Dall Sheep DS103 Tok Management Area

tuffcrk14

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 11, 2015
Messages
134
I drew the coveted DS103 TMA dall sheep hunt and booked a flight into Joe Young Creek on the West Fork of the Robertson for August 25th-September 4th. I was hoping to hear if anyone has had (or know someone that has) experience in this area, or have heard much about this area in general. There isn’t a whole lot of information out there on this spot. I’d also greatly appreciate any tips, tricks, or tactics that have worked in harvesting a beautiful sheep. Learning everything there is to know about these awesome critters is half of the fun for me. My wife and I have already started getting into sheep shape and are looking forward to the challenges that are to come! Thanks in advance!


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amp713

WKR
Joined
Apr 5, 2012
Messages
1,435
Location
Utah
Check out the tundra talk podcast I believe he may have drawn the same tag....
 
Joined
Mar 21, 2012
Messages
3,995
Location
Alaska
Tyler has the early tag, but the way he plans to attack this particular hunt will not be the common practice, but many of us would do the same since it's reasonably only a once in a lifetime opportunity. He very well may share info after his hunt has been completed.

That said, there is an absolute eternity of information available on the internet with regards to this area and permit.

Good luck, make the most of this permit, you won't likely ever have a better chance at a great Ram.
 
Joined
Jan 6, 2014
Messages
915
Location
AK
Damn I wish I could draw this tag.....just once. Good luck man, I hope you have a great hunt!!!
 

Short on cache

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 13, 2014
Messages
124
Im following. I drew the early 102 and have booked with 40 Mile Air. Im having a surprisingly hard time finding info on the net.
 

LivinGood

FNG
Joined
Feb 22, 2017
Messages
45
Location
Fairbanks, AK
The TMA is a great opportunity to harvest a big ram. Maybe the best in the state these days. The overall ram numbers and legal ram numbers are not the best, however. The DCUA has a much higher legal ram percentage and overall more sheep. Even some general season areas have a better percentage of legal rams. A lot of the country in the TMA is very rugged and requires the hunter to put on some miles to get a big ram even when being flown in. Anyone can get lucky but for the most part this tag is a tough hunt. I think the biggest factor for unsuccessful hunts in the TMA is due to hunters thinking there are 40" sheep behind every rock and you should be able to see them from the strip. When that doesn't happen people get defeated right then and their. There is a lot of people who receive a TMA tag who have never hunted sheep before and IMO that tag is not the best intro to sheep hunting. It is possible to hike into sheep country with a 15-20 mile trek and that would even put people past some air strips. Don't be afraid to put some distance between the strip and you'll do just fine. All the strips 40 mile uses puts the hunters within striking distance of rams. Some require more hiking then others. I know the White Creek strip is very high in the valley and at times there are rams on the strip. Good Luck! Give the Tok office a call and chat with Bob or Jeff Wells.
 
OP
tuffcrk14

tuffcrk14

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 11, 2015
Messages
134
Damn I wish I could draw this tag.....just once. Good luck man, I hope you have a great hunt!!!
Hey thanks! My luck for winning any kind of drawing is quite pathetic, so I am counting my blessings on this draw and not taking it for granted.
 
OP
tuffcrk14

tuffcrk14

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 11, 2015
Messages
134
The TMA is a great opportunity to harvest a big ram. Maybe the best in the state these days. The overall ram numbers and legal ram numbers are not the best, however. The DCUA has a much higher legal ram percentage and overall more sheep. Even some general season areas have a better percentage of legal rams. A lot of the country in the TMA is very rugged and requires the hunter to put on some miles to get a big ram even when being flown in. Anyone can get lucky but for the most part this tag is a tough hunt. I think the biggest factor for unsuccessful hunts in the TMA is due to hunters thinking there are 40" sheep behind every rock and you should be able to see them from the strip. When that doesn't happen people get defeated right then and their. There is a lot of people who receive a TMA tag who have never hunted sheep before and IMO that tag is not the best intro to sheep hunting. It is possible to hike into sheep country with a 15-20 mile trek and that would even put people past some air strips. Don't be afraid to put some distance between the strip and you'll do just fine. All the strips 40 mile uses puts the hunters within striking distance of rams. Some require more hiking then others. I know the White Creek strip is very high in the valley and at times there are rams on the strip. Good Luck! Give the Tok office a call and chat with Bob or Jeff Wells.

