Sheep hunters dream hunt

By: cariboucreek Mood: Neutral Date: 07/27/2007 03:57:58 Music: None

2005 ,Moose season is comeing to and end .Moose, Caribou and Sheep over lap in seasons .Sept 2nd started out with first frost of fall .This gets those bull moose moveing around thinking of rut .

Useing a cow call {I can use my own voice to sound like cow or bull moose .Takes years of practice } Around my cabin the small bulls where moveing about. Small bulls they move first . Big bulls wont move from higher elevations this early into season.Cows are starting to group .A great time of season to be out in the field .

On this day i travel a lot further than i normally travel for moose. I got to seeing more and more cow moose. I was thinking that i would get lucky .There were a few other friends with me at cabin ,We had spilt up early in the morning .Going diffrent ways .Mid after noon we all meet up on the trail shared stories of game seen and where .

I was first one to stop in this location ,Setting up spotting scope .I had my small msr stove going with coffee water .Cheese and crackers easy mid after noon snack.I had seen over 30 moose. All small bulls and cows with calves .

As i was watching the moose .Some thing caught my eye .High on a small ridge .I could just bearly see this sheep .Till i focused in scope to see if he was legal. From over 2 miles i could see that his horns shadow was way below his neck.Good sign .Only not meaning that he was legal ! I needed to get closer to see horn anual rings {each year a sheep grows rings on their horn.This is an way of ageing sheep }Alaska law reads full curl or better or 8 anual rings .You need good eyes to see this and very close .I jumped up grabbing my back pack . No one know what i was doing .Till they looked into my scope .I was gone -Saying ! This sheep look way to relaxed for me !

Down over hill side to river .Where i filled up with water .Knowing i wont see water on my hike up back side of this ridge.Now all the time my freinds are watching me thru scope I worked up a draw to front side of ridge .I was within 400yds of where i had last seen this ram .I needed to move slower up hill .stopped and removed my pack .Eating a small piece of cheese and cracker drank my fill of water .

Removed my bow from case. I was useing a custom take down long bow {A series i had made up when i owned my archery shop ."Sheep hunter special " only 10 were made}I had build my own arrows .If i made mistake now .I was on my own and no one to blame .

I waxed my string set up my hip quiver ,Removeing my shoes. Now iam getting down to business .Up and over ridge slowy i crawled on my hands and knees .Stopping behind {All good things happen fast } a small bush. Useing range finder to mark off distance .Surprise! This ram came over the top . I had him at 15 yds --surprised me! He was just as surprised to see me .Now ive seen many sheep and to see this guy had 9 rings. It was a quick look .On one knee i was in full draw .

I watched the arrow ,When you know you have shot an arrow true .The arrow seems to travel so slowly to it's mark .The ram was hit .He turn to his right as to run back down the cliff he was climbing up. I nocked another arrow .The ram was down .Kicking about in death throws. I could see that a few more feet he would roll down a 40 ft cliff {more work for me }I ran up the ram grabbing his horns and pulling back .He died in my arms .

All the time this was going on .little did i know that my freind Darrel had follwed me and was just behind me with camera. A quick recount of horn rings and lenght with tape measure.I had my ram 9 years old .39x39 inch{horn lenght} with 14 inch bases . Lots of pictures .our job had just started .capeing out and cutting up meat to pack .

The rest of my group was walking up to help me ,Dall rams weight dressed at 125-135 lbs with a full cape. I could add more weight to packs I divided the meat and capes between 4 packs thinking i would carry my pack back down .

the younger of our group wanted to pack my pack .I told him i would trade off with him .He was proud and wont let me carry my pack --Hey ! I dont mind, You could see he was working hard .He wouldnt say he was tired .{pride}You couild see in his face he was about done ! I told him to put rocks in his pockets before takeing the pack off .{Any one ever carring a heavy pack does notice you feel lighter when you shed your pack}

Easiest sheep hunt ever .I didnt have to carry the pack down the mountain .

Now the reason this sheep was so low on mountain side was two reasons .Fires had blackened the skies of alaska .smoke in high country was thick thses ram moved down for fresh air .Closer down valley where it was cool from frost. Second ,During Sheep season these sheep were hunted hard by other hunters .All the hunters where on top of mountain ,So this ram was down lower {Didnt get this old being dumb!}.Thinking he could hide for the remaining part of season.

Any one ever get the chance to hunt these White dall rams.You should ,Non residents most have guide and cost is around 12-16,000 $$. If you have relative liveing here you can hunt with him {second degree of kinderd } tags are 425.00$ license is 85.00$

Pictures will follow in my photo page. Enjoy them as i do.Each picture is a million memories. Even though this is not my one and only sheep ive shoot in my life time .It was the best hunt ever .