rafting middlefork for sheep

justin33 · Jan 11, 2005

Does anyone have info on rafting the middlefork of the salmon in sept. I am thinking of applying for a sheep permit for that area and would like to access it by rafting. Any advice or input would be greatly appreciated.

Oakbuck · Jan 11, 2005

If you don't get any info here call the North Fork ranger station. They had alot of info and brochures last time I was there.

D13er · Jan 11, 2005

My advice would be to draw the tag...........then worry about access. Not really tying to be a wise guy but I wouldn't tie alot of time up planning for such an unlikely draw.

JB

chasendeer · Jan 11, 2005

I hunt elk on the middle fork during September. Not a lot of water that time of the year but do able. Two years no one in my patry has seen a sheep. Good luck.
Jay
P.S. If you get drawn pack a extra beer on your raft and leave at my camp.

NVBighorn · Jan 11, 2005

I don't know jack about the middle fork but I wanted to comment. While I agree with D13er that you need to draw the tag before you tie up a lot of time planning for the hunt I fully understand why you are asking the question. I know I am not equipped or experienced enough to apply for that tag. I don't want a tag I can't complete the hunt for. I'd rather see someone else who is able draw it. I am of the opinion that I shouldn't even apply for a tag that I don't know how I would hunt. I hope you get some information.

ElmerFudd · Jan 11, 2005

I had 20-2 5 years ago. Unless you are lucky, rams usually will not be very close to the river before the season ends. You would have to backpack up, and know where to go. It would be tough to figure that out by floating. Not sure it would be any better than backpacking in from the roads. And, draw odds for some of those hunts are excellent, especially if you are a resident. Better than 10:1.

justin33 · Jan 13, 2005

I appreciate all your input. The area I am looking at has very good odds of drawing a tag. A friend of mine drew a sheep tag for the unit six areas ago and found that packing in on foot 20 or so miles was almost fruitless. Even though odds are very good on drawing, success is very low on account of difficulty of access. I have talked to a few of the river guides who raft the river in the summer and was told sheep are seen all season but not much info on river conditions past Aug.

Cowkiller · Jan 28, 2005

I helped a friend on his sheep hunt in the Middle Fork several years ago. We flew in with Bob Danner from Challis. Unfortunately Bob crashed during a storm last fall and is no longer with us.

We backpacked along the river during the hunt. We saw several rams by hiking up from the river each day. My friend finally shot one from the river bank on the evening of the last day of our hunt. The next morning we recruited some friendly rafters to float the carcass down to the airstrip just in time for Bob to pick us up.

Blank · Jan 30, 2005

We've hunted it several times. I have 2 friends who floated it and shot their legal rams together on the beach, seventh day. They climbed each canyon to the top every day from the river the first 6 days and never saw a sheep of any kind! Another good friend spent 21 days in there and never saw a legal ram. My hunting partner drew it twice, and we hunted from the top down. Got a ram after 8 days the second time. There are sheep there, but it is a hell of a hunt for the unprepared.

BloodTrail · Feb 17, 2005

Hi Justin,
I have rafted the Middle Fork in early September. You will need good raft and now how to manage it. Sheep aren't going to be easy or huge but they generally aren't. Maybe rather than post everything here on a board, you can post an email address or phone number and I will contact you.