Mightyhunter 2017 Sheep Hunting

M

mightyhunter

Very Active Member
Messages
1,208
No, I did not take a sheep on my first outing. Yes, I am totally trashed after the first 4 days of the hunt.

My son, the human pack mule, arrived last Wednesday to assist me in round 1 of my hunt. Early Thursday we packed into an area that I had previously scouted. We hiked in for about 7 hours. It was either side hill, cliffs, rocks or uphill the entire way. We found a small flat spot to pitch our tent. I had previously packed in 2 1/2 gallons of water to the area. The only other water was 3,000 ft. below us. We started glassing the night before the opener. Just west of our camp, I glassed up a giant group of goats. The large group totaled 31 goats. In the surrounding area I glassed up another 20-25 goats on various peaks. I am obviously looking for sheep and not goats. If anyone wants to know where these goats are send me a PM.

On the opener, we got up before legal shooting light and started moving back into the basin. While glassing, we located the same groups of goats. We also located a small group of ewes (about 8) just under the large goat group. Across the canyon from our position, I glassed up some additional ewes that crossed over between two drainages all day. On the opener, I did not see a single ram. The next day was much the same as the first. However, we did have a nice billy goat walk within a 100 yards of us while we glassed for sheep. We decided to pull out of the area the next morning.

On the third day of our hunt, it was extremely hot and smoky from all the fires in Montana. It was out intent to hike into another drainage to hunt for a couple of days. This spot was trailed and a little easier to get into. On the way in, we glassed the north facing slopes of the drainage. Almost simultaneously, my son and I glassed up a lone sheep near the top of the ridge. I pulled the spotting scope out and soon realized it was a good ram hanging out in an avalanche chute. We got a long look at him and decided to go for it. My Leica showed the distance at over 1,200 yards. We hiked for 4 straight hours over some of the worst terrain I have been on. Because of the steepness and trees, we could not maintain sight contact with this ram while hiking. We arrived below his location and waited for him to show. Again, the temperatures were extremely high. We sat and glassed for almost 7 hours to see if he would come out. He didn't show. We debated staying up the hill overnight but decided not to. At 6:45 PM we started our descent. The bulk of that walk out consisted of cliffs, loose rock, junipers with few hand holds. Thank goodness I had my trekking poles. we reached the bottom of the drainage around 10:30 PM. I have never been so sore in my life.

The next day was unremarkable. My son pulled out this morning to return to his home in Colorado. My body is trashed and I am trying to recuperate before going out again. Not much else to report and I am laying low today.

just sayin...mh
 
MH,
That sounds a lot like sheep hunting to me! Congrats on a great, yet empty-bag, hunt.

Zeke

#livelikezac
 
Rest up and better luck on the next outing!!!
Stay positive. You will be rewarded for your time and hard work.
 
One thing to keep in mind is that the later into the season you score, the better the hair on that cape. Obviously, cooler weather makes for more pleasant hiking.

I see the weather forecast doesn't show any cool temps in sight. Guess the temps in the high country might turn cooler before long though.
Good luck.
 
Hey MH glad to here from ya, just returned with a round 1 loss also. Round 2 coming up in a couple weeks!!! Good Luck Buddy ill be rooting for ya!!
 
MH, sounds like you had a decent first round. Keep a positive attitude and savor every moment. Remember it's a marathon not a sprint. Good luck!
 
I tip my hat to MH for doing this hunt DIY. I hired an outfitter to hunt in the same general area, and even with horses it is a very tough deal. I shot a smallish ram on Sept. 2 (a week ago) and my knees are still sore.
 
I went out on Thursday and Friday of last week and spent Thursday night out. I was hunting an area that I normally would not have gone into this early in the season. I wanted to check it out. There was sheep sign in this spot but almost all of it was months old. I did have 5 mule deer slip by me in the early morning hours on Friday. This spot had lots of water including 3 different springs.

I am heading out for a 4-5 day hunt on Thursday morning this week. I had packed water into the area a few weeks ago. I will have help from a couple of young fellows who have agreed to make the trip. This is an area where I have twice glassed up some ram groups.

So far, the biggest surprise for me has been my slow recovery times from the hunt or hike into these areas. I usually bounce back fairly quick, but no so much with my last adventures. My repaired knee is fine but the sciatica on my right side has been painful. I may be expecting too much out of my 62 year old body. I keep telling myself I will have plenty of time to rest after I am dead. I am keeping a positive outlook. Sheep hunting is definitely not for wimps. This week calls for some cooler temperatures and that should be a plus.

just sayin...mh
 
I've enjoyed reading about your hunt. It sounds like you're tough and you have a lot of heart. Keep grinding, hunting the back country is not for the weak or faint of heart!
Good luck and keep the updates coming. I have a dream to someday go on a diy sheep hunt like you are doing and reading about your hunt only fuels that fire.[font face="verdana" color="green"]
Jake Swensen
 
MH,

Good luck on your 4-5 day excursion which I guess starts tomorrow. I'll be chasing elk for a bit but I'm looking forward to your updates upon my return.

I'm pullin' for ya man!

Zeke

#livelikezac
 
Headed out last Thursday. I had two young guys from Utah helping me. They were both real troopers. We were hoping to make it to camp before getting rained on. No such luck. After the rain quit, it turned to snow. It snowed all night on Thursday and all day on Friday and Saturday. Total accumulation at camp was around 16". The hiking was treacherous and the sheep were hunkered down big time. We did see some ewes at 10,000 ft on Saturday. We pulled out late Saturday and headed to another location. The trail going into that location was choked with grizzly bears. I jumped one monster boar less than 200 yards from the trailhead. I am home recovering. Hiking for days on end with two youngsters both of whom are around 6ft3 can take it out of you at age 62. I should be hitting it again later this week.

just sayin...mh
 
Hey Dave-
Been following your posts...what a tag, what an adventure, what a game plan. DIY sheep at 62....your an animal.
Question: Will those sheep come down your way before 10/31? you'll get it done on your own, stick at it. Meade or Griz would make it too easy.
Chris
 
Robb,

Which one. It has been storming hard for the last 10 days or so. It has the elk moving around, but I haven't seen a sheep since last Saturday. I was out this morning slogging through the snow in the Sunlight and just got back. Had it all to myself. Some increased visibility would be helpful. You can't shoot what you can't see. I think more snow is forecast for Sunday.

just sayin...mh
 
Nice hearing updates, wish you luck in getting your ram. You seem to be doing great at 62. At 54 and a few surgeries I am feeling your pain. Takes a long time to get your strength back after surgeries.

