Well the sheep trip is over and NO sheep hit the ground. I logged about 90 hours hiking in 10 days, several days we went for 15hrs, through rain, sleet and snow; saw about 40 rams, maybe one of them legal, and never got within 600 yds of him. I did finally take an inland grizzly (fouth time I've gotten a tag for one), a true trophy for me, so all is not lost. I would guesstimate that I worked approximately twice as hard as on previous sheep (2) or goat (2) hunts. I was a little concerned that of the four people leaving base camp with me, two were returns that had not killed last year, and when I left camp 12 days later, for whatever reason, neither of them had pulled the trigger (in one case, released the string). I'm in Vancouver now waiting for the flight to ATL via Minn/St Paul...it's going to be a long day. It never fails to amaze me how some hunting guides can just about skip rope through terrain that I'm down on all fours holding on for dear life! I got along great with my amazing guide, who has been at Blackstone in the Yukon for about the last 6 yrs. He had a great knowledge of the country, and sheep hunting, and was very pleasant to share close, sweaty quarters with for the last 12 days.
Pictures of the Grizzly to follow,
Don
PS I think the Yukon may be where God threw the piles of rock left over when he was building the Earth, unbelievable

Sounds like one heck of a trip!

Are their success rates down recently or is this their norm?

Congrats on the Griz.

looking forward to pics.
glad you had a safe trip

Glad you made it back with as many parts as you left with Don. I can't wait for the photos. It sounds like a wonderful trip even if you came back w/o mutton.

No sheep, BUT a grizzly! Sounds like it was still a great trip. Just waiting on photos and the story now.

Sounds great, glad you had a good time, and most importantly, are returning safely to your family.

OMG, I sum up that you had a great time. Although no Sheep harvest, you didn't come home empty handed. And oh man, what a trip home. I suspect you are already sawing logs.

Love to see your pics when you get the energy.

And yes, I'm in pretty darn good shape, I owe that to the Marines, but it really pisses me off to see others running up and down hills all day long without so much as a missed beat of breath. Granted they tend to bit a bit younger than me and about 80lbs less, but I can't help to say WTF!!!!!!!!

I somehow missed the prologue on your hunt this year and I'll have to go back and read your old posts. Look forward to seeing your pics and reading more of the story. As usual, thanks for taking us along on the trip. The sheep bug hasn't bit me yet, but I can still enjoy experiencing it through someone else's eyes. I commend you for doing the things you love to do while you're physically able to do them, before you run out of time.
Bob

Very nice... lets see more photos of that country Don!

beautiful bear! I love those inland griz. Yours appears to have a large nugget. He score well?

Very nice bear. Certainly a fine trophy.
As I get older, I feel alot less like something was missing from the expereince if I didn't come home with something.
Just being able to go and to try is quite rewarding.
When you do get one, it makes it all the more memorable. E

You go on a sheep hunt,score a grizz and shoot it (with what looks like a NULA).Your living my dream

Very nice!

Beautiful Doc, sounds like a great trip. I hope to hear and see more about it.

That is one of the best hunting pics I've ever seen posted!! Mucho congrats!

PS- Given that your posting this in the Backpack section I expect a complete gear report.

+1 on both counts.

Congrats. Well deserved.

+1 on the gear report.

Congrats Don! We need more pics!


Mike

High Mountain Outfitters
[email protected]
www.High-Mountain-Outfitters.com

Congratulations on the grizzly and on a safe return, Doc. I'll be awaiting many pictures of your trip! That country sure looks amazing.

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.

GREAT story! I really appreciate your honest narrative. Combined with the photos, I can really get a sense for how you must have felt.

Even with the beautiful scenery and the romance of chasing sheep, I think this thread cured me of wanting to hunt Dall-------at least with Brett! I can only hope to be in the physical shape you're in someday.

Please tell me more about the Kifaru Slick bag. Could you get a sense of the comfort range, or was the weather cold enough that you were spot on with the bag rating? The clothes-drying feature sounds intriguing. That's a much bigger selling point than simply not absorbing water like down.

How well did the ID eVent windbreaker breath? Personally, I move a LOT of moisture when I'm hiking hard so I'm curious if eVent can "keep up."

Thanks again for the essay and photos. I really glad you made it back in one piece, and with a beautiful bear.

222Rem

The next morning after a nice all night rain, we burn trash, and pack up all of camp and head to a river strip where we are to be relocated. We have to cross some tough tundra, and if you've ever walked on tundra, you know what I mean. It took us about eight hours that morning:


When we get to the river, awaiting our ride, I'm so friggin' nasty, that I take a waist up shower.



Rides here......



New location, new hope....I would be along the tops of every thing in view for the next couple of days. We hike for another two hours from the strip until we put up our tent, with eagle-eye Brett glassing all the way (I could have left my binocs at home)



Just after setting up camp, we see our next grizzly in the valley, about 1000yds away.

