Dall hunt + covid19

Gadjet

Gadjet

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I have a dall hunt booked for this August. Anyone else starting to get a little nervous?
 
Man I was thinking about you and I hope it works out, I can’t imagine everything being on hold that long. At least I like to think it won’t.
 
I think there will be some hoops to jump through, but no way will they shut down hunting season... the closure of the bear season has got a lot of heads spinning and wheels turning. Same with fishing season. The commercial guys are already trying to get it sorted out. They're talking testing and retesting after 2-3 days of quarantine before releasing to back into the public. There is a lot of time between now and August to get this sorted out.
 
Hopefully the cancel non resident sheep hunting this year like they did bears. It would be a great conservation move by the ADFG. Sheep season is only 4 months away!!

You can still go fishing in May. You just have to do a 14 day quarantine first...
 
Slightlysober said:
Hopefully the cancel non resident sheep hunting this year like they did bears. It would be a great conservation move by the ADFG. Sheep season is only 4 months away!!

You can still go fishing in May. You just have to do a 14 day quarantine first...
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Sorry Slightlysober, I strongly disagree with that!
 
I was a victim of the spring bear cancellation. The outfitter was nice enough to rebook for next year. This COVID is killing people more financially. It’s really sad.
 
I have a hunt booked for Dall sheep and mtn caribou in the NWT for this August and it doesn’t sound good. Outfitters are trying to work around it by showing plans to get us in and out with little to no contact with the locals but we called the health department and they said 0% chance there will be hunting seasons. Hoping and praying for a miracle but expecting the worst.
 
Alaska governor is suppose to give update June 2. It looks like our salmon trip to ketchikan is also not going to happen. Sorry about your sheep hunt. My Dall hunt was my all time favorite...hopefully next year !!
 
I have my fingers crossed that by August things will be better, at least in Alaska. It's not sounding very good for the guys that have Canadian trips planned. I know it sucks, but worst case is that the hunts may get bumped to next year. If that happens, I'm not sure how the outfitters are going to deal with all the hunts that are already booked for the next few years.
 
It will be open. Depending on what mountain range you’re hunting I would try to use it as an excuse to back out. We had a hell of a winter and there’s no effing way I would go hunt the brooks this fall.
 
Gadjet said:
What about the Alaska range?
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I don’t think any range was spared this winter. I’ve found more dead sheep this year than the last 10 years combined. Are you hunting the western Alaska range or eastern?
 
Slightlysober said:
It will be open. Depending on what mountain range you’re hunting I would try to use it as an excuse to back out. We had a hell of a winter and there’s no effing way I would go hunt the brooks this fall.
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What age group of sheep are you finding that didn’t make it through the winter ?
 
Just talked with our salmon fishing outfitter and he is good to go for this summer...BUT... there may be certain protocols. Right now if you are coming into Alaska you will be required to be tested within 72 hours prior to your arrival There are a few other provisions but the governor is suppose to clarify the first of this week. Our outfitter had to cancel all of his spring bear hunts..took a big hit. When I get more info I will post it.
 
I the know the feeling, my spring brown and black bear hunt was canceled. My outfitter took it in the shorts. He had to refund 10 hunters. I asked to be pushed to next year instead of a refund. 10 hunters @22k. I feel for all outfitters this happened to.
 
For many hunters, the issue isn't as easy as pushing to next year because many outfitters are booked out a couple years.

I can't believe the financial fallout that we're all having to endure! I suspect all this shut-down will NOT be worth it to most people.

The only good that's come from the pandemic is hand washing has become the norm.

Zeke
 
Zeke said:
For many hunters, the issue isn't as easy as pushing to next year because many outfitters are booked out a couple years.

I can't believe the financial fallout that we're all having to endure! I suspect all this shut-down will NOT be worth it to most people.

The only good that's come from the pandemic is hand washing has become the norm.

Zeke
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I’m sure the families of the 100,000 people who died would disagree with you. Good grief there is always next year. The outfitter can push everyone back a year. It’s only fair.
 
