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Thread: The 400 yard curse, solo stone sheep hunt

  1. #1
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    The 400 yard curse, solo stone sheep hunt

    First off, a big thank you and congrats to Andrew for his ram and taking the time to share it, your story lit a bit of a fire to type out one also. Im no English major, so bare with me with the spelling and punctuation. This could be long, so start drinking beer at your own risk.


    This year was going to be different, my regular sheep partner of 8 seasons, my dad, wouldn’t be able to join me on this hunt, what was normally our annual August sheep hunt. Between work and a fly in moose hunt in September, it just wouldn’t work. I had a bunch of holidays saved up tho that I needed (...wanted) to use up, so, the plan was to head out solo with my other best hunting buddy, my 4 year old husky/Shepard X. This would be her third sheep hunt.

    Going alone, meant my choice on location was wide open. It took a couple weeks of contemplating and talking with a few folks before I decided on region 6, what really made my mind up was a truck that is dying at a rapid pace, region 6 is a lot closer to home if I was to get stranded lol.


    “When a man has rams on his mind, all thoughts of truck trouble are left behind”..... Decker9 HA


    I had decided on heading up Tsatia creek just out of the bow zone, no rhyme or reason, no intel, just because it was somewhere new that I hadn’t heard much about before. The day before I was to leave, I topped up my old truck with 2.5 L of motor oil, added a jug of water to the rad, topped up the gas pumped up the front passenger tire, and we were ready to roll for the next morning.

    July 29

    4am, my dog and I were down the driveway. We planned on meeting my dad and nephew for breakfast in Smithers about 6am. Well I didn’t get far down the highway when I start to hear a chirp coming from the front of my up until the past month or two, pretty trusty old truck. Again, rams and a loud radio clouded my brain and I was able to get into Smithers without waking to many people I think.


    After a good visit, I explained my plans as my dad would be my “go to guy” if I was to have any trouble. I could tell he was excited for me, but at the same time, I could tell it was boiling in the back of his mind that we wasn’t joining me this year, or rather, in my mind, me joining him.

    A little about us and our quest for sheep. My dad showed me the ropes about mountains, and goat hunting, which we’v both done a fare amount. Now sheep hunting, was new to us. I would have been in my mid 20’s (37 now) when we went on our first sheep hunt together. It was an unsuccessful fly in hunt out of Atlin, but, no time in the mountains is wasted time, especially with your dad. Even tho we didn’t see a sheep, we learnt a bit from it.
    Since that hunt, we’v done 6 more fly in sheep hunts and one hike in, all unsuccessful in taking a ram, but successful in every other way possible. We’v had some amazing times.


    I did go on one more sheep/caribou hunt with a friend, but had turned up unsuccessful also. So this hunt for me, would be my #10. Getting up there for a person who loves spending time in the hills as much as I do. this particular hunt, will become my saviour soon.


    So, on with the trip. With a bit of encouragement from my dad, I figured I’d better open the hood of the dodge for a look. I only had 5’ish more hours to go, all I needed was to get up by tatogga somewhere and I’d worry about the rest when I got back out, I tend to leave every ounce of stress behind when I shoulder my pack, the truck was very minor in my eyes, at that time. (I was to learn in days to come, the most stressful times of my life was going to unfold)

    I’ll hurry it up here a bit. I cracked my hood, realized I forgot to put the damn oil cap back on after topping up the motor oil. I suspected that it may had blown a bit of oil out, and that’s was why the fan belt was squealing. Being Sunday, I stuck around Smithers until lordco opened, bought a new oil cap and a new fan belt, just incase (now I’m thinking eh!!), in that few hour wait, I come to realize I had forgot my crocks by the door at home also, so a quick stop at can tire, and I’m back on the trail again! I think I got everything...


    After rolling into tatogga, Iv herd a lot about “John”.... haha, quite the fellow. We bs’d for a hour or so, in which time I told him my plan. He seemed to know what he was talking about when it come to that area, as he chuckled and said “you won’t find any sheep over there”, my guts hit my throat. From never hearing much about the area, I had high hopes of checking it out, and hopefully finding some sheep.

    I rented a cabin for the night, and pondered, re looking at the map, google earth, HBC threads and such. The one time I sheep hunted with a friend and not my dad, we went into a area up past Dease Lake. We had seen a couple ewes and lambs, but not much else. I knew a good spot to tuck my truck away to be safe and out of sight, so, that’s where I’ll go.


