Sheep Talk

brymoore · Jun 22, 2007

There seems to be a lot of sheep hunters on this board. I’ve been lucky and drew a 27-1 tag this year. I’d like to pick your brains and run some ideas past you guys as I prepare for my hunt. Mostly gear related, how to find sheep, timing, etc.

Here’s my first question – Guide or DIY? I’m a DIY type of guy but a few experienced sheep hunters I have talked with have suggested hiring a guide. A guide would not guarantee a sheep but would certainly increase my odds of killing a ram. This may be the only sheep tag that I draw. The cost of a guide could be offset by some of the gear I would buy for a DIY hunt.

I’m a hardcore hunter. I’m a former marathoner who is still in good shape. I’m running 3 to 5 miles a day, 4 or 5 times a week. I also have been hiking two miles each night with a 60 pound pack. I’m not real concerned about not being able to physically handle the hunt.

My research of the unit has provided me with the kill sites for the last few years. I have also been provided the GPS coordinates for active springs. I have also been given the location where an elk hunter saw 3 large rams last year, the largest he has seen in 15 years of hunting the unit.

What do you think? Guide or DIY?

Thanks,

Bryan

Moosie · Jun 22, 2007

Test reply..... Does this post work ?

Nut · Jun 23, 2007

It does now

sreekers · Jun 23, 2007

If you can afford it hire a reputable guide, it could make the hunt by far!

Moosie · Jun 24, 2007

I would be for a DIY hunt. If this statement is true :

I’m not real concerned about not being able to physically handle the hunt.

I think in your first post attempt you also stated you have someone to go in with you too ?

I've hunted Unit 27-2 two different times. The only har dpart is the waiting game, and being man enough to go in and get one out. If you can do those 2 things there is no need for a guide.

Is 27-1 "Miltons" unit for guiding ? if so, you can buy gear alot cheaper then his costs. Nothing against him, He produces good sheep, but for a poor boy it's way out of the price range.

brymoore · Jun 24, 2007

Scott Farr is the guide for 27-1. His asking price is $9,500. That's a lot of money for a married guy with young kids. Besides, I can probably almost cover a Dall hunt for that much - I'm working that angle with my wife.

I do have one, possibly two friends to go in with me. I'll go in alone if I have to. Right now it looks like I'll go in the first time for 7 days and 10-days the second trip.

Has anyone here hunted with Farr?

Ovis · Jun 24, 2007

Unguided for your 27-1 tag. With the money you saved doing the DIY, put it towards the guided dall hunt in Alaska next year.

Moosie · Jun 24, 2007

Call The local FNAWS chapter and ask for help. they always know someone that has hunted that unit and would be glad to help. Heck, Sign up as a life member and put some of your money to good use, not to the outfitter

Also, Call Ralph McClintock. I don't have his Number handy but he owns American West on Chindon St in Boise. Tell him you're a friend of Oscar (Thats me) and I said he might have a lead or two for ya. With Ralph, It's worth asking a question and Listening to the answer. He's been out of the loop a little but he knows the Who's who in Idaho when it comes to sheep.

Another good source is Bob With Sundance Taxidermy. Use him to mount your Sheep and ask him for advice. He's top knotch with Sheep and is on the board for FNAWS.

Witha little research, you'll have a few X's on the map, thats all you'll need to have. Between that and a good set of Bino's you'll have the Story of the year on Hunttalk.com

T Bone · Jun 25, 2007

Congrats on the sheep tag. I've seen two results with folks that pull sheep tags in that country. You either hate it or you love it. Nothing in between.

DIY! Guides are for pansies.

Get some good gear. Don't wear any cotton, and if you don't already have them, buy the best optics you can afford.

I'd go in early for 10 days, spend as much time as possible behind the optics. Listen for the crack of ram horns in the mornings.

If unsuccessful the first trip, go in a second time if your time off allows.

MNHunter · Jun 25, 2007

My first instinct was to tell you to get a guide but I wouldn't pay anywhere near $9K for a lower 48 sheep guide. I guess it is easy for us without a sheep tag in our pocket to tell you to go unguided but if it were me, the choice between $9K and an unguided sheep hunt with a couple good buddies, I'd keep the $9k and buy some good equipment

brymoore · Jun 25, 2007

Thanks for the replies!

I've talked with Ralph about three weeks ago. He's a wealth of information. He asked me to come back with some maps to go over so he could show me where he would look first.

At this point, I'm 95% sure I'm going DIY. I still want to talk with Farr but will plan as a DIY.

I'm upgrading most of my gear. So far I've bought new boots (planned purchase before I drew), sleeping bag, range finder and binos. I spent my entire optic budget on Swaros. I have a lower range spotting scope but have two friends who have offered to let me borrow their better quality spotters.

