I know this is the custom rifles forum and I'm not familiar with all of Oregon's sheep units but sheep are sheep so it's gonna be rugged country without too many escalators. Spend the money on a gym membership and a summer full of 5am workouts and scouting trips instead of a new rifle with a Hubble mounted on top. Failing that any of the afore mentioned rifles will work.
I have spent much of my 67+ years living in the mountains of BC, where I was born and Alberta, where my family also pioneered in the late-middle 19thC. Some of my solo stints living among wild game were three months without a break and my longest periods were 5 to 5.5 months.
During my almost 50 years of owning and using rifles, I have now owned about 150, am down to only 30 now and "holding"; these include about every higher end and limited production sporting rifles made, from Europe, Britain, and the USA as well as customs from Biesen, Dakota, VERY fine German and "name"English makers.
I often carried a rifle, several hours per day, every day for months and I will flatly state that the above quote is THE most useful advice you have received here so far. I have a custom 6 lb. superb 7-08 and I have 9+ lb. pristine P-64 Alaskans in Mickys with Swaro, Talleys and all the "goodies" and to be honest, ANY of my rifles WILL and DO work just fine from Blacktail Deer on Vancouver Is. to RM Elk in the Muskwa, Gatho or Tuchodi and having been to and even lived in the bush in these places, I have found that my FITNESS and overall health is what REALLY counts...at my age, this is even more crucial to a successful hunt and a clean kill on the animal you dream of as, I hope, we all consider THE most important issue here.
I have sustained some major injuries and in the past year+, the severe damage to my legs, spine and even hand bones and nerves has finally caught up to me. Being an ornery,stubborn and determined old squareheaded geezer, I ain't gonna give up quite yet, so, working with my MD, once a BC logger, who understands bush guys, injuries and is also my age, I am doing bleachers and with some Oxycodone, careful exercises at home and NO "martial arts" yippedee-do-dah, I am probably going to be able to hunt northern BC for a few years yet...and, I will just take whatever rifle I have loads ready for.
It IS fun to speculate as to WHAT EXACTLY the PERFECT "mountain rifle" really is, but, one of the most successful hunters I know, a relative of mine, former "pro"hockey player, early 50s, big, VERY tough and feisty, FIT, has taken several Kootenay Elk that are HUGE 6x6s. a 7x8 and a 9x7, two fine RMG Billies, several Black Bears, a few Moose, lots of deer and three Grizzlies, all with a single, 1981 "tang" Ruger .338WM. I had this as one of a slightly customized matched pair, but, sold it to my brother who traded it to my cousin here.
He HAS lots of guns, is worth well over a few million through his successful business, but, he likes this old, 9.5 lb. rifle, loads Federal factory NP ammo and he "get's 'er done", so, there you go, there are many possible, workable options here.
