Sheep ashnola (b)

[TherealSLYFOX]

Not familiar with snowy side dad took one from crater a few years back so it's not totally new for me kinda thinkn of hikeing to Joe lake I saw few from the river the last time there I call it a fluke gonna take wife and little guy next month camp for them scout for me any tips narrow the area a bit thanks. Anybody get zone A let me know later. Late sept hopefuly well all be posting pictures.

[silvertipp]

hi there
bin up there a few times,horses will help alot
there a good cabin at joe lake to stay in ,past joel theres another lake further up at the base off snowy mountain you realy want to get up top
took a good won there a few years back
if you try the indian band on the way to osoyoos apparently they have a good rd up the back dide of snowy as well
if i can help you out any further let me know & ill do my best good luck

[Farmer]

The Road through the Indian land from Cawston will cost you a few bucks. 20 years ago it was $50 or $100. The road came up to by the 3 lakes below Joe lake. It then took about 3 hours if I recall correctly ( with loaded packs) to hike into Joe Lake. That is better than an all day hike from the Ashnola River side. We have done both a few times. In the last few trips, we have taken the longer hike so that our vehicle was left in a more public area as well as the fact that it was sometimes difficult to find the right person who would let you through the gate on the reserve. Apparently some would say no access and others would name a fee.
The lake at the bottom of snowy mountain is Harry lake.

[Jimbo]

After several years of trying for this draw .... well, I still didn't get drawn. The good news here is that my son did !!!

Been a few years since I hunted Clinton & Spence's and looking forward to the summer scouting trip as much as the actual hunt. Any other suggestions, observations, etc., in this post or PM are appreciated.

[GoatGuy]

Unless you're on the first hunt don't bother hunting the pretty stuff. Look in the trees.

[Rodd]

Unless you're on the first hunt don't bother hunting the pretty stuff. Look in the trees.

I can agree with Goat Guy, the first time my father and I were drawn it was the second hunt, and I think we found like 4 carcasses from successful hunters on the first hunt (there was a fire that year and the firefighters were camped at Joe Lake, helicopters everywhere), and didn't see a sheep at all. The second trip we had the first hunt, and camped just below Harry Lake where the ridge from snowy Mtn. meets the creek from Harry Lake. We were in there 5 days before the season opened, and seen lots of sheep, and lots of Rams, and some real big ones! but as the days progressed and more hunters arrived, they were less and less visible daily! By the second day of the first hunt all the sheep were hiding in the Timber, and not venturing out in the open at all! Thankfully we had seen them go into the timber at a certain location, and took a great Ram 371/2 x 371/2 x 14 and it scored 165. It was 10 years old. Certainly wasn't the biggest we saw, but a great Ram. Unbelievable area, great country, and a couple of hunts I'll never forget. We had other hunters following us around up there trying to locate sheep by seeing where we were hunting. We ran them astray by taking the long route to our area and leaving in a different direction than we were actually hunting. I give you a tip the realslyfox, we got our Ram within 800yds of our camp... Below camp.... That should get you in the right area. I think it took if i can remember right, like 13hours to ride our horses in from Juniper creek to Harry Lake, I know my saddle sores were bad... The first trip we packed in through the Reserve, and it was closer, but more of a hassle for sure, and it does depend on who you talk to. I jealous of that tag, cuz I know they are up there! Good Luck!
I also seen some incredible Muleys up that way....

[Farmer]

Rodd,
Was that in 1985 or 1986? Three of us got drawn the year the controlled burn got away from them and the firefighters were camped at Joe lake. Unfortunately I was unable to go as my dad was injured and I had to work. My brother and a friend hiked in the Webster creek trail to Joe Lake and stayed in the little shack on the east end of the lake. They hunted all over the area and both missed rams in the timber and failed to identify legal rams fast enough other times as they tended to get too close and spooked them.My brother did get a nice 3/4 on the last day on South Slope no less. There were 2 feeding near the timber in mid morning.
If I recall this was also the second hunt. 2 guys from the island were in at the same time and reported thet they had see a large band of rams up on Snowy mtn somewhere. They were unsuccessful and to make matters worse, crashed their truck on the Whipsaw bridge on the way home.