Bill
 
My hat is off to you trying to do this without horses. but the nice weather half of the season is over and you're wearing down.

I hope you have a plan B if you need it.



Good luck I'm pulling for you.












Stay Thirsty My Friends
 
I have the month of October also. About 60% of the sheep killed in Area 1 are taken in October. I was out all day on both Tuesday and Wednesday. I had a good feeling about Tuesday as the weather started to clear. Early on Tuesday, I glassed up two rams about 900 yards above me. They were not in a location that I had originally intended to hunt. To make a move, I had to slip up the backside of a ridge. As I started the climb, I was greeted by a huge muley doe with a fawn. We had a stare down and I didn't want her to blow and chase the rams off. I forced her to move to the right and she just walked off with her fawn. This took some time to do. I glassed the biggest of the two rams at about 700 yards as he was moving towards the crest of the ridge. I was out of sight for maybe 10 minutes. When I poked my head up at around 400 yards from where I saw the two rams they were gone. I moved higher and decided to see if they would return. I never saw them again. Around 11AM, I glassed up a ewe across the canyon from me.

At 2:30 PM, I glassed up two new rams at about 1,000 yards. They were in a steep avalanche chute on an east facing slope. They were in the spot I had originally planned to hunt that morning. One was bedded behind a tree and the other was feeding below him. The one behind the tree had a dark cape and dark horns. The other was lighter and smaller. I made a move that took me almost an hour to close the distance. This country isn't flat and I don't move all that fast anymore. I glimpsed the bedded ram again at 600 yards before I dropped out of sight for another 20 minutes. You guessed it, when I got to where they were in range both were gone and likely had disappeared into the timber. I walked out just before dark.

I went back in earlier on Wednesday. Walking through timber for about a mile in the pitch dark is interesting. I worked my way up the drainage at first light and actually made it to the spot I had originally chosen for Tuesday. It took some maneuvering but I was in position at 8:30 AM. The rams I had seen the afternoon before, would be in range if I saw them. Around 9:30AM, I saw some activity below me to the south. 6 ewes and lambs with one dink ram, walked and fed across in front of me. They picked up two more ewes up in the timber. They fed and worked there way up and out of the drainage. I am hunting at around 9,000 ft. in some steep yet heavily timbered area. I saw nothing more that day and pulled out around 3:00 PM. On the way out, in the bottom of the drainage I wandered up on a sheep dead head. I saw the skull laying in the grass. When I got up to it, I noticed that both of the rams horn sheaths were laying beside it.

I normally don't pick up dead heads. I don't know why. Many years ago, I wandered onto a bunch of dead heads in a box canyon the year after the Gunbarrel Fire. They were all rams and had been burned up in the fire. The dead head from yesterday was dandy. I called the warden when I came home last night and am waiting to hear from him.

Sheep hunting has been hard for me. I have difficulty staying out more than two days in a row. My body is not recovering like it used to. I am going out again early Friday to hunt this spot again. The snow has been receding rapidly and I want to see if the sheep are moving into higher country or staying put. The ewes that moved through on Wednesday would suggest that they are moving up. One thing I have noticed from sheep hunting, is these creatures are moving all the time at any hour of the day.

I am having fun, but the experience is beating me up. I am on my own for the rest of the season. I am resting to day. Getting old sucks.

just sayin...mh
 
I registered on this forum just to comment on this thread. Thank you for taking us along on your hunt. I've enjoyed it and it's been very motivational. Regardless of the outcome your hunt is a success in so many ways. I hope the ending to this story is a filled tag! So many guys go guided and do none of the work. They are afraid of failing, not having a trophy to brag about. They dont want to work it, just the glory. You're none of the above so I hope the sheep gods shine on you. With the amount of effort you have been putting in you will get it done!
 
+1 Awesome
What a testimony to diy hunters. At the end of the trail will be memories and campfire conversations for decades. Enjoy the ride you've earned it!
 
I checked in the dead head with Game and Fish. I found it late yesterday when I was out hunting. They said it was a 6 year old ram. They also said it was very high end for a 6 year old. I asked if it was a winter kill. The biologist said it was likely killed by a bear or wolves.

I found out today that I am in good company with all the other sheep hunters in Area 1. As of today, They had only checked 3 rams from Area 1. That means 17 other sheep hunters are still looking. I will head out on Friday morning early. Hopefully, I will harvest a ram and finish packing it out by the weekend. I am in for the long haul.

just sayin...mh
 
I wouldn't say guys who go guided do none of the work. I worked my azz off. and yes I was afraid of striking out.

MH it sounds like you're lined out and with a little luck you should score . having all the time you need is a huge advantage over the average guy. good luck.












Stay Thirsty My Friends
 
>I wouldn't say guys who go
>guided do none of the
>work. I worked my azz
>off. and yes I
>was afraid of striking out.

To clarify the work I was talking about is scouting, research etc. Of course you hike around following the trail of your guide like a deer trailing a hot doe during the rut.