    August 30th


    John rolled into the cafe about 6:30am, a quick coffee and another litre of oil, Bean dog and I were on the trail again. We had clear sky’s ahead, and hot weather. By noon, we were parked packed. Final check on my Berkley fish scale for my pack showed 62...63...61....64....FULL..., and Bean dogs weighed in at just over 13lbs (food treats and dog products for 9-10’ish days). Im in no way an ounce counter, I like my comfort items, generally, my pack weighs a bit more then most seep hunters. A quick captain black, and we were headed for sheep country, we hoped.




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  3. #2
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    Re: The 400 yard curse, solo stone sheep hunt

    I hade a vague memory of creek crossings from the last time I had come here, but before, I had one of those seats on 4 wheels, sure helped with this issue. For what seemed like miles, go go go stop, crocks, go go go stop, crocks, soon I just said screw it, and hiked with my fine fitting (NOT) $10 can tire crocks through the last few hundred yards. Finally, we found a spot that looked like a good way to get above treeline, we were pushing pretty late by now, there was water near by so, this is where we will stay. Everything I was wearing was soaked, but not from rain, without the creek crossings, it woulda been one hot ugly day.


    I packed up 2-3 days of each of our food, a can of jet boil fuel and half my salt, found a sturdy spruce tree and tied it up high, incase we didn’t see anything where we were going, we could head up a different direction after we came back.


    I find a fire is the best remedy for loneliness and solitude. Being the first night, of what could turn into 8-9+ days, had me anxious. A lot goes through a persons mind, and mine was wondering. Bean dog and I sat with a little stick fire, drank a hot rum and rolled a drum (a smoking sheep hunters comfort cig, goes hand in hand with a hot overproof rum in a orange tea and sugar). I looked over some very blurry Gaia gps maps, as I had downloaded nothing for this area. My inreach app had a topi map I finally realized, which helped a bit later on.






    In years past, Iv been kind enough to let bean sleep in the tent with me. Being solo this time, I opted to leave her under the vestibule, incase of bear trouble. She wasn’t a happy camper our first night.

    August 31st morning



    Camp was quickly packed and we were headed uphill. The going was a lot easier then I anticipated. Bean dog is an amazing packer. She knows where her bags are, where she can go, where she can’t. We’v been in situations before where Iv had to through her bags overtop of mine, because the buck brush or shintangle was to thick for her to get through. I try to avoid these areas, even if it means taking the long way around. At one of the last trickling creeks we crossed, just before leaving the timber, we sat and took a break. Normally, if I’m sitting, I have a camera in hand, either my phone or my canon.
    I don’t know what I was doing or thinking about, but I caught movement, about 40-50 yards away, something small, coming down hill right at me, and pretty fast!! Automatically, I think “GRIZZlY CUB”, Bean laying by my feet, she couldn’t see as high as I could. Being I use the kifaru gun bearer, I didn’t have to look at what I was doing. In one fast motion, I unbuckled my rifle, fell to my knee and started to take an aim, all while starting to holler “HEY BEAR”, which got Beans attention, well, at that same second, that damn wolverine came charging (just on his hop, but a fast hop) from a little dip that took him out of my view for a sec, all 3 of us locked eyes as the wolverine did a 90 degree turn mid hop and bailed down through the thick balsam timber, it all happening in about 2-3 seconds, and 20’ in front of us, Bean looked at me with one of her WTF sideways google eyed looks, for as much as it got the Adrenalin going, it was a pretty cool experience. Even tho I wish I had my camera in hand, I’m glad my instinct did what it did. My only worry now, is that little ******* going to find my stash!!


    By late morning we broke out above the bush, the sun was still behind the mountain, which made hiking in the shade a lot nicer. We didn’t go much further until we dumped our gear and called it camp, for now. It was only about a 500’ climb to be able to see over the hill we were on. We needed water, I knew there was a small puddle just over the hill from me from looking at google years previous. By the time we got down to the water, the temp had hit mid 20’s I bet. I can’t swim, but it sure felt good to scrub up in a cold puddle on a day like that. Bean on the other hand, you’d think she was a water dog.




  4. #3
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    Re: The 400 yard curse, solo stone sheep hunt

    Awesome!! Thanks for taking us along!
    I won't always be young, but I can be immature forever

  5. #4
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    Re: The 400 yard curse, solo stone sheep hunt

    Lovin' it so far! Keep it up!
    Tick tock, tick tock...waiting for hunting season...

  6. #5
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    Re: The 400 yard curse, solo stone sheep hunt

    After chillin a couple hours, we wondered back uphill towards the saddle at the top of the hill that lead to camp, and I’d spend the evening glassing from there.


    As luck would come our way (something I don’t have much of) within minutes, I spotted a silhouette on the highest ridge of the closest mountain.



