The "Not so glamorous side of Sheep Hunting"

[Snyd]

They're not all "Blue skies and big rams"

We had the best weather going in on the 8th and 9th. Opening day the 10th was socked in until early afternoon for a couple hours. Then socked in until about 7 for a couple hours. Weather came in again and it rained all night and was socked in/rain the entire day of the 11th, all night in into the 12th. The 12th we had a couple hours of visibility as we traveled back further to another destination. During our trek that afternoon the ceiling and the rain fell once again through the night….. as so it went.

At some point this all becomes a wet, grey blur. It rained everyday and night, let up some sometimes. Most of the time the ceiling was low and the ground fog filled the valleys. We had a couple hours scattered here and there between the 10th and 16th that we could see to glass/hunt. We did end up seeing 9 rams, none legal, and about 30+ ewes and lambs. Last time we were in this area 3 years ago we saw legal rams and 15 sub legals, made two unsuccessful stalks and I slipped in a steep chute and dislocated my shoulder. We popped it back in and hunted for 4 more days.

Of course my mind is thinking…. “if we had better weather maybe we could have spotted a legal ram”… but, who knows, that’s Sheep Hunting! It was great to get back to the sheep mountains after not sheep hunting last year. It was also very cool to be packing the 45 Colt BisHunter. Good Lord willing and if our bone structures hold up, we’ll try ‘er again next year!


[video=youtube_share;8XFBbymqoiE]https://youtu.be/8XFBbymqoiE[/video]

 

[Ridgerunner]

Brutal no other words to explain it


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Stid2677]

Weather monster has gotten us all at one time or another.

 

[Yellowknife]

Been there! 6 days of soggy 2014 had us looking like drowned rats.

 

[Carl]

I just spent 19 days in the hills in AK. 5 days before the season were great. Then rain or snow the next fourteen days, non stop.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

 

[Fjelljeger]

Great story non the less. Very good video. Things can always be better.....but they can also always be worse!

 

[AK Troutbum]

Thanks Snyd, I very much enjoyed the video although, I'm sure that it wasn't as enjoyable to make. I found it refreshing even though it brought back many memories of too many long days spent holed up in my shelter under similar conditions. Better luck next year brother.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SLDMTN]

It gets EVERYONE sooner or later. Trips like those will make a guy grateful for a sacrificial Gatorade bottle stashed away in your pack. I've gotten funny looks packing one in but until you've been there, it's hard to explain how bad it sucks sprinting outside to pee in sideways rain.

You'll get them next year man, thanks for taking the time to write it up. I enjoy hearing all sides of sheep hunting.

 

[poman]

Thanks for showing the not so glamorous side of sheep hunting in Alaska.

 

[PNWGATOR]

You guys persevered! What a trip. Learn a lot about yourself and your hunting partner(s) on a trip like that.

 

[Jdog]

Man...been there, done that. That is tough on the mental game. This is when a great partner with a solid attitude really helps. Gotta boost each other up. And its better than sitting at home thinking about being in the mountains.

 

[Slim Jim]

Man you Alaskans, especially coastal guys have it rough. I'm from Nevada where we have 300+ days a year of sunshine. That has to be tough mentally.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Snyd]

You know, ya it sucked being socked in but I'm not crying and singing the blues. It was great to be back in the sheep mtns. Every year is a bonus as far as I'm concerned. The weather is part of the deal. We had a good time and saw some sheep.

The guys I feel bad for are the guys that spent $20k + for their once in a lifetime sheep hunt and get socked in for days on end. I'm sure there were a few of 'em that had the same kind of week we did. Not much chance of a do-over for guys that like that.

 

[Jdog]

You know, ya it sucked being socked in but I'm not crying and singing the blues. It was great to be back in the sheep mtns. Every year is a bonus as far as I'm concerned. The weather is part of the deal. We had a good time and saw some sheep.

The guys I feel bad for are the guys that spent $20k + for their once in a lifetime sheep hunt and get socked in for days on end. I'm sure there were a few of 'em that had the same kind of week we did. Not much chance of a do-over for guys that like that.