I really like the idea of a floorless tent with a small stove. If I go with the Titanium Goat, I can have a 4-man tent with stove at 6 pounds. This will be my last purchase if I have any funds left.

Any good suggestions on hiking pants? My warm weather pants are cotton. I have lightweight wool that is good up to the mid 50s but gets too hot thereafter. Most of the hiking pants I've seen have been Nylon.

Moosie · Jun 25, 2007

Ralph is a wealth of info, When you go back, tell him Oscar Says hi !

I'm not a fan of the floorless tents. on the last Sheep hunt we went on we used one. YAh.... Not a fan at all .

2 words for ya "COTTON KILLS". That sums up your pants for you. LAYERS is another. Some of the hiking will be on trails or open Hill sides. I liked the PolyPro long johns with the shorts on top. Kept me warm enough but cool enough as well.

Bambistew · Jun 25, 2007

How far in is you hike to sheep country?

If anything maybe hire a packer to lug all your crap in and spike it from there that way you'll be fresh(er) for a couple more days.

Congrats on your tag.

brymoore · Jun 25, 2007

I'll fly into a backcountry airstrip to reach the unit. It could be yards or miles before I'm into sheep. From my research, horses are more of a trouble than help.

Moosie - what didn't you like about the floorless tent?

Bambistew · Jun 25, 2007

I ment a packer to get you into the country to save your back for the trip in/out. He'd just drop ya off and you'd be on your own. I agree that horses probalby woudln't be worth using for hunting.

ARCAT · Jun 25, 2007

Scott Farr is top notch. The folks at FNAWS are very familiar with him. He has been FNAWS Outfitter of the year before. He charges $9500 because he can get it. He runs a very high quality outfit.

Moosie · Jun 25, 2007

Arcat, No one says the Guides are no good. I hope I didn't come across as saying the Outfitters won't work for ya. I'm sure they are worth it to people with $9,500. No way is it wrth it to me right now if I drew. Some people would pay it too. But I can take 2 months unpaid time off of work and barely loose $9,500. Some people make that in 2 weeks so Time is more of the concern. Thats 8 weeks of hunting for me. I (personally) would rather do that then hire a guide. But I don't have money just lieing around either. I also learnbed alot from T-bone on out trips and enjoyed spending time with him. If I was faced with Going solo or hireing a guide that would be different. Unlike T-bone, I'm not Man enough to hunt 27-2 area that we did On a solo trip. I hate to say it but I'm jsut not. Even when I was in "Sheep" shape.

I didn't like the floorless tent for several reasons. We used Tyvec (SP?) as a liner so the Sleeping bags wouldn't get cut up. The ground is usually rocky and there are Bugs and Ticks GALORE !! The weight of the Floor in a tent is minimal to the benifit of keeping dirt out, Water out, Bugs and Snakes out, Etc.

Once again, this is jsut my personal thinking but I would never go back in without a floor in a tent, There is truely no reason for it to me.....

T Bone · Jun 26, 2007

"bugs and ticks galore?"

i only recall seeing one tick....

I like floorless tents ok, IF they have a wood burning stove in them. I'd feel fine going in with any decent quality 3 season tent that has a full coverage fly and vestibule.

Even if I had cash laying around, I prefer to DIY. One gets much more satisfaction out of a DIY dink ram than a 180" pig that was hand delivered.....that's what I keep telling myself.

If you are experienced in hunting out of a pack and know how to glass, you'll do just fine.

ARCAT · Jun 26, 2007

For an outfitter its all economics as well. Most Idaho outfitters have 2 guides for one hunter on a sheep hunt. Thats 2 guides that could be guiding 4 elk hunters at $4,000 each for a total of $16,000. So at $9500 Scott Farr is losing $6,500, for taking a sheep hunter if he doesn't kill a ram before Elk opens on the 15th.

brymoore · Jun 27, 2007

I left a message for Scott a week ago. He hasn't returned my call. The guide two seasoned sheep hunters recommended to me was Dave Melton. He returned my call immediatly but he can't guide my unit. I've heard that you can negotiate the price lower than the asking price. However, that is still a ton of money and I have a DIY mentality in everything I do. I do like the idea of taking time off unpaid. Never thought of it. I was planning two trips in - I might leave time for a third trip and ask for a week of unpaid leave. They'd probably give it to me, my boss is going with me on my first trip.

What do you guys think about timing? My first thoughts were to go in on the first week of season, then maybe the last week of Sept. I'm wondering if I'm better off waiting two weeks for my initial trip, around Sept 15th, to let the temperature cool down. Will the sheep be more active (longer feeding sessions) in cooler weather? I would then go back in the first week of October for my second trip (maybe a two weeker). Going later I will have elk hunters in the same country but I don't think they will impact the sheep hunting too much.

Thoughts?

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