Sheep - safeguarding horns and cape in the backcountry

[Ltbullken]

Question for sheep hunters. How have you safeguarded your horns/cape in the backcountry especially if you're there for several days and still hunting? Is it safe to hoist them high up a tree and be away from it for a few days or too risky? Any hacks? Thanks.

[BCbillies]

Not much for trees in the high country but had good success with hanging the horns off a cliff with rope. Salt and dry the cape out and pack it with you.

[Jrax]

I hung an elk rack over a cliff and wrapped head in a game bag. Worked well. Otherwise high in a tree even if i have to hike down i would think but I would probably lose a bit of sleep over it. My dad buried a stone ram under rocks when we were way above treeline, taking care not to damage the horns of course!

[eatram]

Use the horns as a pillow and the cape as a duvet. Nothing takes those horns out of your hands except for the compulsary inspector.

Seriously, though, sometimes you gotta follow the grizzly tracks to recover the head.

[Blockcaver]

Slept with my archery Stone and Dall cape and horns. Had 'em in the tent vestibule inches from my head.

[mod7rem]

I lost sheep meat once, never a head or cape. We put a ram up high in two trees one year. Bags of meat in one tree, salted cape and head in another. We left for 4 or 5 days up another valley and got a second ram. When we got back a bear had climbed both trees and pulled all the bags down. Didn’t touch the head. Meat was gone and the cape was spread out on the ground with a rip in the lower sturnum. Looked like he had a taste and walked away.
After that we started stashing meat in creeks with good plastic bags. Haven’t lost anything since.
Heads and capes just get put up off the ground where possible near camp and haven’t had any problems.

[BCbillies]

After that we started stashing meat in creeks with good plastic bags. Haven’t lost anything since. Heads and capes just get put up off the ground where possible near camp and haven’t had any problems.

We use the very durable plastic orange traffic bags and submerge in the cold creeks and it’s good for a week. Have buried in the snow also but that’s a bit riskier as is keeping the horns and cape beside the tent at night. The wolverines and bears may drop by for a visit!

[mod7rem]

We use the very durable plastic orange traffic bags and submerge in the cold creeks and it’s good for a week. Have buried in the snow also but that’s a bit riskier as is keeping the horns and cape beside the tent at night. The wolverines and bears may drop by for a visit!


I haven’t tried those ones. I will have to check those out. The ones we’ve mostly used are durable but clear, and may or may not have come from someone’s industrial place of work. I’ve also used large fish bags which are also pretty durable.

The only trick I’ve found is to make sure the meat is completely submerged and preferably with some flat rocks on top. One time had birds tear through the plastic where the meat was just above or just at the water level.

A couple years ago we got a Ram on about day 4 and a second one on day 11 or 12. Then a two day hike out after that. The first ram stayed icey cold in a creek with no issues.

[BCbillies]

I haven’t tried those ones. I will have to check those out. The ones we’ve mostly used are durable but clear, and may or may not have come from someone’s industrial place of work. I’ve also used large fish bags which are also pretty durable.

The only trick I’ve found is to make sure the meat is completely submerged and preferably with some flat rocks on top. One time had birds tear through the plastic where the meat was just above or just at the water level.

A couple years ago we got a Ram on about day 4 and a second one on day 11 or 12. Then a two day hike out after that. The first ram stayed icey cold in a creek with no issues.

Likewise success on the getting a sheep early and another late with a solid two day hike out. Ensure meat is super clean and cool before going into the bags with no air and bag tail is doubled over and zap strapped. We always try to completely submerge the bags and place large smooth rocks on top. Continue hunting and/or chill at camp for 5-7 days knowing all is in order. 5 lbs of salt for lifesize cape and 2 lbs for shoulder cape. Love the camp time after a tag is cut . . . somewhat euphoric! Never understood how some folks can hunt early season and hike out in the heat with head/hide not properly dealt with.

[Elk_Valley_Hunter]

I typically just leave the cape/head in the vestibule of my tent.

One 500ml water bottle or a gatorade bottle full of salt will do the trick for a shoulder mount!

[bighornbob]

You can buy extra large ziplock bag that easily fit a standard pillow. They are pretty sturdy and come with handles so carrying them is a breeze. That’s all I now carry for meat. Being a ziplock you can easily seal 90% of the bag and submerge to get the air out then seal the remaining 5% to make it water proof and no air.

buy mine at Walmart.

[Retiredguy]

Horns and cape. Into a waterproof white water duffle bag and then into a stream, pool or lake, completely submerged. Worked numerous time for me. If tees around camp, suspended high between two trees works well most of the time. Lots of different things you can do, just consider the location you are in and then figure out your options. Much depends on terrain and the habitat.

[bearvalley]

Use the horns as a pillow and the cape as a duvet. Nothing takes those horns out of your hands except for the compulsary inspector.

Seriously, though, sometimes you gotta follow the grizzly tracks to recover the head.

Can tie the horns to the tent with some cord …. makes it easy to track a grizzly by following tent parts and if something comes along to take your horns in the night …. it’s instant awake when the tent comes down.

[eatram]

There are a few theories I abide by. Depending on basecamp, basecamp while out spike camping, spike camping, and spike camping while still out hunting. Each has it's own best practices.

For basecamp, I will always have the meat and horns in line with my tent door. Close but not too close. I sleep with a headlamp on. I want to be in the best position if I ever need to be in the position of defending myself/my stuff. The theory goes that i open tent door and I should be able to see what is out there without actually leaving the tent. One guy I hunt with has a neoprene slip on mag light that slips onto his barrel. Kinda like the number eight. One loop holds his maglite and the other slips over his barrel at night. This way, the light doesn't wash over your scope but is in front of it. Never needed it yet thankfully.

[high horse Hal]

Only issue we had with a camp robber was to take the cleaned salted head out of the tree, not much interest in a bone for lunch I guess

"Love the camp time after a tag is cut . . . somewhat euphoric!"
Laundry and caping