Scouting for Bighorns

[Brambles]

With all the talk about scouting for Muledeer and how they will be in their summer homes by July, I'm wondering if Bighorns are the same way, when is the best time to scout for them so that they will potentially be in the same general area when September rolls around?

I know weather and human pressure will probably be a determining factor but everything else being equal, what do you think.

Thanks

Brambles

[WoodOx]

will potentially be in the same general area when September rolls around?

I know weather and human pressure will probably be a determining factor but everything else being equal

Brambles

I am inexperienced in comparison to many sheep hunters here on the forum, but Yes, and yes.

If you find some legal rams right now, they will remain in the general vicinity until either hunters or weather pushes them out. Hunters are much more likely than weather in September.

if you find a legal bighorn in an GOS area, I would highly suggest getting on it a day or two prior to opening, and staying there.

Best of luck - which region are you looking in?

[srupp]

hmmmm californians will move around ....winter -rutting -spring-summer all will have different ranges...

steven

[WoodOx]

Srupp is right, except that right now, their summer range, is typically close to their winter range. although ive never scouted for rockies, I suspect this is similar for them as well?

Any rocky experts know about their summer/fall migration, if any? (pre-rut migration)

[GoatGuy]

Srupp is right, except that right now, their summer range, is typically close to their winter range. although ive never scouted for rockies, I suspect this is similar for them as well?

Any rocky experts know about their summer/fall migration, if any? (pre-rut migration)

Winter and summer can be quite a distance - migration usually happens towards the end of the hunting season depending on the band. They use the same trails generally within the same couple days every year.

August is a good time to be spotting but you gotta put in the time.

There's plenty of papers available in hard copy on rockies and on the net I'm sure.

Brambles, I saw your pics posted from your trip before. I'm not a hardcore sheep hunter but I have a buddy who knows 'em pretty well. From what he's taught me and shown me you're probably in the right general area but you won't find rams in that pretty stuff. Most guys are usually looking above the rams (legal ones anyways).:wink:

[Brambles]

Brambles, I saw your pics posted from your trip before. I'm not a hardcore sheep hunter but I have a buddy who knows 'em pretty well. From what he's taught me and shown me you're probably in the right general area but you won't find rams in that pretty stuff. Most guys are usually looking above the rams (legal ones anyways).:wink:

You taking about the summer scouting pics or the snowy september hunting pics?

I have since heard that a ram hasn't been taken out of that Snowy valley in about 28 years:-? We did see sheep track in the timber but I don't think still hunting sheep is a widely use technique and we did see a ewe at about 7500 ft, she was gone by the time we got there and by the looks of the tracks there were only 2, definitly not a band of sheep. Seen quite a few sheep in there in the summer but the snow might have pushed them out??? Didn't have our spotting scopes with us so we couldn't tell if any were rams or not.

The day after we packed out we went for drive and seen a small ram in a low cutblock, just hanging out. I guess you never know where your gonna see them.

[BCrams]

We did see sheep track in the timber but I don't think still hunting sheep is a widely use technique and we did see a ewe at about 7500 ft,


Sounds like something I would be dumb enough to do.

[Brambles]

Sounds like something I would be dumb enough to do.

How has it worked for you so far:-D

[BCrams]

Havn't tried it yet - I have only gone after bighorns once and got snowed out.

[GoatGuy]

You taking about the summer scouting pics or the snowy september hunting pics?

I have since heard that a ram hasn't been taken out of that Snowy valley in about 28 years:-? We did see sheep track in the timber but I don't think still hunting sheep is a widely use technique and we did see a ewe at about 7500 ft, she was gone by the time we got there and by the looks of the tracks there were only 2, definitly not a band of sheep. Seen quite a few sheep in there in the summer but the snow might have pushed them out??? Didn't have our spotting scopes with us so we couldn't tell if any were rams or not.

The day after we packed out we went for drive and seen a small ram in a low cutblock, just hanging out. I guess you never know where your gonna see them.

I was talking about the september trip I believe - there are other areas that haven't had rams killed out of them (despite major efforts from both residents and g/os) in quite a few years but there's still legal rams! :wink:

When it snows in September they usually push down but once things clear up they'll move up again. If you're into mulies you'll be into the sheep and they bounce up and down in elevation in that part of the world all the way until mid October.

