Whatever it takes

[Jimbob]

Well, boys (and a few ladies) I think its time for a sheep story.

Many years ago I came to terms with the reality that I would never hunt sheep, maybe mountain goats but that would be a stretch. I was OK with it and just accepted that's how it was going to be. Since I am a school teacher, my plan was to just get a job or even volunteer for a summer with an outfitter and that would be the closest I ever get to a sheep hunt.

Then, in the spring of 2016, after living in Ontario our whole lives, my wife said "I think we should move". Wow what a turning point in our lives. She said she liked BC but "I'll follow anywhere". Yup, she's amazing. After thinking about cities in the Yukon and Alberta BC was the obvious choice. I was lucky to find a job in Smithers, BC and by the spring of 2017 all the plans were in place to head off that summer. Since you need to reside in BC for 6 months before becoming a resident I knew the 2017 hunting season was out the window, but I was already planning for 2018 already. At our kitchen table, still in Ontario, I was talking my wife's ear off about what I was going to hunt. My plan was to start with mountain goats close to home and gain some experience then head north for Stone Sheep when I felt ready. My wife looked at me I said "you have been dreaming about this for most of your life, how do you NOT start hunting them right away?". Didn't I say she's amazing. So the decision was made right there, I had never been to be BC before and I was still living in ON but I knew that come August 2018 I would be hunting stone sheep as a resident of British Columbia.

Fast forward to July 2018 and everything is in place. I have my equipment dialed, physically ready, and I have a plan. I poured of internet threads and google earth images/maps and did my best to pick out an area that I thought would be remote enough to get away from crowds and might hold sheep. I really wanted to scout it out but I never made the trip up north before the season. Instead I would go in a few days early and try to locate sheep. This being my first backpack hunt in BC and certainly first sheep hunt my goal was just to spot sheep, if I could do that I would be happy. Killing a legal ram was a 5 year goal, I didn't expect to kill on my first hunt, especially solo. Having said that I am a confident person and I do always prepare to be successful, so in the back of my mind I felt like I could make it happen. OK, enough background info, lets get to the hunt.

 

[Jimbob]

Day 1

I left home at 6 am and made it to the trail head without incident and everything looked good. The plan was to follow a horse trail then bushwhack along a creek to the base of a mountain, climb the mountain then hunt sheep, simple right?

Well the creek was not what I was expecting, bushwhacking along it was not possible. It had banks 50' high that pushed me further away from the creek. No worries though, I would just keeping heading down the valley. 2 kms later and this bush sucks, just thick and not easy going. Then suddenly the greatest gift is bestowed upon me, I walk right onto a horse trail and it is heading down the valley. I have to say though, I was torn on weather to feel blessed or cursed. I wanted to head to an area with no pressure and if there was a trail headed back here it meant other hunters as well. Either way though, I was happy for the trail.

In total, I traveled 12 km and made it to the base of the mountain. It was about to get steep and it was 9:30 pm. Great time to make camp by the creek and enjoy my first night on a back pack sheep hunt. (still kicking myself for not taking a pic)

 

[Jimbob]

Day 2 - Monday - two days before the opener.

Early in the morning I broke camp and started up the mountain. Guess what? the horse trail headed up right here. It switch backed up through the steep timber then broke out into a high mountain valley. It was in this valley that I hoped to find sheep. As I followed the trail there was plenty of moose sign up here as a glacier creek flowed through creating a wetland of lush vegetation. The valley walls were steep and ragged and as I walked I spotted 5 mountain goats. I could feel the goat tag in my bino harness, as if it were calling to me. I made it to a water fall and stopped for lunch. The goats continued walking along the valleys walls then angled down towards me, at 300 yds I admired them but knew I was there for a sheep. I wondered if I would say the same thing on day 7.

 

[Jimbob]

I climbed the water fall and found a perfect place next to the creek to set-up camp. The mountain goats disappeared, finding shade no doubt as the afternoon sun beat down. I set-up my tripod and started to glass the valley walls hoping to find sheep early in the game. I was lost in the rugged beauty and could not believe how blessed I was to be in this situation. As the sun dropped I continued to glass until I spotted my first sheep. I cannot describe the feeling when I heard the rocks tumble and brought up my binos to see two ewes and a lamb precariously perched on the rocks above. It was not excitement, it was something more, a mix of surreal and thankfulness maybe. It was indescribable.

