Stone sheep hunts

BradA

BradA

Long Time Member
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Who would you recommend looking at and going with ? Has anyone hunted with golden bear outfitters ?
 
bogey said:
I hunted with Stone/folding mountain last year. Great hunt and would go back. But I am sure that was my once in a lifetime stone hunt. Can only say good things about Blair and his outfit
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Folding mountain is who the Cunninghams use for their kids so they must be pretty good folks/ the best
 
Guess I should of hunted Stone and Dall’s 35 plus years ago before we had kids. Back then my attention was to save and hunt them when I retired and would have more time. Now I think I should of mover to Alaska right out of high school and hunt like crazy for 5 years before my starting career and family. But, then again I would not trade my family for all the sheep in Alaska.
 
I was lucky and hunted them when they were a bit more "reasonably prices?" and still managed a better deal due to a last minute cancellation.

I had to be there in 3 days! Lots of scrambling to make that happen but it did and I couldn't be more pleased with the outcome.

They really are something special ....but $75,000.00 to $100,000.00 special? Not on my budget! It would never happen for me today.

I Know a guy who hunted Stone sheep three times and didn't kill his "slam" ram so like my friend LBH said, "no guarantees". Technically they're running about 50% success across all outfits. That's why the more successful outfits command a premium price.

Zeke
 
....I suppose I'll see a few of you at Expo Full Curl Sheep Camp and I can almost guess where most of your lotto tickets will be placed. Haha
 
I had jumped on a covid cancellation, of course the border got closed and no hunt. I had refinanced my house quick to do it. I then was so vested in it and dreams set on it that I still went 2 years later. I will NEVER regret that i did
 
Funny you mention that. I was sitting next to my good friend
Zeke said:
....I suppose I'll see a few of you at Expo Full Curl Sheep Camp and I can almost guess where most of your lotto tickets will be placed. Haha
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last year when he won the stone hunt at Sheep Camp. And guess what, he hunted hard for 12 days and never found a legal ram.
 
Gadjet said:
Funny you mention that. I was sitting next to my good friend

last year when he won the stone hunt at Sheep Camp. And guess what, he hunted hard for 12 days and never found a legal ram.
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I hunted 20 days with two different outfits before I got mine.
For most, especially now days, it is an outrageous commitment of time and money to kill a Stone.
 
As much as I would LOVE to hunt Dall and Stone sheep some day, I can't fathom, nor can I justify, spending that amount of money for one opportunity. It sucks, but I have pretty much accepted it will never happen for me. Hopefully I can draw a desert tag some day to go along with my Rocky.

I can't imagine the emotions of spending that kind of dough on a sheep hunt and not being successful. :oops:
 
The closest I’ve come to killing any wild sheep was purchasing over the counter tags in Alberta, back in the early 1970s. Just never got the burn to kill sheep. The mature rams sure are beautiful to see however. I’ve been fortunate to have seen all but the Dall, on the hoof.
 
Wow--reading through these--I knew I was lucky this past year, but I honestly didn't know I was THAT lucky!

I'm planning to be at the Expo Sheep Camp, so maybe I'll see some of you there. I for one will not be wasting any of my lotto chances on a stone. Good luck to the rest of you.
 
littlebighorn said:
How about sharing them with me as well...or posting them.
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I will keep looking into the files
but most can be found in the summary minutes with B.C F&G and First Nations WMU‘s permits transfer

””
I know a lot of the folks in this section are non-resident hunters hoping to chase sheep in BC (or elsewhere in western Canada) so i'll share some of my predictions moving forward but bear in mind this a BC focused view.

Sheep hunting will not look anything like it has in the past by 2030 (for both resident and non-resident hunters). The combination of Truth and Reconciliation measures with First Nations, the blunders of wildlife managers and the loss of social license due to urban voting will see sheep hunting diminished to the point of extinction.

I will provide some context here, so bear with me.

As First Nations are given more authority over land usage (especially in Northern Areas), access to both resident and non-resident hunters will be choked off (see the Tsilhqot'in Ruling on land use/hunting rights as an example). To the East, we see First Nations now allowed to hunt Bighorns inside of a National Park in Alberta as part of this process.

Wildlife Managers have not done effective monitoring or predator control in the province for over thirty years. Tag allocations and seasons are not predicated on science and effective management of resources. As an example we have seen Bighorn Sheep units in Region 4 moved to an LEH model in a reactive manner not based on good science.””

””in summary Guide outfitter tenures will be returned to First Nations control, and they are unlikely to allow non-resident hunting. Resident hunters will see a very small LEH allocations annually in very limited areas.””
 
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I don't see anything that would make me think First Nations are going to limit access to hunting, excepting for management reasons. They may well take over the outfitting allotments.
 
Just took a look at Prophet Muskwa stone hunts. The base prices for 2023 and 24 are 85 grand. The price jumps to 105,000 for 2025. All said and done, you could easily add another 10 grand to those prices.
 
