Yukon Dall sheep hunt sells for lowest price in decade, at U.S. auction

What's hot this year among the moneyedsheephunters of America? Montana bighorns.

Yukon Dall sheep,not so much.

A rare permitto hunt a Dall sheep in Yukon's formerKluaneGame Sanctuarywent for a relativelylow pricethis yearat anannual auction in the U.S. $55,000 US ($74,000 Cdn).

That's hardlychump change, but it'sa far cry from last year'swinning bid of $105,000 US, or 2008's record-high bid of $315,000 US. It's also the lowest winning bid since the first such permit was auctionedin 2006.

The auction is held every winterby the Wild Sheep Foundationat its annual convention "The Sheep Show".

Dozens of permits for sheep hunts across North America are sold, some of them going for more than the price of a Whitehorse home. AMontana bighorn permit sold for a whopping $480,000 US this year, while an Arizona desert sheep fetched $380,000 US.

Yukon'sKluane First Nation, which has Dall sheep on its territory, offersone Dall sheep permitfor auction as part of its land claim agreements. Most of the money goes tothe First Nation, with a small cut (generally, about 10 per cent)forthe Wild Sheep Foundation's conservation efforts.

Clint Walker, president of the Foundation's Yukon chapter, said auction bidding is alwaysdifferent, and this just wasn't Yukon's year.

"It's an effect of who's there at the banquet, and you know, somebody maybe really wants to hunt in Yukon, versus Alaska or Northwest Territories," Walker said.

"And then a lot of time it comes down to two acquaintances being at table across from each other that decide they want to see how much each person's willing to go, and run each other up. We like to see that happen."

Past hunts can influence bidding

Walker also said the bidding is sometimesguided by how past winners have fared few sheep hunters, no matter how rich, are keento shell out for a hiking trip in the mountains that doesn't end witha trophy.

"People will look at the rams that mayor may not havebeen taken in previous years on that hunt," Walker said.

"Kluane First Nation has had a professional outfitter outfit [the winner's hunt]in the last couple of years, other years they haven't. That's all factored infor a potential buyer," Walker said.

Walker could not say how many past auction winners took home a ram from Kluane.

Kluane First Nation chief MathieyaAlatini would not speak to CBC about theauction.