If you have money burning a hole in your pocket and desperately want to check a bighorn sheep off of your ‘dream hunt’ list, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks auctions off one license each year to the highest bidder.
In the state of Montana only about 150 sheep licenses are issued each year through a lottery system and the auction system was created by the Legislature as a funding source to aid in managing special animal species.
While this year’s auction netted a handsome $305,000, the auctioned license has sold for more in the past; as unbelievable as that might sound to most of us.
In addition to the bighorn sheep license auction, the state also auctions off one Shiras moose license, one male mule deer license, one male elk license and one mountain goat license each year. Much the same as the bighorn sheep auction, the proceeds from each auction go toward the management of the specified species.
The bighorn sheep auction has helped the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks net-gun a number of sheep over the years and relocated them to additional regions, strengthening the population of these animals.
