyoming.

California Bighorn Sheep

Even though they are a separate subspecies, California bighorns count towards your Rocky Mountain bighorn for the Grand Slam. They are considerably smaller than the Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, their horns are shorter and less massive, and tend to have more flare.

California bighorns are found in the following States and Provinces: British Columbia; Idaho; Nevada; Oregon; Washington; and Utah.

Desert Bighorn Sheep

The Desert bighorn sheep is usually the last ram of a“Grand Slam” to be taken, and is often never taken at all. The Desert bighorn can be tough to hunt, but the greatest obstacle is the difficulty of getting a permit… there aren’t many available.

After their populations reached the brink of extinction, Desert bighorn sheep populations have since stabilized due to conservation efforts. Their decline was due to over hunting, habitat loss and disease passed on from domestic livestock.

Limited permits are available through drawing in Arizona, Nevada, Utah and a few other states, but few permits are allotted to non-residents. The easiest place to hunt a desert bighorn ram is Mexico, where good hunts are operated by the government. Unfortunately though, these hunts are VERY expensive.