They really like their hunts. Those don't look like $20k elk to me.
Gadjet said:
Just took a look at Prophet Muskwa stone hunts. The base prices for 2023 and 24 are 85 grand. The price jumps to 105,000 for 2025. All said and done, you could easily add another 10 grand to those prices.
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Gadjet said:
Funny you mention that. I was sitting next to my good friend

last year when he won the stone hunt at Sheep Camp. And guess what, he hunted hard for 12 days and never found a legal ram.
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What outfitter did he hung with? I guess at least he won the hunt instead of paying for it.
 
BradA said:
What outfitter did he hung with? I guess at least he won the hunt instead of paying for it.
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Kinasken Lake Outfitters. Not complaining, my point is that the reality of these high dollar hunts is that it’s still hunting and there’s still the possibility of coming home without ram.
 
Any of you guys analyzed the success rates between BC and Yukon outfits? I’m hearing 85-90% in the Yukon and can’t really find hard numbers in BC. I like the idea of no quota and not having to compete with residents in Yukon. I realize that they aren’t “true” stones but actually like the look of the lighter ones to be honest. They’re all expensive, and I’m likely not gonna get to go back again so I’m leaning Yukon but wanted to hear from any of you that have researched or hunted BC?
 
I don't have any scientific numbers, but anecdotally from talking with the outfitters at the last couple sheep shows, my best anecdotal guess would be a little over 50 percent success for the BC stones. I know my outfitter was one for three this past year, which seems low to me because I saw four for certain and possibly seven legal stones once we actually made it to the top of that mountain (I killed mine on the seventh morning). And that might be one of the key factors for a hunter to tip the odds a little more in their favor. Can they make it to the top of the mountain while carrying an 80-pound pack?

Disclaimer: I've never talked with either of the other two hunters, so I have no idea what their experience actually was, and I may be totally wrong.
 
mozey said:
I don't have any scientific numbers, but anecdotally from talking with the outfitters at the last couple sheep shows, my best anecdotal guess would be a little over 50 percent success for the BC stones. I know my outfitter was one for three this past year, which seems low to me because I saw four for certain and possibly seven legal stones once we actually made it to the top of that mountain (I killed mine on the seventh morning). And that might be one of the key factors for a hunter to tip the odds a little more in their favor. Can they make it to the top of the mountain while carrying an 80-pound pack?

Disclaimer: I've never talked with either of the other two hunters, so I have no idea what their experience actually was, and I may be totally wrong.
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Thanks Mozey! Who did you hunt with if you don’t mind me asking?
 
Anecdotally I'd say 50% would be too low on outfitter success through the province. As a resident I'm at 50% on stones sheep (dedicated sheep hunts) as I've done 4 dedicated trips with 2 rams. I know a lot of guides and just would think generally 50% is too low. Again all just anecdotal as well from me!
 
yotebuster17 said:
Any of you guys analyzed the success rates between BC and Yukon outfits? I’m hearing 85-90% in the Yukon and can’t really find hard numbers in BC. I like the idea of no quota and not having to compete with residents in Yukon. I realize that they aren’t “true” stones but actually like the look of the lighter ones to be honest. They’re all expensive, and I’m likely not gonna get to go back again so I’m leaning Yukon but wanted to hear from any of you that have researched or hunted BC?
Click to expand...
I hunted stones in the Yukon in 19 with an outfitter that claimed 80%+ success rate and found out it was not the truth. I believe they went 2/7 that year. He did kill some big rams initially but it seems like they may have over harvested the local population. I never saw a legal ram in 12 days and neither did the other hunter I flew out with. Make sure you check with a bunch of references, not just the successful ones. I probably won’t get to hunt stones again with the crazy price increases that have happened in past few years.
 
PAforester said:
I hunted stones in the Yukon in 19 with an outfitter that claimed 80%+ success rate and found out it was not the truth. I believe they went 2/7 that year. He did kill some big rams initially but it seems like they may have over harvested the local population. I never saw a legal ram in 12 days and neither did the other hunter I flew out with. Make sure you check with a bunch of references, not just the successful ones. I probably won’t get to hunt stones again with the crazy price increases that have happened in past few years.
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Would you mind PMing me who that was? Thanks!
 
Bluestone Outfitters in BC. Grandfather was GF Dalziel who was one of the original BC outfitters. Price of all sheep hunts are ridiculous now. Dall sheep are $35k, Fanin are $50k and stone sheep are the price of a house. Marco polo cost less than a lot of Canadian sheep hunts.

001.JPG
 
fullcry said:
Very nice!
Glad to see a guy not all decked out In Kuiu
Advertisements.Lol
Thanks for sharing!
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I think this is an older picture. Kuiu probably didn’t exist when it was taken. Also, I have those same cabelas pants somewhere in a tub in the basement. I would need to pack 30 pounds of baby powder along on a backcountry hunt to handle the chafing those things can make!!!
 