Before we go to sleep that night, Brett spots a band of rams that might have a shooter in it. We head up the next morning, but not until we establish the intentions of this sow and three cubs



This turns out to be the preferred location for the pack dog


This hike takes us up to the top, and a little over, where we have spotted a possible ram. When we get to the top we can't find them. We searched over ever rise and crest, only to let our scent bust them at about 450yds. We watched them for a long time, made a circuitious stalk in swirling winds and carefully got as close as we would get (600yds, 50mph wind.....beyond my frustrated sniping skills). Plus, as we were doing the assessment we were scented and they just eased out of the universe. We later learned that the outfitter had had hunters on this same band the last two hunts and that someone had shot at this band (we think) within the last week, ie they were spooky. Anyway, this was another 16 hour day, this time with snow, and 50mph sideways sleet. This is the next time I swear that I'll NEVER SHEEP HUNT AGAIN. I tell this to the guide and tell him that I'm THROUGH, he say's "come on, man, let's get goin'". That was all that was said about that, and quite frankly, I was serious. Later, I hoped that Brett forgot, or maybe I was hallucinating, but I started to criticize another hunter that we learned had bailed out, and Brett reminded me that "doc, you kinda wanted to quit too".....gulp!

This is my quitting face!

Later, at a lower elevation, the sun came out, it was surreal

The next day was the 9th of my hunt. I was not out of hope, but the guide frustration was palpable. We iridium'd (Globalstar, once again confirmed on this trip, is SHeeeeat) for a last minute transfer to a possibly better site (6 hours from plane to trigger in Canada). We boost it out of there, with my feet on fire and Brett, just a'glassin'. He found one spot of interest that we went up for a look (all small rams) that added another two hours onto our trip to the airstrip (called "Two Puddles"). Frankly, I was beginning to think that this country had been shot-out and just wanted home. My previous sheep hunts and goat hunts for that matter had been half this hard.....I've never asked to quit, even jokingly. We got to Two Puddles along a river, rain and wind would have us pinned down there that night, and it was the next morning, the last of my hunt that the supercub would come in and land to take us to the "one day sure thing hunt". Brett was convinced and had me excited that there was a ram accessible by the air-strip, on the first day that the bow hunter had not been able to get on. I was up for anything, had no pride left and was ready to go. Brett was visibly shaken and despondent when he learned that we were going to a murderous one day spot on the Miner River, that this very week, another hunter had bailed from, BUT there was supposed to be a DANDY ram up there, eh!

We started out with a ewe, visible on a mineral lick.....maybe we'll see something.


Let's just say that this was a monster walk along a super rocky summit trail. It took us two hours and all of our water to get to the top, bugs were bad, and it was blazing hot, too. We walked about 12 hours and got back to the tent with this to show for it just before dark....



The mood was somber in the tent, but we were beat and just slept. I was so damn glad when Jim landed with the 170 the next morning about 9am. We landed at camp, I took a quick shower, and baby, it's a King Air outta there and back to Whitehorse.

Don,
So was this just a bad year for sheep success, or issues with the outfitter?

Again, thank you for the report and photos.

Great story and photos Don. Sorry you missed out on a ram. You toughed it out better than I would have. The bear looks great! Full mount or rug?

You are a friggin stud! This is very inspirational, at a perfect time for me. Thanks.

I gather the the mammunt pants have been there before? How many trips can your boots make like this?

If you'd known grizzly was involved would you have brought a different rifle? What was your bullet choice? Tarp?

Again, thanks for getting the fire burning hotter!!!

222 Rem,
I got the Zero degree Slick bag before the goat hunt in October last year in Alaska. It worked great then, and I was amazed at how you could get in fully dressed, WET and wake up dry. The same was true on this trip. I'd get in a dry bag with wet clothes and soon the interior was very moist and sweaty. In the morning, the interior was bone dry, and there were drops of moisture on the outside of the bag, and visible on the inside of the rainfly.

I'm sold on the eVent Thru Hiker from ID (The tarp is their Siltarp). It breathes like no other, and I've yet to have it soak through. I use different pants, because I like a full length zip to get on over boots (I used arcteryx).

Don

Huntr,
Blackstone has a really good reputation, I really don't know the answer. I did know that they haven't had a 40 incher in years, but this year I think someone connected on a 39". Brett says mostly they are broomed and he has yet to get over 36" in his 6 yrs there. I don't know if they are overhunting, if I just suck, if I'm just unlucky, I just don't know, maybe it was just not meant to be? I will say that I gave Brett the biggest tip I've ever left.
Don

Shaq,
Thanks!
The boots held out very well with no failure. I think my feet issue was just from the miles I put on. With that said, I'm alway thinking about giving the guys from Lothrop a call.
If I had known Grizzly was on the menu, I would definitely have taken my Blaser in .300 Win Mag, no question.
I shoot the same projectile in both, though, so what's the difference at reasonable range? I use Federal 180gr TSX in both. Honestly, I was a little surprised at the pencil-hole exit wound, and I really would have liked to see the internal damage.
Don

great story there. id say you guys deffinatly hunted hard, its tobad you didnt get a ram but thats sheep hunting. your bears is still a heal of a trophy. the finks have a very solid reputation among the yukon outfitters and guides. i theard they run a good show.

thanks for the pictures and for taking the time to share your story.