I just got the conditions for entering Alaska. The Gov has SPOKEN: need to be tested within past 72 hours prior to boarding a flight...and have letter from your tester stating you are negative..that is the easy way. There are several other options which are more complicated...be sure to get informed as they could be very expensive,,,as in forced quarantine at your expense for 14 days.
 
littlebull209338 said:
I just got the conditions for entering Alaska. The Gov has SPOKEN: need to be tested within past 72 hours prior to boarding a flight...and have letter from your tester stating you are negative..that is the easy way. There are several other options which are more complicated...be sure to get informed as they could be very expensive,,,as in forced quarantine at your expense for 14 days.
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Yep, just read it. I guess I better look into getting tested in early August.
 
Gadjet said:
Yep, just read it. I guess I better look into getting tested in early August.
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Good I’m so glad to hear you will be able to go on your hunt still and kill your sheep, good luck looking forward to seeing what you kill.
 
getting tested inside 72 hours and having the paper work is going to be the challenge, and hopefully in ten weeks it wont change as the newly infected in alaska is spiking big according to a friend in anchorage , I have a flight set for aug.27. I also wonder what tests are accepted
 
As of now accepted test is: SARS-CoV2PCR. We have had a difficult time finding test within the 72 hour window. We will get results within 24s hour from test. Most are saying results in 3-5 days from test.Our insurance provider is the only one we could find and our two adult boys are going to be able to get tested even though they are not on our insurance. The salmon fishing lodges on Langara Island appear not to be open this year. Our guide in Ketchikan says there has been one case there in the last 30 days.
 
I had been tested and the results took half the time that the labs were able to perform under the load of tests they were doing so it took 5 days. I was hoping to test 2 days before the 72 hour but not sure if that will be accepted, the results would come out in the window,also the labs may be able to keep up at the time i need it
 
29 days and I should be wheels up heading to Alaska. I have a rapid test scheduled at my local hospital the day before my flight. They claim that I will have results within a couple of hours. Fingers crossed that it all goes smooth!
 
Good luck with your hunt. My test was really uncomfortable...a Q-tip up each nostril to spot where my brain use to be !!!! I had broken my nose years ago and MAN that was uncomfortable. Inspection at Ketchikan airport was a real joke. Alaska Airlines has got to be the worst. Every seat booked, many without mask and they cancelled our return flight a day before we were to depart... it took us 12 hours to get from Ketchikan to Denver via Oakland.
 
littlebull209338 said:
Good luck with your hunt. My test was really uncomfortable...a Q-tip up each nostril to spot where my brain use to be !!!! I had broken my nose years ago and MAN that was uncomfortable. Inspection at Ketchikan airport was a real joke. Alaska Airlines has got to be the worst. Every seat booked, many without mask and they cancelled our return flight a day before we were to depart... it took us 12 hours to get from Ketchikan to Denver via Oakland.
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Yep, I'm definitely not looking forward getting an oversized qtip shoved into the back of my head! It really wouldn't surprise me if the flight situation is way less than perfect. As long as I make it to camp in time for the opener I'll be happy.
 
I know most test are not that accurate especially the over nite type results, I have been wondering is there a list of accepted tests or will any test qualify , you can get them online, but that is more for show than for real. here in so cal a test takes ,what I have been told, is around 30 hours but you will not see results for 5 days because of the lab overflow. At this time it is day by day for the rules they may change in alaska, they would not let someone my wife knows fly to las vegas on july 1 from orange county, it was not just that person. I want to get there also and hopeful that I will.
 
littlebull209338 said:
Where are you hunting and what species? You will have a blast ! My favorite place on the earth.
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Dall sheep in the Alaska range. I actually went last year and blew a shot on a stud ram. Hopefully I will get another chance this year. The mountains in Alaska are definitely a special place.
 
Go get him ! Be sure and get good photos to share. I hunted the Wrangles. Hunted three days, camped on a glacier 2nd night and got my sheep at first light at about 25 yards. Lucked out, he was 40" and the pack-out was all down hill on a gravel bar the glacier had pushed up.
 
littlebull209338 said:
Go get him ! Be sure and get good photos to share. I hunted the Wrangles. Hunted three days, camped on a glacier 2nd night and got my sheep at first light at about 25 yards. Lucked out, he was 40" and the pack-out was all down hill on a gravel bar the glacier had pushed up.
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Wow! Sounds like you had a great hunt, and a 40 incher to top it off! I would love to see photos just to get me more pumped than I already am.
My hunt last year was extremely tough. Packed over 3 big climbs and covered over 60 miles.
 