Still hunting for sheep ain't all that crazy. There's a few sheep nuts in the E.Koots who see several legal rams year after year - you won't find them looking into the high country or hunting with the crowds. There's a reason Fontana was so good at putting big rams on the ground - some of them are killed where the resident pressure is high but many of them aren't.

There are still secret spots in the EK and they aren't up in the rocks.

[Gateholio]

Quite a few areas near Lilooett you NEED to still hunt through timber for the sheep, unless you can catch them on their way for a drink of water!8)

[Brambles]

There are still secret spots in the EK and they aren't up in the rocks.


Don't be bashfull, I won't tell, the secret will be safe with me:mrgreen:

All in all I'm not satisfied with the way we hunted that area, the snow covered the trail we need to be on and we wasted a lot of time working off the wrong trail until we found the right one, but that was at the end of the trip. Might give it another shot sometime. This time I'll be prepared, the snow kinda caught us off guard, plenty warm and all but more of a mind thing, made us second guess if we were in the right area, chaulk it up to inexperiance I guess. Still had lots of fun, I like those big mountains over there.

One of the members on here posted a pic of a 200" mulie that lives in a no shooting area near there, he would do, bang

I'm kinda hoping to run into a mulie while Sheep hunting, I'm not so focused on sheep that if I see a whopper mulie that I won't shoot it, pecker in the dirt if I see one.

[GoatGuy]

Don't be bashfull, I won't tell, the secret will be safe with me:mrgreen:

All in all I'm not satisfied with the way we hunted that area, the snow covered the trail we need to be on and we wasted a lot of time working off the wrong trail until we found the right one, but that was at the end of the trip. Might give it another shot sometime. This time I'll be prepared, the snow kinda caught us off guard, plenty warm and all but more of a mind thing, made us second guess if we were in the right area, chaulk it up to inexperiance I guess. Still had lots of fun, I like those big mountains over there.

One of the members on here posted a pic of a 200" mulie that lives in a no shooting area near there, he would do, bang

I'm kinda hoping to run into a mulie while Sheep hunting, I'm not so focused on sheep that if I see a whopper mulie that I won't shoot it, pecker in the dirt if I see one.

They aren't my spots otherwise I'd share! Definitely some whopper mulies to be had in that part of the world. Good luck!

[Brambles]

They aren't my spots otherwise I'd share! Definitely some whopper mulies to be had in that part of the world. Good luck!


I didn't really expect you to tell, none are a tighter lipped bunch than sheep hunters:mrgreen:

Thanks for the insight, every little bit helps:)

Brambles

[kutenay]

I worked and lived in both the Elk and the Flathead Valleys in the mid-'60s and briefly in the early '80s. I know where some sheep are to be found, but, so do lots of younger, fleeter and local guys.

I was and am not a fan of Fontana's and I think that his "success"had to do with his wife, his guides and access restrictions; this situation is a real sore spot with a lot of Kootenay people I know. The BH hunting in ALL of the Kootenays should be 90% BC resident and 10% "draw" CANADIAN citizen non-resident and guides should be mandatory, but, they MUST be BC people, only, not "migrants".

This is to prevent "accidents" when/if an excited non-res. draw winner sees a border-line ram and it would boost the EK economy a bit, as well.

[Brambles]

Non-residents of B.C. can't apply for any "draws" why make bighorn an exception. For anyone else you need to be guided, either by a professional guide, or family member "host" if your not Canadian. And if your canadian but non-resident to B.C. you need a friend to "host" you.

I didn't know Fontana personally, but lets not bash the deceased...:-|

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming:wink:

[kutenay]

It's not bashing, it's simply based on considerable personal experience in that region. The problem with BH there in terms of resident access/harvest has to do with the issues I mentioned, ask around among guys in the Kootenays, who have hunted there for 40+ years.

[bighornbob]

Where are you thinking of going and I will tell you if I have seen sheep there or even hunted there.:mrgreen:

If you think your are in sheep country look at the areas that are lower in elevation that are connected to the area. Sheep will usually move out of the country with the sight of people this includes scouting trips. You have to remember that most secret sheep spots are know by a bunch of hardcore sheep guys and if there is a legal ram it is being monitored every weekend throughout the summer. It takes just one misuce by one of these guys and the sheep are on to you and gone down the mountain. Yes i said down the mountain. I have personally held the horns of four rockies that were spotted from the hood of the truck. When I am spotting for sheep I usually use my window mount. You may laugh but the sheep will leave the open sheep ridges follow a ridge down a few thousand feet and occupy a steep section of mountain that is patially open and rocky and watch the guys drive by heading up the mountain.

