Endangered Grizzly Bear Photo Thread

[rogerthat]

Does anyone ever fear threads like this (190 pages of photos/advice) are a detriment to the sustainability of general/unlimited hunting seasons like the UL sheep opportunity? I suspect very few will think so, but I'm genuinely curious.

A few thoughts: In the long run, I fear technology (including information platforms like this, podcasts, etc) will lead to greater hunter success and to counter balance that, opportunity will have to be restricted to maintain quotas/harvest objectives (Even when it comes to low success units like the Beartooth Sheep units).

Between all the media out there, one can learn years of knowledge in hours, without ever stepping foot in the Beartooth (That's the best part). There is an argument that the pressure was once greater and the season was sustainable; however, there was not technical gear, long range (500+ yard) rifles, quality optics, etc. When all of these items are combined with easy access to information, my selfish fear is that the success will increase over the long run and the season will be shorter and shorter, or the opportunity lesser than it once was. I hope people will be thoughtful in what information they expose on the internet, podcasts, magazines, etc.

This isn't meant to be a shit post but is something I think about often and am curious what other's thoughts are. I think the UL sheep hunting community is incredible and there is a need for a community such as this to sustain/support the current units and potentially support new units. I think the access to specific information (gained through descriptive photos, podcasts, etc) is (in the long run) a threat to not only UL sheep hunting opportunity but quality, general elk/deer opportunities across the West. I don't think this will be realized overnight but there's no doubt hunters are far more effective today than they were 20 years ago. Something has to give and I think we'd all rather have an opportunity to hunt and enjoy the process than for it to be easier and infrequent.

So primitive weapons only on this hunt? You got my vote!

 

[SwaggyD]

So primitive weapons only on this hunt? You got my vote!

Smoke poles, baby!!! Mount up!!

 

[BigHornRam]

There’s also a “Hiking the Beartooths” book published by Falcon Press. I don’t own it, but have found that publisher’s other hiking books to be informative on the regions they cover and specific areas within.

I have that one and it's the most disappointing trail guide book I have. Good for basic stuff like finding the trailhead and descriptions of the most popular trails, but little else.

 

[Beignet]

I have that one and it's the most disappointing trail guide book I have. Good for basic stuff like finding the trailhead and descriptions of the most popular trails, but little else.

View attachment 273500

That’s a bummer. The one for the Selway-Bitterroot was pretty good, I thought. Thanks for saving me a few bucks!

 

[BigHornRam]

That’s a bummer. The one for the Selway-Bitterroot was pretty good, I thought. Thanks for saving me a few bucks!

Selway Bitterroot book is very good. Beartooth book is really lacking

 

[BirdManMike]

The fwp website also has a download able book as well which has fishing reports and some other details as well.

Make sure you check out Ram and Ewe lake. Pretty sweet little day hike it's just right off the road even.

The surveys they do are amazing. Really helps narrow down hiking destinations in the summer time knowing which lakes are full of only stunted brook trout and which arent.

Ram and Ewe are nice day hikes, for sure.

 

[YoungGun]

Does anyone ever fear threads like this (190 pages of photos/advice) are a detriment to the sustainability of general/unlimited hunting seasons like the UL sheep opportunity? I suspect very few will think so, but I'm genuinely curious.

A few thoughts: In the long run, I fear technology (including information platforms like this, podcasts, etc) will lead to greater hunter success and to counter balance that, opportunity will have to be restricted to maintain quotas/harvest objectives (Even when it comes to low success units like the Beartooth Sheep units).

Between all the media out there, one can learn years of knowledge in hours, without ever stepping foot in the Beartooth (That's the best part). There is an argument that the pressure was once greater and the season was sustainable; however, there was not technical gear, long range (500+ yard) rifles, quality optics, etc. When all of these items are combined with easy access to information, my selfish fear is that the success will increase over the long run and the season will be shorter and shorter, or the opportunity lesser than it once was. I hope people will be thoughtful in what information they expose on the internet, podcasts, magazines, etc.

