Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Dall Sheep with Blackstone

Well, after three days of air travel, I finally landed in camp on August 22. I flew the last leg in from Whitehorse, Yukon. I rode out in a Piper Navajo with a 71 yo double knee replacement/prostate cancer survivor who was wearing FNAWS gear and had completed a world slam of sheep, I found him "Bob" to be a priceless fount of information on sheep hunting around the world and a heck of a nice guy, but I was concerned at how he could actually hunt sheep with his knees. He would go on to be the ONLY person that DID kill a sheep while I was there, and he had a pick from several legal sheep, via horseback. The other guy that rode out was a Canadian, a tough, cowboy looking guy from Alberta, named Blaine. He was returning after not killing a sheep on last years hunt. At the time I left for home, Blaine was still in the field after 12 days, no sheep yet. Already in camp was a bowhunter "Anna" with her husband from Fairbanks. This was her third try at Blackstone for a "bow-sheep". We were in camp only briefly, arranging our gear and waiting for our turn to fly-out. Anna and her husband went first, then Blaine, then it was my turn. During my wait, we sighted in guns, my NULA printing nicely, the other guys were adjusting a bit. Also, I got acquainted with the recently trapped camp grizzly. This was a trip.....a grizzly baited into a cage, basically a metal culvert on wheels with heavy gauge grates at both ends. I was told that this guy was terrorizing camp and that there were a bunch of grizzlys around this year. I was also shocked to learn that I had a tag for grizzly (and caribou, which I had no interest in). Believe it or not, my office manager (love her) had gotten all available tags when given the opportunity by the outfitter, and she hadn't told me about the grizzly tag. I later learned that this bear was destroyed by the "Fish Cops", as it had been tagged in several hunting camps displaying no human fear.
Next was my turn to fly out, and Jim Fink, the big kahuna, outfitter, flew me out in a 170 (I think) to the top of a flat mountain, and Clint, the other pilot with his supercub flew out my guide, Brett, right behind. It was late in the evening on the day before the hunt started and we were in the field. The guide seemed nice, the tent that was supplied was a three season MEC, three man. My last sheep hunt we used a Black Diamond Megalight, which is a tipee and had gobs of room, I was apprehensive about sharing a tiny tent with a stranger, but the three man was big enough.


At the last minute, I decided to take my lightest possible pack, the smaller McHale, close to 5000 cubes, and the NULA in .30-06. I had other options, but decided on the lightest practical options. I was given a garbage bag of food to add to my pack, which I had left room for, but DANG, did that increase the weight. The supplied food was all mountain house stuff, candy bars, "fry bread", cookies, granola bars, oatmeal, and even banana bread in Al foil.

The other thing I decided on at the "last minute" was boots. I had gotten away with light Sportiva Trango "S" boots for the last sheep hunt, but my foot had grown, so earlier this year I bought new ones, half size larger, Trango "Extreme". I broke these in on a local hike or two, it would prove to not be enough. My guide had bought some Asolo, all leather, that had a sole separation within two weeks, just an utter failure.....tough country!!!!

We set up camp that night near the airstrip, viewed a 3/4 curl ram nearby, and made some mountain house and tried to eat up the heaviest sugary food. I was trying out the NeoAir that's the new sleeping pad from Thermarest, just out. I would give it passing marks. It's the lightest possible inflatable and it is superlight, very narrow, and mine never left me flat after a night, but I did have to add air about every 12hours.......just a couple of lung-fulls. I was using my Kifaru Zero degree Slick sleeping bag. This is just an amazing thing. I don't understand all the physics, but I can get into that bag literally soaking wet completely dressed. Soon the interior of the bag is almost unbearable, like being inside a wet trashbag. Then, fall asleep and when you wake up, friend you and your clothes are DRY, no kidding. Not so lucky with the guides down coat or bag.....I think that's where all my evaporative loss was going.....he was miserable, chasing moisture the whole trip. Leaking boots, soggy coat and sleeping bag, and weather uncooperative for drying. I'm glad I went with the Synthetics.
More to come......

Great story.....feel like I was there.

Thanks!

I want to hear more about the bag. Guess I'll pay the Kifaru site a visit. E

Mr. docdb;
Thank you for putting up the photos and detailed story of your hunt. I appreciate the details very much.

