Northern Rockies Sheep Hunt 2013

[geoskier]

I just got back to Pemberton (home) from my first backpack sheep hunt. My girlfriend and I spent 10 days in the Northern Rockies. It was her first hunt of any kind ever (talk about jumping into the deep end)! She did a great job and had no problems except for patience glassing!

Deaddog (Jim) was very helpful over the phone in planning the hunt and we met up with him in Prince on the way up to talk about sheep tactics and areas. Very much appreciated for someone fairly new to hunting from a non-hunting background.

I will follow up tomorrow with the full story and pictures after I get some rest!

[coach]

Welcome home. Looking forward to the story and pics

[geoskier]

Ok. Here we go.

On July 31st I headed up to pick up PG to pick up my girlfriend who had flown in from work in the arctic. Opening day we were eating a burger in Toad River and heading into the bush. Our original plan had to be scrapped due to high water so we improvised and found a nice looking basin with good ridges for glassing into other basins.

http://i1281.photobucket.com/albums/a511/westcoastgeologist/DSC00888_zps3807f612.jpg (http://s1281.photobucket.com/user/westcoastgeologist/media/DSC00888_zps3807f612.jpg.html)

We hiked several ridges and mountains and spent 5 days glassing every inch of the area. In total we saw about 40 sheep including one band of 3 rams. Within that band of 3 there was one guy that was just barely a full curl (on one side). However, he had pretty skinny bases and no other signs pointing towards a mature ram so I let him walk. We did have the amazing experience of watching the 3 rams jump across a 40ft gap (down 20 ft) as if it were nothing.

It was interesting to see that the 3 rams spent their day time either bedded or feeding with about 25 ews and lambs, and 3 mountain goats. In the evenings, they all went there separate ways. There was even a caribou not far from them that just couldn't pull his dopey ass away from the snow.

http://i1281.photobucket.com/albums/a511/westcoastgeologist/DSC00919_zps916269d8.jpg (http://s1281.photobucket.com/user/westcoastgeologist/media/DSC00919_zps916269d8.jpg.html)

http://i1281.photobucket.com/albums/a511/westcoastgeologist/DSC00977_zpsbbd35376.jpg (http://s1281.photobucket.com/user/westcoastgeologist/media/DSC00977_zpsbbd35376.jpg.html)

(camp located at ~ 2200m makes for awesome sunsets!!)

http://i1281.photobucket.com/albums/a511/westcoastgeologist/DSC00966_zps3c79411d.jpg (http://s1281.photobucket.com/user/westcoastgeologist/media/DSC00966_zps3c79411d.jpg.html)

[1899]

And then....

[geoskier]

Before I go any further I must add what my goals were for this trip.

First off, I wanted to go back to the northern rockies. I had been there as a ~10 year old kid as my dad and I rode through the headwaters of the Gataga with our friend Wayne Sawchuck. I even have a photo on my parents wall wearing a chetwynd environmental society "friends of the northern rockies" vest, while holding up two 4lb bull trout from Ram Lakes. My dad was lucky enough to get back in there a couple times but I was always busy with team sports growing up and could only pull week long trips.

So I definitely accomplished this goal.

The second goal was to show this magnificent area to my girlfriend. Accomplished.

The third goal was to see sheep. Accomplished

The fourth goal was to harvest a mature ram...

http://i1281.photobucket.com/albums/a511/westcoastgeologist/DSC00986_zpsfb9a2571.jpg (http://s1281.photobucket.com/user/westcoastgeologist/media/DSC00986_zpsfb9a2571.jpg.html)

http://i1281.photobucket.com/albums/a511/westcoastgeologist/DSC00975_zps2636a45c.jpg (http://s1281.photobucket.com/user/westcoastgeologist/media/DSC00975_zps2636a45c.jpg.html)

(can u spot her?)

http://i1281.photobucket.com/albums/a511/westcoastgeologist/DSC00987_zps99251e63.jpg (http://s1281.photobucket.com/user/westcoastgeologist/media/DSC00987_zps99251e63.jpg.html)

http://i1281.photobucket.com/albums/a511/westcoastgeologist/DSC00988_zps120fa6a6.jpg (http://s1281.photobucket.com/user/westcoastgeologist/media/DSC00988_zps120fa6a6.jpg.html)

(this handsome youngster was one of several young rams bedded down with the ewes and lambs)

[geoskier]

Since a good part of this trip was dedicated to enjoying wilderness and just hoping I might inspire my girlfriend to come up with me on future trips, we decided to pull out and try a new area that Deaddog had recommended to us.