Yep,
Plenty of Kuiu in Sawabuck's avatar, but it's what I wear, so I'm good with that.
I'm most impressed that Sawabuck is the grandson of GF Dalziel! Dalziel is a Stone Sheep outfitting legend. He must also be related to Chris Widrig, another Sheep legend.
Thanks for the post Sawabuck. You have an impressive sheep heritage and I for one would love to hear more about your awesome family ties to the great Stones of the North.
Really nice ram. Thanks for sharing.
 
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S-3 Ranch said:
I will keep looking into the files
but most can be found in the summary minutes with B.C F&G and First Nations WMU‘s permits transfer

””
I know a lot of the folks in this section are non-resident hunters hoping to chase sheep in BC (or elsewhere in western Canada) so i'll share some of my predictions moving forward but bear in mind this a BC focused view.

Sheep hunting will not look anything like it has in the past by 2030 (for both resident and non-resident hunters). The combination of Truth and Reconciliation measures with First Nations, the blunders of wildlife managers and the loss of social license due to urban voting will see sheep hunting diminished to the point of extinction.

I will provide some context here, so bear with me.

As First Nations are given more authority over land usage (especially in Northern Areas), access to both resident and non-resident hunters will be choked off (see the Tsilhqot'in Ruling on land use/hunting rights as an example). To the East, we see First Nations now allowed to hunt Bighorns inside of a National Park in Alberta as part of this process.

Wildlife Managers have not done effective monitoring or predator control in the province for over thirty years. Tag allocations and seasons are not predicated on science and effective management of resources. As an example we have seen Bighorn Sheep units in Region 4 moved to an LEH model in a reactive manner not based on good science.””

””in summary Guide outfitter tenures will be returned to First Nations control, and they are unlikely to allow non-resident hunting. Resident hunters will see a very small LEH allocations annually in very limited areas.””
Click to expand...
To think that Jack O’Connor started all this sheep insanity is mind blowing !!! Who’s got that much $l$$$$$
to blow on one sheep hunt- beyond nuts.
Jerry Gold/- Windsor, Colorado
 
This ram was taken on the same hunt as Sawabuck, 2008.

During that hunt with Bluestone we found 17 legal rams in 3 days of hunting and took the 2 best we found.

They are a great outfit and we went back a few years later for a Canadian Moose.

We wanted to hunt together and they were very accomodating as most Stone hunts are 1 on 1.

Sawabuck wanted a ram that had a salt and pepper cape and I was looking for something with a whiter face. Lifelong friends on a trip of a lifetime, it was the best.

stone (2).JPG


stone (1).JPG
 
cabuck said:
This ram was taken on the same hunt as Sawabuck, 2008.

During that hunt with Bluestone we found 17 legal rams in 3 days of hunting and took the 2 best we found.

They are a great outfit and we went back a few years later for a Canadian Moose.

We wanted to hunt together and they were very accomodating as most Stone hunts are 1 on 1.

Sawabuck wanted a ram that had a salt and pepper cape and I was looking for something with a whiter face. Lifelong friends on a trip of a lifetime, it was the best.

View attachment 107307

View attachment 107308
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That’s my dream ram right there!!!
 
Wow that's an impressive Stone cabuck. That must have been some hunt with Sawabuck. I'd still love to have him tell us about his relationship with GF Dalziel.
I hunted the unit next door in 2015 but didn't see a legal ram in 14 days. They must have been living over the mountain!
 
Wow! That's everything I would hope for if I'm ever fortunate enough to do a stone hunt.
 
Also depends what your long plan is. Some of us realize how hard our children are going to have it. With inflation and the way this country is going I want my children to have something to fall back on. Sheep hunting is great, but at today’s prices I do now feel it is worth it. I would rather save for a leopard hunt. Should of hunted Alaska in the 80’s when I felt the cost were very reasonable. Just did not know then how much inflation and demand would drive up prices. Family and career first and hunt more in my latter years was the plan. Happy with my decision and have had a lot of great DIY hunts so far.
 
FreshTracks said:
Hey folks!
Hunt while you can! You’re going to run out of health before you run out of money!
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If I spent $80-$100K on a hunt that runs 50% success and didn't kill a sheep, I think I would be out of both money and health at that point. :ROFLMAO:

I am not sure how an "average Joe" family guy could ever justify spending that kind of dough on a hunt. For those guys that can afford it, more power to you and I am more than a little jealous. I would love to hunt Dall and Stone sheep, but have already accepted it ain't happening for me unless that Nigerian prince that keeps emailing me about a large sum of money he has for me, comes through :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
 
elkhunterUT said:
If I spent $80-$100K on a hunt that runs 50% success and didn't kill a sheep, I think I would be out of both money and health at that point. :ROFLMAO:

I am not sure how an "average Joe" family guy could ever justify spending that kind of dough on a hunt. For those guys that can afford it, more power to you and I am more than a little jealous. I would love to hunt Dall and Stone sheep, but have already accepted it ain't happening for me unless that Nigerian prince that keeps emailing me about a large sum of money he has for me, comes through :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
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Might be out of a wife too!!?
Then once she takes half of what’s left you will be really poor. ??
 

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