    We were a good kilometre or more away, but was positive my eyes weren’t playing tricks. Out with the swarvo, and got lined up, and that silhouette is looking right at me!! My initial thought was, “his horns are as thick as his head! it was a no brainer I needed to back out of sight and take a better look. Being this is the closest I have ever been to rams before, even tho the seasons still a day away, my heart is pounding something fierce. I always said in the past, “even if I see a legal ram, my trip would be successful”, and right then, that is exactly how I felt.





    I hung still until the heavy horned ram (I will call him big ram, only because of his mass), had stood up and turned looking away, and bedded back down.
    About 100’ behind me, was a dip in the terrain that allowed us to dip out of sight. No sooner did I get the spotter back up, that a second ram was standing there, a thinner ram, pure white in the face, lightly s&p on the sides, his horns curled tight and came up quickly, with the start of a gradual flare out. He was handsome, like a prince on his castle, Iv seen pictures of rams like this, they do exist!! (this ram I will call the medium ram) But, he’s up high, a long ways away, I’m green (besides reading and pictures), all I know for now, is both these rams need a closer look.




    It wasn’t to long until they both stood up and gradually fed on their ridge and over the back side. Bean and I watched the ridge all evening with no sign of anything else. This would be the first time ever, iv gone to bed the night before opener, with "knowing where the rams are". I think my grin went from ear to ear that night. High hopes ahead.

  7. #6
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    Re: The 400 yard curse, solo stone sheep hunt

    HBC is coming back one awesome thread at a time!


    I'm all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools. Let's start with keyboards and forums. - F L Wright


    Try and be kind to everyone but fear no one. - Ourea


  8. #7
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    Re: The 400 yard curse, solo stone sheep hunt

    Opening morning!!


    I really didn’t want to blow it I thought to myself. My game plan the whole time, was to find rams, pattern them, learn their habit, get in close, and have them feed by me or bed close to me. Perfect plan right? With my dog, a calm environment to do this in, and be successful, was a must. Even tho she has experience, the training never ends.


    Bean dog and I slowly crept up towards the top of the hill behind camp to where we glassed the rams the day before. Tucked in the little dip, I dropped my pack, got bean sat down, and crept to the crest of the hill, and glassed, and glassed, and glassed....



    10am rolls around, no rams, I’m going wondering, the opposite direction... the patience struggle is real. Spent the day over the hill looking in the opposite direction. I had planned to be back to my ram glassing spot for about 4pm, just before they showed up the day before.




    As planned, we were sittin and comfy by 4:30pm, and like clockwork from the day prior, there they are, 5:30pm, in the exact same spot, the highest ridge on the mountain closest to me, roughly 1000+ yards away, and, they have a friend, a younger 3/4 curl, who must have been bedded out of sight last time I seen them.




    They stayed bedded until about 7 pm, and fed out the exact same route as the day before, and slowly over the back side of the ridge. I watched until a few minutes before dark, then slowly slipped over the hill behind me back to my tent.



    With the plan of “patterning them”, two days in a row, they did the exact same thing, I was feeling optimistic to say the least. I really wondered what was over that ridge, the “Decker went over the mountain to see what he could see” struggle is also real.....


  9. #8
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    Re: The 400 yard curse, solo stone sheep hunt

    Great essay so far decker, so much for not being an English major --- I'm loving it keep it coming!
    "Just ask anybody who packs a 338... the 30-06 will bounce off a grizzly!"

    "I am not here to awaken sheep, I am here to awaken sleeping lions" Husky7mm

  10. #9
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    Re: The 400 yard curse, solo stone sheep hunt

    August 2


    My plan this morning, was to move my camp over the hill by where I’d glassed the rams from, but I would drop down lower in the valley to get to some of the scattered balsam bush patches. Once I had my camp dropped, my plan was I’d climb the steep shale slide on the lower end of ram ridge, and follow it up, and have a look at what I could see. My curiosity was killin me.

    camp 2


    packed up, heading closer to ram ridge


    camp 3, how do you like my cover? ram ridge straight above my tent


    bottom of the slide, heading up to ram ridge



    I wasn’t sure how far I could go with my dog, dogs feet and sharp shale don’t mix. After a good solid glass, we headed across the valley to the bottom of the slide. To our luck, it was more small rock then shale. Within a couple hours of steep tough sluggin, we were creeping over, being able to see the backside of where the rams have been feeding too. The ridge they seemed to bed on, was roughly 6200’, the back side of that ridge, drops into one of those grassy hi windy basins, ram hunters dream of. The basin sat about 5800’. It was a ram paradise, from what Iv read.



  11. #10
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    Re: The 400 yard curse, solo stone sheep hunt

    Keep it coming! Fantastic read!

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