It seems as of late the pressures of showing off ones trophies leads to expectations agmonst peers to fill the tag. This has lead to the trend of hiring an outfitter in your own state. Your backyard. What happened to home field advantage? We live in a society where people want the best as soon as possible with little effort. I talked in length yesterday to an outfitter that said in 30 years of guiding sheep hunters he never booked a resident. In the last 5 years the majority of his clients have been residents.

Sorry for the derailment of the thread. Not my intentions.

Hope you get an old ram MH!
 
Very good point, but I see both sides. Those tags are so rare and not everyone is in sheep shape or has access to horses that I cannot blame a guy going guided in his home state for a bighorn. Depends on the state. In Montana or Utah, heck no way I would go guided for the tags I put in for...Wyoming and Idaho are a whole different story.
 
I have 5 animals that netted B&C . 3 were guided and 2 were not. I hunted harder on one of the guided hunts than I did on the DIY ones. lay off judging others unless you were there.

In any event I admire MH's dedication and it has to be great to spend as much time as he will on this hunt. I hope he puts a nice one on the wall to remember it with.

Looks like some weather is headed his way, I suppose that could be good if it doesn't get too carried away.







Stay Thirsty My Friends
 
Well done MH!
It sounds like you've got the best to come but it's going to really take something to top what you've already experienced!
I want the best outcome for you, whatever that is.
I'll be gone for a week so hopefully you'll get out again and give us another awesome update while I'm gone.


"Awesome" seems prone to make idiotic statements. Some guys just can't help themselves.
Evidently he's failing to realize that NR hunters are required by law to have a guide to hunt in wilderness sheep areas.
I do what has to be done to hunt sheep even if it means having a guide follow me around to make it legal.

>To clarify the work I was
>talking about is scouting, research
>etc. Of course you
>hike around following the trail
>of your guide like a
>deer trailing a hot doe
>during the rut.
>

>


Zeke
#livelikezac
 
LAST EDITED ON Sep-29-17 AT 12:00PM (MST)[p]>Well done MH!
>It sounds like you've got the
>best to come but it's
>going to really take something
>to top what you've already
>experienced!
>I want the best outcome for
>you, whatever that is.
>I'll be gone for a week
>so hopefully you'll get out
>again and give us another
>awesome update while I'm gone.
>
>
>
>"Awesome" seems prone to make idiotic
>statements. Some guys just can't
>help themselves.
>Evidently he's failing to realize that
>NR hunters are required by
>law to have a guide
>to hunt in wilderness sheep
>areas.
>I do what has to be
>done to hunt sheep even
>if it means having a
>guide follow me around to
>make it legal.
>
>>To clarify the work I was
>>talking about is scouting, research
>>etc. Of course you
>>hike around following the trail
>>of your guide like a
>>deer trailing a hot doe
>>during the rut.
>>
>
>>
>
>
>Zeke
>#livelikezac

Woah who pee'd in your cheerios?

Did you miss the part of the discussion of RESIDENT hunters hiring guides?

Of course if the law states requiring a guide by all means.
 
Just got back in after another all day adventure. I confirmed what I already suspected, the sheep are moving back into the high country with the rapid melting of the snow. I didn't see a thing but enjoyed a nice 7 hours sit on a knife ridge in the middle of nowhere. I stayed awake for the whole time. My sciatica has a way of keeping me awake. I also had the red and white plane fly over me at a low level. Again, he must not have got the memo about the law.

The good news is we are expecting snow for the next few days. This will kick the sheep back down. I like the spot I am hunting. I have no company and basically all I have seen is sheep when I get to this spot. I haven't seen a griz, wolf or lion up there. However, the dead head I picked up on Wednesday obviously succumbed to one of these predators. He didn't die of old age.

I will let the snow do it's thing and will be back in my spot early Monday morning. The hike in during total darkness is not new to me. I have been doing it for years. Watching and waiting seems to work the best for me. If it does work out, I will move to some of my other spots that I have previously scouted.

Sheep hunting can be frustrating. I understand why residents and non-residents hire guides. The country is vast and the darn sheep are always moving around. This sheep unit is huge and very hard to penetrate on foot. I am fortunate that I am retired and can devote the time necessary to scout and hunt. However, the drawback to being retired is I am not a kid anymore.

On a positive note, I saw 3 nice muley bucks on the drive in the dark this morning. Despite the heavy snow, they aren't migrating yet as I saw the same bucks a few weeks ago in the same spot. I also saw a small bull moose this evening while driving out. I assumed he was looking for a girlfriend.

just sayin...mh
 
Hey Awesome...It's called snobbery. You fit the bill. Deriding others for not doing it the way you would.

Folks can hunt however they want. Hunters that thumb their noses at other hunters for their hunting preferences are NOT GOOD for our pastime. Each to his own.

If and when I ever draw my sheep tag, I may hire an outfitter. I'm a resident. I'm older than MH by a few years. I recently had a prostatectomy due to prostate cancer. Older folks don't recover as quickly as we once did.

I admire MH for doing this hunt DIY; and admire him even more for ignoring your comments. I won't do either. Zeke pretty much nailed it.
 
>Hey Awesome...It's called snobbery. You fit
>the bill. Deriding others for
>not doing it the way
>you would.
>
>Folks can hunt however they want.
>Hunters that thumb their noses
>at other hunters for their
>hunting preferences are NOT GOOD
>for our pastime. Each to
>his own.
>
>If and when I ever draw
>my sheep tag, I may
>hire an outfitter. I'm a
>resident. I'm older than MH
>by a few years. I
>recently had a prostatectomy due
>to prostate cancer. Older folks
>don't recover as quickly as
>we once did.
>
>I admire MH for doing this
>hunt DIY; and admire him
>even more for ignoring your
>comments. I won't do either.
>Zeke pretty much nailed it.
>

A 5 min search brings up numerous comments of Nontypical complaining about other ways people hunt. Talk about a hypocrite. I think a lifetime of drinking that water in rocktucky has got the best of him. I like how you admire MH for doing it himself, it shows you hold DIY guys on a higher pedestal. Me too cliffy me too... carry on. And Cliffy if you want to keep this going please PM me. I dont need to have a ##### measuring contest with you for all to see. And please take your meds. Thank You.
 
