Sheep Scouting Techniques

[ndbuck09]

Ok Guys, so I have gotten the lucky card this year and drawn for 19A, South Fork of the Salmon, here in Idaho.

I'm putting together some plans for a first scouting trip but wanted to get guys thoughts on scouting techniques.

When purely scouting/glassing for sheep do you guys like to glass up or glass down/across from a high point? What sorts of metrics influence your decision on something like that?

Additionally, do you typically glass solely with a spotter or sit behind a pair of binos mounted on a tripod? I'm leaning towards this because of the less strain in long periods of glassing

Maybe a dumb question but are you glassing at other times of the day besides the handful of morning and evening hours? I know they bed during the day and obviously you could glass up a bedded ram but would I be better served doing something else toward scouting during the day like trying to find sign?

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[bbell]

First of all I am not a sheep expert but I was able to help my best friend last year when he drew a tag here in Oregon. I used binos on a tripod for the first time and it was awesome! When needing to get a closer look I would swap it out for the spotter.
Not sure about your area but I was surprised how much the sheep moved around outside of the first and last hours of the day. I am sure it is different in every area. We were in SE Oregon.

 

[Sheep Hunter 90]

Just read your post, get in contact with me at 941-0496. I was the first tag holder after the unit reopened, and have helped on two of the other tag holders in the last two years. Id be more than happy to give you a bunch of advice on the unit, i have hunted it for years.
Jon

 

[Jimss]

I've done quite a few sheep and mtn goat hunts over the years. My preference is to bring both a spotter plus binos. I alternate between both of them all day long. Make sure you have great glass plus quality, solid tripod! Higher power binos may be great for coues hunting but I wouldn't suggest it for sheep. I can often spot an ear, horn, white rump, or sheep super long distance that you wouldn't be able to see with binos. It's almost essential having the extra power to count rings and field judge horns from super long distance. Another advantage to a spotting scope is it will likely save you miles of hiking. I can often field judge rams from a mile+ away. I don't think that is possible with binos?

Depending upon the terrain I generally try to glass from one side of a canyon to the opposite side. Sheep often spend more time on certain slopes during different times of the year. Obviously in winter they may spend more time on south facing slopes. It's always good to know what slopes, aspects, and elevations they are using because you can eliminate a lot of country for glassing. If possible glass those areas from across the canyon. They may bed and feed at treeline, on saddles, etc. depending upon the wind, weather, and food available. Generally speaking the highest view available the more country you'll be able to scope out. If there are limited water sources it is likely worth putting in way points and glassing those locations.

 

[ndbuck09]

Guys! Thank you so much for the advice! I'm so amped up for this fall its unreal.

In reading these comments as well as talking to folks in person, I am definitely going to have to pony up for a spotting scope. I'll be able to use it in the future too so its a worthwhile investment it seems.

Jon, Thanks so much for your offer!!! I will definitely give you a ring sometime! It so nice of you to offer to chat!

I think scouting is going to be really awesome sitting behind glass. When it comes time for the actual mission, in your guys' experience are the rams going to generally be bedded from 9-10am until 4pm or so? Obviously it's an animal and there's no absolutes but is this more common? I know as the sun moves they'll likely reposition some..but In this area, its going to be a 4-5 hour game to drop to the river and hike up the trail to the bridge to cross and go up the mountain on the other side if the sheep are spotted over there. What are your thoughts on sheep bedding behavior?

 

[Archery4Life]

Hello there, My name is Jack and I'm from Middleton. I am the other lucky person that drew the 19a sheep tag.

 

[Sheep Hunter 90]

Just so you know, you can drive to the Hettinger Ranch, talk with Tim and Judy Hull the caretakers and access there to 20A. All 4 rams have been taken out of 19A and we have seen several good rams on the 20A side. If you have access to a jet boat up to Mackey Bar, you can work up the trail from there. There are sheep from there up river. There are several sheep in Porphory drainage, but it's a big canyon alone to glass. There are obviously rams in 19A still, 20A is still untouched.