Dall Sheep hunt

[elkguide]

We are planning a sheep hunt this fall. I'm puttin in for leh dall in or near Atlin, Question is if I get the draw, how does a fella get in to good sheep country There and Is it doable on foot ( I've Guided lots of Stone's so I am well aware of what a backpack trip entails). How many days hike from the lake to good sheep hunting country, whats the terrain like, safety concerns etc. I aprecciate any info you guys might have.

[bcmulie]

Which side of the highway are you putting in for - west (6-29) or east (6-28 )? From your comment about Atlin it sounds like the east side, but if it's west I can give you some info, as I shot a dall's sheep there this past August.

bcmulie

[Caveman]

Just west of Atlin is Surprise Lake, and north of the lake you can quad pretty much into a huge drainage above the lake. Awesome view, I wasn't there for sheep but it looked pretty promising from what I remember. Still quite a climb to the ridges, but fairly easy access considering.

[BCrams]

If you're looking for a Dall's as defined and recognized by provincial bios, Boone and Crockett and BC Books ....... you will need to hunt either of the 2 LEH zones that lay 'West' of Bennett Lake. Bennett Lake marks the boundary between Dall's sheep and Stone's sheep range.

Any sheep 'East' of Bennett Lake (including Atlin) are classified as Stone's sheep. The majority of sheep east of Atlin are light coloured Stone's sheep. In the vicinity of the Moon / Skelly / Racine / Tutshi / Tagish Lakes LEH draw area are also classified as Stone's sheep although many are quite white with the odd dark hair and black tails mixed with light coloured sheep.

If you're looking for a dall ram for the books - you will need to put in for the sheep draws that are west of Bennett Lake.

[tangozulu]

Sheep in the Atlin area have a large color range but no locals clacify them as dalls..........go west young man.



If you're looking for a Dall's as defined and recognized by provincial bios, Boone and Crockett and BC Books ....... you will need to hunt either of the 2 LEH zones that lay 'West' of Bennett Lake. Bennett Lake marks the boundary between Dall's sheep and Stone's sheep range.

Any sheep 'East' of Bennett Lake (including Atlin) are classified as Stone's sheep. The majority of sheep east of Atlin are light coloured Stone's sheep. In the vicinity of the Moon / Skelly / Racine / Tutshi / Tagish Lakes LEH draw area are also classified as Stone's sheep although they are quite white with the odd dark hair and black tails mixed with light coloured sheep.

If you're looking for a dall ram for the books - you will need to put in for the sheep draws that are west of Bennett Lake.

[youngfellla]

Just west of Atlin is Surprise Lake, and north of the lake you can quad pretty much into a huge drainage above the lake. Awesome view, I wasn't there for sheep but it looked pretty promising from what I remember. Still quite a climb to the ridges, but fairly easy access considering.

Easy access=few sheep. You'd be lucky to find a Ram around Surprise Lake. They are there, but few & far between. Beautiful country though, and some big freakin caribou.

There are some good areas around there, but you'd have to do a fly-in.

[boxhitch]

I've heard most access is by foot/horse off of the highway, east or west. Some good spots to fly into if you have a SuperCub, which you cannot find to charter.
Is rafting the river an option ??

[BCbillies]

Although all the literature and B&C recognize west of Bennett Lake to be true Dall range in BC the BC Record Book contains quite a few listings for Dall's east of Bennett Lake (Tagish, Moon, Racine, etc). I believe the BC Book still recognizes Dall's basically west of Tagish but if anyone knows why they wouldn't be consistant with all the literature and the B&C I would like to know. I too would like to give it my best effort in the coming years to get my sights focussed on a full curl Dall!