Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Alaska Range Sheep Hunt August 10th---MUST HAVES

I have not had the issue with a Leica on sheep, but CWH2 did last fall in the Alaska Range, now that you mention it. I wrote it off as wierd conditions... lots of fog/clouds/distance.

Funny stuff again... Picking on a post count when you have a pretty high count that was interrupted for a serious length of time because of your rantings. What do you suppose your count would be if you had been allowed to post the whole time?

I much prefer making sure my posts are correct and welcome any challenge you may have based on substance. Feel free to correct me anywhere. And realize there are many here that have been with me on those trips you are suggesting did not happen.

If it would have been just 1 of the Leicas then I would have just kept it but it happened with 2 different Leica CRF 1200's. 1 was probably 2 years old at the time (2011) and the other was brand new. I've had no issues at all with the Bushnell, it ranged my last ram with no problem at all.

I have carried a 1 mill drop cloth 9x12 something that size ..its lite...It saved us a "sukassday" one time> when a monster rain storm came while we were about 6500'...we could see it coming and we were going to "get it big time" we got a good rock seat facing the on slot...40 min of Heavy rain and wind latter , we uncovered and hunted the rest on the trip high and dry!!

You're right, lots of good interesting/useful stuff. I have only ever dreamed of sheep hunting. At your age I loved to scramble through any terrain, especially mountains. 25 years and hereditary have ruined any hope I have of doing that again. I don't regret the pics I maybe only wish we had had digital back then. "Gore-tex will get you wet" has been my experience as well - except in mild use. +1 on nylon slings. If you decide to run with Barnes monos, not that need you that hard a bullet to get good penetration, find a good combo for the ones with the extra T, the TTSX. Monos work great when they work right, but I have caught or recovered over half of the TSXs I've used and expansion has been weak. Monos dote on speedy impacts, and the 308, an excellent hunting choice, will not be breaking any speed records. You might even consider an Accubond.

You REALLY don't get it, eh, I am the SECOND person whom you have attacked on a personal basis in this thread, alone. That, is characteristic of you as I have seen here both in the first four years I was here and, again, after I voluntarily left and then returned last year....you seem to "need" to attempt to denigrate others constantly and as I have said, several times before now, I just DO NOT care what you think or find any of your foolish rants more than slightly amusing.

As to my posts, I started posting here, three years after I retired and I MIGHT have made fewer than half of your huge total if I had wanted to remain from March, 2008 to last year. In all that time, on the few sites that I have made posts on, as a retired person, largely kept at home due to a very ill wife, I have made FEWER than HALF the number of posts that you, a supposed very busy and "experienced" professional bushman, have made on this site alone.....

So, ART, I am, again, just NOT INTO bothering with your sort of behaviour and I am sure that you will have more of your foolish and false comments to make here about me...and, then, you will harass someone else....much like a "class bully" in primary school......

So, have at 'er, you DA REAL MAN.....exit, laffin'.....

I guess my mind was just in the brooks? Ignore all that Brooks-range specific info... my bad.

There are no sheep in the AK range, but I'd still love to keep it to myself.

I'm not a fan personally. But I know many that are.



For crampons on a sheep hunt (depending on the season and location) I really like these: http://hillsound.com/hillsound-product/trail-crampon/

They are light, quick and easy on/off.

For a hunt where I know I'll be playing on ice and steep snow, I prefer these: http://www.kahtoola.com/kts_crampons_details.php in steel.


Art, quit making fun of the Canadian. That's mean....

Here is what prompted my comments:
"I don't know, never tried it and in the many years where I would spend months alone with only a supply trip once every six weeks living in some of the most densely populated Grizzly country on Earth, I just kept a meticulously clean camp, burned ALL organic wastes AND cans, bottles, etc and watched what/where and how I did things. I had several close encounters, but, no real problems and I enjoy seeing these bears up close...as long as they are "friendly". "

It is part of a discussion we shared previously. The most densely populated grizzly country and you lived it for months at a time alone... and saw just 200 bears in 40 years. I am not the only person here that finds that number funny. And you keep usng it though you know that... Do the real math on your post count and get back to us on how much the differnce works out to.

Questioning bad advice is now wrong? Questioning the source of bad advice is wrong?

Not really looking to be mean... I am just lazy and it is easy.

CWH2,

I agree I've tried the plastic boot thing, but not for me.

As far as crampons, I used those Hillsounds for 2 years, but after 17 days on Kodiak last year on two different mountain goat hunts they were completely destroyed.

My buddy got the cypress 6 point crampons and they are definitely stouter and faster to put on/off.

But I got the Kahtoola K-10s and so far I like 'em, but we'll see once I get couple sheep hunts and goat hunts on them this year.

When I was younger and skinny I really liked my Koflach hunters (Plastic Boots) kept my weak ankles in support and gave me confidnce on side hills. But now after a broken leg incident and weight, and knee issues I don,t know. They were not the answer for all hunts and all terrain.

If you haven't yet gotten a full dollar's worth, then here's my $.02:

Rifle: Sheep have amazing eyesight, but thankfully they still can't read headstamps. Any reasonable cartridge will get 'em dead, so don't feel as if you need to bring a 1,500 yard extra-flat shooter. "Beanfield 1-holers" are great, but you'll be schlepping your bangstick up nearly vertical hillsides, in a state of exhaustion. Yes, weight matters. To me, though, confidence in your setup is the most important consideration. Take the rifle that you know you can't miss with, so long as the weight isn't ridiculous.

