Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Dall Sheep with Blackstone

Amazing write up, Doc. Those pictures put me at a loss for words. Lots of beautiful country up there, that is for certain. Congrats on the grizzly, sorry you didn't end up with a ram. Sure as heck seems like you and Brett made your best efforts at doing so though!

Great entertaining write up.

I appreciate you sharing it with us here.

Thank you!

You can really tell when someone puts their heart into something. Well Done!

Great trip and write up DocB! Thanks. Nice grizz.

Great hunt well told. Thank you!

great write up per usual doc,

I'm glad you've bagged sheep and goats before cause it can be disheartening to put in the work that you did and not get one.

and kudos to you for laying out your largest tip ever on a trip where you didn't take your intended quarry. That speaks volumes to me of what type of man you are, your guide hunted hard for you, you recognized it and compensated him nicely for doing so. Mark my words you are a client that he will never forget.

what a small world it is my friend the bowhunter Anna lives here in FBKS, know her pretty well, my wife does her hair, she's a realtor and a great lady, her life road has had some major bumps in it, she's lost both a husband and a son and yet she's friendly, optimistic and a serious hunter. I like her alot.

we tried to go but weathered out the whole time in the Alaska Range, never even did any serious climbing, so wondering why I even bought a NULA.

enjoyed your report. Randy

Randy,
I never did get a chance to talk to Anna, I only saw her for a second or two before she was gone, but I wondered if you would know her. I'd sure love to hear her perspective........
If you passed along my email, I'd appreciate it
bdonaldjrbellsouth.net

Doc, your continued "optimism" is amazing.

Look forward to your "work up" reports as you prepare for that "Booner" on the sunny Sept. PM hunt!

Great write up and photos Don. I'm not going to say "sorry" you didn't get your sheep because getting a sheep is only partly what it's about!

Thanks for taking the time to write it all down.

PS, how stiff are your boots? I can't do stiff boots or my feet look like yours. I think guys think "mountain hunting" and immediately over think footwear, going too stiff (ie, climbing boots).

Doc,

Thanks for sharing, far better read than some rag off the magazine rack.

You hunted hard so thats what counts, and you have a nice grizzly to show for it! Congrats!

MtnHtr

Doc,

I remeber those marches well and I know many times I said "I am paying how much to do this?" to myself swearing I would not do it again. Trouble is as soon as we are done, we forget all that and start planning for the next punishing hunt and try to figure out how to get it in sooner than later! My first 4 days at Blackstone we backpacked 44 miles, then I got picked up and moved into a tougher area! You photos sure bring back good memories!

Brad,
I have some Lowe Sheephunters that I think maybe would have been better. This thought came to me after rolling my ankle on the second day in the fabric top Sportivas that I was wearing. I've always seemed to have weak ankles.
Don

Doc,

Congratulations on making it out alive. I know how you feel, and reading your story brings back memories from 3 weeks ago. I'm glad you scored on your grizzly, you have a "true" trophy to look at and remind you of the hunt you were on.

The hunt is where it's at, and why we torture ourselves [sheep] hunting. Although we do it to harvest a trophy, pulling the trigger is almost anticlimatic. Everything that happens before, and after that point, is really what means something to us.

Very few people can, or will, experience what you did. Remember that. Again, congratulations on your dall sheep hunt!

Don, the sheephunters, for me, are far too stiff. Still more a mountaineering build (crampon compatible) than a walking/hunting boot.

Brad, I remember a picture of your boot collection, so I know you speak from experience (mine is much the same, and now destined to enlarge as it seems my feet have grown). The ultralight people have seduced me into getting some Innov-8 paragliding boots that I'm going to try out this year in less stressful situations.
Don

Don will forward your email to Anna, wish you'd had a chance to visit, she's a quality human being ime. Believe you'd have hit it off with her.


I'm with Brad on footwear, I don't like heavy stiff boots for the mtns.

my faves are still my old Nike ACG boots that I've done some mods to, I have to look at them with a critical eye as lt. wt. doesn't lend itself well to durability, so don't know what I'll use when they give up the ghost, and am hoping I'm smart enough it doesn't happen during a hunt.

but truthfully I figure my sheep hunt days are getting numbered, the high mileage and heavy loads on my knees during guiding days are starting to demand their due.

Still I tell myself just a few more seasons, don't know if I'll have the knee scoped again after season or not, I've a chunk of meniscus floating around in there, moose season starts for me in a week, I'll know more after that.

really enjoyed your write up sir. thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us.

will call Anna and see if she's in town yet and give her your email.

Nice looking bear, in gorgeous country!

Frans

Ditto on the boots. Currently I'm using Asolos PM Matic 400 GV's. Good stability when side hilling, Gore-Tex lined, light weight, light mountaineering/heavy back packing boot according to Asolo. Not a mountaineering boot designed for use with true crampons.
BTW, if my feet got really wet, I'd have lots of blisters. Wool socks just don't work for me. That's why I insist on Dahlgrens.
I get to try mine out alot. I just did a 12 mile, 6700-8400 ft. day in my local mountains. Warm, in the 70's. They worked fine.
That's the only way to really know I can suggest.
So, the next time you go, take what has worked before and your new boots, and try them with the old standbys as a backup in case they are needed.
I've learned to buy new boots, even if their constuction is almost identical, before my old ones wear out. This way I can still buy something else, if I need to, before those good, old boots are gone.
You must have quality comfortable boots, especially if walking/hunting off trail. And hunting always involves off trail walking. E

I probably should have stopped to dry the feet out more often

I'm going on my 3rd season with my Lowa Sheephunters. I've worn them in alpine and mid elevations and they simply rock IMO.

The Lowa Sheephunters are stiff and I would not want them any stiffer but when one is coming off the mtn with a load that stiffness is well appreciated.

Boots like packs are a highly subjective matter, your mileage may vary.

MtnHtr