>A 5 min search brings up
>numerous comments of Nontypical complaining
>about other ways people hunt.
> Talk about a hypocrite.
> I think a lifetime
>of drinking that water in
>rocktucky has got the best
>of him. I like
>how you admire MH for
>doing it himself, it shows
>you hold DIY guys on
>a higher pedestal. Me
>too cliffy me too...
>carry on. And Cliffy
>if you want to keep
>this going please PM me.
> I dont need to
>have a ##### measuring contest
>with you for all to
>see. And please take
>your meds. Thank You.
>


Awesome,

I liked it a lot better before you registered to be on this forum, to comment on this thread.

Jeff
 
Man oh man mighty hunter. I love the area your hitting but man its frustrating. If your not sheep hunting you see them all over then come season they timber up and others vanish. It can be a tough area. Few years ago I guided a sheep hunt in the area and came across 64 ewes and lambs all together. Not a ram in sight...

Makes me giggle for area 3 hunters that snow pushed them sheep down to the highway. Nothing huge but more like half curl Rams.


Good luck to ya. I was mountain goat hunting in your area few weeks ago and saw zero sheep. But I will ask other hunters and guides on what they have seen..

Good luck to ya. Hope ya get a monster ram. You deserve it
 
MH, I know you don't want to hire an outfitter but do you have any leads on a local with some good stock you could get to help you somehow? I hope you're not underestimating the advantage that would give you.

I sure hope you don't get snowed out before the sheep do.


Good luck.















Stay Thirsty My Friends
 
I appreciate the comments about the stock. Area 1 has a lot of access problems. Much of the south end is not particularly a great horse area. The area is not trailed like many of the other units near Cody. Those access problems just increased today with the closing of the Sunlight Road above the grizzly gate. Many of the places I am going into are not accessible by horseback. Many of the trails are actually blocked by blow down stacked like matchsticks. I can think of numerous trails that fall into that category. You would spend days in these wilderness areas if you tried to saw them out with a crosscut.

The spot I hunted for the opener has no horse access at all. We climbed a cliff with ropes to gain access to a ridge we hunted. My son thought I was crazy to do this. The area where we went for the initial hunt was choked with goats. They exceeded the sheep numbers by almost 5 to 1. That was not a good situation and not one I had anticipated. I made a 3,000 ft. stalk on a decent ram on September 3rd. It was straight up and there was no way a horse was going to get you there. The ram gave us the slip and disappeared.

The biggest trouble I have experienced this year has been weather. The high country was bombarded with snow very early. My 4 day hunt in mid September, with the company of two friends, resulted in snow which reached about 20 inches deep where we camped. We were camped at 9,500 ft. We were socked in for at least 3 days. The sheep totally shut down and timbered up. You could not see them if you wanted to. That snow did not start to recede until last Tuesday. That was when I put a stalk on two different rams. They both got into the timber before they were in range for my rifle. I have a self imposed limit of about 400 yards on my shooting. My Sako rifle shoots 1 inch groups at 300 yards.

I have used stock on and off over the years. Many years ago in the Hoback area, we had a horse killed in camp by two rutting bull moose. They gutted the gelding and broke his rear leg while he was hooked to a zip line. I had to shoot the horse. Too me when hunting with horses, it is imperative that you have someone to wrangle the horses. That doesn't work well when you are hunting solo.

I have no idea whether I will be successful or not. If not successful, it will likely be the result of me not glassing carefully, not being stealthy enough on my stalks, or my inability to hit it day after day because of some physical limitations. I am slowing up and I do struggle with glassing all day as I only have sight in one eye.

Late in October, the rams become increasingly easier to get at in this unit. I have numerous friends who are willing to haul anything I harvest out with horses. When sheep hunting on foot, I am always packing a 2lb Henry's Tarp Tent and a 6 ounce sleeping pad. It allows me to spike out if I kill something late in the day or if I get too far back in before nightfall.

Right now I am fixated on hunting a small unnamed drainage that I have seen numerous sheep in. They were in there when I was scouting and they are still in there.It is one hell of a steep hike. Snow pushes sheep into this area. I am going to hit it again after the expected snowfall on Sunday. I park myself in a hidden spot and glass. I don't ever hike into where the sheep are living and feeding. I have numerous other spots if this doesn't pan out.

I spoke to the warden the other night. He had been riding deep into North Crandall and hadn't seen anything in the usual sheep haunts. I have a lot of patience and my knowledge of the area is fairly good. I realize I am sacrificing something by not using ponies. However, I also realize that I can do it without horses. I appreciate the suggestions on the use of horses.

I appreciate the words of encouragement from everyone. I want to get it done. I want to show myself that a one eyed fat man that is 62 years old can still get it done solo. Right now, I would like to get it done so that I can start hunting migrating muley bucks. They should be on the move very soon.