Byron

Outstanding story and pics - Thanks for the write up!

Outstanding story and pictures. That picture of you with your grizz and the valley in the background is fantastic. I must say looking at your feet and reading about everything you endured I certainly tip my hat to you. I've got a buddy that has guided for them in the past and they seem to run a good outfit.

Boy, I'll say. Makes my feet hurt just reading about it, great write-up doc.

Awesome Doc!!..All except for the feet pic's...looks like you could give pointer a run for his money with those flapping hunks of skin...lol...

Doc,
Thanks for the write up. Your report makes all of us sheep hunters beam with pride.

Sorry you didn't score. It's tough knowing you put that time and effort into it. Personally, I've hunted 3 times and been successful twice. My only unsuccessful one had been without horses in AK. Canada is the ticket! Beautiful country and the people are great.

Outstanding job on the pics. You definitely have that talent down. The memory will fade (or why else why would we be dumb enough to sheep hunt again?) but those pics will be with you forever.

On the foot blisters, do you double sock? I saw you used tape. My method has been put on a silk sock and then a wool sock with plenty of talcum powder (Monkey Butt). My feet sweat profusely and I've never had a problem. The advantage of this is you only need a couple pair of wool socks with you. The silk socks are very small and light and dry quickly.

The thing I get a kick out of when I return home, are how many people don't recognize me. Loss of weight and new beard. Did your office mgr recognize you? LOL

Again, thanks for sharing your hunt.

Great score on the bear! What are your plans with it?

Great write up and pictures as usual! You wouldn't trade that hunt for anything though, not after a while to recover. I know I wouldn't. I don't care for the hunts that end right away without some good labor involved. But thats me....

The TSX, griz are big and tough, big bones etc... I don't know that I'd expect a big exit hole, the petals are made to break off if they hit something hard without loosing the "core" of the bullet so that above all things you get 2 holes. Anyone that doesn't deal well with that may well need to think partition or bonded core to see some damage.
Still everything I've shot with a TSX has died for many years now.

Congrats. Heal up now for next year!

And dang you, probably cost me 2 more sleeping bags...

Thanks guys, appreciate the comments! One more day to heal up, and then back to the office, actually I'm looking forward to it (which is the point of the vacation after all).

About the Slick Zero........the coldest morning of the hunt was one of those mornings when ice is just beginning to form at the edges of puddles, and on top of tarps, etc, but the nalgene in the vestibule remained liquid. That was one of those nights I went to bed wet, and woke up dry. I was chilly that night, but did sleep. I know that slick is a zero degree bag, but your sense of it, when you hold it, is "no way". It doesn't seem to have the loft. I really can't say that it was a good test, because I was fully dressed, even had a coat and a balaclava.

I really love down bags and have several, that are lofty and supercomfortable, I just worry about the moisture. One of my bags is the WM Kodiak GWS and I love the size.....plenty of room for me to twist and turn to keep my rotator cuffs as happy as possible. I think with that fabric, though, that maybe I should get my wet stuff off and go to bed dry; to minimize the moisture traveling through the down. I also have another down bag with just a water resistent fabric.....likely passes moisture better, but it still must go through the down.

DocB, yeppers you are still da man! Wonderful bear and seems like the TSX did pretty much its thing as the bear didn't know what hit him, so it seems.

Sorry about your luck on the Dall but sounds like you got along much better than with the Little Napoleon guide you had in the NWT a couple of years back.

Great story, pics as we have all come to expect from you. Get those pretty footsies healed and be ready for the next outing! Where will it be?

I'm going for that Booner Goat with a poster "Ropes", with whom I've hunted alot. He has a spot in the Misty Fjord of Alaska with a monster goat all picked out, right next to the fly-in lake, that I'm sure I'll take on a warm, sunny afternoon next September.