Fishing Pole: don't bring it. There's a low chance that you'd actually get to use it, but a 100% change you'll be thinking about how heavy your pack is by the morning of Day 2. If you're not brining a spotter, then don't bring the rod & reel. And the corollary is that if your guide is bringing the spotter, then he can probably have a fishing kit available, too.

Sleeping Bag: Only you can say what's enough, & what's too much. I've read accounts of posters here sleeping comfortably at 10 below in a 20-degree-rated bag. I'm the opposite - I've gotta add at least an extra 15 degrees to a bag's rating to see where I'd start to feel uncomfortable. Weight certainly matters, but if you're freezing your azz off all night, then you aint sleepin'. And you're gonna NEED that sleep.

Backpack: I side with those who say you've gotta be intimately, even BIBLICALLY familiar with your pack. It's gotta fit you extremely well. If your guide is willing to ship you one of his extra bags now, then you can play with it & see if it works for you. But showing up for your hunt and expecting to everything to work out is a certain recipe for disaster. Murphy's law applies doubly to expensive hunts.

Clothes: You will get wet from within & without - count on it. Keep an extra set in a Ziploc or dry bag. Your base & mid layers must breathe. Your outer layers must shed water well, &/or come off quickly if needed. This is an area to pay special heed to the guide/outfitter's recommendations, particularly when it comes to rain gear.

Survival Kit: You are responsible for getting your butt off the mountain. Period. Sure, you're hiring a guide, but you will always be 1 accident away from being on your own. Do your own research, pack what makes you comfortable, and be extremely familiar with each and every item you choose to include.

Comfort Items: I hate to title it this way, as it will invite even more ridicule than all the other well-meaning posts in this thread. For me, baby wipes, Gold Bond, Motrin, Visine, Immodium, Dayquil capsules, Starbucks Via, etc., are more than just comfort items. They can keep me going when I otherwise might be loathe to leave the tent. You're spending good $ to do this hunt, so make sure you can get out there & do it. As for the sheep smelling the Gold Bond? If they can pick the smell of the Gold Bond out above the Hoppes on my rifle, the nasty stench of my drawers on day 10, or my Mountain House flatulence, then more power to 'em. You have to hunt the wind regardless, so why do it with a raw crotch?

Attitude: Far & away the most important determinant in the success of your hunt. You've seen from all these posts that there are many different ways to do this hunt successfully, so there's no one "right" answer. Trust in your hunting area, your guide, and yourself. No matter how much physical training you do beforehand, you'll wish you'd done more. Set that aside, and know that you'll get everywhere you need to go on the mountain, and you'll get there when you get there. Patience & perseverance win the day.

Good luck!

FC

I would suggest you get a stick of Body Glide anti chafe balm and try it while your getting in shape. I don't know how it will work on a extended hunt but for the couple a three days jaunts I've used it,it worked great for heels and jock areas.

kscowboy01,
Lot's of great info above. I hunted sheep three times in the Brooks and wish I could have done it at your age. Only thing I'd add to the above would be to add hydration bladder of some type.
I took along pacs of "propel" and added a pac or two each morning when filling up. This is what I used on my last hunt and thought it was great.

.http://www.basspro.com/CamelBak-Unbottle-Hydration-System-70-oz-/product/10225892/

"I always try to leave a dry pair of long underwear at camp to change into before crawling in my sleeping bag. In the morning the damp ones go back on, so that I will again have some dry clothes to sleep in. " Good info!!

Good Luck!!

Great advice above but to boil it down:

Take a young man's legs and an old man's wallet!

Only have one Dall sheep hunt to my credit but I believe the best thing, as others have stated, is to train with the backpack I used. I bought a Barney's as that was what my guide was using. I got permission from a local ski hill owner and used that for my training. Not as good as "mountains" but it worked better than nothing. Going uphill is harder on the muscles but going downhill is harder on the joints. I worked my way up to 65 pounds as that was the estimate from my guide. I am certainly not a youngster anymore but did not have any problems with my legs or feet. Alot of good advise here.

I dd not take a spotting scope with my as my guide had his Swarovski. I wish I had taken my own, a lowly Leupold, as it was a little frustrating to look at the white specks with my 10X binos while the guide was counting the rings!! That was about all I really wanted extra.

Drink lots of water. I got leg cramps one night and guide said I probably wasn't drinking enough water. Sure was nice drinking straight from the streams and I drank more from then on.

Good luck and have fun. Alot of the fun is the excitement and preparation of these hunts. I know as I have drawn a tag for a long awaited Utah elk hunt this year.!!!!!

Don't overthink the equipment. You've got plenty of good stuff. Sheep hunting is as hard as hunting gets, so make damn sure you are in shape. In the last 2 months besides hiking and walking I would be on a stairclimber with a loaded pack many days a week.

Your mental outlook is really important. Sheep live in the tall and steep sometimes with lots of fog, wind and clouds. Do not get discouraged by tough conditions. You are asking for those by chasing sheep around. If it was easy, women and kids would be going with you. Lots of people emphasize equipment, but do not get in good enough shape physically and mentally.

I heard people mention get a Barney's pack but should it be internal frame or external frame? Which is best for sheep hunting?