Alaska sheep hunt excitement

[Bowhunter1]

Well in two day's my buddy and myself will hit mountains running (more like a slow painful crawl) in pursute of the dall sheep. I've been waiting and preparing for this hunt for the better part of two years and cannot wait to get into the mountains. The past few weeks have been spent pouring over maps an going through gear trying to get the last few details worked out for the perfect hunt. We will doing a hike in hunt into Alaska's Brooks Range for 12 days and a total round trip of about 70 miles. My buddy and I are ready, gear is packed and hopefully we will have a good story and pics to share when we get back.

Best of Luck to all the guys and gals that will be headed out this fall, be safe and hunt hard.

Brad

 

[SHTF]

Brad,

Be safe out there. and good luck on your hunt. dont let the mountain beat you down =-).

james

 

[Daniel_M]

70 miles on foot?

 

[realunlucky]

Brad that sounds like quite the adventure would love to see some pictures. Good luck

 

[colonel00]

I have always been jealous of you guys and your sheep hunts. Well, right up until 70 miles on foot

 

[Bowhunter1]

The 70mi is tenative that all depends on where we may find sheep. But yes all on foot, I hope we dont have to travel that far be we are prepared to go the distance if necessary.

 

[Daniel_M]

The 70mi is tenative that all depends on where we may find sheep.

Yep I'll never be a legit walk-in sheep dude. Off the plane and up the drainage is my motto.

 

[pa-pride]

Awesome! Share pictures!!!! I have never chased sheep up there (not yet), but have chased bou. Beautiful country out that way.

 

[Bighorse]

What made you decide on such and extreme distance? I did a hike in hunt off the haul road and pulled a nice 38" ram at much less of a distance.
The distance doesn't make the hunt. Finding and outsmarting em does. 70 miles with a meat haul is tremendously challenging on your body. Are you both intending to take a ram? This is comming from a guy who just went in 10 miles on foot and shot a huge Billy. 70 miles! Thats too far in my opinion. Not imposible but it's certainly past the threashold of emotional and physical benifit. So are we talking a potential 140 round trip? You might be a Rokslider if you do that! Anything less would only be 24hr Campfire awesome.

FYI...I'll be in the Alaska Range doing a walk in sheep and Bou hunt starting Aug 9. There won't be any ram considered after 15 miles.

 

[realunlucky]

So are we talking a potential 140 round trip? .

Said it could be 70 miles around trip but i agree with you. Have to be a machine to do that kind of a grind will make for one hell of a memory later in life

 

[Bighorse]

Said it could be 70 miles around trip but i agree with you. Have to be a machine to do that kind of a grind will make for one hell of a memory later in life

Rodger that. I like the piece in Billy Molls book where he hikes out a long distance in the Brooks. The Brooks is actually very tame as far as mountains are concerned in Alaska. So really 35 miles isn't an impossible feat. Strap a full load of Sheep on your body and then the challenge gets ratched up a notch. 70 Miles with a heavy pack......that right there will destroy some things.

 

[cwh]

70 mile round trip doesn't necessarily mean 35 miles loaded. We've done a few 50+ mile trips in the brooks, just going in, looking up different drainages, etc, and coming out. Could also kick in 5 miles off the road, parallel the road for 60 miles (ok, that's pushing it) and then 5 miles back out to another rig. If you kill in the middle, you can take the next drainage back to the road.

Over 12 days, it is under 6 miles/day. Could be a cool trip...

 

[Buster]

Good luck to all you guys going for the thin horns. My year is 2015, stones. Until then I'm living through your stories, so keep the posts detailed.

 

[Floorguy]

Butch and Larry Bartlett went at least 60 round trip for Butch's monster last year. In Terra Incognita Larry talks about why and you can watch it.

 

[Snyd]

Good luck on your Brooks Range walkin. Maybe we'll see you in there...but I hope not! Nuthin personal

I've been on 2 walkin sheep hunts where we logged 50-70 miles in 12 days. Both were DCUA walkins and also involved 12 miles on mtn bikes. But on those 2 hunts we had to go 15-20 miles one way to get to sheep country. 1 ram on one hunt, 2 rams on the other.

Last year we got 2 rams out of the Brooks on a walk in. I'd say we covered about 55 miles by the time we humped in, pitched the tent, hunted further back then made two trips getting out. 9 days. Trying for a replay this year.

I could see where 2 guys could cover 70 miles in 12 days if they get 2 rams. But to set out with the goal of a 70 mile trek and "picking up" a couple rams along the way adds all kinds of logistical issues.

 

[rodney482]

good luck!!!!

 

[Ronster]

Good luck on your Brooks Range walkin. Maybe we'll see you in there...but I hope not! Nuthin personal

I've been on 2 walkin sheep hunts where we logged 50-70 miles in 12 days. Both were DCUA walkins and also involved 12 miles on mtn bikes. But on those 2 hunts we had to go 15-20 miles one way to get to sheep country. 1 ram on one hunt, 2 rams on the other.

Last year we got 2 rams out of the Brooks on a walk in. I'd say we covered about 55 miles by the time we humped in, pitched the tent, hunted further back then made two trips getting out. 9 days. Trying for a replay this year.

I could see where 2 guys could cover 70 miles in 12 days if they get 2 rams. But to set out with the goal of a 70 mile trek and "picking up" a couple rams along the way adds all kinds of logistical issues.

Good luck to you sir! We are headed out tomorrow for our walk in as well. Hope to only make it 5 miles before dropping a pair but prepared for a lot more miles on the Lowas.

I had my misfortune last night on the range. Was about to put the rifle away after shooting 100 and 200, but I chose to throw a last 2 down range and glad I did, my scope had come loose from all of my shooting. Tighted it back up and it was a bit off so I ended up being there another hour to get confident out to 300. Sure glad that didnt happen up north.

 

[Bighorse]

As I recall, Butch had intel about a specific animal in a specific location that required a long approach. That I can respect. I don't respect blowing through miles and miles of country thinking burning shoe rubber produces animals. The website states hunt hard and hunt smart. Talk to Luke Moffat about the yahoo he met that motored right past a legal ram last year in the Brooks.

I'd rather hunt smart myself. That includes being prepared for the distance. I'd avoid it at all costs in hope of getting my hard earned game meat on ice.

All I gotta say is I'm hiking in Friday morning. I'm only going to go far enough to get the job done. Let the weather, mountains, and game do what they will.

Hunt with your eyes not your boots. Utilize good intel. Be patient. Big distances do not always produce the animals you want.

I'll check back with you clowns in another week. Hopefully my knees and back will be tired from humping out a sheep and caribou as little distance as possible.

Synd......why do I recognize that red tent? Grin!

 

[Daniel_M]

Wish someone would slide me some specific Intel on a specif animal. 40+ club only.

Keep it real Chris, if you need anything passing through Wasilla lemme know.

 

[Bighorse]

How about some intel on where I can find a nice fat ram no more than three miles off the road. Eh, Dan? I don't care how big it is. Legal will do. I'll sell the cape anyway.

Thanks for the offer, perhaps a beer if I get my critters knocked down and enroute to the cooler quick enough. Then I'll have some downtime for meeting new friends.