Successfully Drew Colorado Sheep Unit S32

[greerkr]

My Outdoorsman Brothers!

This is my first time ever posting on this forum despite being a member for some time. I am reaching out to gather information, wisdom, and advice for my first ever Big Horn Sheep Tag!

I drew a ewe tag in Unit S32 and am obviously overwhelmingly excited. If anyone has hunted this unit in the past and has wise words to share about locations, logistics, and best tactics I would love to hear it.

Season dates are Sept.12 - Oct.4. I will most likely try to hunt the 19th -26th as to hopefully be combined with an antelope hunt after the fact.

I will also most likely be doing this hunt solo because my typical hunting buddies are all planning on coming in on that 26th of September for our annual antelope camp. So any of you SOLO HUNTERS out there that have high alpine experience your wisdom would be greatly appreciated.

 

[AggieHunter]

I hunted S33 last year but can only recommend you get into good shape!

 

[rtraverdavis]

Congratulations on the tag. I don’t know the unit, but I’d say forget about antelope, and focus on the sheep.

 

[3855WIN]

Congrats. Skip the antelope hunt. If you end up making the antelope hunt, be a scout and camp cook.

 

[Pucky Freak]

Congrats on the tag

 

[mdeerjunkie]

Get in shape, call the biologist and have fun! Congrats on the tag!

 

[Bluffgruff]

Don't waste any of that season. Scout many weeks before, and give yourself every day to hunt that you can. Quit your job if you have to. Tell your typical hunting "buddies" that they arent your friends if they aren't up there with you.

 

[JohnCushman]

Welcome

 

[nrpate05]

Congratulations on the tag. I don’t know the unit, but I’d say forget about antelope, and focus on the sheep.

Agree with this. If your friends are legit, they'll do the same and hunt sheep with you!

 

[nrpate05]

How many points did it take to draw? Res or NR?

 

[Khunter]

This is a joke thread and just pulling our leg, right? Has to be.

Forget any thought of antelope. Frankly it sounds absurd to hear you speak of it in the same sentence as the limited days you will set aside for sheep hunting so you can cut the sheep hunt short to hunt antelope that is so easy to draw/buy you do it every year?...and more importantly since you seek help...it suggest you are not, actually “overwhelmingly excited” as much as worried about missing the annual camping trip with your buddies to drink beer and shoot small antelope.

Dunno, but if antelope camp is an annual affair, it is by definition expendable as are buddies who think annual antelope camp trumps a sheep hunt.

Hopefully this is helpful.

 

[Dsnow9]

Start with the Cpw website, lots of good info on there. Historical data will point you in a general direction to start. And I echo everyone else, forget the speed goat, and if your friends aren’t interested in helping you glass for sheep are they really friends?

 

[lifesupport4u]

Congrats. I would spend all my time on the sheep hunt as well. Good luck!! If you want another set of eyes to glass I might be able to join ya for a bit

 

[Sandbrew]

This is a joke thread and just pulling our leg, right? Has to be.

Forget any thought of antelope. Frankly it sounds absurd to hear you speak of it in the same sentence as the limited days you will set aside for sheep hunting so you can cut the sheep hunt short to hunt antelope that is so easy to draw/buy you do it every year?...and more importantly since you seek help...it suggest you are not, actually “overwhelmingly excited” as much as worried about missing the annual camping trip with your buddies to drink beer and shoot small antelope.

Dunno, but if antelope camp is an annual affair, it is by definition expendable as are buddies who think annual antelope camp trumps a sheep hunt.

Hopefully this is helpful.

I happen to have a Mt goat tag that overlaps the season dates and much of the sheep habitat in S32. I won't be able to let you know where I'm seeing sheep if you chasing speed goats in Wyoming. I've been on over a dozen sheep counts in S32 guided and helped a few hunters and killed a ewe in the unit. Ditch the Wyoming hunt and have your "friends" help you in Colorado OR find new friends. You could hire a guide for this hunt kill a sheep..... then go antelope hunting. Seriously you will not draw this tag again!

Sandbrew

 

[Desk Pop]

Scrap the antelope. Period.

Also, scout early and hunt the opener before some the sheep start to timber up.

I would consider a guide. You will never draw that tag again.

And to reiterate: do not put antelope in the equation. You have a month to drive a 2020 Maserati and you are worrying about making sure you get also get a chance to drive a 1983 Geo Metro for a few days of it....

 

[greerkr]

@Khunter Not sure why you have to be so rude about it.. Pretty sure this supposed to be a space for encouraging eachother, learning from one another, and sharing our success’ and failures.
I am excited to have this tag and plan on allocating as much time as possible in the hunt. However, hunting for me is as much about the experience and the people I share it with.

 

[AggieHunter]

As others have said I would definitely spend as much time on this hunt as you can many people may go a lifetime and never hunt sheep.

 

[elkduds]

Welcome.
I would have suggested you turn the tag in and enjoy chasing 'lopes where you won't fall and hurt yourself. But that would have actually been rude.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

@Khunter Not sure why you have to be so rude about it.. Pretty sure this supposed to be a space for encouraging each other, learning from one another, and sharing our success’ and failures.
I am excited to have this tag and plan on allocating as much time as possible in the hunt. However, hunting for me is as much about the experience and the people I share it with.

You drew the Ram tag correct? Not a ewe tag?

We're all just expressing that it's a once-in-a-lifetime tag and should be treated as such. A lot of that unit is straight up and down, depending on where the sheep are that can be a huge time suck as it might take a full day just to cross one part of one peak off the list, not to mention can whip you with the hiking. 2000ft in 1.5 miles should be your expectation in the west half of the unit. You can't shoot sheep off the highway, most of the bands I've seen in sept were around 12,000-13,000 ft. Be prepared for this hunt to take a lot more time than you realize.

Personally I think I could kill a decent antelope in 1-2 days no scouting, a bull 3 days of scouting + 3 days of hunting, for this hunt I would give myself 6 days of scouting and then 10 days of hunting. For scouting you can break it up into a couple of trips.

One of the more brutal nights I've had camping in terms of wind + cold was on top of Mt. Bethel in September. Expect huge temp swings.

Hard back pack hunting + huge hikes can really wear on you if you're doing it solo. It's definitely a receipt to make you quit early, having buddies really helps you stick it out until you find a ram. I would bring a light weight back packing set up and then get an AirBandB in Georgetown. Run the ridges and glass + camp up high as much as you can, also get a good spotter and try and cross off as much country as you can from the highway before you commit yourself.

If you are going solo and can't scout I agree with others definitely consider a guide. Your guide is going to scout during the summer to locate you sheep.

On bethel looking towards parnassas, Sept 24- 2016


Sept 16-2016 - Same spot


Sept 23-2017 - About 45 min after this picture we got run off the mountain by an snow/electrical storm.
Probably the closest I've been to getting struck by lightening

Top of Hagar looking back towards I-70 and Mr. Trelease, June 23, 2018

Probably better in a PM but whatever none of us will ever get to hunt that tag.

 

[Deleted member 20812]

Your tag, do what you want. I think you’re kidding yourself to think seven days does a tag like this justice. I get it if that’s all you’ve got time wise, but I personally wouldn’t cut the tag short to go antelope hunt for.