 

[Jimbob]

Day 3 - Tuesday, 1 day till opener

I awoke in the dark and treated this like a hunting day. I wanted to get on sheep and have a plan for the next morning. The sunrise was gorgeous and I was mesmerized with the beauty of the landscape, also, I was terrified. If I find any rams on the walls how will I ever get to them, I thought to myself. Then the two ewes and lamb stepped out again. They traversed the vertical walls well out of reach of any normal human. Then headed further away and beaded down for a couple hours. Once back on there feet they headed up out of the valley to the level plateau's that existed on either side of this valley.

I feared this would be true, but I was prepared for it. The sheep lived at the top of the mountain and didn't come down into the valley I was in. I was going to have to find a chute and climb up and check out the flat spots up above. I loaded up my day gear at 10:00 am and headed up.

I need to get way up there

 

[Jimbob]

It was a steep climb over wet, jagged, and loose rock but I made it up without incident. At the top I could see for hundreds of miles and the terrain was magnificent. I climbed a gentle slope and an immense plateau carried for miles around with a rising mountain slope 2 kms away. I set up to glass the slope then heard foot steps behind me. I wheeled around and spotted three ewes feeding 50 yds away. I slipped out my camera and snapped a few shots as they fed out of view.

 

[Jimbob]

I continued to glass the slope for the next hour. Then I turned and glassed the flat plateau. What I saw left me speechless and almost emotionless, I think it was some kind of shock. (I could have woke up the next morning with my head sewn to the carpet and I would not have been in more shock then I was in that moment)

 

[Jimbob]

1.5 kms away a band of 12 rams was causally feeding in the afternoon sun. They slowly made their way to a dark sandy area then mostly bedded down with a few butting heads and just mulling around. The shock went away quick and every emotion flooded through my body. There were a few that looked to have potential but one stood out from the rest. His dark coat made the others look pale and small and although I could tell he was not full curl his MASSIVE horns were a dead give away that this ram was special. IT WAS GAME ON.

 

[Jimbob]

An afternoon storm rolled in and I donned my rain gear and continued to watch these beautiful creatures. They eventually got up and headed further away to bed down as the storm intensified. The winds picked up and I needed to find cover. I decided to head back to camp. As I climbed into the tipi the winds died and the rain petered out. I decided to start packing things and move camp up on the plateau. There was a small spring with water and it had some cover away from where the sheep were. I made it back up there and got things set-up. I went back to glass that evening but nothing was spotted. I enjoyed the sun set with the knowledge that a legal ram (or at least I had a good idea that it was legal, I still had to confirm) was close by and I had a plan for opening morning.

 

[Jimbob]

As I laid in the tipi that night I knew I was all in. This was no longer a nice back country hiking trip with hopes of seeing sheep. Everything has went perfectly except I'm further in then I had planned and calculated, distance to the trail head from right here was 22 kms. I trained hard and I had pushed myself in the past. I thought of the Goruck heavy event I did a few years back, 24 hours straight with 30 lbs pack, 58 kms total covered and numerous PT sessions in that time. I was confident that I could get this ram out if successful but I also knew I was stretching myself.

Those thoughts really just slipped in and out, but that image of the dark ram with massive horns never left. Whatever it takes I'm willing I thought to myself and I drifted off to sleep.

 

[Jimbob]

I woke up at 4:30 am with excitement and confidence, almost over confident. Oatmeal and coffee almost tasted bad this morning I was trying to control my emotions. I emerged from the tipi and breathed in the crisp mountain air of an August morning. My first sheep opener, I couldn't believe it, I am a sheep hunter. I thought back of all the moose and deer opener and blessing of successful hunts and i just soaked it in. I got to my glassing spot and waited for the dull grayness to disappear. As the morning glow began the day I was simply floored by the spectacle that lay before me. On the grassy slope 2 kms away 30+ sheep materialized, I counted 13 rams. I watched for about 15 mins then made my move. I chose to be patient. I would let the sheep come to me.

From my intel the day before I guess that the rams would come down on the plateau and bed in the same place. I slipped in the lulls of the landscape and circled around to get set-up on their "bedding area". At 7:30 am I was in position, 150 away from where they bedded the day before. From this spot I was still able to glass them on the slope directly north of me. I watched the sheep head away and bed down. Suddenly, I caught movement on the ridge north west of me. I brought up the binos to see two white rumps and flashes of horn walk out of site. No problem they'll come back to me, just be patient, its day one.

An hour passes and I can still see a band of bedded rams on top of the slope north of me, I'm just waiting for them to come to me. Again movement on the north west ridge, bring up the binos to see 4 HUNTERS headed up the ridge right towards all the sheep. I just about puked, my heart has never sank lower in my life. The hunters are headed right into the band of bedded rams I can see from my position.