Gadjet found photos of my ram and will have my son post em when he gets back in town...old age is a pain; don't know how to post a simple photo. I only had to hike about 10-12 miles and had my guide and a packer so my back-pack only weighed about 10 #s. Volcanic rock ate my boots and gloves but made seeing the sheep easy. Water on glacier was so cold it made your face hurt when you took a drink. Griizzly tried to get in our little cabin while we were gone --clawed and chewed things up.
 
littlebull209338 said:
Gadjet found photos of my ram and will have my son post em when he gets back in town...old age is a pain; don't know how to post a simple photo. I only had to hike about 10-12 miles and had my guide and a packer so my back-pack only weighed about 10 #s. Volcanic rock ate my boots and gloves but made seeing the sheep easy. Water on glacier was so cold it made your face hurt when you took a drink. Griizzly tried to get in our little cabin while we were gone --clawed and chewed things up.
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Cabin? Did you go with Alaska Guide service?
 
I went with Ken Oldham, 1977. He had a little plywood shack about 8'X12' for an emergency shelter. We had left some spare equipment and food in it.
 
Gadjet said:
29 days and I should be wheels up heading to Alaska. I have a rapid test scheduled at my local hospital the day before my flight. They claim that I will have results within a couple of hours. Fingers crossed that it all goes smooth!
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So glad to see that your going to be able to go. I can’t wait tell I’m making this same post and 29 days away from my dream hunt. Can’t wait to see pictures, good luck!
 
Screen Shot 2020-07-13 at 11.29.41 AM.png
 
Gadjet: Well here he is. The kudu is a really good one-59". The bear and the caribou were from the Alaskan Peninsula between Port Heiden and Port Mouller. Kudu was mounted in Africa and the other were mounted by Jonas Bros. I had 18 mounts in my "man cave".
 
I'll be darned ! Wildman Lake Lodge was owned by Ron Hayes until he got busted for hunting bears with an airplane. I hunted moose and caribou with him from that lodge. He was a hard working outfitter and I really liked him....greed got him. My moose, I got with him was the biggest out of 5 that I took up there @71".
 
littlebull209338 said:
I'll be darned ! Wildman Lake Lodge was owned by Ron Hayes until he got busted for hunting bears with an airplane. I hunted moose and caribou with him from that lodge. He was a hard working outfitter and I really liked him....greed got him. My moose, I got with him was the biggest out of 5 that I took up there @71".
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Small world! I’ve heard stories about Ron. Sounds like he was an excellent pilot. I guess Kieth bought the place from him. My in-laws hunted sheep, moose, and caribou out of that lodge. Sounds like it was a great place.
 
Gadjet: Go to You Tube-Greg McHales Wild Yukon for a couple of excellent Dall hunts. Greg is a heck of an athlete and a great guy. I have talked to him a couple of times, the last being when his wife was competing in an event in Leadville. I am getting as excited about your hunt as if I were going myself !
 
littlebull209338 said:
Gadjet: Go to You Tube-Greg McHales Wild Yukon for a couple of excellent Dall hunts. Greg is a heck of an athlete and a great guy. I have talked to him a couple of times, the last being when his wife was competing in an event in Leadville. I am getting as excited about your hunt as if I were going myself !
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Yes, I love watching his shows. Thanks for the heads up.
 
littlebull209338 said:
Good luck with your hunt. My test was really uncomfortable...a Q-tip up each nostril to spot where my brain use to be !!!! I had broken my nose years ago and MAN that was uncomfortable. Inspection at Ketchikan airport was a real joke. Alaska Airlines has got to be the worst. Every seat booked, many without mask and they cancelled our return flight a day before we were to depart... it took us 12 hours to get from Ketchikan to Denver via Oakland.
Click to expand...
They shove that Q-tip so far up your nose that it tickled my ears. It burned like hell since I had my nose pretty much cut off in an accident. The nurse had to get past the bone and then she shoved it about 4 inches up my nose. The test was yesterday and my nose still burns. I won't be doing that again any time soon.
But to travel you need this to make sure you don;t get in trouble in other states.
 