We made the ~12-15km hike in to our next spot after another burger at Toad River.

I did not have maps for this area since it was last minute, but I did have backroads mapbooks loaded onto my GPS, as well as several google earth screen shots saved on my iphone. Navigation and wilderness living were never a concern for either of us as I grew up doing this kind of stuff with much inferior gear, and we are both geologists and do it for a living.

We did, however; encounter one serious problem on the hike in. I figured the lower elevation streams marked on my 1:20,000 GPS topo would be flowing. They weren't! So when we finished the 2 hour hike in that night we were fairly parched. A salty burger and fries didn't help one bit! Luckily the skies opened up and we caught several litres off our siltarp.

The next morning we made it to our destination in the pouring rain. I did happen to see several other hunters all pulling out without rams - all from a distance.

http://i1281.photobucket.com/albums/a511/westcoastgeologist/DSC01003_zpse77b63b8.jpg (http://s1281.photobucket.com/user/westcoastgeologist/media/DSC01003_zpse77b63b8.jpg.html)

Things cleared up... Then they clouded over again.... After 25-30 degree weather at the start of our trip this was actually kind of nice.

http://i1281.photobucket.com/albums/a511/westcoastgeologist/DSC01006_zpsc775341c.jpg (http://s1281.photobucket.com/user/westcoastgeologist/media/DSC01006_zpsc775341c.jpg.html)

[Rackem]

Beautiful! Your girl sounds like a good sport.

[geoskier]

The following day it turned beautiful and we got to work!

http://i1281.photobucket.com/albums/a511/westcoastgeologist/DSC01059_zps38469a89.jpg (http://s1281.photobucket.com/user/westcoastgeologist/media/DSC01059_zps38469a89.jpg.html)

http://i1281.photobucket.com/albums/a511/westcoastgeologist/DSC01051_zpsc5a39894.jpg (http://s1281.photobucket.com/user/westcoastgeologist/media/DSC01051_zpsc5a39894.jpg.html)

http://i1281.photobucket.com/albums/a511/westcoastgeologist/DSC01029_zpsd6daec20.jpg (http://s1281.photobucket.com/user/westcoastgeologist/media/DSC01029_zpsd6daec20.jpg.html)

http://i1281.photobucket.com/albums/a511/westcoastgeologist/DSC01077_zpsec50bf7d.jpg (http://s1281.photobucket.com/user/westcoastgeologist/media/DSC01077_zpsec50bf7d.jpg.html)

(this is where we figured the rams would be)

[Caveman]

Looks like a great trip! Great read, keep it coming!

[geoskier]

We did see lots of caribou in this valley
http://i1281.photobucket.com/albums/a511/westcoastgeologist/DSC01072_zps099a5c95.jpg (http://s1281.photobucket.com/user/westcoastgeologist/media/DSC01072_zps099a5c95.jpg.html)

http://i1281.photobucket.com/albums/a511/westcoastgeologist/DSC01099_zpsacd28d2c.jpg (http://s1281.photobucket.com/user/westcoastgeologist/media/DSC01099_zpsacd28d2c.jpg.html)

and LOTS of sheep (pretty much every mountain)

http://i1281.photobucket.com/albums/a511/westcoastgeologist/DSC01119_zps930565d5.jpg (http://s1281.photobucket.com/user/westcoastgeologist/media/DSC01119_zps930565d5.jpg.html)

[geoskier]

The weather kept on changing from blue bird in the mornings... to foggy and thunderstorms in the afternoon. This made for some annoying days. We would set out to climb a mountain (700-1000m above camp) and hike the ridges to glass into multiple basins. Every single time, the clouds would come in the minute we reached the ridges.