BHB

[kutenay]

SShhhh!!!

One of the EK bios told me exactly this some years ago,, but, many still think that rams are to be found posing skylined on a knife-edged ridge, just as in magazine illustrations.

[boxhitch]

The problem with BH there in terms of resident access/harvest has to do with the issues I mentioned,



I think that his "success"had to do with his wife, his guides and access restrictions;

I'm not clear on any access issues. Are there gated roads or something ?

[srupp]

Californian bighorns love heading downhill and into the breaks of the Fraser or down into the trees when pushed...

Steven

[Ridge-Runner]

Pre-season scouting for rocky mt bighorns is one of the best ways to ensure your not wasting your time during the open season by being within the home range of rams and not second guessing yourself, it may also give you some idea of how many legal rams maybe in the given herd/s you are hunting and a starting point to begin your search. RMB rams in general have six or seven seasonal home ranges; winter range, spring range, salt-lick, summer range, late summer and fall, pre-rut, and rutting range, you want to learn the last four well to increase sightability during the hunting season. Separation from ewe bands may vary from population to population but the home ranges rarely if ever change in time or space (sheep are very traditional and have very high rates of fidelity to their home ranges). Fidelity rates have been validated as high as 89% excluding an 11% natural mortality rate, so this should give you some idea how important it is to understand their home range. Vegetation plays a major role in RMB’s migrations to higher elevations and intraspecfic competition and predation plays a major role in gender separation pertaining to spring, summer, and fall home range and habitat selection. So not only is pre-scouting helpful, but literature searches and reviews are supportive to understand general sheep ecology and are equally as important in forming a clearer picture and appreciation of rocky mountain bighorn sheep. Remember the longer you hunt one population the more knowledge you will aquire on how those individuals interact with thier habitat and extrinsic factors (hunting/predation pressures).

Let the quest begin and may the red gods shine upon you.


Good Luck

PS Remember the grasses are greener on the northeastern sides and the timber is cooler and keep an eye out for danthonia, koeleria, festuca and keep away from the calamagrotis, or this might just be some Chinese astrology!!!

[Brambles]

I sure wish I understood what you just said:mrgreen: I have to go get my dictionary and look up some words:redface::-D

[boxhitch]

keep an eye out for danthonia, koeleria, festuca and keep away from the calamagrotis, or this might just be some Chinese astrology!!!
I somehow don't think these a girls from the Corral.

[Fisher-Dude]

Calamagrotis is what calamine lotion is for. GG had it when he got the "mystery rash" while looking for his balls on the golf course. I don't know if you can catch it from a sheep...maybe SSS has the answer? :confused:

[GoatGuy]

Calamagrotis is what calamine lotion is for. GG had it when he got the "mystery rash" while looking for his balls on the golf course. I don't know if you can catch it from a sheep...maybe SSS has the answer? :confused:

You get the good stuff for those kinds of rashes.

Max dose of prednisone, anti-histamines and them little pink pills that are supposed to put you to sleep. Don't forget the topical cortico-steroids for the itchy spots.:wink:

Days were split between being in a bath full of ice and klinging to the air-conditioning vent look like a cat coming down a waterslide.

"Just stay away from me, I'm grumpy"

Made that blonde-haired grizz turd Treadwell look sane.

[GoatGuy]

I somehow don't think these a girls from the Corral.

Probably from the north OK - doctors haven't even put names to some of that stuff. All they can say is it's something you don't want.

Memories that last a lifetime.

[Brambles]

PS Remember the grasses are greener on the northeastern sides and the timber is cooler and keep an eye out for danthonia, koeleria, festuca and keep away from the calamagrotis, or this might just be some Chinese astrology!!!


That calamagrotis, is it the stuff we call "Grizzly Grass" that stiff bunch grass in the alpine?

