MT Sheep HD 482

MT2011 · Jun 20, 2017

Hello all.

This year my father was fortunate enough to draw the much-coveted 482 either sex sheep tag!!! I am super-excited for him, for us and that we finally have the opportunity to tackle a sheep hunt.

Which means, I get to be (become) a sheep guide/wing-man.

We have spent a lot of time in the breaks on the east side of the bridge, but have spent almost no time on the west side of the bridge. So I have some learning to do to be prepared to hunt sheep this fall and where to focus our efforts since we are starting from scratch.

Is there anyone that has previously held this tag or accompanied other hunters who have had the tag, who would be willing to share and help me out a bit?

My Dad's dad is in poor health, so Dad is a bit distracted right now, with his hands full. I am trying to do some of the preliminary leg work to remove some of the burden, and also because I genuinely enjoy researching and scouting and planning out our hunts, and hope to learn everything about the area and about sheep that we need to know to make our endeavor a success.

I have reached out to the biologist and game wardens as well, but thus far haven't gotten in touch, and also don't want all of our eggs in that basket.

Thanks for any and all help.

6mm Remington · Jun 20, 2017

I wish you guys the best and I hope your dad's health lets him enjoy this adventure! I wish I could help you more than wishing you good luck. Sounds like you are taking the right steps to start.

MT2011 · Jun 21, 2017

6mm Remington said:
I wish you guys the best and I hope your dad's health lets him enjoy this adventure! I wish I could help you more than wishing you good luck. Sounds like you are taking the right steps to start.

Thank you. It is actually my grandpa (I said that funny, "my Dad's dad") who is in poor health, so MY Dad the lucky tag holder should be good to go fortunately, just working to get grandpa back on his feet.

Bivy · Jun 22, 2017

In the next month or so all permit holders will receive an information package from the wildlife biologist that manages HD 482. It will include a few years of harvest information (measurements and harvest location) as well as survey information regarding the location of ram and ewe groups.

Until then....Dog Creek is typically a good starting point for your scouting.

MT2011 · Jun 22, 2017

Bivy said:
In the next month or so all permit holders will receive an information package from the wildlife biologist that manages HD 482. It will include a few years of harvest information (measurements and harvest location) as well as survey information regarding the location of ram and ewe groups.

Until then....Dog Creek is typically a good starting point for your scouting.

Thanks a bunch for responding. I am definitely itching to get my hands on that packet of info. Unfortunately I just learned the area biologist is on maternity leave currently, so I am not sure if that will delay that info getting out this year or what.

Trying to do our homework while we have time, the summer has a way of flying by and I want a few weekends in early September to concentrate on archery elk before switching gears to all-out sheep.

The Hedgehog · Jun 22, 2017

Use a boat, in November when they are butting heads. That would be a great experience.

Avoid throwing some cash around for "access" to glass from the pick-up and shoot a big ram in a wheat field. That's a hang your head way to get a bighorn ram, and the way some folks feel like they gotta do it just to guarantee the outcome..

MT2011 · Jun 23, 2017

Greenhorn said:
Use a boat, in November when they are butting heads. That would be a great experience.

Avoid throwing some cash around for "access" to glass from the pick-up and shoot a big ram in a wheat field. That's a hang your head way to get a bighorn ram, and the way some folks feel like they gotta do it just to guarantee the outcome..

Thank you for responding. I have considered a boat, would be nice to have one in the toolbox of options, but we don't own a jet boat. I have considered getting one if we think we really really need it to make this a successful endeavor, but right now it looks like we will be tackling it from a ground attack. To me, buying a boat for the hunt gets into the realm of throwing some cash around for sure.

I am certainly no expert, but I haven't really seen or heard a lot about rams being taken from a wheat field. I am expecting to be in the rough public stuff where they hang out.

November and the rut is the ace in the hole for turning the odds a bit, but we plan to start early and hunt hard until we find the one he wants. We may be hunting in November, or we may be done, hard to know.

The Hedgehog · Jun 23, 2017

My old renter use to (maybe still does) use a drift boat every fall to hunt deer on that stretch of the Missouri. The ram footage he'd take from both sides of the river from the boat was pretty killer. Certainly don't have to buy a jet boat.

Avoid the #projectbuyaram route - it's lame.

Deleted member 20812 · Jun 23, 2017

I've seen the wheat field rams, they do exist. A raft or canoe would also work just fine for this trip, and would make for an epic adventure.

MTGomer · Jun 23, 2017

I'd forget all about archery elk. But I'd probably forget about my job and my marriage too, but thats just me.