http://i1281.photobucket.com/albums/a511/westcoastgeologist/DSC01139_zps63e3745b.jpg (http://s1281.photobucket.com/user/westcoastgeologist/media/DSC01139_zps63e3745b.jpg.html)

http://i1281.photobucket.com/albums/a511/westcoastgeologist/DSC01083_zps7718d242.jpg (http://s1281.photobucket.com/user/westcoastgeologist/media/DSC01083_zps7718d242.jpg.html)

As optimists (exploration geologists) we thought this could work to our advantage and we could get into great positions without being seen.

http://i1281.photobucket.com/albums/a511/westcoastgeologist/DSC01090_zpsa047f31d.jpg (http://s1281.photobucket.com/user/westcoastgeologist/media/DSC01090_zpsa047f31d.jpg.html)

In the fog at 2400m we even resorted to playing X's and O'x on pieces of shale.

[geoskier]

After another 5 days at this spot we failed to see any rams. Over 50 sheep... but no rams.

At this point my girlfriend was starting to get pretty frustrated because she had the misconception (maybe based on my previous hunting successes) that we were guaranteed a ram.

I tried to explain to her that any trip like this is successful regardless of the outcome. She didn't come around until we got home and I showed her other stories on hunting bc of "successful" ramless hunts.

Either way, we did bring in a cuban cigar to smoke if we connected, and we weren't about to pack it out!

http://i1281.photobucket.com/albums/a511/westcoastgeologist/DSC01113_zps7c8b667c.jpg (http://s1281.photobucket.com/user/westcoastgeologist/media/DSC01113_zps7c8b667c.jpg.html) http://i1281.photobucket.com/albums/a511/westcoastgeologist/DSC01114_zpsf5ff9c8c.jpg (http://s1281.photobucket.com/user/westcoastgeologist/media/DSC01114_zpsf5ff9c8c.jpg.html)

[geoskier]

All in all, I had one hell of a trip. Like every trip to the mountains, my heart sank as we headed south.

I had a smile on my face the whole way home as I realized that I will be a dedicated sheep hunter for the rest of my life.

Fortunately, I am heading up to manage an exploration program in sheep country near Dease Lake next week. I hope to get 3 weeks of solid scouting in, and if I do see any rams, I will be hiking back in once the program is over.

If that doesn't work out, I will have to do some mountain bike-hunting for cali's in the southern chilcotins at the end of the season.

A few tips and gear reviews came out of this trip as well.

My girlfriend bought me a pair of Firstlite wool pants as well as a Kuiu Yukon jacket before this trip. Both worked excellent and I preferred the wool pants over my synthetic sitka pants. The Kuiu jacket performed similar to an arcteryx goretex but it is half the price... and in sexy camo.

As for food, we survived on 2 packets of oatmeal for breakfast along with starbucks instant coffees. For lunch we had pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, candies, chocolate, and cliff (and similar) bars. Dinners were all freeze dried and my preferred brand (backpackers pantry). The curries of theirs are quite good. I found that I was eating less than 2000 calories a day, less than normal. My girlfriend who normally eats less than me was eating more than me during the day and less at night. I might have lost a pound or two but nothing significant. Same with her.

I used a pair of Leupold olympic 12x binoculars that I am quite fond of. The Vortex crossfires I bought my girlfriend were just as good at a fraction of the price. My compact leupold golden ring 15-30x spotting scope was nice to pack but in the future I will likely upgrade to a higher power scope. At 30x the scope was very difficult to focus and would have made it very difficult to judge anything beyond 500m.

I reluctantly bought a pair of Kenetrek mountain extreme boots. Given unfavorable circumstances I only have one day to break in the boots. Using my girlfriends technique of friars balsam and paper tape, my heels held up fine. The boots.... the soles are probably 10-15% worn off already and the rubber around the sides is already ripping off. I am not that impressed the with quality of these boots compared to my beloved Meindl's. We will see how they hold up through the rest of my bush/hunting season.



