BRWNBR
New member
T-bone, i found a shoe box and got your horns it it and shipped off to you today....!
'08 AK Dall Sheep report
- Thread starter T Bone
- Start date
T Bone
Well-known member
Wednesday Aug 13th-
We wake up and head up the canyon and immediately spot a nice bull caribou and cow.
We press on another mile or so and we pick up a ram on the left side of the canyon. He's definately the biggest ram so far, but a few inches shy of full curl.
See that white dot in the middle of the screen, just above the near cliffs? that's him.
We continue on and see more rams. 1 there, 3 there, 2 way out there. The spotter comes out and squelches our hopes of a shooter ram.
Jake and I take inventory. We're seeing rams, but not near the number he usually sees in here. We measure the timeline and come up with a game plan. We're heading out of the high country and betting on finding some in the lower country. Jake thinks they are there due to the unusually cold summer.
I forgot to mention, somewhere in the last day or two we run into a human. An older fella out hunting sheep solo. He's day hunting from a base camp which really limits him, but he seemed to having a great time in the great Alaska outdoors. Real nice guy that Richard Dean.
Anyhoo...with the gameplan in mind we take off out of the highcountry and try our best to make good time toward a very distant mountain, stopping occasionally for food and water.
It's a grind but we end up making camp with 19 sheep in sight. All ewes and lambs.
It was an easy night of sleep.
Thursday Aug 14th
Waking up acutely aware that this hunt was well past it's midpoint, I was starting to feel a bit of pressure to try and make something happen. We woke up and saw ewes and lambs, and finally Jakes sharp eyes picked up two rams concealed in the nearby cliffs. No go Fred. Both under full curl. We circled the mountain and found no more sheep. Bugger, our bet was starting to look like the wrong one.
While glassing a very distant even lower hill, I assumed for bears, Jake says "Ah, Crap, 3 sheep on top of that mountain". Sure enough, way out there, I'd guess 6 miles or so were three sheep in the sun that glowed like light bulbs. Jake pulls the spotter and says, one good ram. At six miles, if you can see horn it's gonna be a pretty good one. We'd have to pack the bags and hit the road again to find out how good.
We hustled and covered ground as fast as possible. The sheep were still there, by evening all that seperated us was a couple miles of swamp, thick alders and brush. Rain was falling and we set camp so we could watch them from the tent.
From two miles, we could tell one was a dinker, one decent but sublegal ram, and one real nice that appeared to be legal, but we'd have to get closer to tell for sure.
It was a restless night.
We wake up and head up the canyon and immediately spot a nice bull caribou and cow.
We press on another mile or so and we pick up a ram on the left side of the canyon. He's definately the biggest ram so far, but a few inches shy of full curl.
See that white dot in the middle of the screen, just above the near cliffs? that's him.
We continue on and see more rams. 1 there, 3 there, 2 way out there. The spotter comes out and squelches our hopes of a shooter ram.
Jake and I take inventory. We're seeing rams, but not near the number he usually sees in here. We measure the timeline and come up with a game plan. We're heading out of the high country and betting on finding some in the lower country. Jake thinks they are there due to the unusually cold summer.
I forgot to mention, somewhere in the last day or two we run into a human. An older fella out hunting sheep solo. He's day hunting from a base camp which really limits him, but he seemed to having a great time in the great Alaska outdoors. Real nice guy that Richard Dean.
Anyhoo...with the gameplan in mind we take off out of the highcountry and try our best to make good time toward a very distant mountain, stopping occasionally for food and water.
It's a grind but we end up making camp with 19 sheep in sight. All ewes and lambs.
It was an easy night of sleep.
Thursday Aug 14th
Waking up acutely aware that this hunt was well past it's midpoint, I was starting to feel a bit of pressure to try and make something happen. We woke up and saw ewes and lambs, and finally Jakes sharp eyes picked up two rams concealed in the nearby cliffs. No go Fred. Both under full curl. We circled the mountain and found no more sheep. Bugger, our bet was starting to look like the wrong one.
While glassing a very distant even lower hill, I assumed for bears, Jake says "Ah, Crap, 3 sheep on top of that mountain". Sure enough, way out there, I'd guess 6 miles or so were three sheep in the sun that glowed like light bulbs. Jake pulls the spotter and says, one good ram. At six miles, if you can see horn it's gonna be a pretty good one. We'd have to pack the bags and hit the road again to find out how good.
We hustled and covered ground as fast as possible. The sheep were still there, by evening all that seperated us was a couple miles of swamp, thick alders and brush. Rain was falling and we set camp so we could watch them from the tent.
From two miles, we could tell one was a dinker, one decent but sublegal ram, and one real nice that appeared to be legal, but we'd have to get closer to tell for sure.
It was a restless night.
AZ402
Well-known member
Damn you T-bone...........
I second that. |oo
BRWNBR
New member
man that tent sight looks like white trash....geez guides anyway...
Ridge Runner
New member
Geez T Bone it's 10:30 at night out here on the east coast and your leaving us hanging till morning?? Maybe i'll check back after the olympics
Good stuff.
Good stuff.
Moosie
Grand poopa
Great story T'bone, Drag it out. You had to suffer to see if it was a Worthy ram, we can wait to see if it was. Uhhhhh OK, we waited long enough, finish the dam story
IdahoBugler
Well-known member
Congrats T-bone. Can't wait for the finish.