just sayin...mh
 
>I appreciate the comments about the
>stock. Area 1 has a
>lot of access problems. Much
>of the south end is
>not particularly a great horse
>area. The area is not
>trailed like many of the
>other units near Cody. Those
>access problems just increased today
>with the closing of the
>Sunlight Road above the grizzly
>gate. Many of the places
>I am going into are
>not accessible by horseback. Many
>of the trails are actually
>blocked by blow down stacked
>like matchsticks. I can think
>of numerous trails that fall
>into that category. You would
>spend days in these wilderness
>areas if you tried to
>saw them out with a
>crosscut.
>
>The spot I hunted for the
>opener has no horse access
>at all. We climbed a
>cliff with ropes to gain
>access to a ridge we
>hunted. My son thought I
>was crazy to do this.
>The area where we went
>for the initial hunt was
>choked with goats. They exceeded
>the sheep numbers by almost
>5 to 1. That was
>not a good situation and
>not one I had anticipated.
>I made a 3,000 ft.
>stalk on a decent ram
>on September 3rd. It was
>straight up and there was
>no way a horse was
>going to get you there.
>The ram gave us the
>slip and disappeared.
>
>The biggest trouble I have experienced
>this year has been weather.
>The high country was bombarded
>with snow very early. My
>4 day hunt in mid
>September, with the company
>of two friends, resulted in
>snow which reached about 20
>inches deep where we camped.
>We were camped at 9,500
>ft. We were socked in
>for at least 3 days.
>The sheep totally shut down
>and timbered up. You could
>not see them if you
>wanted to. That snow did
>not start to recede until
>last Tuesday. That was when
>I put a stalk on
>two different rams. They both
>got into the timber before
>they were in range for
>my rifle. I have a
>self imposed limit of about
>400 yards on my shooting.
>My Sako rifle shoots 1
>inch groups at 300 yards.
>
>
>I have used stock on and
>off over the years. Many
>years ago in the Hoback
>area, we had a horse
>killed in camp by two
>rutting bull moose. They gutted
>the gelding and broke his
>rear leg while he was
>hooked to a zip line.
>I had to shoot the
>horse. Too me when hunting
>with horses, it is imperative
>that you have someone to
>wrangle the horses. That doesn't
>work well when you are
>hunting solo.
>
>I have no idea whether I
>will be successful or not.
>If not successful, it will
>likely be the result of
>me not glassing carefully, not
>being stealthy enough on my
>stalks, or my inability to
>hit it day after day
>because of some physical limitations.
>I am slowing up and
>I do struggle with glassing
>all day as I only
>have sight in one eye.
>
>
>Late in October, the rams become
>increasingly easier to get at
>in this unit. I have
>numerous friends who are willing
>to haul anything I harvest
>out with horses. When sheep
>hunting on foot, I am
>always packing a 2lb Henry's
>Tarp Tent and a 6
>ounce sleeping pad. It allows
>me to spike out if
>I kill something late in
>the day or if I
>get too far back in
>before nightfall.
>
>Right now I am fixated on
>hunting a small unnamed drainage
>that I have seen numerous
>sheep in. They were in
>there when I was scouting
>and they are still in
>there.It is one hell of
>a steep hike. Snow pushes
>sheep into this area. I
>am going to hit it
>again after the expected snowfall
>on Sunday. I park myself
>in a hidden spot and
>glass. I don't ever hike
>into where the sheep are
>living and feeding. I have
>numerous other spots if this
>doesn't pan out.
>
>I spoke to the warden the
>other night. He had been
>riding deep into North Crandall
>and hadn't seen anything in
>the usual sheep haunts. I
>have a lot of patience
>and my knowledge of the
>area is fairly good. I
>realize I am sacrificing something
>by not using ponies. However,
>I also realize that I
>can do it without horses.
>I appreciate the suggestions on
>the use of horses.
>
>I appreciate the words of encouragement
>from everyone. I want to
>get it done. I want
>to show myself that a
>one eyed fat man that
>is 62 years old can
>still get it done solo.
>Right now, I would like
>to get it done so
>that I can start hunting
>migrating muley bucks. They should
>be on the move very
>soon.
>
>just sayin...mh
>
>
>

Not many like you around MH! You will get your chance!
 
Wow, I knew 1 was rough but I didn't know it was that tough. my hunting buddy took a 170 ram out of 1 four years ago and they packed in with horses somewhere. I'm sure you know the other areas so I won't dwell on that.


I hope your hard work and dedication pay off.










Stay Thirsty My Friends
 
Hang in there mh

I just got home from Az elk hunt and was looking frwd to your follow-up

I am off to Wyo in the early AM tomorrow but I will have no service.

With any luck when I get back you will have a dandy on the ground
Keep The Faith

Robb
 
David
Sorry I wasn't able to get done early on my antelope hunt last week and come help you with some extra eyes (and legs if you knocked one down). Fought the fog, sleet, and rain most of the week. Even with the bad conditions I was seeing 150 - 200 bucks a day. However even with all those bucks the best I could find was about 76" - 77" and was holding out for 80+ since I already have several upper 70's bucks. I ate my tag and actually went home a day early. I pulled out at the end of the day on Friday night and drove all night to get home to surprise my wife on our 28th anniversary Saturday afternoon. I figured after being gone most of our anniversaries due to elk and other hunts, the least I could do is give up one day of chasing antelope to get home and spend the evening with her. Even though I didn't harvest a goat, I had a blast! The rut was in full swing and it was fun watching all the action - those does really get run hard when they come into cycle!!!

Good luck in the next few weeks. I know you will get it done. And if for some reason you don't, at least you put your all into it and got more out of your tag than most hunters ever would. It has been great following your story and getting to experience a sheep hunt along with you.

My 17 year old son and I will be out there in unit 51-1 in a couple weeks hoping to get him his first elk and maybe find a good buck while we are there too. As I mentioned earlier, we would be happy to help you get one off the mountain if you harvest one while we are there. By the third week of October you will likely be pretty tired!!

Shoot me an email when you get off the mountain and we can touch base. Hopefully you are skinning and packing as I type this!!!
 
Not much to report for this week. I was out for a few hours this morning but came in to rest. Monday produced a ton of corn snow where I was hunting. I got soaked. It is now time to switch to all wool. I didn't see a thing on Monday.

Tuesday I was out and saw 14 sheep. They were ewes, lambs and a couple of dinks.

On Wednesday, I hit it really hard. It was the same basin I hit on Monday. It is where I saw and made a play on some decent rams the week before. I looped the entire basin from top to bottom. Got up to 10,000 ft. I glassed every draw, gully and hillside. It is obvious that the sheep have moved out of this particular basin. I could smell sheep and the area was heavily tracked up. I did find a real nice muley shed so I didn't come out empty handed.

