Yukon/ NWT sheep and caribou hunt

[Stixbowdrew]

Hey guys, I've been thinking about doing this sometime in the near future, and was curious if anyone has done this I'd like some information and need some help from a traditional bowhunters perspective. Thanks!

Drew

[adamgti]

I hunted Caribou 3 years go in the Yukon and will be back there again next fall. It is a total blast and favors the traditional bowhunter.

Once you get about the willows and into the sub-alpine and higher the fun really starts. Glass the hell out of all the snow patches as the caribou will with out a doubt be occupying them.

Weather where I hunted was all over the place. from 20 C to -10 C. I would always keep your rain gear on you as the snow will likely be wet or worse straight rain.

Get in good shape. we put down some seriously crazy miles each day. My brother in law and I were in extremely good shape and still felt like we needed more.

the mountains aren't steep or rugged where I hunted but you can see for a 100 miles in any direction which draws you into a lets go for it mentality, hence the high miles.

Enjoy man and take lots of pictures.

[GREASEMAN]

If you are thinking about Sheep hunting I can't stress enough to do it while you are young.
Getting in shape is one thing, but, getting in Sheep Shape is another. There is an article on Stickbow which will help you get in sheep shape, as sheep hunting requires a lot of miles and a lot of climbing. You will remember the hunt the rest of your life! No Misery, No Memory!

Cheers,
Chuck

[Steve O]

Drew,

I hunted with a rifle with Blackstone in 2002. My roommate in base camp was Rick Duggan. He has hunted there a lot and Jim Fink understands the needs of a traditional bowhunter. Joe Furlong has been there a few times as well. Send me a PM and I can probably give you a lot more detail about archery sheep and caribou.

[JohnV]

A membership with the Foundation for North American Wild Sheep is a good start.  You will see the names of certain outfitters pop up more often than others and can read what some of the hunts were like.  It is very important to get good reports from hunters that have been in camp in the last 1-2 years. Camps with very high success rates are often an indication of quality and experience of guides.  Beware of any camp that has just experienced turnover of guides.  Not a good sign and you may end up with a guide that has little experience in the area you are hunting.

[Steve O]

Yep, and due to a lawsuit over a term that was coined in the 1940s they are now known as The Wild Sheep Foundation.

[Stixbowdrew]

Can this hunt even be done DIY

[wingnut]

I don't believe you can hunt sheep without a guide as a non res.

Mike

[Stixbowdrew]

I'm not specifically looking at sheep, it would e a nice option to do as a combo with caribou. If I had to hire a guide I would, but I prefer to keep things DIY or with a couple of buddies. Would really like to find a drop camp.

[Matt Quick]

No such thing as DIY or drop camps for sheep or mountain caribou in Canada. Keep in mind a sheep/mnt caribou hunt is in the $30,000 range.

[Steve O]

Originally posted by Stixbowdrew:
Can this hunt even be done DIY

Sadly NO. Only chance would be BG Caribou in Alaska.

[GREASEMAN]

Can't be done DIY unless you are a resident of Alaska and not sure of Canada

[GREASEMAN]

I encourage membership in The Wild Sheep Foundation even if you will never Sheep Hunt, as your membership keeps Wild Sheep on the mountain. They are the symbol of all that is Wild

[Stixbowdrew]

What a shame.... All because of money or People not sensible enough to stay alive when out on their own? Drives me nuts, I hate the thought of paying for a guide when I know I can do it solo

[Jim Wright]

A non-resident has been required to have an outfitter to hunt big game in the Yukon & Northwest Territories for many decades. In Alaska that is and has been for many years a requirement for Sheep, Grizzly/Brown Bear and Mountain Goats for . An exception is made for non-residents hunting with close relatives who are Alaska residents.
  I have confidence that everyone replying here is competent enough to hunt on their own. That said, not everyone is and when non-residents bite off more than they can chew in very remote, difficult country they are not properly prepared for and they have to then be rescued, it falls upon locals to bail them out. It costs poorly funded local authorities money that they don't have, hence these regulations become law.

[Tutanka]

Originally posted by Jim Wright:
A non-resident has been required to have an outfitter to hunt big game in the Yukon & Northwest Territories for many decades. In Alaska that is and has been for many years a requirement for Sheep, Grizzly/Brown Bear and Mountain Goats for . An exception is made for non-residents hunting with close relatives who are Alaska residents.
  I have confidence that everyone replying here is competent enough to hunt on their own. That said, not everyone is and when non-residents bite off more than they can chew in very remote, difficult country they are not properly prepared for and they have to then be rescued, it falls upon locals to bail them out. It costs poorly funded local authorities money that they don't have, hence these regulations become law.

Good post Jim

[JohnV]

I would not encourage you to do a combo sheep/caribou hunt unless you have lots of money burning a hole in your wallet.  Concentrate on getting your sheep (the more expensive and more difficult of the two) and don't be distracted chasing after caribou.  If you do decide to try caribou as well see if the outfitter will let you take one as a bonus animal, payable only if you shoot one.

[killinstuff]

Yes be ready to refinance your house to do this hunt (both sheep and boo) and hopefully you have a fair amount of equity built up to borrow off of.  But you can always make more money,

[Stixbowdrew]

I'm just blown away, and (I understand the locals losing money thing) by the fact that a guy cannot pay an outfitter a discounted rate to drop a couple of guys off in an area and return 2 weeks later to pick them up. With technology and sat phones how is this not a feasible thing? I Will always believe that it's a money thing, state governments and outfitters have some deal worked out. Call me crazy.

This hunt isn't something I'm preparing to do next year or even the following, but chasing sheep and mountain caribou is something I have always dreamed of since watching Fred bears hunts and reading jack O Connor tales. Just really would love to do a hardcore adventure bowhunt DIY, there's just something about doing it alone that is special

[Bowwild]

Been dreaming of sheep for more than 40 years. Very expensive. Now I apply in MT where one could draw without preference points.  I probably shouldn't even be in the draw. I don't know if I could get in sheep shape any more.