Congratulations on taking the grizzly, the hide looks to be in fine shape and it�s a pretty color too. Well done.

I bumped into a good friend yesterday who just returned from northern BC where he and his son were on a 2 week fly in for Stones. They didn�t cut a tag either, but as it wasn�t their first trip they were both looking for older rams.

I guess that�s why we call it hunting, eh? I�m glad you had fun and came home with something anyway.

Thanks again for the fine photos and the details. Good luck on your upcoming hunts.

Regards,
Dwayne

The first day started out full of promise. Here I am with the packer dog "Buster" a massive, good natured Lab-like dog, who was just this trip being introduced to packing.......bloody footprints were in his future
Two things hit me right off with my set up. The water bottle carrier, tho handy, impeded my gait, and was removed shortly and never used again. Secondly, on the first day, the Kifaru gunbearer broke (my third failure of this system, had an extra strap, but figured what the heck). If a guy trips up and lands on his bum, with the K system, the butt of the rifle is forced up and rips the upper strap. I adapted by putting the butt of the NULA in the waterbottle holder on that side and compression strapping the forearm to one of the shoulder straps. This makes the rifle a lot less accessible, but out of the way and easy to carry.

This next photo show me with adjusted system, and in the background, my first terrain test. Sidehilling through broken rock and shale. It's a real foot killer, and the feet were shortly thereafter, taped up. I found this moose skull and went over to mess with it just to get the guide to slooooow down.

This picture doesn't really do the distance or terrain justice, but it depicts the course of the side-hilling, from the upper left horizon to where I'm standing.

We were on our way to a tundra valley overlooking a "Mineral Lick" that the sheep frequent. It ended up taking about eight hours to get to.

It was hot walking, and I took off my smartwool top to dry the sweat.
We set up camp without spotting any rams, and slept well, soon listening to a gentle rain.

Mr. docdb;
A buddy in the Yukon, used to be in Dawson City and now Whitehorse- used to pack a little chocolate Lab/Staffordshire Terrier cross on his solo hunts. If memory serves he had to run some sort of dog moccasin in the sharp rocks or her feet would get all cut up.

I guess like we say with horses, �no foot - no horse�, would go for pack dogs too, eh?

Thanks again for the details and the photos as they bring back lots of grand memories. It�s been way too long for me since I�ve been to the Yukon or even up north here in BC.

Hopefully you and yours have a good long weekend and good luck on your upcoming hunts.

Dwayne

The next morning, the incredible spotting ability of my guide, Brett, are put to use. We spend most of the day fog-bound, trying to get a look at a band of rams he's spotted, impossibly far away.
We decide that none are mature enough, so we make plans to go look into country that hadn't been hunting in about 3 years according to Brett, and to leave in the morning, packing light, and returning to the same camp location.

The third morning, skys were colder (35F), and clear, no wind. This is when Brett and I established a pattern. He goes at his speed, stops to glass and let me catch up, asks if I need a break, and if not, we're off again. Many time I think to get out a range finder to see actually how far ahead he actually is.....Heck, they got so far away from me several times, that I re-introduced myself to him and the dog. I have on the smartwools (socks and long underwear); Mammut Champ pants, Nylon shirt, and Integral Designs eVent Thru Hiker rain coat, which is a great windbreaker. I have on some OR gortex overmitts, over some knit gloves. The overmitt is also not used after today, as the sleeves on the ID coat covered my hands nicely. We've just reached some lesser summit, and at this point I'm thinking the rest should be easy......I was so wrong.


This was the course that Brett had set out for us


It took 8.5 hours to get there, and we saw no sheep. Then we had to get back to camp before 11 when it gets dark. Friends, it wasn't any funner, going back over, faster, and knowing that no sheep were out there. We made it back just after dark, I fell asleep eating a mountain house. I really, honestly cursed myself for ever being on this trip for the first time on this return trip. I swore, and was earnest, that I would never do this again, ever. I had a better attitude in the morning when I finished the MH, but not much. I kept my lip buttoned, didn't want to over-react, or be thought of as a whiner so early. Maybe this was my conditioning hike? I don't know what it was except rough and 15 hours long. The next day we would move on with camp on our back to a new location.

Great write-up. Beautiful pictures. Nice bear.

Thanks for posting.