Never thought of it like that...geeze that would suk

 

[adventure907]

Snyd, thanks for showing the realistic, not so peachy side of sheep hunting. Right now I am sitting here listening to the rain pour outside as I was hoping to head out hunting today. Not gonna happen. Tomorrow is looking like more of the same.

I always say, the toughest part of mountain hunting in Alaska is not the physicality, but rather the mental toll that this great land can weigh upon us. Being mentally tough and being able to roll with the punches is much more important than being in peak physical shape, in my humble opinion. Thank you for sharing the realities of Alaska sheep hunting with our friends on Rokslide.

 

[Fishn4eyes]

Just got back from 10 days in BC hunting Stone sheep.

It rained or snowed 8 out of 10 days, with very little visibility.

Decent weather on the 1st and 8th days.

It was the biggest mental and physical challenge I've ever been on due almost exclusively to the poor weather.

 

[Thunder head]

The guys I feel bad for are the guys that spent $20k + for their once in a lifetime sheep hunt and get socked in for days on end. I'm sure there were a few of 'em that had the same kind of week we did. Not much chance of a do-over for guys that like that.

This is exactly why I have not made the commitment to do a sheep hunt, even though I dream about it every year. Its just to much money to risk sitting in a tent for a week.

 

[Snyd]

This is exactly why I have not made the commitment to do a sheep hunt, even though I dream about it every year. Its just to much money to risk sitting in a tent for a week.

Don't wait. DO IT! I've hunt sheep here in AK 12 of the last 13 years and this is the first trip I've been weathered in to this extreme. Usually a day or 2 then it breaks.

They can also be like this! My last ram, 2015...

If you get weathered out/in some guys then head to the lower country and hunt griz. Provided you are in an area where it's open, it's an option.

 

[Molon Labe]

Just did my first sheep hunt in AK 9th-19th. 11days and we had a total of 5 hours of sunshine besides the 9th.
Luckily three of those hours were on day 6 and we were able to dry sleeping bags and gear out...it was amazing!
Found some dwarf alders a couple miles from camp but it was so wet we could barely get it to burn and rained so much we couldn't do a fire...
Most days were fog and it rained every day. Got snowed on three days and had 100yd visibility in one blizzard.
We bivy sacked up top three days waiting for 30 minute fog windows. At one point we were in bivy for 17 hours! Haha pretty boring.
Biggest bummer was not being able to take many pictures solar charger was useless and we only had one loaded battery pack...
Saw some Rams. One we would have taken. Found out day 10 that we were most likely in bivy sacks 350yds from him two days just fog had him protected!

When we got picked up they were surprised we were so excited and said it was an amazing hunt
We just didn't know any better. Both of us it was our first sheep hunt and just figured that's the way it always was.
After getting out and talking to people we found out it was horrible conditions.
I'm now completely addicted and can't wait to go on my next sheep hunt!
Weather can only be better which would be really sweet!

 

[AK Troutbum]

Just did my first sheep hunt in AK 9th-19th. 11days and we had a total of 5 hours of sunshine besides the 9th.
Luckily three of those hours were on day 6 and we were able to dry sleeping bags and gear out...it was amazing!
Found some dwarf alders a couple miles from camp but it was so wet we could barely get it to burn and rained so much we couldn't do a fire...
Most days were fog and it rained every day. Got snowed on three days and had 100yd visibility in one blizzard.
We bivy sacked up top three days waiting for 30 minute fog windows. At one point we were in bivy for 17 hours! Haha pretty boring.
Biggest bummer was not being able to take many pictures solar charger was useless and we only had one loaded battery pack...
Saw some Rams. One we would have taken. Found out day 10 that we were most likely in bivy sacks 350yds from him two days just fog had him protected!

When we got picked up they were surprised we were so excited and said it was an amazing hunt
We just didn't know any better. Both of us it was our first sheep hunt and just figured that's the way it always was.
After getting out and talking to people we found out it was horrible conditions.
I'm now completely addicted and can't wait to go on my next sheep hunt!
Weather can only be better which would be really sweet!

Welcome to mountain hunting in AK. One thing is for certain, you endured some hardships, lived to tell about it, and know that you can do it again if you have to. Who knows, maybe your next sheep hunt you'll be wishing that you had brought some sunscreen.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk