Sorry for the delay - trying to get lots of work done before I leave next week for another hunt.
As noted before, there were several reasons for my decision to set up a camp several miles from the trailhead. Because I am relatively new to backpack/backcountry hunting and there is much to learn, I decided to get out there and do it. One experienced sheep hunter said "enjoy the overall experience" and I did that. Besides all the things to do for the actual hunt, you also need to worry about shelter, clothes and food. I found that my shelter and bedding system was adequate, but I need to upgrade to a real stove to boil water. Dan and Steve obviously have some experience that I need to learn from. For clothing, my rain gear was junk and failed in the first several days. This didn't hurt me too much, as overall I had good weather and my truck was only several miles away. I did get cold on day 9 - it had snowed some on day 8 and there was ice on the stream as I got some water to boil for my oatmeal. For food, I was always hungry! The MH meals were OK. Since my upcoming hunt will be in bear country, I did practice keeping a clean camp, hanging the food bag high in a tree away from camp. For gear, I could have used better optics - I only have Nikon 10x42 binos and Alpin 15x30 spotting scope, but they were good enough.
So this time, I woke right away when the alarm sounded, quickly dressed and ate breakfast, and was 500' higher in the basin when the first light entered the basin. Didn't see anything until a nice mulie buck came running into the basin at mid morning, then slowed and finally bedded in the open. He was big and had some of his velvet hanging down. I watched until he relaxed and fell asleep, then began the stalk. An hour later I was only 100 yards away and beginning to get excited, when 3 little bucks busted the whole thing - I hadn't noticed them but they sure noticed me. Oh well, back to my observation point for a snack - it was late morning.
Scanning the eastern rock slope of the basin, where I hadn't seen any sheep the entire hunt, I picked up 4 white butts in the binos - 3 ewes and that same young ram. Using the spotting scope, I recognized the lead ewe from her collar - Ms. V-4. She was the ewe I saw early on day 6, up on the bench below the snowbank. Best part was they were in some rocks where I could stalk them and the wind was good. I watched them feed and picked the best route, then began the stalk. Half way to them, they all bedded except Ms. V-4. I had to cover some open ground between us, but then I slipped into an avalanch chute and moved to within 100 yards. I peeked over the rocks and could see the ram and 2 ewes dozing in the sun, but not Ms. V-4. I hoped that she was beeded on the other side of the rock formation that I was approaching. I took my time at first but the wind began to swirl and I knew the game was almost over. When I finally got to within 50 yards of where the 3 bedded sheep were, this is what I saw..
Can you see them? They had winded me and were alert, but not as spooked as I expected. I waited and they moved off and over a rise, so I ran closer and got to within 50 yards closer before they saw me. Again they were not too spooked and actually began feeding away. The young ram and another ewe had a bit of a disagreement, engaging their headgear before the ram settled the matter by raising on his hind legs and hitting her pretty hard.
I tried once more to close the distance but they knew where I was and always kept 50 yards ahaead, so I backed off and watched them for a while. For a long while, actually - I couldn't figure out how to get within range but didn't want to run them away. I saw my break when near dark they fed into a rock formation right across from my camp. I eased down to camp through the timber and began making dinner right before dark. I looked up and not 100 yards away, these sheep where calmly watching me - I wonder how many evenings they had done this already???
How many sheep do you see in the photo?
Anyway, I
Topic: Join me for a bighorn ewe bowhunt (pics) (Read 9332 times)