This isn't meant to be a shit post but is something I think about often and am curious what other's thoughts are. I think the UL sheep hunting community is incredible and there is a need for a community such as this to sustain/support the current units and potentially support new units. I think the access to specific information (gained through descriptive photos, podcasts, etc) is (in the long run) a threat to not only UL sheep hunting opportunity but quality, general elk/deer opportunities across the West. I don't think this will be realized overnight but there's no doubt hunters are far more effective today than they were 20 years ago. Something has to give and I think we'd all rather have an opportunity to hunt and enjoy the process than for it to be easier and infrequent.

We'll love our hunts to death. Between Podcasts, magazines/subscriptions like Huntin' Fool, Forums, and Social Media, we like to treat the UL's like any other sheep hunt: the more information the better. In reality, it should be treated like any other "general" or OTC tag, in that the same people can hunt it year after year, so the tidbits and crumbs that are out there can eventually be made into a meal. I've played in to it.

I agree it's important to foster a supportive environment for those passionate about these hunts. Perhaps through our advocacy the opportunity will expand to new locations some day. I fear for the monetization of these hunts. Seeing UL "Guided hunts" raffled at banquets across the country, and new podcasts monthly where success in an Unlimited district is used as the measuring stick for the greatness of the host or the guest concerns me.

I have continually advocated that the UL hunts don't go the route of a "once in a lifetime" opportunity for many reasons. One being that those with the most time in these areas provide incredible information to our biologists for a number of species that I'm not sure would be replicated by limiting their time hunting rams. Another because I fear that once successful and unable to hunt these units again, some would be less likely to maintain their "gatekeeper" role of the hunts, and might be willing to openly blast information across the web. However, I feel like that has become more prevalent regardless.

 

[winmag]

Does anyone ever fear threads like this (190 pages of photos/advice) are a detriment to the sustainability of general/unlimited hunting seasons like the UL sheep opportunity? I suspect very few will think so, but I'm genuinely curious.

A few thoughts: In the long run, I fear technology (including information platforms like this, podcasts, etc) will lead to greater hunter success and to counter balance that, opportunity will have to be restricted to maintain quotas/harvest objectives (Even when it comes to low success units like the Beartooth Sheep units).

Between all the media out there, one can learn years of knowledge in hours, without ever stepping foot in the Beartooth (That's the best part). There is an argument that the pressure was once greater and the season was sustainable; however, there was not technical gear, long range (500+ yard) rifles, quality optics, etc. When all of these items are combined with easy access to information, my selfish fear is that the success will increase over the long run and the season will be shorter and shorter, or the opportunity lesser than it once was. I hope people will be thoughtful in what information they expose on the internet, podcasts, magazines, etc.

This isn't meant to be a shit post but is something I think about often and am curious what other's thoughts are. I think the UL sheep hunting community is incredible and there is a need for a community such as this to sustain/support the current units and potentially support new units. I think the access to specific information (gained through descriptive photos, podcasts, etc) is (in the long run) a threat to not only UL sheep hunting opportunity but quality, general elk/deer opportunities across the West. I don't think this will be realized overnight but there's no doubt hunters are far more effective today than they were 20 years ago. Something has to give and I think we'd all rather have an opportunity to hunt and enjoy the process than for it to be easier and infrequent.

This is the conundrum we all face. I struggle with it as well. I do cringe every time I see another podcast talking about the unlimited units.

Without some amount of knowledge spurring interest onward, the unlimiteds will be taken away from us and they'll be just another unattainable draw tag or two.

Too much knowledge out there and it becomes too easy or too crowded to enjoy the challenge and experience of it all.

Will I post on here when I kill one? I don't know. We'll see how I feel when the day comes.

 

[farnyboy]

Just new here, but I decided after a trip to Glacier that MAYBE I would like to hunt sheep. After reading through this entire post, I spent a summer working out and buying gear. Didnt buy a tag but did go out the week before the opener to see if it was something I could even do (not much altitude conditioning in NE indiana). Turned it into a camping trip with my brother who is not a hunter and had a wonderful trip.
I say all that to say this. It is a wonderful opportunity for guys wanting to put the work in. I believe we personally talked to 16 guys on the way in and couldn't have had nicer, more helpful conversations. Mostly about gear and pack weight and things like that. For my experience I wasn't able to put enough things together online to see a sheep. Plan is to keep looking and go back again this year, tagless, and scout again. Hope to meer some of you out there

 

[232401a]

Just get MT FWP to enforce your 46x NR tag multiplier that Montana uses on some other species.

