Where is the best place to hunt true Stones?

[Maxhunter]

Rebecca,

I'd take a look at Dustin Roe of BackcountryBC and Beyond. This guys is awesome!

http://www.backcountrybcandbeyond.com/

 

[bearguide]

looks like a good site

 

[Bryan Martin]

There are many good places and good outfitters to hunt Stones with, in BC and the Yukon. The most important is the area and the 2nd most important is the quality of the guide. I outfitted Stones for over 10 years in the Cassiar Mtns of N. BC. We had a good area, but not fabulous. We were successful because we had great hunters and young/tough guides and no resident hunting pressure. We offered very few horseback hunts due to the remote and rough country. Most Stone outfitters are horseback oriented. A few offer backpack hunts. Some areas have little resident pressure and others have lots. I'd recommend booking a hunt with an outfitter you can relate too and one that has a hunting style compatible with your own. Most outfits don't take archery hunters, but some will. If you don't like horses, don't book a hunt with horseback oriented outfitters. Horses are necessary in many areas though due to the lack of lakes and airstrips. One of my favorite ways to hunt is to get to the hunting area with horses and then go hunting with backpack, while a wrangler looks after the horses. The biggest challenges with horseback hunting is that oftentimes, the hunters are not glassing at first or last light, because they have to ride during these times, to/from camp.

The biggest and darkest colored rams, in general, come from the East Slope of the Rocky Mountains in BC. These are the Halfway, Sikanni, Besa, Prophet, Muskwa, Tuchodi, Toad, Liard, Denetiah, Kechika and Turnagain River areas. The most well known areas are: Sikanni River Outfitters (Mike Hammett), Prophet Muskwa Outfitters (Olmstead), Big Nine/High and Wild (Thompkins), Tuchodi River Outfitters (Larry Warren), Stone Mountain (Leif Olsen), Folding/Terminus Outfitters (Drinkall), Muncho Lake Outfitters (Art Thompson) and Scoop Lake (Darwin Cary). The Cassiars, are located between the Coastal and Rocky Mountains and make up the North Central part of BC and in general also have dark rams, typically with smaller bases. These drainages would include the Stikine, Spatsizi, Dease, Upper Turnagain, Sheslay, Jennings River, Major Hart, Cassiar, Dall. The Major outfitters there are Spatsizi (Collingwoods), Upper Stikine (Now, North River Stone, Ron and Maria Nemetchek), Bradford and Company, BC Safaris (Keith Connors and Shane Black), Simpson Stone Sheep, Kinaskan Lake Outfitters (Creyke - this is the area with one archery only area - Todagin Mountain), Tahltan Outfitters (Jim Peterson and Carmen Nyuli), Golden Bear (Greg Williams), NW Ranching and Outfitting (Heidi Gutfrucht), McCowan's Sporting Adventures (Harry McCowan), Cassiar Stone Outfitters (Mike Kabanak), Kawdy Outfitting (Lancasters), The NW part of BC is where the Stones are a bit lighter, more like a Fannin. These areas would be Taku Safaris, Indian River Ranch and Jennings River Outfitters and they are located East of Atlin and near the Yukon. West of Atlin, tucked up against the Yukon border, the Sheep become true Dalls. The two Dall areas in BC are Moon Lake (Shane Buchanan) and Northwest Big Game Outfitters (Jack Goodwin). There are a couple other outfitters with stone sheep having only a couple tags, that I did not mention. Some of these area can be great; others are hit and miss.

In the Yukon, the Cassiar Mtns and the Pelly Mtns contain most of the Stone Sheep. These hunting areas would be Yukon Stone, Dueling Stone, Trophy Stone, Teslin River and MacMillan River. Some of the sheep in these area are also more like Fannin Sheep. The North West part of the YK has most of the lighter Fannins. These areas would be Reynold's Outfitting, Blackstone, Jensen Outfitters, Midnight Sun. Still, a lot of the sheep in these areas are pure Dalls too.

The most archery friendly areas/outfitters are Big Nine/High and Wild (Thompkins), Kinaskan Lake (Creyke), Yukon Stone (Russ Geisbrecht). There are other areas that have taken bowhunters, but in small numbers. The key for a bowhunter is good sheep densities and a willing and patient guide.

I didn't go out on a limb and say which outfitter is the "best" as each area/outfitter has its own strengths and weaknesses. It is really important that a hunter pick an outfitter's hunting style they'll be happy with. Patience is very important for stone sheep hunting. Make sure you and your guide are able to glass either in the early morning or evenings, as many stone sheep will live/sleep in the brush, making them very difficult to spot during the day. When asking for references, make sure to call hunters that have some experience under their belt and also from a hunter(s) that was unsuccessful.