I have been drawn there twice since, but did not see a legal ram on either trip. Those trips we camped halfway to Joe lake and hunted between Joe lake and southslope.
One trip in 1988 where another person had a draw we had helicopters landing on prime sheep ridges first thing in the morning. :mad: Supposedly practicing.
That trip we saw a very close to legal ram out the door of the shack at Joe lake. It was crossing the hill in front of the cabin in daylight hours but the tagholder called it too close to shoot especially since he was senior biologist and had seen a full curl the day or 2 before.
It is beautiful country to hunt in, but without horses it is a long pack in and out.

[GoatGuy]

Rodd,
Was that in 1985 or 1986? Three of us got drawn the year the controlled burn got away from them and the firefighters were camped at Joe lake. Unfortunately I was unable to go as my dad was injured and I had to work. My brother and a friend hiked in the Webster creek trail to Joe Lake and stayed in the little shack on the east end of the lake. They hunted all over the area and both missed rams in the timber and failed to identify legal rams fast enough other times as they tended to get too close and spooked them.My brother did get a nice 3/4 on the last day on South Slope no less. There were 2 feeding near the timber in mid morning.
If I recall this was also the second hunt. 2 guys from the island were in at the same time and reported thet they had see a large band of rams up on Snowy mtn somewhere. They were unsuccessful and to make matters worse, crashed their truck on the Whipsaw bridge on the way home.

I have been drawn there twice since, but did not see a legal ram on either trip. Those trips we camped halfway to Joe lake and hunted between Joe lake and southslope.
One trip in 1988 where another person had a draw we had helicopters landing on prime sheep ridges first thing in the morning. :mad: Supposedly practicing.
That trip we saw a very close to legal ram out the door of the shack at Joe lake. It was crossing the hill in front of the cabin in daylight hours but the tagholder called it too close to shoot especially since he was senior biologist and had seen a full curl the day or 2 before.
It is beautiful country to hunt in, but without horses it is a long pack in and out.

They ran a 'controlled' burn through there around 3-4 years ago as well.

[MichelD]

I had the "A" draw four years ago I think it was and they closed the road in after I got there because of the forest fire and my wife phoned the Forest Service asking about conditions there and they told her nobody should be on the mountain at all. They promised to keep her informed and evacuate me if it got worse. And I knew nothing of this.

We were surrounded by smoke and fire and when I got home I smelled like a double smoked ham she said.

Big problem with the Ashnola A zone is the road. There's a quad track going up hill with a "Motor vehicle closed area" sign, but it gets knocked down. The rancher quads up there I guess to look for his cows, so there 's always fresh ATV tracks and and summer quadders go up there too. On opening morning of my hunt I saw a quad go up the closed zone, heard a shot and three days later the COs were there looking for a dead illegal ram another hunter had found and reported.

[Rodd]

Hi Farmer,
I think it was 1985, could have been 86 tho, and yes it was the second hunt. Seen the outfitter and his hunter stalking some rams on the south slope too. We headed straight for the top of Snowy. Yes its funny it was soo long ago, and I find someone on here that remembers! I'm sure my name is on that cabin wall at Joe lake. Caught some nice trout for dinner in joe lake. I wouldn't go if I didn't have horses, or was a marathon runner, then maybe a back pack trip.... Looong walk!

[Farmer]

Hi Farmer,
I think it was 1985, could have been 86 tho, and yes it was the second hunt. Seen the outfitter and his hunter stalking some rams on the south slope too. We headed straight for the top of Snowy. Yes its funny it was soo long ago, and I find someone on here that remembers! I'm sure my name is on that cabin wall at Joe lake. Caught some nice trout for dinner in joe lake. I wouldn't go if I didn't have horses, or was a marathon runner, then maybe a back pack trip.... Looong walk!

I checked and it was 1985. At some time in the last 10 years they moved the Joe lake cabin across the lake to the side closer to southslope. I have packed in from the front 3 or 4 times - maybe more and I just don't want ot remember:). Twice we packed deer from halfway to Joe Lake. One trip the three of us got 2 4 points. Man were we tired of hiking up southslope after the third trip. My wife said walked like old men when we got out of the truck at home.

[Big Bucks]

Thats awhile ago that you guys were up there , if you got any pics would love to see them , brings back memories .