 

[Jimbob]

The hunters have a better angle than I do. I made my move of being patient and it has cost me. I don't feel like being a jerk and trying to cut these hunters off and racing towards the rams. I continue to watch the hunters in my scope and see what there move is. Suddenly, they drop to the deck. Spotting scope pulled out, two hunters resting their rifles on packs. I am sure they have spotted the rams I saw go over the ridge earlier and they are trying to determine if legal. Here's my chance.

With those hunters occupied with the rams over the ridge I'm going for the band of 12. I pack up and start racing across the plateau and up the mountain. I have a land mark picked out because the sheep are out of sight as I approach.

 

[Jimbob]

I hit my land mark and break out tripod and spotter, I can't see anything. Then a 3.5 yr old rams walks out of a dip in the landscape and heads to the east, he is only 240 yds away. Then another small ram stands up but beds again. The band is only 240 yds away but I cannot see them.

I feel the need to be aggressive. I move 10 yds to the east to get a better vantage point, the whole band pops up looking my way and I freeze. As I scan the rams with my bare eyes two stand out as potential. The rams causally walk away and I bring up the binos to see that the lead ram is heavy from behind, much larger then the others. I am 80% sure he is legal but that means nothing, I need to be 100%. He leads the band directly north and out of sight.

The rams were not spooked so I feel I am still in the game.

 

[Jimbob]

Wind is coming from the east so I decide to circle west and see if I can catch up with the band. I travel for a km then spot the other hunters. They are lower than me and I am between them and the sheep, I am in good position.

I look to the north east horizon and spot this

 

[Jimbob]

I scampered quickly to some cover and get set-up, spotter on tripod, rifle rested on pack and face first in the dirt. I am only 300 yds away. Sheep are every where. Ewes and lambs walking around and all are bedded tight together. It's 9 am the light is perfect and I have a good angle to judge these sheep.

I start counting rings on the biggest one and I am 99.9% sure he is at least 8. I have views from side and back, he's legal, I'm sure. BUT there are sheep everywhere, when I switch from spotter to rifle its hard to pick out the legal ram. He stands up.

 

[Jimbob]

I count the rings in the spotter, yup, good to go. On the rifle now, aiming, he beds down. OK back to spotter, back to watching. This position is uncomfortable, I am angled down lying on rocks. I start slowly moving rocks and making a flat level spot to shoot from.

Where are those other hunters? Did they see the sheep? Did they see me? Do they know I am set-up on these sheep? Is it guide and hunters? I have heard of horror stories about guides blowing up hunts for residents, is that true? Are they setting up on these sheep as well? Will it be a race to shoot once that ram stands up? Should I stalk closer and be aggressive? Is he really legal? oh crap is he legal? was I sure?

My mind is racing.

 

[Jimbob]

12:30 PM mirage has set in and I can't count rings, I am second guessing myself. I'm hungry, I don't want to rummage through pack.

1:00 PM one ram is coming my way, he's only 120 yds away now, he's not legal but the rest will follow, I'm sure of it.

 

[Jimbob]

1:30 PM sheep are scattered out in front of me but the rams are staying bedded.

2:00 PM Clouds come in and scope is crystal clear. YES he's legal, no doubt. He stands up. On the rifle and he lays back down.

Where are those other hunters? I gotta be quick when he stands up.

 

[Jimbob]

2:30 PM all rams are up and moving but the two largest. Perfect, so much easier to keep tabs on the legal ram.

2:45 PM four rams come and bed with the legal ram. I swear It I am going to die, my heart cannot take this up and down. The adrenaline high's and lows are killing me. I haven't eaten all day, I suck back a little water and calm myself. The four smaller rams have gotten back up again.

3:00 PM he stands up broadside, he's legal, he's absolutely beautiful. I am on the rifle, steady, aim, squeeze.

 

[Jimbob]

As the rifle rings out every sheep freezes but mine drops out of sight, is he down, did he take off?

He appears from behind a dip and stands broadside, as I'm aiming I know I hit him on the first shot, he is the only ram that moved at the shot. I squeeze again and he drops. I got a stone sheep.

I try to breathe but I'm shaking, inreach message my Wife then my Dad, I wish he was here. I like solo hunting but this is the first time of the trip I feel alone. I want to celebrate with someone.

Then the other hunters appear "Hey, looks like you got a sheep" he yells to me. He watched it all go down and gave me the space and opportunity to take it. Its him his wife and two daughters, they have a horse camp down in the valley. We chat walking up to the sheep then he gives me space to go check out my ram.

No words walking up to this animal.