Anxiously waiting to get back to the high country!

[geoskier]

Beautiful! Your girl sounds like a good sport.


No kidding. The only thing she complained about was the lack of rams and the disgusting dandruff that developed on my unwashed hair!


I am not sure if I will get her out next summer, and we might have to keep it to shorter alpine mulie hunts, but after she tastes some sheep meat I bet she will want back in!

[nomad]

Very Inspiring!! Successful is the right word!

[kitnayakwa77]

looks like a great trip, nice photos....any trip in the mountains is a good trip.

[coach]

Great story and some really incredible photos. What kind of camera did you use? Thanks for sharing your adventure.

[Abashai]

Looked like a great trip! I have yet to do a sheep hunt in the Northern Rockies and am hoping to plan one for next year! Your tale and pictures are inspiring as I absolutely love that high country!

[geoskier]

Great story and some really incredible photos. What kind of camera did you use? Thanks for sharing your adventure.


It's actually a pretty cheap sony cyber-shot. It does have the ability to manually adjust the exposure which definitely helps. However, it pales in comparison to a SLR (but weighs a 1/10th).

[kootenayelkslayer]

Looks like a great trip. That second location you went to sure is pretty country...almost too pretty for rams maybe? I liked the looks of the first location you were in as far as ram country goes. Rugged, and tighter valleys and basins compared to your second location. That's where I'd bet the rams would be hiding this time of year. Thanks for the story and pics, sure makes a guy wish he was sheep hunting right now...

[geoskier]

Looks like a great trip. That second location you went to sure is pretty country...almost too pretty for rams maybe? I liked the looks of the first location you were in as far as ram country goes. Rugged, and tighter valleys and basins compared to your second location. That's where I'd bet the rams would be hiding this time of year. Thanks for the story and pics, sure makes a guy wish he was sheep hunting right now...

Deaddog has taken rams out of location 2 before... And location 2 backs onto a very famous sheep hunting location... the terrain definitely gets steep in there but when we were in the good stuff it was mostly foggy and not worth photographing. It turns from rolling hills to jacked up cliff faces within a couple of KM. Both areas definitely hold rams and if we had spent the full 10 days at one of the spots we would have likely had a better chance.

One funny thing I noticed on this trip (especially after reading on HBC about how if you are seeing ewes, look elsewhere), was that the only older rams I saw, were hanging out with ewes... and goats... lots of variables out there and like all hunting; despite how much experience one has, a little bit of luck doesn't hurt!

[srupp]

hmmm been in that valley..a few times..where your girlfriend is smoking photo over her shoulder tight against the shale I watched a 390 plus caribou a sleep on his feet in the shade..there are some good rams in this area...

great photos and story, Thanks

steven

[Mik]

Fantastic photos, sounds like you both had a great time. Thanks for posting the story.

[geoskier]

hmmm been in that valley..a few times..where your girlfriend is smoking photo over her shoulder tight against the shale I watched a 390 plus caribou a sleep on his feet in the shade..there are some good rams in this area...

great photos and story, Thanks

steven


There was a young bull hanging out right around there the whole time we were there.

Ever seen elk in there? There were quite a few fresh tracks down by the camp where the trail from the highway first intersects the river.

[srupp]

hmmmm no elk...

[kootenayelkslayer]

Deaddog has taken rams out of location 2 before... And location 2 backs onto a very famous sheep hunting location... the terrain definitely gets steep in there but when we were in the good stuff it was mostly foggy and not worth photographing. It turns from rolling hills to jacked up cliff faces within a couple of KM. Both areas definitely hold rams and if we had spent the full 10 days at one of the spots we would have likely had a better chance.

One funny thing I noticed on this trip (especially after reading on HBC about how if you are seeing ewes, look elsewhere), was that the only older rams I saw, were hanging out with ewes... and goats... lots of variables out there and like all hunting; despite how much experience one has, a little bit of luck doesn't hurt!

Ya it's certainly one of the more popular valleys to hunt up there.

