Solo sheep advice

[AllDay]

Got bit by the mountain bug a couple years ago. Still a newer Hunter and don't have a lot of experience hunting/camping/hiking on the mainland. I do most of my hunting on the island.

The guy I am planning on going on with for sheeps may not be able to go anymore due to work. I really want to get back out and am considering going solo.

Just looking for advice from people on solo sheep hunting. My main concerns are around g bears to be honest. I have most of the gear I need (other than possibly a pack alarm).

Just looking for different people's experience and advice on going up alone. I have a young family so part of me is wondering if it is worth the risk of going alone. It will be a hike in off the highway.

Thanks

Allday

[sako04]

Last season I headed into the hills with a buddy a few days before the stone opener. After a coulple days of hiking found a nice ram just short of full curl. Hiking down from the ridge where we spotted him I got my foot caught in between some rocks and bailed, twisted it pretty bad and was forced to limp out of there for a day and half. Leaned on my poles so hard one broke. Considered getting heli’d out. But ended up just walking it. I’ve never had anything as swollen as that ankle when I made it back to the truck. Felt good to make it out on my own though and I was sad to leave the place Id thought about all year.


Month and a bit later and my ankles still a little sore and not liking certain angles but the itch to get back to sheep country was strong and the weather was starting to worry me. So without even asking anyone to come with me not knowing how my ankle would be I made the 20+hr drive north again. Arrived at the same spot as in August to find 3-4” of snow. Packed my warmer sleeping bag a warmer pair of pants and added my stanfield sweater to the pack. The whole drive I was wondering what it was gonna be like being in there alone for a week+ especially knowing the weather wasn’t supposed to be the greatest.


Now I’m 23 and don’t have kids to take care of but once I started hiking from the truck I knew I was gonna love this solo hunt. I’ve done a fair bit of solo hunting but never week longers up north. Felt so good to be back looking for rams though and I was happy the whole time. Wind blowing snow in your face on top of a mountain, still smiling hoping the fog would clear. After 4 days I found a nice ram and took him down the next morning. The pack out is a hell of allot harder solo but it’s hard not to smile with a ram in your pack.


Really just trying to say don’t let being solo stop you from seeing the best areas Canada has to offer. I had allot of people I told about my hunt say “oh it’s allot better going with a buddy isn’t it” and I don’t really know what to say to that. It is but it’s nice to experience it alone sometimes to. As for bears... be good with your gun and be confident with your gun and you’ll have no worry’s. till your trying to sleep. Sat phone is also a nice comfort to have especially solo. I 100% would go solo again and might even be this season. Goodluck hopefully you make it out there

[jtred]

I started doing short solo pack trips a few years ago when my hunting partner moved away, two or three nights and then home again. I really enjoy both solo and with my friend. I usually hunt more when I'm solo but evenings in camp aren't nearly as much fun as when my hunting partner and best friend of 43 years is with me. One thing to ask yourself before you do go solo into the mountains is how comfortable you feel about being completely alone likely miles from any form of help? And how your wife feels about it as well, if your wife is going to be sitting at home worried every minute you're away you'll have to come up with a way to reassure her. The areas I go into I've been into many times so a lot of the unknowns of a new area aren't an issue. I know where I'm setting up camp, where to get water, how to navigate the area in different weather. In most cases my wife and daughters have hiked into these areas with me during summer hiking(scouting done with the family) so knows where I'll be and where my camps are. Success while solo is the best.

[Blockcaver]

Get an InReach, pair it with your phone and stay in touch with home a couple of times a day. Solo hunting is rewarding and challenges/forces you to be self-reliant. Good luck!

[.264winmag]

Although she was a bit of a pita, was glad to have our pup running solo for stones. Even packed her own food in, helped lighten load en route out. Was a one time thing for her though, runs and hides at the sight of the saddlebags now HA.
Several G bears on that trip as well as others. Picked our routes accordingly and even bumped one hiking out, never bothered us even with meat in camp.
The husky marking her territory I'm sure didn't help bring them in either.
No alarm but always rifle in tent sleeping in that country.

Good luck and enjoy the solitude!

[Kopper]

I almost exclusively do that hunt solo and have been since my early twenties. I prefer to have a partner but alone is rewarding in its own; especially when you hit the truck with >100lbs on your back.

Never had a bear problem in the northern rocks actually, seen lots tho. Nothing fancy but keeping meat away from camp and food out of the tent. Also, I won’t camp on trails... The biggest hurdle is getting over that fear and just doing it!

[quadrakid]

Just an old fogeys advice. You should think of your kids and not go solo. Things can go south in the mountains.

[bigwhiteys]

I haven't gone solo, but bears are generally the least of your problems on a sheep hunt.... I'd be far more worried about what your feet are doing. Boulder fields, steep creek sides, dancing across wet rocks on creek crossings, scrambling steep stuff on your hands and knees with a full pack, this is all a lot more dangerous than a bear, lol. We bumped a Grizzly bear in the buck brush at about 10 yards, I thought we were going to be lunch but he took off in a hurry when I reached for the camera. Have seen many other bears and they paid little to no attention to us. I'd take a dog over a pack alarm. I sleep with ear plugs in too, lol. In-reach or a sat-phone are a must.

