Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Holy Crap! I drew a sheep tag! Now I did it! 27-1 Idaho

I drew a 27-1 Idaho sheep tag. Some of the nastiest country in the lower 48. Not a road in the whole unit. In fact its over 10 mile hike in from the closest trailhead just to get into the unit. It will either be fly in, or raft, or pack. Either way I have my work cut out for me. Anyone with any help on this unit, I would appreciate it. It has alot of sheep but low success rates because of the terrain and access issues. I have done some backpack hunting but this will be a true expansion of my resume. As well as the toughest challenge I have walked into. If anyone knows anyone that has hunted this area please send them my way. I have applied for different sheep hunts for years. Always wanted the opportunity. This time I just decided to put in for an "easy" tag. Easy to draw. Not to hunt. Cant wait.

Thanks guys


Jason

Congrats on the draw, I've never seen the unit but seems like you know everything about it difficulty wise. I'm considering giving that one a shot next year as the one I've been trying the odds keep getting worse.

Congrats!! Go get em!

Congrats. I don't have any pics of unit 27 but, er, lets just say that this pic is NOT it.

Jason,
Congrats - that will be a fun hunt for you. What gun you plan on using - one of your builds or??

I am trying to sell a rifle right now. Just so I can put one together just for this. I think this calls for a duty specific rifle! Thanks buddy. I am as excited as I am worried about getting fit enough to hunt it the right way!

I have nothing to add, but congratulations, that's awesome!

Is 27-1 Loon Creek? Back in 94 I did 26 miles from Parker Mt along Loon Creek. (Not sheep hunting, just hiking.) I didn't see any sheep. A few deer and some elk.
There were horse trails along the bottom and two camps with guides. There are landing strips in a few places. You'll see some when you look at your gazetteer. You may want to call a pilot our of Challis and ask him about sheep, along with the biologist. I'd think hard about getting dropped off and then doing some HARD hiking from there.
Congrats on the tag. I've been meaning to put in for Loon Creek and never have.
Sorry I can't be more helpful. I don't remember what I had for breakfast this morning, let alone too many details from that trip 18 years ago!

If you still lived in Lebanon, I'd be glad to let you use that KS .280 I brought to your shop that day a couple years ago - but you had to move to Idaho - lucky:) Whatever you put together I'm sure will shoot lights out!

Congrats man, wish I could go!

[/quote]
If you still lived in Lebanon, I'd be glad to let you use that KS .280 I brought to your shop that day a couple years ago - but you had to move to Idaho - lucky:) Whatever you put together I'm sure will shoot lights out! [/quote]

Thanks. I appreciate it. You know general elk and buck season is open during this hunt.

Jason - just sent you a PM. Sounds like this will be a great hunt.

Congrats on drawing strictlyRUM! Good luck on your hunt, hope you kill a Booner and post some pics here for us to see!

TwentySeven is a bad MoFo...

Idaho isn't the highest state in the union, but we have some places that will rank right up there as the nastiest. The problem is that it doesn't stay high. The altitude difference between the draws and the ridges is as bad as they come.

Not sure the exact boundaries of unit 27-1, but I spent quite a bit of time in Loon, Little Loon, Pungo Mountain, Marble Creek, Trail Creek, Mahoney, white creek, etc. a few years ago.

Each evening after work, I'd glass for game, specifically sheep. Saw a few elk, bears, and deer, but never did see a sheep. I'm of the opinion that the sheep in there live in the timber a good portion of the time. I was in there in late July-Early August and it was hot so I didnt really expect to see much.

If you fly into soldier bar, little creek, mahoney, etc. I'd recommend middle fork aviation out of Challis. Pete Nelson is the owner, I believe, and he is a great pilot as are all his employees. I've flown with almost all of his pilots, and they are safe and second to none when it comes to flying into the church.

The trails in there are sketchy at best, and I'd recommend you get ahold of the FS trail crews out of Challis and Salmon. Many of the trails shown on the maps, simply dont exist any more. Many have not been maintained for years. Classic example is the trail up Marble Creek...its there in the lower stretches and then flat disappears as you get up there a few miles.

You will definately earn any sheep you take in there. I've worked a lot of country in MT, WY, CO, NM, AZ, etc. and that is just plain mean country, as tough as it gets anywhere I've ever worked or hunted.

Good luck on your hunt and stay safe.

If you need the contact info for the FS trail guys...send me a PM and I can tell you who to talk with.

That is ROUGH looking terrain!!! One way or the other, you will have some good stories!!! Good luck on your hunt!

Eric

If you still lived in Lebanon, I'd be glad to let you use that KS .280 I brought to your shop that day a couple years ago - but you had to move to Idaho - lucky:) Whatever you put together I'm sure will shoot lights out! [/quote]

Thanks. I appreciate it. You know general elk and buck season is open during this hunt. [/quote]

Jason,
when is the hunt?? If you end up needing a extra pack mule I could do it - it would be fun stuff to be a part of a sheep hunt. So if I could help it would be fun:) Its not that far of a drive and all i have going this year is antelope in Wyoming.
Keep us all posted.
Frank

Good luck and congrats! I hunted with a pard in one of the 27's for 18 days for sheep over two trips. We backpack, flew, and rafted. I'd worry less about your rifle and more about getting as in shape and mentally prepared as possible. There are sheep, but I'd call them far from abundant, at least in my experience. IMO, the mental side was harder than the physical side. Beautiful scenery, but we just didn't see a lot of game of any type. Good luck, it'll definitely be an adventure!

Thanks guys. I will definately be in as good of shape as I can get it. I try to stay in better shape than most. This will be a different story tho. I only live at about 1100 ft. I hike weekly. I will start doing it daily now. Its only about 2 miles but it goes from 1100 to 3200 in that two miles. I do intensity interval training with weights 3-4 times a week now. But only for the last six weeks. We just had my second son four months ago so I am working the "baby weight" off. All in all its a good time for me. Work is calming down a bit. I have most of the gear needed for a trip like this. May need a few things. More like upgrade a few. I am not "worried" about my rifle. I havent built a rifle in a long time. Havent ever built myself an ultra light gun. I put together a few that were under six pounds for other guys. Just not myself. The mental will be the hardest. I do have about four months to get ready tho. I am not realy worried about seeing game either. Although prepared to go days without. I have allready talked to a couple of people that have hunted it in the past. If you pick the wrong time the animals are definately spread out. Not like most typical sheep hunts. They dont start to group up till later in the season. Depending on weather and water conditions you may have better results than other years. I am only looking for the chance. Not too worried about score either. Just an epic adventure. I have spent a bit of time just watching and photographing sheep from Montana to Oregon. This time I will have a couple of tags in my pocket. If I wanted a gimme tag I could have waited years and hunted unit 11. Its just outside my door and you can spot them from the road. What fun would that be. Thanks again guys for info I have been given so far. Also for the pics. CANT WAIT!


Jason

Frank, I will be flying in and rafting down to get flown out from another strip. If that sounds like "fun" to you. I think you should think about Oct 1-10 or 14 depending on things. Then give me a call. Number is still the same.

Im going to go hike for a while.