Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Battle in the Brooks,

Thanks for taking us along for the hunt, great write up. Did you get to keep the sheep skull in the pic? Or do you have to leave stuff like that?

Great read. Thanks for sharing. Easier is true. But there is no easy in sheep. It can get worse by far.

You did great though.

A shame folks think covid shut down AK as it did not. Never missed a hunt through all of that scam. Canada did though which was stupid and unfortunate.

Congrats on a well done job. Its better when we punch a tag. but that doesn't always happen and as all the guides know the last 2 seasons coming were going to be thin so most cut their hunters in half or more due to the winter kill issues. So that folks going had a chance at a ram other than a long expensive hike.

Hope you get to roll again and get a sheep the next hunt for sure.

Did not keep the skull, But I believe you legally can? Someone correct if I’m wrong,

Then close to that skull was another Ram, almost seemed likely maybe an avalanche took both out at the same time?

Thanks Jeff, You’re a guide up there, So, what should ‘we’ do next?

Great read - thank you for posting that. I used to think I might be tough enough to have done a hunt like that, but seriously doubt it after reading this, really tough country to hunt in!!

Ken - thank you for sharing your amazing story. What an incredible journey. Now I have to get myself ready!! I am excited to hunt in the Brooks

Great story and pics. Thanks for sharing

Really enjoyed your story. Thanks and I hope you are able to come back and create more memories

My quads cramped up just reading your story.




P

Great story Kenneth!

Definitely a great adventure and yet heartbreaking. I hunted the wrangells in 2001. Pulled a groin muscle on a stalk on the second or 3rd day. It was a 8 day hunt with 6 hunting days. I didn't get a ram. After hurting myself I basically baled out. That injury still hurts to this day when I hike a lot.

I did get back in 03 and got a fine ram. It was a dream fulfilled. I'd sure like to go again. But it sounds like sheep are headed to extinction in AK.

If you've never hunted interior griz before, it is something everyone needs to experience at least once. A guy can only do it in Alaska and the Yukon now, in NA at least. They're higher up on the badassery scale than sheep are, IMO.




Sheep sure do have that intrigue though.

When Elmer and Fudd flew in and saved themselves 15+ miles of walking and packing, I was like damnit. Excellent write up, and a hunt that most will never get to experience.

Question:

What are sourdough slippers? Damn what a hunt. Sort of like a Seal team evolution only you paid to do it. Just WOW.

Sourdough slippers are hip boots that fit over your regular boots. They’re light and packable if need be.

I went to the brooks range twice.....horseback ...spot sheep ride ..tie up and make stalk....in 2 trips I got 2 dalls...2 grizzly...1 moose....didnt care to take a 2cd moose..

jim kerdowski out of wasilla.....think about horseback makes it really enjoyable....bob

grizzly was my main thing sheep was 2cd...nobody really got it....so I was always looking for bears....bob

In what years did you do this? Sounds like you were there in the Heydays…….

Kinda sorta,
They are packable by definition.

We made a trip in the brooks sharing a set of wiggys waders. First guy would cross, then put a rock in the waders and throw them back across and then the next guy would put them on and cross. At the wider streams it got to be a bit of a problem making sure they made it back across. Those waders were pretty well shot by the end of that trip.

After that, I started taking off boots and putting on the waders then sticking my wader-wrapped feet into crocs. Keeping socks on kept the cold from getting you too bad, but it took a lot longer to cross. Then after we killed a ram in the AK range I was crossing at exactly the same spot we had a few days prior, and I got a little cocky. Took too big a step, the wader filled with water, popped the croc right off my foot. I stumbled and filled the other wader, and I was right on the edge of going in. Your feet get pretty heavy with 20 gallons of water in the hippers. Luckily we were pretty close to camp and I was able to get mostly dried out, but haven't used the sourdough slippers there since. I'd probably go back to them in the brooks though.