I love hunting at, or above the tree line!

This photo charts our intended course. We are going by a landing stip called Hurricane Hill (I'm to learn why that particular name that night), and we are headed to a a mountain near the number 4 that the outfitter wants covered, as rams have been spotted there. Hurricane is between 1 and 2, the guide is in the foreground with the dog, and the Grizzly is spotted from the number two, on the far side of the ridge


We get to #2 and Brett spots the grizzly and I say let's do it. Down we went, quickly losing sight of the bear. After about an hour, we're in the valley he was in, but we are trying to manage our position to avoid surprise/ambush. Suddenly, and from a totally unexpeced direction, but safe distance comes the bear. Wind is good, bear closing the gap.....I laser a spot at 200yds and think that I will shoot when he gets broadside after that. All the little things I'm trying to think of, like scope covers, scope power, safety, shooting position. I slip a round into the chamber of the NULA "free hand", so that I'll still have three in the magazine for such a dangerous creature. I can't believe my luck, just as he turns broadside, Brett whispers "180", and BOOOM the .30-06 rings out, and my only thought was to re-load PDQ! JAM, two live rounds attempt to enter the chamber at once! My brain will not compute, I just keep looking at the bear and trying to get the bolt forward, with Brett hissing "shoot again". The tension is ratcheting back by the time I get the jam cleared, it has become clear that Mr. BIG has not moved since the first shot. I'm thinking, "it fed fine at the practice session, several days ago". We approach the bear SLOOOOOWLY. At about 30yds we both stop for a long time to assess the situation, still no movement, so in we go.

I can't find a wound on the bear; then, just above the entry side front paw, there is a trickle of blood, and some from the nose. It's not til we skin it that it is revealed a pencil hole entry on the left shoulder, and pencil hole exit on the right; never saw the damage in between. The light was fading and a post-mortem was not in the cards. Brett beat me up the mountain even with the bear hide/head. It was dark when we got there.

Love the story so far Doc.

I know you're probably bummed about the lack of sheep, but at least you got to do something most of us will never be able to try.Twice.

Kepp the narrative and pictures coming.......

OSD

Ah, yes. How well do i know just how really exhausted and stiff one gets with just 11-13 hrs. on the trail. E

What do you think caused the jam ? E

The colors in the bear pics make them OUTSTANDING!! Congrats.

PS- These pics are making my waver on my desire to shoot a dall, I think I'd rather shoot a bear!

Great story and pics! Thanks so much for sharing. Great to hear about the Kifaru bag, as we discussed before, I think I need to add one to my collection.

We awoke to the supercub overhead, dropped off the hide and took on new food and finished the hike along the summit trail that I showed in the previous days photo. In the above photo, we've made it down that trail and down the other side at the end. We have just to cross the tundra then over the range behind us, decend to that bottom and we'll be right below some rams that Brett has now spotted. We can't tell about the horns because of the distance, but it's all we've got.

I've crossed the tundra and made the top of the next ridge here, and have just peeked down on the other side to find that it's composed of microwave oven sized rocks piled high and steeply and sharply all the way to the bottom. I hate side-hilling on stuff like this and we are on about the 12th hour of the hike as I start down. I'll use all my tricks, including a modified spider-walk, doggy-style, upright with sticks and on some grassy segments, sliding along on my bum. It wasn't pretty, but hey, Brett was too far ahead to witness any of my form, anyway. Actually, he made it to the bottom (river), then came up and got my pack from me and carried it about 20% of the slope......his stock (and tip) went up at this point. Here's Brett (look hard, he's WAY ahead of me) on the slope I'm talking about

The next morning, we hike uphill like crazy to get a better look at the sheep, turns out they are nothing special (none even legal)



I gaze at my aching feet, and am surprized at how well the boots are holding up so far.... Brett's soles are coming off

As we descend to the campsite at the end of a long days hike, we see that we have visitors.

We hope these two grizzly haven't hurt our pack dog that we had left tied at the tent (to save wear and tear on his bleeding feet). They disappeared on our way down, and the dog and camp were fine. I set up my tarp so I and my aching rotator-cuffs were not tent bound. I slipped in my ipod and despite the proximity of the bears, I'm in heaven. There is a round in the chamber of the NULA, it's close and I'm relying on the dog to alert me re the bears.