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[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.

 

[EYJONAS!]

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

I wish that this statement wasn't as true as it is.

Could always dump lambs though too. They're light weight.

#alwaysthinking
#alwayready
#ultralightULhunter

 

[Southern Elk]

I ran into an elk hunter once who told me that by the end of the hunt he’s always down to two arrows in his quiver. He said there’s no need to carry the extra weight of a full quiver.

 

[lonedave]

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

Maybe you’re thinking backwards….bring only your gun, glass, and processing kit, no food….to give you that little bit of extra motivation!

 

[BigHornRam]

One old frugal and sucessful unlimited hunter I know says he likes to use cheap tents, sleeping bags, and other gear just in case it has to spend the winter in the beartooths if he gets lucky. He's a trip!

 

[B_R_AK]

For you guys that have hunted the Unlimited’s, as well as other areas, for sheep.. where do you fall on the range of footwear? Do you optimize for long distances on moderate terrain or for steep country and lots of support?

Ie. Lighter weight, flexible sole boots
Vs. full mountaineering boots with stiff soles.

 

[EYJONAS!]

For you guys that have hunted the Unlimited’s, as well as other areas, for sheep.. where do you fall on the range of footwear? Do you optimize for long distances on moderate terrain or for steep country and lots of support?

Ie. Lighter weight, flexible sole boots
Vs. full mountaineering boots with stiff soles.

All personal preference, if I was hunting some glacier country I might look at a stiff plastic boot or something but my kenetrek boots are plenty of boot for what I need.

BTW that's a hell of a nice dall sheep

 

[B_R_AK]

All personal preference, if I was hunting some glacier country I might look at a stiff plastic boot or something but my kenetrek boots are plenty of boot for what I need.

BTW that's a hell of a nice dall sheep

Yeah there will be a wide range generally, but I was more specifically seeing what the general thought was for the Beartooth’s specifically.

Longtime Rokslide member from Alaska here. Just thought I’d join in the conversation as this thread may be relevant to hunt plans in the future.

 

[EYJONAS!]

Yeah there will be a wide range generally, but I was more specifically seeing what the general thought was for the Beartooth’s specifically.

Longtime Rokslide member from Alaska here. Just thought I’d join in the conversation as this thread may be relevant to hunt plans in the future.

Yeah I hear you, it's 6 to one half dozen to another. Welcome to the thread!

My personal preference is kenetrek boots. Stiff boots that fit me like a warn in sneaker

 

[Bluffgruff]

For you guys that have hunted the Unlimited’s, as well as other areas, for sheep.. where do you fall on the range of footwear? Do you optimize for long distances on moderate terrain or for steep country and lots of support?

Ie. Lighter weight, flexible sole boots
Vs. full mountaineering boots with stiff soles.

Erring towards stiffer and heavier, 4 out of 5. I might walk the trails in some tennis shoes some day for the opener if the weather is nice

 

[buffybr]

For you guys that have hunted the Unlimited’s, as well as other areas, for sheep.. where do you fall on the range of footwear? Do you optimize for long distances on moderate terrain or for steep country and lots of support?

Ie. Lighter weight, flexible sole boots
Vs. full mountaineering boots with stiff soles.

I perfer lighter weitht, flexible sole boots for all of my hunting.

Looking back at my pictures, it's hard to see what footware I was wearing, but my late in the season Beartooth ram and my mountain goat hunts, I was wearing leather upper, rubber lower, air bob sole LaCross Maine hunting boots along with Army Navy surplus wool pants and gaiters.

ON my Dall sheep hunt in Canada's Mackenzie Mountains I wore Cabela's 10" Thinsalite nylon upper, leather lower, air bob sole hunting boots, and jeans.

On my New Zealand hunt, for Red Stag, Tahr, and Chamois, I wore lightweight 9" Danner boots, and jeans.

On most of my other Unlimited sheep hunts I wore 6" hiking boots, like the Merrells that I sometimes wear now, and, of course, jeans.

On one Beartooth Unlimited ram hunt I wore a pair of Vasque stiff mountaineering boots. I had several years of wearing those boots in the woods on my job and other hikinig, so they were well broken in, but after the hike into camp and after the first day hunting I had blisters on top of blisters so wore my tennis shoes for the remainder of that hunt. As soon as I got home, those boots went into the trash.

 

[EYJONAS!]

There is a group trying to get a permit to film in 501 this year. To my knowledge, it comes down to one's ability to obtain a permit from the Forest Service. Others would be more versed in this process than I. There are many films on Youtube that claim to not be commercial but the damage is still being done.

Maybe we should let the ol Diamond Z crew on the gram know what we think about that....

 

[DFS]

If I had to guess Montana will manage bighorn sheep right to the ground. There are herds where they won’t admit there are herds in my part of the state. That could relieve some pressure.