Results 2012...warning pict. heavy

[Lawnboy]

I took lots of picts for those that like looking at that kind of stuff so there's your warning

Well this is my 5th trip up to Alaska and the 3rd to this area. We are just getting a feel for the area and last year things paid off with the ram I got. We had agreed that my bro would get the first shoot at any ram since he's been "sherpa boy" for the last few years. The area gets hunted hard by 2 outfitters and passel of local diehards so we where hoping that this mid week trip wouldn't find other people in there. We had decided to try to go into new drainage farther up the valley and make a huge loop and come out the way we did last year. It looked like we could shave off a few miles doing this on the way in and should put us at the head of a valley that had lots of rams last year. We got a late start hiking at 6 pm Tuesday but found that this new route was indeed quicker and we made it to the head of the valley in a few hours. We made it to the ridge and decided we needed to spend the night here and hike around a few of these ridges and peaks before we moved on. The wind was hurricane like and we couldn't find a place to put a tent without having it blow into the next county.




Jeff getting fueled up before the start of the hike.


This route was easier with smaller than normal boulders to hike up through but the down side is we where seeing boot tracks from a few days prior doing the same thing.


Just about stepped on this guy. Dang near grabbed him with my hand.


The first nights camp spot with gale force winds keeping us low to the ground. Was like sleeping in a potato chip bag with the fly flapping in our faces all night. I won't ever complain about a bad mattress again after laying in this spot

 

[JCS]

I dont think 4 pictures is picture heavy

Lets see some more.

 

[huntRme]

I hope there's more.....

 

[Lawnboy]

So after the sucky nights rest we decide to check out some of the area around camp. The country looks great but like I said the seeing boot tracks from a few days prior might mean that things got pushed. We spent half the day ridge running heading east. We find a couple sheep but only ewes and lambs and only about 10 for the whole morning...not good.
We go back pack up camp and head west on the ridge. Hoping the next drainage will have the rams we are looking for. Our hearts drop as we spend most of the day walking out ridges and only seeing a handful of ewes. The wind continues to just pound us and even getting of the ridges isn't helping. Never have been in wind so nasty. We soon realize as well that there isn't going to be any water sources up high. We filled up in the last bottom yesterday but after the night and morning we are down to a quart a piece for the whole day. The only water is way down in the bottom and we are not wanting lose elevation only to get water. By the end of the day we finally locate a small bunch of rams but nothing legal. With further spotting a group of nine appear at the top of the next drainage west. We are looking a long way off but can tell that 2 or 3 curl up good. The downside is that they are about a 4 hour hike away. Tomorrow we will continue to head that direction.
I took my gps on this trip for the first time so I'm trying to keep track of our route. We have now covered almost 8 miles on the trip. We decide to drop into the next drainage for the night and to get water.



Big beautiful country


Jeff wondering if there are any rams and if the wind will ever stop blowing


2nd nights camp spot with water. We tank up on food and water after a long day of rationing it. The group of nine rams is on the middle ridge down canyon and to the left at the head of the drainage. A long ways from where we are sleeping but doable in the morning.

 

[elkdiesel]

This is as bad as Randy's to be continued wolf hunt!

 

[sweetnectar]

Good pictures and story thus far. The terrain looks tough. Now the last picture actually looks like a tent and not a bed on rocks with nylon sheets like the first camping spot. Keep posting.

 

[Lawnboy]

We get a good nights rest with plenty of water and food and start down the valley and then prepare for a brutal climb up and out to find the group of rams. We now have 20 or so sheep feeding around us in the valley with a couple small rams. Things are looking up. Just before we hit the bottom of the canyon and prepare to head up the next drainage my brother notices 2 sheep bedded on the edge of some rocks in the direction we are headed. We are about 600 yards from them and we whip out the spotter. They are both real nice but don't make full curl. One is broken back on one side but they both have that look of being older rams. We try to get on the level with them to check for full curl status or maybe get a feel for rings and how old they might be. They feed our way but the wind is blowing wrong and the old boys lift their noses and get nervous. They don't run away but start heading out and we know we are screwed. Our gut tells us that they were old enough but it's so risky counting rings and we know they were about 1 inch shy of full curl. What a bummer.
We hit the bottom and hang a left heading to the head of the canyon in pursuit of the group of nine. I'm dreading the pull out of the bottom up to the saddle but we have no choice we needed to get the water and the sheep are on the top, We are kind of talking a bit too loud after the last screw up and are walking up the rocky bottom when my brother happens to look up canyon and notices the tell tale white of sheep. A quick look and we see 9 rams and a couple are looking full curl even from way below. The downside is that they are looking straight down staring at us. We are busted. They off the top ridge a hundred yards or so but we have to wallk up the drainage right under them to get around and up to the top and come down on them. It's the only option we have at this point and hopefully they will still be bedded on that rock ledge when we get up top.
The stalk ends up taking almost an 1 1/2 hours of slipping and climbing but we make it. We are only hoping they are still there and so we sneak along the ridge to the landmark rock that was above them. Peering over the edge we see white and they are still there. What an awesome sight seeing rams scattered across the rocks with the sun shining on their white coats and carmel horn. Wish I could of taken a picture but blowing the stalk for a photo was not an option. Jeff is glassing them and says 3 are legal and one is really flared cool and one he wants to try for. We move to above them drop the packs and belly crawl out to the edge. They had gotten up and started to feed and immediately Jeff sees the one he wants. I ask if I should try to shoot one too but knowing we are so far in and if he makes a bad shot they could head to another drainage that would require a helicopter to get them out. I decide to be back up gunner in case it goes south. He makes the shot and they scatter not knowing what happened. His ram lifts his leg and heads under us hidden by a cliff. I run to the side to make sure it doesn't escape out and over the ridge we are on. Suddenly sheep appear at 80 yards and see me and begin to boogy. I notice none are limping so I don't shoot. I'm watching them run away thinking here's my chance to get a double with my brother but I doubt we can get 2 out that far in. My heart sank as I watch them take off. I return to see if my brother has retreived his sheep and he finds it and finishes it off under the rock ledge.
It is a younger ram at 7 but he's got the full curl genes working for him. The other one was really similar but not as flared.
What an adventure to see the rams to share a hunt with my brother again and help him pack one out. Every hunt is different and this one was no exception with lots of trials and challenges. Because this was a new drainage we hadn't been in we had no idea how long the pack out would be. It turned out to be a 7 hour hike down a narly creek bottom. Brutal on the ankles for sure. I'll post a few more picts later.


The rams were bedded on that rock point





As Fin says "Gutt'n and Gill'n"


Great brother and friend

 

[Wyodeerhunter]

Congrats!!!!!

 

[Lawnboy]

Heading to the bottom



The bottom. 7 hours in that crap

 

[AZ402]

Cool looking Ram! Congrats.

 

[elkdiesel]

Nicely Done!! Great story, thanks for sharing!

 

[fishing4sanity]

Picture and horn heavy make the best kind of post. Great looking ram and photos. Congrats to both of you!

 

[CabinFever]

Thats just plain awesomeness at its finest

 

[Bambistew]

Nice ram! Congrats to your bro.

 

[Sawtooth]

Congrats to you and your brother. Beautiful ram.

 

[mdunc8]

That's some amazing country. I'm sure pictures do it no justice. Congrats on a great hunt.

 

[havgunwilltravel]

Fantastic adventure guys...there cannot be any greater hunt then a self guided true wilderness sheep hunt in that country...magic times that i am sure you will never forget..well done.

 

[recon6036]

Great pictures and story. Congrats! Thanks a lot for sharing Lawnboy!!

 

[HUNTMAN]

thats a great hunt. and to share it with your brother makes it that much better.Thanks HUNT

 

[passinthru]

Very cool.

Great way to start the season.