Sheep Hunting

[sunny hill archer]

Okay,my afternoon schedule fell apart and I started daydreaming. I have always wanted to hunt sheep.It sort of went on the back burner because life interrupted.(Wife, Four Kids you Know     ) My family went skiing in Keystone this Feb. On the way we passed a"sheep viewing" area outside of Georgetown.  I didn't think too much about it until I saw a herd on the hill.They were the first real sheep I had ever seen.On the way back to Denver after the trip dang if there wasn't a small band of Rams within 100yds of the road.We were passed them before I realized what they were. So we turned around at the next exit and came back.They were still there so I got out and began taking pics of them. I am now totally hooked.SOOOOOO......... I need some input on who to go sheep hunting with. I have some names of outfitters but no personal experience stories.I have spoken to a few and they don't sound too encouraging. For instance, I talked to an outfitter in the Canmore bowzone and he said the sheep are getting smaller and smaller and harder to kill.I talked to what was supposed to be the best stone sheep outfitter there is and got told they don't have the crew to bowhunt anymore. Any help at all would be greatly appreciated. Michael

[Steve O]

You are going to have a hard time finding an outfitter for bowhunting sheep.  P.M me and I can tell you what I know...I'd be interested in who you were told was the "best" Stone Sheep outfitter.

Colorado applications are due for sheep in April.  You will have to put in 3 times to get your preference points before you are eligible to draw there.  I drew a CO BHS tag last year and spent the month of August chasing them with my recurve.

[Jack Shanks]

Michael, I feel for you. I know what it is like to be bitten by the sheep bug. In my experience it only gets worse after you go on your first sheep hunt.

[Budog56]

I am the same way Sheep are at the top of the list...dalls, bighorns, stone then desert...someday someday

[Eric B.]

I took a bighorn in Mt.back in 1992. I really would like to do more but that stupid thing called MONEY seems to get in the way.

[Duckbutt]

Sunny,

I see you are a dentist in Beaufort.  One of my good friends is a sheep nut like Steve O.  He is a doc here in Charleston.  We tarpon fish over your way a good bit. He would be a good person for you to talk to.  I'll forward you his info if you would like.  Let me know.

Julian

[Steve H.]

Sheep hunting isn't really all that expensive, $25 for a license and a couple grand or so for flights and incidentals....  ; ^ )

To get a stone is about $5 more for a pack of gray RIT dye, same for a bighorn only buy the dye in brown.  DOUGH!!!!

[Jack Shanks]

There you go leave it to Steve H. to come up with a practical solution. He forgot to mention you would need to move to Alaska like he did before buying that $25 license.

 I have hunted the western states numerous times for elk and mule deer. I didn't really set foot in sheep country until 2001 when I was on a moose hunt in Alberta. The outfitter also ran sheep hunts from the same horse camp that I stayed in. The cost of a bighorn hunt back then was $16,500 and I thought no way would I spend that kind of money to go on a sheep hunt. For that same hunt today the outfitter is charging $28,500. I guess I should have went when it was so inexpensive. The only way I'll be able to go on a bighorn or stone sheep hunt in Canada today is if I can get in on a greatly reduced cancellation hunt. Rare but those things do happen from time to time and you just need to be ready when they come about.

[sunny hill archer]

Julian, that would be great. Where do y'all go chase the poons? I got one or two spots on the St. Helena side that don't get pounded like Port Royal. Hooked up twice this year. Didn't land any though. Let me know when y'all get down this way. Michael

[Duckbutt]

Sounds like you been poachin on my poon hole brother.    

PM on the way.

[SilverTip]

I was thinking the same thing troutguy, lol.
 But I'd still love to hunt sheep  

[AkDan]

Nahanni butte outfitters out of canada for dalls stones and fannins.

Or Deltna outfitters in Alaska for dalls.   Deltna has a super high success rate though they are not typically a bow cater outfit, they do take bowhunters out and I believe afew of their guides are bowhunters themselves so they know what you need to do to get it done.

[AkDan]

happened to be working on uploading a few pics.....speaking of sheep   .

   

[Jack Shanks]

Great ram Dan!

I've heard some mixed reviews about Nahanni Butte Outfitters. A couple of guys from the same archery club I belong to didn't have the best hunt with them. There was a thread over on another archery site which got pretty nasty between the outfitter and some dissatified hunters as well. That more than anything changed my mind about ever thinking about hunting with them.

[SilverTip]

awesome Dan,

       Billy

[AkDan]

Thanks guys...always nice looking back..that ram was in 02.   Have had some close calls since.  11 step shot.  

Sure wish I could find the pics of my first ram.  He's not as big but still fun as heck!   Shot him at 10 feet almost straight down.

Ahhhh..........sheeeeeeeep