I have had a fear that where I am going there could be a possibility of no legal rams, or sheep and that fear is driving me to run that extra mile and do that extra rep. I am relying on physical training, hard work, research, and a little luck to get myself a chance at an awesome legal ram. If I can follow through with at least three of those four things, I think there is a good chance at achieving success. I can't wait to see what is in store when August 25th rolls around!
 
Joined
Mar 9, 2018
Messages
35
Location
Wasilla, Alaska
I have had a fear that where I am going there could be a possibility of no legal rams, or sheep and that fear is driving me to run that extra mile and do that extra rep. I am relying on physical training, hard work, research, and a little luck to get myself a chance at an awesome legal ram. If I can follow through with at least three of those four things, I think there is a good chance at achieving success. I can't wait to see what is in store when August 25th rolls around!

That is every sheep hunters fear! But, regardless, it should be a great excursion. I think getting in shape is the biggest factor to being succesful in tough areas. I don't know how many videos I've watched on the interwebs where hunters are sucking wind just walking to get up to their kill. Some people are definitely luckier than others and don't have to work too hard. Good luck out there. I'm sure your efforts will reward you up there in the TMA.
 

aklogan

FNG
Joined
Dec 26, 2013
Messages
44
For my TMA tag last year there was not much for information out there that I could find and I looked a lot. It is a great area but 40 Mile will not put you on the sheep. They will put you in an area where you have the potential to be successful if you do your part. At least this is what I was told and I did not asked to be dropped on them. Prepare for the weather it is not uncommon for it to snow in that area throughout the whole sheep season. Coworker got snowed out completely on his late season tag a few years a go. During my early season tag we got a few dustings of snow but nothing stuck and I went in on the 14th.

Prepare for alders and rocks. Where we hunted water was not an issue but I've only been in two parts of TMA, once I was not sheep hunting.

We counted 8 legal rams in the valley we hunted a total of 40 sheep over 5 days. 3 bears and a dandy caribou, not one person and not even a single supercub other then the two that dropped us off and the same two that picked us up!
 
OP
tuffcrk14

tuffcrk14

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 11, 2015
Messages
134
For my TMA tag last year there was not much for information out there that I could find and I looked a lot. It is a great area but 40 Mile will not put you on the sheep. They will put you in an area where you have the potential to be successful if you do your part. At least this is what I was told and I did not asked to be dropped on them. Prepare for the weather it is not uncommon for it to snow in that area throughout the whole sheep season. Coworker got snowed out completely on his late season tag a few years a go. During my early season tag we got a few dustings of snow but nothing stuck and I went in on the 14th.

Prepare for alders and rocks. Where we hunted water was not an issue but I've only been in two parts of TMA, once I was not sheep hunting.

We counted 8 legal rams in the valley we hunted a total of 40 sheep over 5 days. 3 bears and a dandy caribou, not one person and not even a single supercub other then the two that dropped us off and the same two that picked us up!

Hey thank you very much for sharing your experience in the TMA! Were you successful in getting a ram last year?


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alaskanparret

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 12, 2018
Messages
139
Location
OR
Tok Air Service also flies out of Tok(who would’ve guessed) and is a great guy!

Zack knows his stuff and spends almost everyday of his life up in the air around the area. As a result he knows where the animals are, where they’ve been moving and he’s been pioneering new strips to get you back in where the animals, in this case sheep, are.

You won’t be disappointed! Give him a call and see what he has to offer.

Haven’t been disappointed the last two times I’ve flown with him!


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OP
tuffcrk14

tuffcrk14

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 11, 2015
Messages
134
Tok Air Service also flies out of Tok(who would’ve guessed) and is a great guy!

Zack knows his stuff and spends almost everyday of his life up in the air around the area. As a result he knows where the animals are, where they’ve been moving and he’s been pioneering new strips to get you back in where the animals, in this case sheep, are.

You won’t be disappointed! Give him a call and see what he has to offer.

Haven’t been disappointed the last two times I’ve flown with him!


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Hey thanks, alaskanparret! He sounds like a great source of information that could answer some questions that I have. Thanks for sharing!


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Rick L

FNG
Joined
Jan 22, 2017
Messages
77
Location
Fairbanks, Alaska
I drew the DS102 Aug 10th-Aug25th. I am also scheduled to fly with 40 mile air into Joe Young creek.

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