[ryanb]

Hunting with a good partner is better than being solo, but being solo is better than hunting with someone that's not a great partner. I enjoy both and see no reason not to go solo. I have 3 young kids and try to avoid risky situations, but I can't, and won't live in a bubble!

Get out there while you're still young and able!

[decker9]

For solo sheep hunting, a dog is a great piece of gear. Also, a couple pack bells on your pack for when your in the timber is a good idea. If I didn’t have a dog, I’d definitely have a pack alarm. I tend to keep the noise up, until it’s time to be stealth. The only close calls with bears that I have have, have been when we surprise each other. Being bear aware is #1.

[blackbart]

I've rather enjoyed doing it alone since I was about 13 or so....

[AllDay]

Thanks for all the information.
I feel confident in my skills around objects (wet/slippery rocks/etc). Although anything can happen up there.

I will definitely get an inreach and possibly a pack alarm. Will message the wife every night (also sends gps coordinates).

My dog is useless in the cold. He is awesome at tracking animals though lol.

I think I will just need to get out there and take the considerations with food and do a lot of research to where I'm going. Unfortunately pre scouting from victoira is a long ways away!

Thanks for all your experiences

[Ron.C]

Just an old fogeys advice. You should think of your kids and not go solo. Things can go south in the mountains.

Things can go south in a hurry 5 minutes from home.

Solo hunting is extremely rewarding regardless of shooting game or not. If you go into it prepared and know for yourself you can think and remain calm when faced with a sketchy situation, then the risks are very manageable, especially when equipped with 2 way sat comms like inreach

My only regret is that I didn't start at a younger age.

If you are after a pac alarm, Marc the site owner still had a couple for sale not long ago. Barring that, if you are in a pinch, I have 2 and live in Duncan. I'd be happy to lend you one.

[boxhitch]

its a good idea to do a couple trial runs with your gear which you can do closer to home. If you can tough out a long solo there, you can do a sheep hunt.
North island would be a good place to learn if you can stand yourself after 3 or 4 days in a wet tent )

[fuzzybiscuit]

I've rather enjoyed doing it alone since I was about 13 or so....

My son just figured out he likes doing it alone too. A year ago you couldn’t get him to take a shower now they are all 45 minutes long...

[albravo2]

Highly recommend a solo hunt but you're really all-in up there going for sheep. Great accomplishments take great effort-- keep telling yourself that.

In InReach is the most important piece of kit. If sh*t hits the fan you can call in the calvary, not like the old days when you were really, really alone.

[swampthing]

Dont worry about bears. We are our worst enemy when it comes to fears! I would worry more about the hazards of driving to your hunt area, thats where the real danger is! Every bear I have ever seen has run as fast as he can the other way when he has seen me. It can be intimidating being on the mountain alone but nothing is more rewarding!

[allan]

I hunt solo for elk, moose. I also bow hunt. I’ve had a few hair raising encounters in the bush. Even then I’m not sure I’m going to be carrying a firearm this fall when I head out for elk. A Delorme inreach is key for me and peace of mind for my wife

[AllDay]

Thanks again for all the varied experiences. I will probably head up solo if my buddy can't make it. I'll take things slow and check in with the wife regularly!

[AllDay]

Just wondering if anyone can pass on some advice on hunting in the rain and having fires in the mountain while hunting for sheep.

If the rain is coming down fairly hard, is it worth setting up a tarp and glassing?

What are people's experience with having fires while hunting for sheep? Should I just avoid this all together? If going with a partner and a ram is down, maybe have a fire after one ram is down and use it to regroup?

Any advice is appreciated!

Thanks
Allday

[ryanb]

If there's no fire ban, and wood is available... shouldn't be a big problem to have a fire. Sheep are likely to be a ways away from anywhere you can find wood to burn anyhow.

[RiverOtter]

Fuel is usually fairly scarce on any of my sheep hunts, so fires are generally saved for cooking sheep meat.

Anytime I can avoid getting wet in the mountains, I do, as drying out gear takes time.
I'll set up a Sil tarp if it looks like a short shower, but if it's socking in serious, I'll generally make a move for the tent.

[Jrax]

Just wondering if anyone can pass on some advice on hunting in the rain and having fires in the mountain while hunting for sheep.

If the rain is coming down fairly hard, is it worth setting up a tarp and glassing?

What are people's experience with having fires while hunting for sheep? Should I just avoid this all together? If going with a partner and a ram is down, maybe have a fire after one ram is down and use it to regroup?

Any advice is appreciated!

Thanks
Allday

The day before we got our first stone ram it was raining and we were soaked. There was a group of rams about 0.8 km away from camp which was just below treeline, mostly krummholz and trees up to 6-7 feet at most. We decided to have the fire as all our clothes were wet, we thought the rams would move and we would need to re-find them. We woke up and they were still there but slightly lower down, we were pleasantly surprised.