I would also not even hesitate to spend some money on canoes. About 4 years ago they played a video at the land surveyor convention of a guy that filmed his dad's hunt in there. They put in by a ferry and floated for over a week in canoes. Looked like an amazing time.

Congrats on that tag!

wapiti11 · Jun 25, 2017

Like mentioned above if you can hold out, November on the river is amazing with the number of rams that come down to rut. We had the 680 tag in 2015 and did alot of spotting in 482 also. We floated with a basic 14' Jon row boat with 10 HP for speeding up those slow current stretches and a raft. Ferry to Fred Robinson. First trip. Then we decided to by a jet boat and that opened up alot of options. We made many weekend trips until Nov came around. Just don't run out of gas heading back on a new moon night. Come November most hunters had tagged out and in my opinion missed the best show on earth, the sheep rut. It was us and the gov tag holder left on the river looking over a stretch on river that the sheep seem to head to during the rut. This certain stretch was unreal with activity and remote. This is where the jet boat was worth the money. Good luck. Let me know if you have any questions.

wapiti11 · Jun 25, 2017

Also, get the blm boaters guide booklet. This is a great booklet of the river with good maps of each section of river. Noticed you are in Billings. Maybe we can look at a map together sometime.

belly-deep · Jun 25, 2017

MT2011 said:
Thank you for responding. I have considered a boat, would be nice to have one in the toolbox of options, but we don't own a jet boat. I have considered getting one if we think we really really need it to make this a successful endeavor, but right now it looks like we will be tackling it from a ground attack. To me, buying a boat for the hunt gets into the realm of throwing some cash around for sure.

I am certainly no expert, but I haven't really seen or heard a lot about rams being taken from a wheat field. I am expecting to be in the rough public stuff where they hang out.

November and the rut is the ace in the hole for turning the odds a bit, but we plan to start early and hunt hard until we find the one he wants. We may be hunting in November, or we may be done, hard to know.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy a boat for a once in a lifetime tag in the best ram country on the planet, but that's just me.

Deleted member 20812 · Jun 25, 2017

Heck, buy a boat off of Craigslist, kill a ram, then sell it on Craigslist. Probably come pretty close to breaking even.

ppowell32 · Jun 25, 2017

JLS said:
Heck, buy a boat off of Craigslist, kill a ram, then sell it on Craigslist. Probably come pretty close to breaking even.

That's a pretty good idea there are a bunch of boats on there.

MT2011 · Jun 25, 2017

JLS said:
Heck, buy a boat off of Craigslist, kill a ram, then sell it on Craigslist. Probably come pretty close to breaking even.

If we decide we need a boat, that is the exact recipe I had in mind. I've looked at one already.

MT2011 · Jun 25, 2017

wapiti11 said:
Also, get the blm boaters guide booklet. This is a great booklet of the river with good maps of each section of river. Noticed you are in Billings. Maybe we can look at a map together sometime.

I was looking at those guides at Scheels last week, they do look really good, great info for a very inexpensive price, I was surprised.

Regarding looking at a map, that would be excellent, I would really appreciate any pointers you could give.

The November rut on the river has me intrigued for sure.

mtmiller · Jun 25, 2017

MT2011 said:
I was looking at those guides at Scheels last week, they do look really good, great info for a very inexpensive price, I was surprised.

Not sure if they have them at the BLM office in Billings, but you can order on from Lewistown or Havre for a cheaper price. Good luck on the hunt.

Bivy · Jun 25, 2017

Despite maturnity leave, there won't be a delay in receiving the information packet.

Not all, but many of the biggest rams harvested in recent years have come from Dog Creek (The information packet will confirm this). Dog Creek is not accessible by boat. Some individuals do choose to hire a local outfitter or lease hunting rights for easier access to Dog Creek; however, all the BLM within the drainage is accessible for those that have the desire to walk.

Additionally, a few landowners in upper Dog Creek will grant 'true' permission to hunt their deeded lands. By permission I'm referring to no strings attached and no money required. Boats are nice, and easy in regards to packing a sheep down rather than up, but most of 482 is completely accessible from the road system (Stafford, Whiskey Ridge, Woodhawk, Two Calf, Sunshine).

Don't stress, enjoy the hunt, don't rush things, don't blow a ton of money, and kill a 180+ ram...just remember that it's a long season and huntings suppose to be fun.

JBS · Jun 26, 2017

^^^^^^^ This. I agree with everything Bivy said.
Of course this could be a good excuse to by a jet boat. You could get easy permission from management since you are helping your Dad and are going to sell the boat in the spring and maybe even make money. then In the spring Take the family out on an enjoyable trip and Bam you have a new jet boat that you can take your buddy paddle fishing in and also use for his Sheep hunt next year. Just an idea.

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