I hope this information helps. There are lots of options out there for sure. Stone Sheep is probably my favorite all around animal to hunt. It is not overly difficult to shoot a ram; it is difficult to find a really big one. Good luck in your research.
Bryan

 

[billy molls]

Very good information!! Well done!

There are many good places and good outfitters to hunt Stones with, in BC and the Yukon. The most important is the area and the 2nd most important is the quality of the guide. I outfitted Stones for over 10 years in the Cassiar Mtns of N. BC. We had a good area, but not fabulous. We were successful because we had great hunters and young/tough guides and no resident hunting pressure. We offered very few horseback hunts due to the remote and rough country. Most Stone outfitters are horseback oriented. A few offer backpack hunts. Some areas have little resident pressure and others have lots. I'd recommend booking a hunt with an outfitter you can relate too and one that has a hunting style compatible with your own. Most outfits don't take archery hunters, but some will. If you don't like horses, don't book a hunt with horseback oriented outfitters. Horses are necessary in many areas though due to the lack of lakes and airstrips. One of my favorite ways to hunt is to get to the hunting area with horses and then go hunting with backpack, while a wrangler looks after the horses. The biggest challenges with horseback hunting is that oftentimes, the hunters are not glassing at first or last light, because they have to ride during these times, to/from camp.

The biggest and darkest colored rams, in general, come from the East Slope of the Rocky Mountains in BC. These are the Halfway, Sikanni, Besa, Prophet, Muskwa, Tuchodi, Toad, Liard, Denetiah, Kechika and Turnagain River areas. The most well known areas are: Sikanni River Outfitters (Mike Hammett), Prophet Muskwa Outfitters (Olmstead), Big Nine/High and Wild (Thompkins), Tuchodi River Outfitters (Larry Warren), Stone Mountain (Leif Olsen), Folding/Terminus Outfitters (Drinkall), Muncho Lake Outfitters (Art Thompson) and Scoop Lake (Darwin Cary). The Cassiars, are located between the Coastal and Rocky Mountains and make up the North Central part of BC and in general also have dark rams, typically with smaller bases. These drainages would include the Stikine, Spatsizi, Dease, Upper Turnagain, Sheslay, Jennings River, Major Hart, Cassiar, Dall. The Major outfitters there are Spatsizi (Collingwoods), Upper Stikine (Now, North River Stone, Ron and Maria Nemetchek), Bradford and Company, BC Safaris (Keith Connors and Shane Black), Simpson Stone Sheep, Kinaskan Lake Outfitters (Creyke - this is the area with one archery only area - Todagin Mountain), Tahltan Outfitters (Jim Peterson and Carmen Nyuli), Golden Bear (Greg Williams), NW Ranching and Outfitting (Heidi Gutfrucht), McCowan's Sporting Adventures (Harry McCowan), Cassiar Stone Outfitters (Mike Kabanak), Kawdy Outfitting (Lancasters), The NW part of BC is where the Stones are a bit lighter, more like a Fannin. These areas would be Taku Safaris, Indian River Ranch and Jennings River Outfitters and they are located East of Atlin and near the Yukon. West of Atlin, tucked up against the Yukon border, the Sheep become true Dalls. The two Dall areas in BC are Moon Lake (Shane Buchanan) and Northwest Big Game Outfitters (Jack Goodwin). There are a couple other outfitters with stone sheep having only a couple tags, that I did not mention. Some of these area can be great; others are hit and miss.

In the Yukon, the Cassiar Mtns and the Pelly Mtns contain most of the Stone Sheep. These hunting areas would be Yukon Stone, Dueling Stone, Trophy Stone, Teslin River and MacMillan River. Some of the sheep in these area are also more like Fannin Sheep. The North West part of the YK has most of the lighter Fannins. These areas would be Reynold's Outfitting, Blackstone, Jensen Outfitters, Midnight Sun. Still, a lot of the sheep in these areas are pure Dalls too.

The most archery friendly areas/outfitters are Big Nine/High and Wild (Thompkins), Kinaskan Lake (Creyke), Yukon Stone (Russ Geisbrecht). There are other areas that have taken bowhunters, but in small numbers. The key for a bowhunter is good sheep densities and a willing and patient guide.

I didn't go out on a limb and say which outfitter is the "best" as each area/outfitter has its own strengths and weaknesses. It is really important that a hunter pick an outfitter's hunting style they'll be happy with. Patience is very important for stone sheep hunting. Make sure you and your guide are able to glass either in the early morning or evenings, as many stone sheep will live/sleep in the brush, making them very difficult to spot during the day. When asking for references, make sure to call hunters that have some experience under their belt and also from a hunter(s) that was unsuccessful.