Bambistew
Well-known member
So far sounds/looks like you had a great hunt. Snow in August, gota love it.
MarvB
Well-known member
Looks like I'm not gonna get much done at work today...checking back here every 15-20 minutes |oo
Tom
New member
This is a real hunt. Way to go T-bone, great story!! I love it. What part of Alaska are you in?
AkBearHunter
Member
Seen the pics of the happy hunter and guide, looking forward to the "Rest of the Story".
T Bone
Well-known member
OK. here we go.
Friday August 15th.
Morning comes slowly with the night full of pregame jitters and "what ifs".
I get out and glass the little mountain. Sure enough. 3 marshmallows right where we left them.
All we have to do is slop across the brush and swamp, verify he's legal, and put a bullet in him.
We pack up camp in a hurry and jump off the bench into the bottom. It rained all night and the brush is soaked. We have on raingear, and I have my bright blue pack cover on. Jake politely asks me to remove the not-so-camoflauge raincover off the pack.
We start moving through the brush. I have a strong dislike for alders. Even more dislike for alders in mud and bog.
At each opening in the brush we check the status of the sheep. They're out feeding now and moving. No problem. Surely they'll stay on the mountain.
After 30 minutes it becomes obvious they're heading somewhere. They jump off the mountain and go on the ridge to the left heading right to left, feeding some on the way. We are in the bottom of the creek slogging away.
We change lines for an intercept and quickly realize they're outpacing us. We change gears and start charging through the swamp. Several times I go over my boots and fill up with stink mud. No worries, we've got to intercept those sheep! It turns into an hour or so of full out blitz and we're both wet from head to toe.
The sheep follow the slope to the left and end up at the edge of the swamp! Who would have figured they'd drop down that low?
We're about 800 yards out, and they know something is up, but slowly proceed along the edge. We plan if I can get on this slight knoll in the bottom, I may be able to get a shot. I head over as quietly and quickly as possible. I find an opening where I can get a view/clean shot through the brush and here they come right towards me. If they continue they'll cross only 250 yards in front of me. I chamber a round in the 30-06. "This is going to happen" I keep telling myself.
They're at 600 yards.....500. 400 and the rifle comes up on my trecking poles acting as a bipod. 350 and they're in the open. The little ram is covering the big ram for a few minutes. Jake confirms its a shooter. I have green light to shoot as soon as the little guy clears.....And then it happened. They bolted away through the brush.
They pause at about 450, I swivel, aim and squeeze off the long bomb.
Friday August 15th.
Morning comes slowly with the night full of pregame jitters and "what ifs".
I get out and glass the little mountain. Sure enough. 3 marshmallows right where we left them.
All we have to do is slop across the brush and swamp, verify he's legal, and put a bullet in him.
We pack up camp in a hurry and jump off the bench into the bottom. It rained all night and the brush is soaked. We have on raingear, and I have my bright blue pack cover on. Jake politely asks me to remove the not-so-camoflauge raincover off the pack.
We start moving through the brush. I have a strong dislike for alders. Even more dislike for alders in mud and bog.
At each opening in the brush we check the status of the sheep. They're out feeding now and moving. No problem. Surely they'll stay on the mountain.
After 30 minutes it becomes obvious they're heading somewhere. They jump off the mountain and go on the ridge to the left heading right to left, feeding some on the way. We are in the bottom of the creek slogging away.
We change lines for an intercept and quickly realize they're outpacing us. We change gears and start charging through the swamp. Several times I go over my boots and fill up with stink mud. No worries, we've got to intercept those sheep! It turns into an hour or so of full out blitz and we're both wet from head to toe.
The sheep follow the slope to the left and end up at the edge of the swamp! Who would have figured they'd drop down that low?
We're about 800 yards out, and they know something is up, but slowly proceed along the edge. We plan if I can get on this slight knoll in the bottom, I may be able to get a shot. I head over as quietly and quickly as possible. I find an opening where I can get a view/clean shot through the brush and here they come right towards me. If they continue they'll cross only 250 yards in front of me. I chamber a round in the 30-06. "This is going to happen" I keep telling myself.
They're at 600 yards.....500. 400 and the rifle comes up on my trecking poles acting as a bipod. 350 and they're in the open. The little ram is covering the big ram for a few minutes. Jake confirms its a shooter. I have green light to shoot as soon as the little guy clears.....And then it happened. They bolted away through the brush.
They pause at about 450, I swivel, aim and squeeze off the long bomb.
Tom
New member
Sounds like they're getting away. 450 and they're bolting. Better chance tomorrow, I hope. Maybe you'll light a fire and dry your clothes off and they'll come back in for a closer shot.
Ultrahunter
Active member
If this is a pick a path story I say he brains the brute and does a happy dance!!
T Bone
Well-known member
So. Where are we?
Ah yes, the long bomb.
I missed. I followed up with a few more hail mary's I had no business taking as I watch the trio bound up the mountain and disappear out of sight.
Unfreakingbelievable. What caused them to bolt? 450 is a long shot, but very doable. I shot right over his back. I wanted to puke. Instead we found a dry area and poured water and mud out of the boots.
Ah yes, the long bomb.
I missed. I followed up with a few more hail mary's I had no business taking as I watch the trio bound up the mountain and disappear out of sight.
Unfreakingbelievable. What caused them to bolt? 450 is a long shot, but very doable. I shot right over his back. I wanted to puke. Instead we found a dry area and poured water and mud out of the boots.