That's interesting about the rams and ewes...I've only seen it a few times where mature rams have been hanging with ewes. I don't know how to explain it, but I assume maybe they just crossed paths and will separate shortly. I once saw a ewe hanging out with 8 mature rams for two days. That was strange to see.

[rcar]

Exceptional story and photo's. Thank you for taking the time and posting this!

[riflebuilder]

great pictures, I had a successful sheep less hunt with my 2 boys, they still talk about it. We spent 10 days getting poured on. it is such amazing country.

[Darksith]

right on, thanks for sharing. I am super jealous. One day I will get a chance to get into the alpine for sheep. Your story is very encouraging. Successful hunt no matter the outcome. Even a successful hunt in the end is just memories, so getting out there is the real success

[kootenayslam]

Top notch write up, this effort makes that ram sweeter when you do connect:)

[MacMtnHunter]

Wicked photos and any time you can get close to sheep like you did makes the trip worth while! Congrats on getting your woman to join you! My wife is without a doubt one of my best (well maybe second best) ;) hunting buddy I could ever ask for. Wait till she gets hooked and wants a ram for herself! Great looking country, good on ya for sticking it out in the fog... stories like this keep the fire burning!

[yama49]

Awesome trip, great photos.. Thx for sharing...

[jtred]

Inspiring, that's all I can say. The hunt you just completed is my dream hunt, ram or no ram. I can't wait for my weekender alpine mule deer hunts. This won't be my year to go for sheep, I'm hoping for next year. Looks like you had a great time.

[Ride Red]

Great story. Keep your girlfriend interested and you'll have a great partner. My wife has come with me more and more over the years, plus she's an excellent shot. Just being out there is the hunt, getting an animal is the bonus.

[ElectricDyck]

Good pictures, thanks for sharing!

[kennyj]

Great story and awesome photos.
Thanks for sharing your trip.
kenny

[Superdeuce]

You got a keeper. Good story and photos.

[ianwuzhere]

great story- thanx for postin!! fires me up threads like this, good job!
just think how much bigger the ram is gonna be when u find him next time ;)

[geoskier]

Thanks all. I am getting fired up for round two in a few weeks!

[geoskier]

A few ptarmagin but not open until the 15th. No wolves or bears. I actually see way more grizzly in southern BC (south chilcotin/west kootenay) than when in the north.

I had a 270 with 130gr hornady SST rounds. She was not carrying a tag so no gun. She just got her licence and should be cutting her teeth on grouse this fall... hopefully deer or moose too.

No bear precautions other than keeping a very clean camp and keeping food a little ways away from the tents. All food was in sealed bags too. Repacking 2 mountainhouse/bc pantry meals of the same type into a freezer bag did cause more smell, but it packed much tighter and it is way nicer eating out of a fairshare mug than one of the shitty bags. It also doubled for oatmeal in the morning.

Cheers!

[butcher]

Hey I like those photos! I believe that is the spot where I took my first ram in 1998!

[Rackem]

Wicked photos and any time you can get close to sheep like you did makes the trip worth while! Congrats on getting your woman to join you! My wife is without a doubt one of my best (well maybe second best) ;) hunting buddy I could ever ask for. Wait till she gets hooked and wants a ram for herself! Great looking country, good on ya for sticking it out in the fog... stories like this keep the fire burning!

Great story. Keep your girlfriend interested and you'll have a great partner. My wife has come with me more and more over the years, plus she's an excellent shot. Just being out there is the hunt, getting an animal is the bonus.




Aww you guys are awesome! I would love such support from a partner! Cheers!!

[BCrams]

Congratulations on a great hunt and a successful one! Many more to come.

I have seen rams in location 2 and the surrounding area. Rams tend to pick up and move a little more in and to the north when hunters hit that area. Showing up in a few key spots up another drainage.

[geoskier]

We were hoping to head in that direction on our last day in there. Hiked ~1000ft up the scree to get on the ridge that puts you west of the little lake... Fog came in and couldn't see a thing. As much as I would like to move around (I have a big bucket list for sheep trips). I will definitely be back there and with a different game plan.