Hunters pay $180,000 each to bag sacrificial rams

Two U.S. hunters have paid more than $180,000 each to hunt bighorn sheep in British Columbia and Alberta.

The Foundation for North American Wild Sheep recently auctioned off one tag for each province that allows the bearer to hunt mountain sheep three weeks before the normal hunting season begins or 30 days after the season ends.

Chris Ott of Naples, Fla., paid $150,000 US for the B.C. tag, while Todd Jaksic of Reno, Nev., paid the same amount for the Alberta tag.

Each man will be the only legal sheep hunter in the province during those periods.

The B.C. fee is the second highest that's been paid since the B.C. government began the special hunt five years ago.

"These permits are set up by the various governments to generate revenue for their conservation programs," Ray Lee, the president of the U.S.-based foundation, told CBC News.

"We auction the permits and the bulk of the money is returned to the state or province."

About 90 per cent of the funds raised in the auction would be pumped back into sheep conservation efforts in the provinces, Lee said.

The foundation has raised about $50 million for conservation efforts in its 28 years of existence, he said.

Mature rams with full-curl horns are highly coveted by trophy hunters.

The foundation also auctioned off a special elk hunt in British Columbia for $41,000 US.