I am going to hit it again on the 6th. Covering ground seems to be the best option. I am debating two different spots for the adventure. They are only about 8 miles apart.

Anyway, I wish I had more to report. I am certainly not giving up, I just need some rest for the balance of today.

jut sayin...mh
 
My initial thought was to rest after my morning hunt on Thursday. I wasn't resting well, so I headed out on Thursday afternoon. I found a small ram in an obscure location. I dropped him with one shot at 220 yards. After 20+ days of hunting sheep all over the place in Area 1, I was done. That afternoon, my physical body was wrestling with my hunter's brain for over an hour. My physical body won the debate. No excuses, I was just done and bang it was.

I saw my first ram somewhere in the Selway many years ago. I can't even remember where exactly, but I came around a corner and there were a bunch of rams just chilling on the side of some winding dirt road high in the mountains. I thought they were cool. Over the years, I saw some others in the Frank Church wilderness and a few others down by riggings. I used to watch them all the time in Northwest Montana along the lower portions of the Clark Fork River. I never put in for a tag in Idaho while I was living there. I never thought I would have the chance to actually hunt them myself. About 18 years ago, I moved from North Idaho to Northwest, Wyoming. I needed a drier climate and Wyoming appealed to me.

I started putting in for sheep points as soon as I moved to Wyoming. I was not all that familiar with the preference point system. Over the years of accumulating sheep points, I realized I may never have enough because of point creep. That is how I ended up drawing Area 1. It chose me. A few years ago, I realized I would likely never draw Area 2 or 3. I started too late in the process and I am not the kind of guy who would be lucky in a random draw. Last year, I shot a decent muley buck where my audience was 5 bighorn rams. You guessed it, I was hunting in Area 2. I live in area 1 and have been there for 17+ years. I thought I had a chance to draw the last couple of years. This year I was lucky enough to win the draw. I won as a 62 year old one eyed fat man who had knee surgery in April 2017. My left leg is healed but it isn't great. My right trekking pole has a permanent bend in it from putting all my pressure on my right leg. The sciatica on that side is painful on a good day. On a bad day, the leg and my big toy are just numb.

Over the years, I have seen rams in Area 1. Most of them were in November and December. The rams I saw during hunting season were those I tripped across. Some were on the Beartooth Plateau that I glassed up while elk hunting in what used to be Unit 50. I always entered their location in my mind and in a diary. One full curl and I crossed paths on a narrow mountain trail. He yielded the right of way to me. There was not pattern to where I would find these rams. Some were in Crandall, some in the Sunlight and many were closer to home.

Area 1 always seemed huge to me. All the guys I talked to said hunting this area was tough. They even told me about a hot spot known as Tough Creek in North Crandall. I heard One Mile creek, Closed Creek, Republic Creek, Guitar Lake and Hurricane Mesa. I also had personally hiked into One Hunt Creek a couple of times. That creek is know referred to by me as "Too Damn Many Grizzly Bears Creek"

This year, I had the chance for a sheep plan. That is when I realized this hunt was going to be really tough. The scouting I did confirmed that for me. I had numerous guys offer to come along and help. Of course, most of them dropped out long before the start of the hunt. I had hunters asking me about sheep hunts in Area 2 and 3. I gave them whatever knowledge I had and made some new friends in the process. They know who they are. After some of my help washed out, I knew I had my oldest son for 5 days. I also had a commitment from my nephew, Bart, and his buddy, Ben. I took Bart on his first hunt a few years ago and he took a buck in H. I had taken Ben along on some bear hunts in Idaho and also was with him when he killed a monster muley in H. The first week with my son brought temps in the 80's. We were into goats constantly but very few sheep. On September 3rd we made a long unsuccessful stalk on a big ram. I knew at that time it wasn't going to be easy.The opposite happened after Bart and Ben showed up. The temperatures plunged and we spent 3 days buried in snow on a ridge near Geers Point. We saw a ewe and a year old ram. Most of the time it was so darn snowy and foggy we couldn't see a thing. We moved locations only to be greeted by a grizzly bear migration. Those Utah boys don't like grizzly bears.

After the big storms and snow, things started to look up early last week. I made a play on a couple of nice rams and they just disappeared into the timber. I had a little honey hole located where the sheep seemed to like it. Access was tough, but doable. Last Wednesday, I watched a small group of sheep bail and head for the really high country in another drainage. With the exception of the deadhead I found, those were the last sheep in there. I returned twice to the spot and all that was left were sheep tracks. I circled the entire basin on Wednesday of this week and all I found was tracks, beds and the distinct odor of sheep.

What I have learned from this experience would be a loaded question. First, the sheep live wherever they want. They move around constantly from one obscure basin to the next. They seem to like steep draws surrounded by a little timber. They seem to have a preference for East and South facing slopes. They seem to react to heavy snow but they don't react quickly. The rams that gave me the slip were like Houdini. I thought I had them as I moved in for a shot but they disappeared when out of my sight for just mere minutes. It was like that had a sixth sense about my presence. In contrast, the small ram I killed yesterday was as dumb as a box of rocks. He had just climbed down off the plateau the day before and taking him wasn't hard.

I have no excuses that I wish to share with anyone. I will tell you that you must be mentally and physically tough to be successful in taking a big ram. It isn't easy and burning out is a real possibility. It is a true challenge. I have no interest in debating the issue of DIY or going guided. I have no interest in debating the issue of horses or going in on foot. Do what you want to do and make the best of it. When you hit the wall, keep going or quit. After 20+ days of sheep hunting, I can honestly say I hit the wall. Am I unhappy with the result? No, I am just tired and a little beat up. Did I quit? I don't know. I hope in a week or so that the migrating muley bucks will call to me. I am hoping I have one more hunt in me for the year. All I want now is to heal up and sleep.

just sayin...mh
 
Good for you. you went about it in the hardest way possible and you knew the challenges you faced and took them on anyway. you did it your way and if you're okay with it that's all that matters.

