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Thread: Got the itch

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    ladner bc
    Posts
    376

    Post Got the itch

    So like many others i find myself all of the sudden wanting to try sheep hunting. I have never hunted sheep or goats but think now is the time in my life to start before its too late. So obviously I have some questions and will have more along the way. I am going to try and plan a hunt for 2022 to give myself a full year to train and learn as much as I can about sheep and terrain. i guess the first question is what kind of sheep Bighorn or Thinhorn and that's where I have a real dilemma. I live in the lower waste land so I would assume the answer would be bighorn as they are closer so more opportunity to scout and hunt more frequently or is going north for thinhorn better odds of seeing a legal ram. I am exited to get started on my new adventure chasing sheep in beautiful BC training starts hard Jan 1,2021.

    So what would you chase as your first taste of sheep hunting?

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2018
    Posts
    694

    Re: Got the itch

    Funny, I've kind of been thinking the same thing. Dall sheep and stone sheep are two subspecies of the thinhorn sheep category. Both are in BC I believe. Bighorn sheep have 2 subspecies (used to be 3), California & Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep. The thing I worry the most about hunting sheep is ensuring a legal ram is harvested...besides the risk and physicality of hunting sheep. I have no idea where to start, so I will likely be a 2023 or 2024 sheep hunter. I have to start somewhere though....

    Good luck on your search & training!

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    North Burnaby
    Posts
    429

    Re: Got the itch

    When I think of sheep or goat hunting I don't think just in years in terms of 2022 or 2023, I also think in lbs as I'd personally need to lose ie. 30 or 40lbs to do this type of hunt. I give mucho respect to those that endeavor for these hunts and think it's a serious commitment. Good luck to you and I hope you achieve your goal!

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Lower Mainland
    Posts
    343

    Re: Got the itch

    Step 1... Join the Wild Sheep Society of BC

    Step 2... Pick up some sheep hunting books(some great threads on that here)

    Step 3... Get good optics, if you have the budget to get top quality stuff, do it. ALSO learn how to use them, most people don't understand what that means

    Step 4... Learn to understand what the legality requirements of all separate species/areas in BC are, you can never look over to many sheep to understand what is legal

    Step 5... Learn to be patient as ****, the sheep hunting game is not an easy one and there will be many of moments in which you question why you're doing it

    Killing a bighorn GOS in BC is commonly said to be tougher than killing a thinhorn GOS but I'm far from an expert

    PS. DONT SKIP STEP ONE; if you can afford a $65 sheep tag, you can afford a $50 membership(atleast)

    PSS. Jack O'Connor once said "There is no halfway. After his first exposure a man is either a sheep hunter or he isn't. He either falls under the spell of sheep hunting or he won't be caught dead on another sheep mountain" This quote is true for so many reasons

    PSSS. Theres another old saying in the sheep hunting community that goes something like "Your first ram is born the year you start sheep hunting" although not 100% accurate, it does say alot... especially when the average age of rams being taken is probably in that 7-8 year old realm if I had to guess
    Last edited by porthunter; 12-28-2020 at 05:05 PM.
    Life begins where your comfort zone ends

    WSSBC Monarch; RMGA; 2% for Conservation Certified; WSF; BCWF

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Northern BC
    Posts
    3,080

    Re: Got the itch

    Its a long time till August. Start walking now with weight in a pack. Lotta fat guys have killed rams.

    If you put it off to 2022/'23 it is easy to put it off to '24, so on so forth... Realistic goals and targets are the best way to do it. Lots of in shape guys have tried it once, and said never again.
    Lots of fat guys have tried it once, and are sheep hunting machines now.

    My first trip was with a Coleman Peak 1 backpack, a $200 Bushnell spotting scope, and a 9lb rifle. Just do it.
    There is always the next year to start buying the expensive gear. (And if you keep sheep hunting, there is a real high likelihood of there being a lot of expensive gear....lol)


  7. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Posts
    5,002

    Re: Got the itch

    Like it was said above. Just get out there. I’ve been out the last two years, seen lots of rams, none of them were legal. We passed on one that was borderline, be ready for that. If you haven’t done any alpine camping, that’s a good place to start as well. You’ll get a good idea of what kind of gear you’ll need and if you actually like it up there.

    It is probably a good idea to get out there and decide if you want to do it before you spend $10,000 on gear. You don’t have to spend that much to hunt sheep, but it definitely helps make things more comfortable.
    If you don't read the newspaper, you're uninformed. If you read the newspaper, you're mis-informed.

  8. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Posts
    658

    Re: Got the itch

    I went on my first stone sheep hunt at 50 yrs old, now 53. I have not killed a ram yet but am absolutely addicted. Since I contracted sheep fever I have lost 25 lbs and have maintained it. I feel better and younger than I ever have. This is not a cheap disease but as mentioned you can start with what you have. 2 feet and a heartbeat. Last year I went on a 12 day hunt with two 29 year olds and we saw almost 40 rams, one of my partners killed an awesome double broomer. I passed on 4 broomed rams as I am not yet confident on shooting on age. I am equally proud of that sheep as if I had killed it. I did all the planning, research on the area, and all the gear details. On our way out we booked the same drop point for opener 2021. I also booked a second hunt for September with two of my kids in an area that holds goats, caribou, and sheep.

    I look at these hunts as adventure hunts not species hunts. Sheep is where it all usually starts. I can’t stress how valuable this site has been and the BC Wild Sheep Society and its members as well. On another note the Wild Sheep Foundation is holding a week long virtual convention in January and that will be an amazing resource as well.

    216 days til opener!

    Be safe !

  9. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2010
    Location
    ladner bc
    Posts
    376

    Re: Got the itch

    Thanks for all the reply so far. I am ready to put in the work and looking forward to getting out into the mountains. Am I right in my thinking that maybe trying Bighorn around the spences bridge area would be my best bet as it is closest to me or should i be looking to go north? I will be on the lookout for some new boots as my Irish setters have finally bite the dust i am looking for a boot that i can use for hiking in the mountains or looking for moose in lower elevations does this exist or do i really need 2 pairs of boots, i don't mind buy once cry once just not buy twice and cry twice. I think i really need to nail down a specific species to hunt so i can start really dissecting some areas to hunt.

    Thanks again for all the replies and i hope they keep coming.

    PS i will be joining the bc wild sheep society this week.

  10. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2020
    Posts
    39

    Re: Got the itch

    I’ve had that same itch.
    I’ve been trying to fulfill it with some hiking but seems after about 3 days of heavy hiking that itch turns into a bad rash, wet wipes help but think I may need to start using some gold bond.

    Joking aside I’m on a similar path. I’m an adult onset hunter. Been hunting for a few years now and have been successful each year but would really like to get into more mountain hunting. I’ve grown up in the mountains so it’s not new to me but just now started carrying a rifle. This is the year I get serious about it, have started training and emptying my wallet. The plan is for a fly in hunt at least but may try and do some more local stuff as well.

    Super thankful for posts like this as I’ve been able to learn a lot from the minds here. Hopefully I’ll be able to repay the favour soon and add some positive advice to these threads.

    Thanks to the OP for posting and everyone who’s helping guys like us out.

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2018
    Posts
    696

    Re: Got the itch

    I’ve had the itch for a couple of months now. Just reading a lot about mountain goats and how to identify billies. Hopefully one day I can connect on one
    Member of CCFR

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