Fly-in vs. Horse vs. DIY

Doc Holliday

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There is a wealth of knowledge and experience on this forum. That is easy to see.

In many of the threads on the forum, whether the subject is about rifles, optics, clothes, fitness......many of the reasons for a particular recommendation have to do with distance (of shots taken, or miles hiked) or weight. What I don't see often is a distinction within those conversations of Fly-in vs. Horse vs 100% DIY from the pavement (no plane, helicopter or horse). Perhaps it never matters and as light as possible is always best, and strong as possible is always best, and the ability to carry 100# on your pecker and shoot 600 yards standing on one leg is always best. But where do you draw the line from must have to nice-to-have. For example, is cutting your toothbrush in half a real game changer when you are on horseback? Another: I see guys who are in great shape, like the owner of Kuiu for example, who I have no doubt can throw a heavy pack on and hike in from the pavement and be successful. Then on the website of an outfitter that uses helicopters I see hundreds of harvest pics of older gentlemen who do not appear to be in that kind of shape, proudly smiling over 12 yr old rams.

With that said, are there any differences in gear or physical fitness requirements/recommendations in these 3 types of sheep hunts? Maybe the answer is no, but I am curious to hear your opinions.
 

Tag_Soup

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Joined
Nov 8, 2016
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310
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Middleton, Idaho
Doc,
It took me a little thought to come up with a meaningful reply, but here goes...

While you can get it done any of the above, the question must be asked "how do I want to hunt my sheep?"

Can an outfitter fly a 450 lb man within 1/2 mile of the ridge line and spend the next 24 hours dragging his bloated carcass the 1500 yards required to kill the ram he knows lives over the rim? Sure. But when flying, you always are subject to a weight limit. The more you weigh, the more you pay once you break a certain point. Also, that doesn't exactly sound fulfilling to me.

As a former horse hunter, they are both a blessing and a curse. A horse will get a reasonably sized man into some remote territory in fairly short order, but they come with their limitations. First, there aren't many horses that will pack a 350+ lb man on sloped ground. Second, you are mostly restricted to known trail systems. This means you will be limited in where you can go. Thirdly, animals require care and cannot be left unattended for more than about 6 hours, meaning you will be restricted in how far you can venture from your stock.

Personally, I killed some of my biggest animals when I was in my worst shape, including my personal best mule deer when I was 80 lbs overweight (still recovering from these poor life choices). This would not have been possible without horses. I also nearly died packing the buck out of the hell hole i shot him in just to get him back to the area where the horses could get. All that said, my most enjoyable hunts have been when I have been in my best shape and done as much as possible on foot. I see more game, go further, have less limits, and feel way better!

As far as gear goes, go as light as you can afford, but don't let it keep you off the mountain. I have had some great hunts without lightweight gear. The lighter and more technical I go, the further in I can go (on foot). I have a pretty light system now and love the access it allows me, but honestly I could pack a wall tent in on my back if I lost everything off my ass that I need to. Find a balance that works for your budget and go hunting.

It's all a sliding scale, but it comes down to how you want to hunt. The memory will be there forever and if you are like most of us, the kill shot won't be what you reflect on most.

Cheers


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