Any legal ram is a good ram, most hunters never get the chance . it isn't like you had a real chance at a booner in WY anyway, get him mounted and enjoy him .


My favorite quote from my favorite president. maybe it describes your hunt.

http://www.theodore-roosevelt.com/trsorbonnespeech.html














Stay Thirsty My Friends
 
mh,

Nice job and congrats on the ram. Thank you for letting us hear about your experience this summer and fall. It has been very enjoyable and you have helped me make my decision on what to do with my sheep points. I am going to wait out the unit I want, rather than take what I can get now, even if it takes another 15 years. I will be 59 by then. Then spend my first year of retirement scouting and hunting for a ram. Sounds like a pretty good retirement gift to myself. Thank you again.
 
Wow congratulations on a well earned trophy. Nothing better than the personal satisfaction of doing it yourself!
 
Congrats on your successful hunt! Mega-kudos for doing it the hard way, on foot and DIY. I shot a small 5-1/2 year-old ram in early September on a guided hunt in Area 1; it is tough, intimidating country, even with horses.

At one time I had dreams of a DIY hunt in area 5, but at my age (61) and not quite enough points I gave up on that idea a few years ago and decided to draw what I could. I checked my sheep in at Lander, and the two area 5 rams in front of me made mine look like a baby. Oh well, so be it.
 
Outstanding!
Always kindof depresses me when I think about how the outdoor shows, social media , magazines, etc make it easy to think in terms of inches of horn instead of magnitude of the experience.
In the years to come, I hope your ram can represent all the experiences you shared with us, this season and the years leading up to.
There's guys going home with 175"+ rams that are taking home much less.
 
Yes, I agree with all the supportive comments.

The only worthy competition is with ourselves. The best trophy is the experience. Satisfaction is not best measured in B&C points.

Primary goal is to push yourself. You damn sure did that at world record levels. I hope you enjoyed it as much as we enjoyed reading about it.
 
Big time congrats! And thank you for taking us along! This has got to be one of the best threads of all time on here.
 
Have absolutely enjoyed following this thread. Have looked forward to reading anytime I logged on. Congrats on a well deserved trophy.
 
LAST EDITED ON Oct-06-17 AT 08:42PM (MST)[p]I am going to try and post some images. I have never used this hosting service before. I was at G&F today to check in my little guy. They told me that as of today, only 4 rams had been checked including mine. There are some 16 unfilled tags as of this late date.
Deadhead I found September 27th
deadhead.jpg

Some ewes
twoewes.jpg

ewes27th.jpg

My little ram
bestsheep.jpg


mh
 
LAST EDITED ON Oct-06-17 AT 10:45PM (MST)[p]I've followed along on all of your posts and have felt I've been along scouting and during the hunt. I appreciate your allowing us to be a part of it. Congratulations on your fine ram.
 
Dave,

I have to agree, your hunt and the accounts surrounding it, have been one of the best threads ever on this forum. You did it your way, nothing fancy, pure hard work and true to your hunting heritage.

I'm glad we got to converse and look forward to it again. Good luck on the mule deer hunt and congrats on a hard earned ram.

Jeff
 
More Images:
Smokey camp first week.
smokeycamp.jpg

Looking into Sunlight
sunlight.jpg

A steep stalk from the bottom and ram vanished
Steep.jpg

Some easy walking
easywalking.jpg

First Hunt
firsthunt.jpg
 
Congratulations MH!! I talked to some fellow guides and they are struggling in that area right now. Like I told ya before when I guided a sheep hunt in the area those Rams timbered up hard
 
Man I wish someone would have told me about this thread while it was going on.
I was out of touch on my own sheep hunt in BC when most of it started, but I am glad I just happened on to it.
All I can say MH is you are a mighty hunter. The way you went about this whole adventure is top shelf in my book. The Dean of sheep hunting, Mr. JOC would have also admired your grit and perseverance.

Well done my friend.
I hope you are healing up and able to chase those mulies!
 
Congratulation Mightyhunter!!! Awesome hunt! Awesome pics! Awesome story! You got a beautiful sheep in the place you wanted to hunt them and near home. I think it speaks volumes, being able to HUNT sheep, near YOUR home, in YOUR local area, and coming home with a ram. That's special! Over here in Sublette County, we have a few sheep areas, and yes, a point holder may be able to draw a unit that may have 'bigger' sheep, but the value of hunting sheep close to home usually wins out with the local tag holders. FWIW, sheep hunting over here has been tough this year too. As of Oct. 3rd, there were only 2 rams killed in Area 8. Only 1 in the month of September. Just really tough hunting this year with the early hot, smokey conditions, then the quick on-set of winter above 10,000 feet. Again, congratulations!
 
Great write up, love following along hunt. Kind of made it seem like we was there.

"I have found if you go the extra mile it's Never crowded".
>[Font][Font color = "green"]Life member of
>the MM green signature club.[font/]
 
Congrats Mightyhunter! I am happy that you were able to kill a ram. You are an extremely hard worker and a very generous guy. The experiences that you had will be remembered forever. Great job!
 
Big congrats -you are a mighty and tough hunter with the way you went about this hunt. Nothing but admiration from my perspective!

Congrats on doing it your way and on a great ram!!

I hope I get to hunt sheep at least once in my lifetime!!
 
Well done Mighty Sheep Hunter, well done!!!
Your ram puts the period to the end of a long hunting sentence.
I'm happy for you on such a supreme adventure.

Zeke

#livelikezac
 
So.....this man lives in Area 1, knows it top to bottom, hunted 20 tough, tough days to kill a ram - and some want to rag others about hiring an outfitter/guide?

