4 Days Backpacking for Sheep

Bruce Culberson

Bruce Culberson

Joined
Feb 6, 2007
Messages
1,298
Well I finally got to go on a mountain hunt with my brother in August. Here are the pics:

My brother hiking up the trail:
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Then we made alpine:
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Lambs and ewes through the spotting scope:
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Ptarmagin:
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Sheepy looking area:
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Bro glassing:
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Little cooler when you get right up top!:
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More lambs & ewes:
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We did see a few rams, one of which was legal. I got in on him but the shot was really, really steep down hill. I dropped one pin and it wasn't enough - the arrow still flew high.......
We also saw 6 wolves (2 jet black, and 4 grey), as well as 3 grizzlys.
 
Great pics Bruce. To bad you didn't get your Ram, but thats part of the game when you hunt with a bow
 
Thanks for the pics. Saw 3 grizzlies? I've wanted to see a grizzly and a polar bear in the wild for a long time. Hopefully I get that chance one day :thumbup:

Hunting at anytime is always better than work, though. ;)
 
gregorio said:
Just wondering if you did bag a ram would you be carrying the meat out?
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Yup, and it makes for a heavy pack seeing as you also have the tent, sleeping bag, stove, spotting scope & tripod. Wild sheep meat is excellent.

Is that KUIU gear you are wearing? If so , how do you like it?
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Yes it is Kuiu. I really like the merino wool - you can wear it for several days, sweating hard, and it doesn't stink up like poly-pro does. The pants are nice too they dry quick, tough, and have just a little stretch.
 
I have bowhunted for 35 years and have taken elk and deer. I cant think of a tougher hunt that Bighorn sheep with the bow. Kudos for going! Best of luck next time!
 
Wow awesome pics that would be a cool hunt regardless of filling the tags. I hope to go someday, I think I will try elk first, I am not near any mountains here in the midwest and wondering how to get in mountain hiking shape without the altitude. I have heard sheep hunting is about as physically demanding as it gets.
 
Crewdawg said:
Cool Pix! Thanks for sharing!

Does the "Ram" baseball cap fool 'em? :D
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I don't know......guess I should have traded hats with my brother :p........

I think I will try elk first, I am not near any mountains here in the midwest and wondering how to get in mountain hiking shape without the altitude.
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The altitude we hunt at is 1400-2000 metres (~5000-6000 feet). I would just try and find the steepest hills you have around there and start hiking up and down them, then after awhile add a pack and start adding weight. This also insures that your stiff leather mountaineering boots are broken in for your hunt. If you have no hills then maybe stadium stairs? Or a stair machine at the gym? Wether you are chasing elk, sheep or mountains goats get in the best shape you can as it will make you hunt much more enjoyable and successful.

When you go take lots of pics and post them up here for us!

Bruce
 
Oh, that's not too bad at 5000-6000, It looked like you were well above the tree line (12000-13000). either way if I was going on a trip like that it would be essential to do some hikes rucking my gear. I think I would go somewhere with a sherpa or mule rental for packing out the meat. The wife and I camped in Colorado at about 9,000 and I was a bit winded the first few days despite being in good flat-lander shape at the time. BC looks awesome in general, used to love watching the man-tracker show, just for the scenery (plus the dude was a hell of a tracker). shots must be pretty long on average for those sheep they have keen vision.
 
Tree line is at 1300-1400m on the sheep/goat mountains around here.

Here are links to a couple past hunts you might also enjoy:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/763113-Long-time-coming

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/873475-Sheep-Hunt-2011

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/994530-Hunting-Mountain-Goats-2012

shots must be pretty long on average for those sheep they have keen vision.
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You should be able to get within 300 yards or less on average.

If you go with an outfiter here they will either use horses and/or the guide can take a wrangler to help with the packing.
 
bb11 said:
I have bowhunted for 35 years and have taken elk and deer. I cant think of a tougher hunt that Bighorn sheep with the bow. Kudos for going! Best of luck next time!
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Tougher hunt would be a Mountain goat.. Sheep hunting ends where goat hunting starts...
Taking nothing away for sheep hunting.. I have a 40" dall. The toughest hunt on the planet with a Bow is Marco Polo.
15 years ago only one guy had ever accomplished killing a Polo with a bow. I have been guided by a guy who managed to accomplish this task. He wasn't the first, I think he was the 3rd.

Sheep are the only animal that actually have taken my breath away prior to shooting. That feeling, and the terrain they live in, are what make sheep hunting so addicting.
 
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