I'm slowly learning, I hope. Those names are way too technical

[Ridge-Runner]

Brambles, the grasses mentioned are timber oat , june grass, and rocky mountain fescue and are very palatable to RMB, but more importantly they are accociated with drier open (timber) habitats on nothern exposures ( five needle pine, rocks, doug fir, well drained soils). These can be very small habitats, but capable of holding sheep for long periods of time. As for the calamagrostis it is pine grass, very low nutritionally in early fall, or any time for that matter, but may be accociated with drier type habitats that have no sheep if other habitats are vacant and safe.

Just stay put and glass, let your eyes do the walking, and don't forget to pay attention to the small forgotten areas and lower habitats, which are usually missed by most hunters.

Good Luck

[Brambles]

Brambles, the grasses mentioned are timber oat , june grass, and rocky mountain fescue and are very palatable to RMB, but more importantly they are accociated with drier open habitats on nothern exposures ( five needle pine, rocks, doug fir, well drained soils). These can be very small habitats, but capable of holding sheep for long periods of time. As for the calamagrostis it is pine grass, very low nutritionally in early fall, or any time for that matter, but may be accociated with drier type habitats that have no sheep if other habitats are vacant and safe.

Just stay put and glass, let your eyes do the walking, and don't forget to pay attention to the small forgotten areas, which are usually missed by most hunters.

Good Luck


Thanks for the tips Ridge Runner, when do they usually migrate from south facing back to North? And I'm assuming in the winter they go back to south facing again for lighter snow loads?

When we did our summer scouting they were on south facing slopes.

The way I understand it is:
The north facing slopes should be greener and wetter comprared to their south facing counterparts mainly due to increased sun exposure on south facing slopes. You say that these grasses are found on drier open habitates, so basically find some rocky douglas fir and pine stands with open dry habitate within a short reach and sit on it, and wait for the sheep to feed out of the timber?

That is the second time I've heard " don't just glass the south facing slopes" and that they hang out in the junipers on north facing slopes too

[bighornbob]

Where do the sheep go if the mountain only has an east and west side???

BHB

[Brambles]

Good question

[Caveman]

Calamagrotis is what calamine lotion is for. GG had it when he got the "mystery rash" while looking for his balls on the golf course. I don't know if you can catch it from a sheep...maybe SSS has the answer? :confused:

Only if this is how you transport you sheep

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c247/cavemn94/SheepBike1.jpg

:mrgreen::mrgreen:

[boxhitch]

Where do the sheep go if the mountain only has an east and west side???

BHB
They probably don't 'go', as they don't use these mountains to begin with. Common opinion says they only live on East/West type mountains. ~

[BCrams]

Common opinion also says the only live with North East / South West type mountains.

[Fisher-Dude]

Only if this is how you transport you sheep

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c247/cavemn94/SheepBike1.jpg

:mrgreen::mrgreen:

There's that pic of SSS on his TW again. Looks like he's finding his sheep in the open sagebrush country. Must be a Cali? :mrgreen:

[Brambles]

They probably don't 'go', as they don't use these mountains to begin with. Common opinion says they only live on East/West type mountains. ~


?????????????

[BCrams]

You also need to take into consideration how close is available escape terrain from predators, weather patterns (warm, hot, cold, windy, snowy, rainy, buggy, not buggy), will all dictate where the sheep will be on the mountain. Some of these factors can dictate where sheep be from hour to hour / from early morning to evenings......

[boxhitch]

Do I have to explain ?
A mountain with only an east and west side are obviously North/South mountains. A mountain with a north and south side is a East/West mountain.
Then, as BCR alludes to, there is the NE/SW mountain which only has south-east and north-west slopes.


Where do the sheep go if the mountain only has an east and west side???

I hope this is clear now
:wink::-D

[Brambles]

Yup clear the way you explain it now, pretty tough to read the first time though, too many east/west's used in similar contexts.

Thanks for clarifying it:)

[Ridge-Runner]

I’m still looking for a range or a mountain without a circumference that has no northern aspects? I’m going out on a limb here but I think that’s why they call them “mountain sheep” because they live on mountains and mountains usually have all 360 degrees and very dynamic terrain the last time I looked?