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
[email protected]

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

Excellent story, makes my feet hurt just reading and looking at the pics.
Great bear!
Thanks for posting--

most of my toes are numb after a trip like this until the new year....really

hey Don an update, spoke to Anna for abit today, gave her your email addy, she remembers you but had names mixed up.

anyhoo she scored a Fannin, it only leaves her a Dall to be the first woman with a sheep slam with a bow. am awaiting pics from her, she said it scored green at 156 IIRC, gotta be a nice sheep.

she feels they've hunted that area too hard and has had other people tell her such as well.

last year or the year before she walked her azz off, really similar scenario to yours and guess who her guide was?????? yep same as you had this year.

they moved her same as you by going to two puddles, this year they moved her farther east

if I keep rambling I'll confuse the details

did ask her why she's not hunting Dalls here NOW, her and hubby got drawn for elk in AZ so it's off they go.


she's spent some serious coin purusing her quest for a slam and imo she's got the easy one left, asked her why she just didn't go without a guide here and she has some valid reasons.'

anyhoo just thought I'd update you, tickled for her on the Fannin, guess in the Slam pursuit it can qualify for the Stone and hopin she emails me pics.

Doc, simpily awesome, and I appreciate the feat (feet) much more than these dudes that live in the hills. It's so damn flat where we live and I can't imagine trying to get in shape for such a jaunt.

Roads, yep, I'm thinking the same thing. I keep meaning to run high school football stadium bleachers with boots and pack, but I haven't actually ever done that. Temps are usually prohibitive when I'm getting ready around here.
Don

1AK,
Man oh man, am I happy for Anna! That's great, and I hope she does get in contact with me. I'm not surprized that she doesn't remember me, we never even spoke except maybe a nod of hello on the first day.
Thanks for making the connection for me,
Don

awww c'mon doc quit being bashful, according to Anna you leave a wake of weak kneed lasses everywhere you tread, no doubt they remember you.

+1. I was the only one in camp with them, and the only one without hotspots or blisters. I love mine!

Doc,
Thanks for taking the time to post the pics and do the write-up! I and others like your perspective on the equipment you used.
Great bear for sure but too bad about the sheep. I too worked hard on a AK. sheep hunt but still had the best time.
But those feet! OMG, I don't know how you could have gone on!
Thanks again!

A serious question, though it no doubt sounds like a joke....

When taping your feet, what's your preferred tape?

I always end up using duct tape, because I always have some with me - wrapped around the water bottle. Never thought of it as ideal. A couple of times in bird hunting camp I've had the forethought to bring athletic tape (new boots and was expecting blisters), and much prefer that. But for some reason I always forget to bring it on big game hunts.

Just curious if there is something new and high tech that I don't even know about.

I used duct tape, moleskin, superglue, telfa and "Monkey Butt" powder and Superfeet inserts.....that's the only way I made it that far.

You certainly hiked your butt off. Very cool pictures, and the accounting of the trip, as well as the notes on the photos make it clear just how hard you worked.

Your narrative was the next best thing to being there...this is why I read "the campfire". I don't think I've ever read a thread twice, this one will definetly get read again.

Thanks again fellas

Doctor Don,

As everyone esle has said, thanks again for posting this year's day by day adventure. It allows a lot of us to (also) really enjoy your trips this way.

While I haven't posted in quite a while, I still read the Campfire forums a couple of times a week. ...Wish Jim (JF) was still posting.

Me too. I miss him. E

Great pics and story. Congrats and thank you very much for sharing!

Docdb, thanks for posting your hunt recap and photos. Very well done and exciting.

Great story and pics!!
Thanks!

Great effort Doc. How about some details on your gear list...what worked, what didn't work, etc.

Easy for some to poo poo that statement.
Until you have been in wicked, jagged country you just don't understand.

Blackstone has had a good reputation for many years.
I contemplated a sheep hunt with them myself.
Sheep in decline?

You are a real trooper.
I just finished a backpack hunt a few days ago.
I feel your pain.
Those gruelling hunts that put you on the brink of survival are something you will never ever forget.
Seems to take about a year for the memories of pain to subside and the fever to to burn strong again, but it will...
Congrats on a hard earned hunt that cannot be measured in inches.
Good things will come your way.
One of the best documented huns I've seen on a BB.

Thanks again, I'm already reminiscing. The feet have healed, but some of the toes are still numb, and I'm already thinking about going back!
I'm starting to worry that my relaxing my training is going to result in a return to the "chunky monkey".
Got to get motivated.............

I've been told via email that the Canadian chap that was still in the field with me got a nice ram, and that the hunters in the week following me had a much better time of it, killing nice rams early. The silver lining is that they have "invited" me back to get my ram, hmmmmm.................
I've got my "goat thang" going up in SE AK in 2010 (I can't get those goats out of my blood, and it's time for a Booner); maybe 2011 I'll have a different Blackstone report.

Yes, I, too, am very familar with pain. Frankly, one of the worst problems I have is pushing myself during the off season. Not just a time or two, but making myself exercise regularly to keep myself up. Luckly I have some neat mountains in my backyard here to play with and "put on the finishing touches" to my workout routine.
Yes, we forget easily the strain and the pain. And want to go back.
In really great country, I tend to push too much. Which can lead to problems too. E