DeerHunter53 said:
They shove that Q-tip so far up your nose that it tickled my ears. It burned like hell since I had my nose pretty much cut off in an accident. The nurse had to get past the bone and then she shoved it about 4 inches up my nose. The test was yesterday and my nose still burns. I won't be doing that again any time soon.
But to travel you need this to make sure you don;t get in trouble in other states.
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So how quick will you have results?
 
supposed to be 4-5 days no quicker. One of the guys on my job was sick last week so he stayed home and went to the doctor. The doc put him on antibiotics and had him take the test. Well the results haven't come back yet so they tested him for the antibodies and he had them already. But because the antibody tests are not all that accurate we have to wait to see if he is negative before he can come back..these should be overnight results how else can you manage to keep people testing positive away from ones who are not...
 
Gadjet how is the trip coming along ? Just watched videos from Wildman Lake Lodge. I have meant Butch King but don't know much about him. Wish I was a mouse in your backpack. Have a blast and hoping you get the ram of your dreams.
 
BradA said:
Due to weather or just lack of opportunity?
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Little bit of both. Record snow year killed a bunch of lambs 8 years ago. Those lambs were this years 8 year old full curls. Age class is missing.

The weather sucked ass too!
 
Slightlysober said:
Little bit of both. Record snow year killed a bunch of lambs 8 years ago. Those lambs were this years 8 year old full curls. Age class is missing.

The weather sucked ass too!
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That’s what I figured. I have a hunt booked for 2022 I wonder how the winter and lamb survival rate was back in 2014 that would effect my hunt coming in 2022. I was told by my guide this year would be a tough hunt due to the harsh winter 8 years ago and that this winter was a rough one as well and 8 years from now it will be a tough hunt as well.
 
BradA said:
That’s what I figured. I have a hunt booked for 2022 I wonder how the winter and lamb survival rate was back in 2014 that would effect my hunt coming in 2022. I was told by my guide this year would be a tough hunt due to the harsh winter 8 years ago and that this winter was a rough one as well and 8 years from now it will be a tough hunt as well.
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Your guide nailed it and it’s refreshing to hear a guide be honest about it. Sounds like he has your best interests in mind. Good luck in 2022!
 
Slightlysober said:
Your guide nailed it and it’s refreshing to hear a guide be honest about it. Sounds like he has your best interests in mind. Good luck in 2022!
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I know he does, thank you looking forward to it! Will have to post about it once it happens.
 
Slightlysober do you live in Alaska? What’s the report for the 2014 winter kill and lamb survivor rate?
 
Ok guys, I'm out and had a great hunt. Finding a mature ram turned out to be fairly tough. I was able to get on this ram on the evening of the 8th day and make a 500 yard 1 shot kill. He's a double broomed 9 1/2 year old ram. This is my 3/4 slam ram. I couldn't be happier!

Dall 1.jpg


Dall 2.jpg
 
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BradA said:
Congratulations! Super happy for you! Now for the slam! One more !
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Thanks Brad! It was another amazing adventure this year! I really envy the residents of Alaska. It would be so cool to be able to chase dall sheep every year!
I killed my first rocky in 2001 with no goal of going after a slam. Fast forward 19 years and here I am with a 3/4 slam. I may need to start thinking about a stone hunt one of these days ?
 
Gadjet said:
Thanks Brad! It was another amazing adventure this year! I really envy the residents of Alaska. It would be so cool to be able to chase dall sheep every year!
I killed my first rocky in 2001 with no goal of going after a slam. Fast forward 19 years and here I am with a 3/4 slam. I may need to start thinking about a stone hunt one of these days ?
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My dream is to achieve a grand slam and I am hopeful of making it happen but the reality is it will tough to draw some of the tags you have been lucky enough to have drawn that’s for sure. Anyway I would love to talk on the phone and hear all about your hunt.
 
Congraulations Gadjet, I've been following this thread and hoping everything would work out for you through all the Covid mess. Beautiful ram & pictures. One of my dream hunts, I'm glad it all worked out for you!
 

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