Brambles, basically bighorn sheep move off their winter ranges for several reasons. The ewes leave around mid-may in the southern half of the province, to have their lambs. The rams usually leave later in mid-June and hang around mid-slope and mineral licks till mid-July, depending on vegetation conditions at elevation. Bighorns will then follow the maturing grasses into the upper elevations, with some rams migrating fast and other slower, depending on the population and available habitat. Usually in the later half of August this southern exposure vegetation becomes over mature and course, so the sheep naturally follow the green-up to the northern slopes ranging down as far as upper mid slopes and will usually stay on these northern slope as long as vegetation remains lush and if not bothered, which bring you into September and hunting season. One of the reasons for following this lush vegetation is bighorns are essentially taking advantage of the high crude protein values and high digestibility in their foraging strategy to increase their survival rates for reproduction and the onset of winter. There is one glitch though, and that is the second flush which deals with soil temperatures and precipitation, but that’s a whole new topic and a rarer phenomena. So your best time to pre-scout is during early to mid august and the majority of bighorns will be utilizing the high elevation southern exposures. Any one who feels that there is not a strong seasonal home range correlation between bighorn rams and northeastern slope has not spent much time observing them, in my humble opinion. With that being said you will always have “outlayers” which do not fit into the norm and if you watch sheep closely you will find that both rams and ewes will frequent other seasonal ranges during all seasons due to various different reasons. I do not suggest trying to hunt these outlayers, because it deals more with luck than anything else. It is difficult to discuss sheep ecology in a few short paragraphs, and that why I stressed earlier the importance of reading all the different literature available today, “fill your boots.”


BCRams, I think you’re talking about movements and maintenance within seasonal home ranges other than sheep using new or non-traditional areas? And yes sheep will be where you find them, but there are definitely strong seasonal variations.

Good hunting and good luck

[BCrams]

BCRams, I think you’re talking about movements and maintenance within seasonal home ranges other than sheep using new or non-traditional areas? And yes sheep will be where you find them, but there are definitely strong seasonal variations.

Good hunting and good luck

Basically yes. Also within what I like to call micro habitat within a mountain. Sheep won't use every single inch of the mountain but given the situation at hand, they will move between these 'micro habitat' areas even within the same mountain side. Knowing where and how to identify these little areas can pay off. Thus eliminating huge tracts of land that you're better off not paying too much attention to.

[boxhitch]

I’m still looking for a range or a mountain without a circumference that has no northern aspects?

Sorry guys. My post was strictly tongue-in-cheek. Hard to get humour across sometimes.
Good posts here ,otherwise. Mostly factual, too. :)

[Brambles]

Thanks Ridge Runner, great info.
I have often heard, if you see sheep you'll also see mule deer and vice versa, do you find any truth in this. This is of course dependent on that variable that there are both sheep and mule deer in that said area.

[Ridge-Runner]

BCRams you’re right. Learning these “mirco-habitats” within the larger seasonal ranges and the how and why sheep utilize these areas can pay big dividends (both pre and post disturbance), and that’s why it’s important to stick with one population and learn it well. It helps when sheep disappear if you know where some of their hiding or alternative places are. I find there are three different types of bighorn hunters, those that hunt high (ridge walking and glassing) and those that hunt from the lower timbers edge rarely coming out of the timber, and some just sit and wait till the sheep move to them. I have seen all three work well, and I use a combination of all three when hunting, depending on the area and season. The one common aspect is there is no trade off for glassing and it does turn into work if you’re doing it enough, but it's all fun in the end!!!

Happy hunting

PS I got that Boxhitch, but if you ever find such a place, don't tell anyone, cause everone knows that its easier to hunt sheep on a three sided mountain.

[Ridge-Runner]

Brambles most definately. Most bighorn hunters in the Kootenay's will tell you, if you're not seeing mule deer, your looking in the wrong spots. This theory does hold water, but you will find some mule deer below the critical summer/ fall sheep habitat ranges in both september and october. The trick is to get into the sheep habitat, stay there as long as you can, and glass, glass,glass, and when you're sick of it, glass some more. Make sure you search the areas that are hard to get to and hard to glass, learn your sheep habitat and these areas may suprise you.

Good Luck

[boxhitch]

And about the time you think you have it figured, you get out sheeped.
I watched a band of rams, trying to figure a pattern. First two days were cloudy, movements were similar. Third day, time to make a move, was sunny. As the sun rose and turned a slope from shade to baked, part of the band moved, staying in the shadow and headed around the shoulder. The rest moved about 80 yards up hill, and spent the day in the black shale which had to be the hottest place possible. I know, each spot had its good points, but tough to predict.