I hope this information helps. There are lots of options out there for sure. Stone Sheep is probably my favorite all around animal to hunt. It is not overly difficult to shoot a ram; it is difficult to find a really big one. Good luck in your research.
Bryan

 

[rebecca francis]

You are very very thorough Bryan. Thanks for all the info. I have heard that Heidi Gutfrucht is phenomenal, do you know anything about her? We hunt with our horses all the time, so doing a horse hunt isn't a problem...however, I am with you on the necessity to glass early and late. We typically ride to and from camp in the dark for that very reason. I will check into those archery friendly outfitters.....

Thanks so much Bryan!

 

[Bryan Martin]

Heidi is very good outfitter, but for archery, I think there are better places. There doesn't seem to be as many legal rams in her area as there used to be. The best way to hunt is to use horses to get to area, then hunt on foot, sleeping in the mtns, so you don't have to travel back and forth. Being fit and good with horses is a huge advantage. Email or call if I can help you out more. Are you looking to book this year or next?

 

[fire arrow]

Rebecca,

I'd take a look at Dustin Roe of BackcountryBC and Beyond. This guys is awesome!

http://www.backcountrybcandbeyond.com/

I will throw in a second vote for Dustin. I have talked with him from time to time. He is the one I would like to go goat hunting with, and if I don't draw a goat tag in the lower 48 with in the next 4 to 5 years, that's where I will go.

 

[jerseyjohn]

I see that Collingwood Brothers are 100% since 1977. 8 tags a year and dark stones. Top $ also. JJ

 

[Steve O]

Hard to add much after Bryan. If I won the lottery, I would hunt "true" Stones with The Bradfords. I was truly able to go the budget route (as I booked right when they bought the concession) for a "true" Fannin (those 5 outfits in the Olgilvies are over 300 miles isolated from any Stone sheep) with Blackstone. They are tops in my book.

 

[docdb]

Blackstone

SteveO,
I'm leaving on August 30 for my second hunt with Blackstone. It would sure be nice to find a fannin. Who guided you?
Don

 

[Steve O]

Don,

Tell Jim & Adrienne I said hello and wish I was there. I doubt either of my guides are still there. The first 44 miles was a guy named Luke. The last 6 was Jered. Can't remember any last names but here are pics:

 

[tstowater]

Here is my Stone from Stone Mountain Safaris. Leif is great to work with. If you can find one prettier, I would like to see it. I hunted with Terry Stone and previously with Ken Clark and Dan Leonard when owned by Dave Weins. I would spend a month there every fall if I could afford the $ and time.

 

[Sae]

Just finished a resident hunt in Heidi's area , she is down to two sheep tags a year I think , the area has very little cover, we took two rams both 9 1/2 years 40" one almost black , big quality sheep are there just a hard go . If you want pics of the area pm me

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

Rebecca, I shot my stone in 1995, so my info is quite dated. At that time I researched every stone outfitter in BC that I could locate and had a 4" binder of info (I tend to research stuff to death). I wanted a dark stone, high success on 160+ sheep with a crack at a book ram. I settled on Stone Mountain Safaris.

 

[Tilzbow]

After two years of research I just booked a hunt at the WSF convention with Tuchodi for 2014. Because I'm planning to bow hunt that narrowed my choices since some outfitters won't take bow hunters. Tuchodi was the name that kept coming back and I never heard even a slightly negative comment about their operation over two years of research and they've had great success with bow hunters in recent years. The other outfitters that were at the top of list were Stone Mountian, BC Safaris and Yukon Big Game Outfitters. If I were rifle hunting there are a couple others I might have looked at seriously.

 

[tstowater]

After two years of research I just booked a hunt at the WSF convention with Tuchodi for 2014. Because I'm planning to bow hunt that narrowed my choices since some outfitters won't take bow hunters. Tuchodi was the name that kept coming back and I never heard even a slightly negative comment about their operation over two years of research and they've had great success with bow hunters in recent years. The other outfitters that were at the top of list were Stone Mountian, BC Safaris and Yukon Big Game Outfitters. If I were rifle hunting there are a couple others I might have looked at seriously.

Good luck on your hunt. The Warrens have a beautiful area with a lot of game. They are next to Stone Mountain and should be really good to work with.

 

[flyingbrass]

Tuchodi River, B.C. 2010, My first sheep but not my last, I'm going to NWT for dall soon!

 

[bigfish b.c]

i have guided for scoop lake & hunted all over there area & they have some increadible rams,was a tough year last year though with dry weather & fires,you wont find a nicer guy than darwin . very organized for a outfitter,many are notthink they took 3-4 over 40inch last year one just a hair under 43,he is down to 8 permits now to.