Crazy.
 
Definitely lived up to your username on here.

Congrats man and thanks for sharing pics. Kept checking back hoping to see what that country looked like.

Never hunted sheep but figure I'll start applying in hopes of hunting one within the next 30 years...

If my experience is half of what yours was I think I'll be pretty stoked on it.

Cheers.
 
'"comparison is the the thief of joy"
Not my quote but I think it is especially pertinent in the hunting world.

The one picture you posted with the animal in it I see a courageous overachiever who did a hunt his way with a prize that is unequaled in the hunting world. If I can live 5 more years I will be basically in the same situation you were with points. Unfortunately I am not tough enough to take on the challenge you signed yourself up for this year. I have high admiration for you. Congrats on a great adventure.
 
LAST EDITED ON Dec-18-17 AT 11:36PM (MST)[p]MH---I got HUGE-HUGE-HUGE RESPECT FOR YOU BROTHER!!!

PLEASE...email me I have something for you bro!!!

I want you to have as a gift from TrophyShotPrints.com
my 16x20 MULTI-SHOT SHOWSTOPPER...I want to document all the posts here that you've made of this awesome play-by-play hunt report with several pics that you've taken into a SHOWSTOPPER PRINT that you can proudly display forever of your incredible achievements of this sheep hunt...from my family to yours have a great Christmas!!!

[email protected]

"MIGHTY HUNTER" indeed my brother!!!

I am beyond impressed by your determination and strength and courage to endure all that you did...TO DO IT "YOUR" WAY!!!


Aloha!

Roland
[email protected]
www.TrophyShotPrints.com
 
MH

you hunted some brutal areas. since you and I go to the same places pictures don't do any justice on how steep that country is and how your knees take one nasty beating. I guided a sheep hunter in that same draw back in 2012. My knees still hurt and the hunt results were the same to all your post from scouting to the end. Was a very very very tough hunt. seen more mountain goats than sheep. Those darn rams were in the timber but the ewes and lambs were right where they should be..

im sitting on 17 sheep/moose points. im hoping to draw in the next few years. im glad my dad got me started on points when I was 12 so I can before your old age. LOL!!!!!
 
>MH
>
>you hunted some brutal areas. since
>you and I go to
>the same places pictures don't
>do any justice on how
>steep that country is and
>how your knees take one
>nasty beating. I guided a
>sheep hunter in that same
>draw back in 2012. My
>knees still hurt and the
>hunt results were the same
>to all your post from
>scouting to the end. Was
>a very very very tough
>hunt. seen more mountain goats
>than sheep. Those darn rams
>were in the timber but
>the ewes and lambs were
>right where they should be..
>
>
>im sitting on 17 sheep/moose points.
>im hoping to draw in
>the next few years. im
>glad my dad got me
>started on points when I
>was 12 so I can
>before your old age. LOL!!!!!
>

Geez Michael, with that many points at your young age you should be running up and down in that high country when you draw your tag in the next few years, LOL!
 
I may only be 30 topgun but I feel 50. I don't have the time like I use to. kids are getting bigger and are getting involved in more things. The kids are going horn hunting now. My 6 year old found a 280 class elk shed and wow how excited he was to find it was awesome. I enjoyed that moment more then when I find 350-370 class sheds. I did do a mountain goat hunt back in September which was a blast and im just glad I did trail work before that cause that got my butt in shape. But all these other hunts I have been on is mostly being on horses. but if I draw a tag I will be on that mountain 4 days a week from when I draw till hunting season. until then I can just day dream
 
>I may only be 30 topgun
>but I feel 50. I
>don't have the time like
>I use to. kids are
>getting bigger and are getting
>involved in more things. The
>kids are going horn hunting
>now. My 6 year old
>found a 280 class elk
>shed and wow how excited
>he was to find it
>was awesome. I enjoyed that
>moment more then when I
>find 350-370 class sheds. I
>did do a mountain goat
>hunt back in September which
>was a blast and im
>just glad I did trail
>work before that cause that
>got my butt in shape.
> But all these other
>hunts I have been on
>is mostly being on horses.
> but if I draw
>a tag I will be
>on that mountain 4 days
>a week from when I
>draw till hunting season. until
>then I can just day
>dream

Well I hope you can draw that sheep tag in the next few years because I would love to see you do a thread like MH did so I can follow along because at 70 I'll never be on one myself!
 

Similar threads

nfh
World record down for kid
Replies
25
Views
2k
mobertok
M
woodruffhunter
Unit 100 Elk Hunt Report
Replies
52
Views
3k
Longun
Longun
DeerAddiction4
2024 Kansas Giant!
Replies
43
Views
3k
Habitat#1
H

Member Gallery Photos and Videos!

Elk Hunting Success
96A40D89-7BA5-4D26-A017-3ECC9EB9D2EF_1_201_a.jpeg
fullsizeoutput_3d0c.jpeg
Good Backpack Trip for Bucks! - MonsterMuleys.com
2020 EM early Sept 067.JPG
Happy Youngster Scored a Nice One
20220919_080641.jpg
IMG_6406.jpeg
FD5C50F0-4545-4159-94B6-35F664253BF2.jpeg
268A8E03-7F56-4B2B-90D8-614523DC731B.jpeg
A08A2305-62AB-487A-B135-8A4EF0B169DB.jpeg
IM002745.JPG

Wyoming Hunting Guides & Outfitters

Badger Creek Outfitters

Offering elk, deer and pronghorn hunts on several privately owned ranches.

Urge 2 Hunt

We focus on trophy elk, mule deer, antelope and moose hunts and take B&C bucks most years.

J & J Outfitters

Offering quality fair-chase hunts for trophy mule deer, elk, and moose in Wyoming.


Yellowstone Horse Rentals - Western Wyoming Horses
Back
Top Bottom