Heard from Jake yesterday, I have a sheep/grizzly combo booked for 2022.

This year's scarcity of sheep in his hunting areaa has him recommending not doing sheep for a couple of years.

Disappointing for me, but the economic hit to Jake and his family is worse.

Many sheep areas are grim right now...

At least he was looking out for your best interests.

https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/applications/webintra/wcnews/2020/releases/08-07-2020.pdf

One of the reasons I booked with Jake was his outstanding reputation.

Absolutely, and he has a great reputation.

On the positive side, generally rams are very large on the other side of bad years. So you might have a great chance at a whopper.

Known Jake since the late 90's. He and his family have been through alot. He will survive this one to. Goes to show what kind of guy he is to give you a heads up. I've only had 1 flying service do that.

A local guide friend books 2-3 hunters a year. After getting rams for the first two, he called #3 and told him he would only be taking his money
as there were no more legal rams in his area.

I hunted hard this year for 11 days. We covered a lot of ground and saw many rams but none legal. Several groups of 7+ rams but the oldest were six. Rough year and my guide worked extremely hard so i will return 2022. Next year’s prospects looked grim. Cant wait to get back up north.

2013 was hard on sheep. Rams usually survive winters a lot better than lambs and yearlings. The winter of 2013 wiped out a lot of lambs and yearlings. This last winter was rough in some reas, but not all. it will bounce back pretty quick, but we'll see the same pattern in 7-8 years from now.

Rams and ewes do get through winters differently, but it is not always hardest on the ewes. The rut puts a lot of stress on rams and they frequently fail to survive.

One buddy found no trophy sheep. Another's hunt has been shifted to goats.

It was hard for us this year. But we were 100 percent. That was amazing. But 2013 was tough and it shows. It will get better, and as noted, worse again after 2020 winter.
Simply put thats nature. Glad to know we cut back on hunters for next year also.

Care to cite a reference or two relating to ram survival verses ewes/lambs in difficult winters?

they were only highlighted...

no, get after it...