New NR unlimited MT sheep tag price = $5750. ($125 *46)

Should solve most of your NR problem.

 

[520 Road Sow]

Will I post on here when I kill one? I don't know. We'll see how I feel when the day comes.

YOU GOD DAMN WELL BETTER!!!!

Can't be a continual hit it and quit it trend like what happens with almost every mountain goat thread involving the tooths....

 

[520 Road Sow]

Just get MT FWP to enforce your 46x NR tag multiplier that Montana uses on some other species.

New NR unlimited MT sheep tag price = $5750. ($125 *46)

Should solve most of your NR problem.

Still a cheap sheep hunt....

 

[Deleted member 39961]

Does anyone ever fear threads like this (190 pages of photos/advice) are a detriment to the sustainability of general/unlimited hunting seasons like the UL sheep opportunity? I suspect very few will think so, but I'm genuinely curious.

A few thoughts: In the long run, I fear technology (including information platforms like this, podcasts, etc) will lead to greater hunter success and to counter balance that, opportunity will have to be restricted to maintain quotas/harvest objectives (Even when it comes to low success units like the Beartooth Sheep units).

Between all the media out there, one can learn years of knowledge in hours, without ever stepping foot in the Beartooth (That's the best part). There is an argument that the pressure was once greater and the season was sustainable; however, there was not technical gear, long range (500+ yard) rifles, quality optics, etc. When all of these items are combined with easy access to information, my selfish fear is that the success will increase over the long run and the season will be shorter and shorter, or the opportunity lesser than it once was. I hope people will be thoughtful in what information they expose on the internet, podcasts, magazines, etc.

This isn't meant to be a shit post but is something I think about often and am curious what other's thoughts are. I think the UL sheep hunting community is incredible and there is a need for a community such as this to sustain/support the current units and potentially support new units. I think the access to specific information (gained through descriptive photos, podcasts, etc) is (in the long run) a threat to not only UL sheep hunting opportunity but quality, general elk/deer opportunities across the West. I don't think this will be realized overnight but there's no doubt hunters are far more effective today than they were 20 years ago. Something has to give and I think we'd all rather have an opportunity to hunt and enjoy the process than for it to be easier and infrequent.

This thread is the main reason I have a HT account.

 

[Jofes]

This thread is the main reason I have a HT account.

Ditto

 

[winmag]

This thread is the main reason I have a HT account.

Same. It’s the only reason I joined however many years ago.

 

[BirdManMike]

This thread is how I ended up here also.

 

[CMF]

Do any of you adjust your backpacking gear differently given the low success rate?
If you know you may spend weeks hunting and never need to haul a load, it would seem more beneficial to switch to a pack that is much lighter even if its load-hauling capabilities are inferior. Then if you get one down, leave camp, haul out what you can, and grab a better frame or pack at the truck.

 

[Beignet]

Creeping on this thread is also what brought me to HT.

 

[BoulderBulls]

Do any of you adjust your backpacking gear differently given the low success rate?
If you know you may spend weeks hunting and never need to haul a load, it would seem more beneficial to switch to a pack that is much lighter even if its load-hauling capabilities are inferior. Then if you get one down, leave camp, haul out what you can, and grab a better frame or pack at the truck.

This is the philosophy I employ for nearly every mountain hunt, certain I would if I ever decided to go for the unlimiteds

 

[winmag]

Do any of you adjust your backpacking gear differently given the low success rate?
If you know you may spend weeks hunting and never need to haul a load, it would seem more beneficial to switch to a pack that is much lighter even if its load-hauling capabilities are inferior. Then if you get one down, leave camp, haul out what you can, and grab a better frame or pack at the truck.

Yes, you can be almost certain that you won't need your rifle or game processing kit. This really helps keep pack weight down.