[ODFW-News] Oregon Bighorn Sheep Auction Tag Sells for $78,000

[ODFW News]

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife =09
Contact: 	Anne Pressentin Young (503) 872-5264 x5356=09
Internet: www.dfw.state.or.us Fax: (503) 872-5700

	For Immediate Release	Monday, January 27, 2003

Oregon Bighorn Sheep Auction Tag Sells for $78,000

PORTLAND - A Pennsylvania man bid $78,000 at the Foundation for North =
American Wild Sheep auction held last week in Reno for the opportunity to =
hunt an Oregon bighorn sheep in any of the state's sheep hunt units during =
an expanded season.

Based on his bid, Don Snyder, Canton, Penn., may hunt for either a Rocky =
Mountain or California bighorn this year. The national FNAWS organization =
hosts the auction each year at its annual banquet.  In 2002, the successful=
 bidder paid $74,000 for the Oregon tag. Since 1987, the bighorn auction =
tag has generated $986,600 for Oregon's bighorn sheep.

Money raised through the auction of this tag helps fund Oregon's bighorn =
sheep management and research programs. Proceeds from last year's auction =
tag were used to help fund this year's bighorn trapping and transplant =
operations.=20

Oregon was one of many states and provinces in North America offering =
auction tags for wild sheep at the annual banquet. Bid prices ranged from =
$31,000 for a Navaho Nation desert bighorn sheep to $200,000 for a Rocky =
Mountain bighorn in Alberta. Idaho's tag went for $90,000, and Washington's=
 garnered $50,000. The auction took in more than $1.7 million for 21sheep =
tags, which is the most revenue taken in since 1998's $1.86 million for 16 =
tags.=20

Oregon also raffles a bighorn sheep tag each year. The drawing for the =
2003 hunt will occur May 17 at the Oregon Hunters Association banquet in =
Redmond. The 2002 raffle generated more than $77,000 for management =
programs, and organizers expect this year's will bring similar proceeds. =
The deadline to buy raffle tickets through Point-of-Sale license agents is =
May 7.  Tickets can also be purchased by mail order or at the OHA banquet. =
 Since 1992, the raffle tag has generated nearly $445,300.=20

Both the auction tag holder and the raffle winner are exempt from Oregon's =
limitation of one bighorn sheep hunt tag per lifetime. This exemption went =
into effect in 2000 as a result of Legislative action proposed by Oregon =
Hunters Association and FNAWS.  More information on Oregon's bighorn sheep =
raffle tag may be found in the 2002 Big Game Regulations on pages 28-31.


###


Information and Education Section
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
(503) 872-5264 ext 5528