[Ridge-Runner]

I guess thats why we call it sheep hunting and not sheep shooting? When you can predict day to day movements of sheep you''ll be ready for your own TV show, "The Amazing Boxhitch." I can't wait!!!

I can see by your trophy goat size predictions, you're a shoe in!!!! Amazing

Keep up the good work

Cheers RR

[boxhitch]

:) just trying to keep things lite.
I'll stick to the hunting, thanx. TV ranks along with Golf, IMO.
RR, you've got some good info there. Studied or practised ?

[BCrams]

I sure wouldn't mind being an understudy to RR.

[GoatGuy]

Brambles most definately. Most bighorn hunters in the Kootenay's will tell you, if you're not seeing mule deer, your looking in the wrong spots. This theory does hold water, but you will find some mule deer below the critical summer/ fall sheep habitat ranges in both september and october. The trick is to get into the sheep habitat, stay there as long as you can, and glass, glass,glass, and when you're sick of it, glass some more. Make sure you search the areas that are hard to get to and hard to glass, learn your sheep habitat and these areas may suprise you.

Good Luck

Ridge-Runner,

What kind of glass do you reccomend?


I got a huge set of bushnell binoculars in the cereal box the other day (we buy bulk) - I'm considering building a setup similar to this. I'm just worried that they might not be all that great and a little hard on my eyes - (it was president's choice cereal - shoulda bought fruit loops, probably would have gotten better binos)


http://ioannis.virtualcomposer2000.com/astronomy/figs/binochair.jpg

[Fisher-Dude]

I like the wheels on that unit GG. Let's put a 5hp Briggs & Stratton on it, and you can come quad sheep huntin with me. 8)

[Brambles]

We're going to see goat guy parked on the side of the Alaska Highway scouting for sheep with that rig, nice. And you'd do better if you had some Tasco's

[Ridge-Runner]

GG you were the lucky winner of those babies, all you need now is an attachment for a 50 cal. gun turret, and you'll have all the luxuries of huntin off the road. Add a couple of flunkie's or porter's for ground checks and retrieval, and the best part is you will not even look out of place at the end of the season. Just do your one stop shopping at wally-mart and Kabala's, cause only high end stuff works for sheep hunters you know:-?

Cheers

PS, I would definately lift and put more aggressive tires on the "ultimate mutton buggy"

[Brambles]

and the best part is you will not even look out of place at the end of the season. :-?



That gets me wondering, how many people actually do backpack hunts at the end of he season. Or are they doing like what you said here and scouting from their trucks until they find one and then its a foot race to see who gets there first. More often than not by the 20th or 25th of October there is a good chance of snow, and sometimes lots of it, some people might not like the winter backcountry tent camping too much, but who knows, sheep hunters are a funny bunch, wouldnt surprise me to see one doing snow angels in his undies and cowboy boots.:mrgreen:

[Ridge-Runner]

Brambles I can tell you one thing you'll do a lot better hunting in sheep in sheep habitat than stairing at it from your truck window, it simular to fishing from the truck (ie bridges), it can be done but your quality of hunt and success will probably be low? The shots are alot closer and judging legal rams from extreme low angles is very difficult at best. Conditions can be cold and windy, but the last couple of years its been t-shirt weather, global warming can only help? Some of the best sheep hunting is at the end of the season, just look at the harvest?

Cheers

[boxhitch]

There is probably a good-for-sheep reason that the season ends Oct 26, and I doubt it has to do with snow. P's me off, cause I can only get that last week to go after Bighorns. Should be little hunter pressure by then, though.

[GoatGuy]

GG you were the lucky winner of those babies, all you need now is an attachment for a 50 cal. gun turret, and you'll have all the luxuries of huntin off the road. Add a couple of flunkie's or porter's for ground checks and retrieval, and the best part is you will not even look out of place at the end of the season. Just do your one stop shopping at wally-mart and Kabala's, cause only high end stuff works for sheep hunters you know:-?

Cheers

PS, I would definately lift and put more aggressive tires on the "ultimate mutton buggy"

Hmmm I never considered a considered a 50 cal gun. I don't think they'd be able to fit those into a cereal box??

I was planning on beefing it up- figured I could put some wings on with duct tape, nylon rope and my best square knot - strap a JT8D-15 to the back and I'm off to the races (as long as the engine doesn't fail).

Definitely the ultimate sheep cart.