RH300UM
Well-Known Member
It's a long story. So bear with me.
I dreamed of hunting sheep as a youngster.
They were the pinnacle of my hunting dream.
I watched and mostly read stories of the great writers/hunters of my time. This was the 1970's. Not much was available other than outdoor life and field and stream magazines articles.
We were mostly a lower middle class family. Money was stretched as far as it could. I worked at home with chores as well as a paper route plus odd jobs for the neighborhood where I could get them.
I soon realized that I would never be able to afford a sheep hunt. As time went by they just went up in price.
I worked and life took over. My dream of hunting sheep was pushed back in the far back recesses of my hunting mind. I'd see more and more videos and pics as technology progressed but I would mostly try and ignore them for the most part as they made me sad in a selfish way. I just concentrated on the deer, elk and bears that the west provided.
Life then provided me a opportunity to go to Alaska. It was a black bear hunt on Prince of Wales. The hunting trip once again proved to be a gift. I instantly fell in love with Alaska. Another lifelong relationship was formed with someone who helped me.
Then I started putting in for sheep hunts in and around Idaho. Knowing it would be a miracle if I drew a tag.
I would enter raffles and draws for organizations that offered them also. February 2015 was one of those years I entered a raffle drawing at the hunting Expo in Salt Lake City.
The Full Curl event was what I participated in.
I was a couple tables away from the KUIU crew and Jason at the event. I got to briefly say hello there and also in the expo at the KUIU booth.
The drawings started. Half way through the process my name was drawn for a Dall sheep hunt in Alaska. I was in such a state of exhilaration that I jumped on the table from a sitting position!!
I was physically shaking from the rush. I was in heaven!!
I had talked with Jason in the expo booth about my back ordered pack. He was experiencing some supply problems but assured me that he was trying his best to get that shipment in as fast as possible.
When the microphone came to me as the winner of the drawing. I looked a Jason and said into the mic "I'm really going to need that pack now"!
He pointed at me as yelled "You'll get one"! Smiling then clapping.
The Full Curl event ended and all the winners were lined up for the photo op.
Jason waved to me and smiled.
As I walked out of there my mind was racing. Still trying to absorb what just happened.
I made my way back to the Kuiu booth later in the day and was lucky enough to find Jason there. He instantly saw me and came over and shook my hand. We talk for a couple minutes about my experience. He gave me a business card. And said to call him and email his assistant for a gear list. He promised me I get a pack. Even if he had to give me one of his spares he kept around. 10 days later a pack arrived at my door.
The last part of our conversation he said" this sheep hunt will change your life".
Man was he right!!
That sheep hunt was a life changing experience.
I trained hard! Totally dedicated my life to the endeavor.
My hunt was scheduled for 2016.
The outfitter called me and informed me that he was over booked for 2016 and could I come that fall of 2015.
This was the first of many events that started the hunt on a course of a unexpected path.
It was a life schooling about hunting and what it really means.
I was shifted around between 2 guides.
Now the first guide was a full time guide for the outfitter.
We hit it off from the first hand shake. We had a good 2 days together. Then he was pulled away from me and put with another guide. My new guide was a friend of the outfitter that was called in as the reserve because the outfitter was out of guides for hunters.
We hunted for 10 days never seeing a ram.
I would be lying if I said that I wasn't devastated from the hunt.
I couldn't even look at pics or video I had taken for a year.
I started to really reflect on that hunt after time had passed. What was hunting really about? Did I measure success with a pair of horns in my hands? Or was it about the experience? The people? Me?
Many reflections passed through my mind.
As time went by I realized I wasn't letting the hunt experience be a positive influence.
A few more months passed by and I got a text. It was from the first guide I was with on the sheep hunt. We had exchanged contact info and kept in contact.
On the sheep hunt he was in the process of buying 2 of the hunting areas from the outfitter as he was retiring.
His text was a question if I'd be interested in becoming a guide for him?!!
I instantly said yes. I now guide for him and have a close friendship with him.
Also the second guide I had on the sheep hunt is a friend and took me out under his wing for 2 years to teach me the ropes.
Still no sheep on my wall as that was my only sheep hunt. I think that someday it will be there but the journey was different for me.
Jason was right. It changed my life!!!
I am now a full time Alaskan hunting guide.
I've been saving all my guide money to continue that dream of hunting sheep.
I am now scheduled to hunt sheep in 2024.
Paid in full with wages earned from guiding.
What a journey this has been so far!
I dreamed of hunting sheep as a youngster.
They were the pinnacle of my hunting dream.
I watched and mostly read stories of the great writers/hunters of my time. This was the 1970's. Not much was available other than outdoor life and field and stream magazines articles.
We were mostly a lower middle class family. Money was stretched as far as it could. I worked at home with chores as well as a paper route plus odd jobs for the neighborhood where I could get them.
I soon realized that I would never be able to afford a sheep hunt. As time went by they just went up in price.
I worked and life took over. My dream of hunting sheep was pushed back in the far back recesses of my hunting mind. I'd see more and more videos and pics as technology progressed but I would mostly try and ignore them for the most part as they made me sad in a selfish way. I just concentrated on the deer, elk and bears that the west provided.
Life then provided me a opportunity to go to Alaska. It was a black bear hunt on Prince of Wales. The hunting trip once again proved to be a gift. I instantly fell in love with Alaska. Another lifelong relationship was formed with someone who helped me.
Then I started putting in for sheep hunts in and around Idaho. Knowing it would be a miracle if I drew a tag.
I would enter raffles and draws for organizations that offered them also. February 2015 was one of those years I entered a raffle drawing at the hunting Expo in Salt Lake City.
The Full Curl event was what I participated in.
I was a couple tables away from the KUIU crew and Jason at the event. I got to briefly say hello there and also in the expo at the KUIU booth.
The drawings started. Half way through the process my name was drawn for a Dall sheep hunt in Alaska. I was in such a state of exhilaration that I jumped on the table from a sitting position!!
I was physically shaking from the rush. I was in heaven!!
I had talked with Jason in the expo booth about my back ordered pack. He was experiencing some supply problems but assured me that he was trying his best to get that shipment in as fast as possible.
When the microphone came to me as the winner of the drawing. I looked a Jason and said into the mic "I'm really going to need that pack now"!
He pointed at me as yelled "You'll get one"! Smiling then clapping.
The Full Curl event ended and all the winners were lined up for the photo op.
Jason waved to me and smiled.
As I walked out of there my mind was racing. Still trying to absorb what just happened.
I made my way back to the Kuiu booth later in the day and was lucky enough to find Jason there. He instantly saw me and came over and shook my hand. We talk for a couple minutes about my experience. He gave me a business card. And said to call him and email his assistant for a gear list. He promised me I get a pack. Even if he had to give me one of his spares he kept around. 10 days later a pack arrived at my door.
The last part of our conversation he said" this sheep hunt will change your life".
Man was he right!!
That sheep hunt was a life changing experience.
I trained hard! Totally dedicated my life to the endeavor.
My hunt was scheduled for 2016.
The outfitter called me and informed me that he was over booked for 2016 and could I come that fall of 2015.
This was the first of many events that started the hunt on a course of a unexpected path.
It was a life schooling about hunting and what it really means.
I was shifted around between 2 guides.
Now the first guide was a full time guide for the outfitter.
We hit it off from the first hand shake. We had a good 2 days together. Then he was pulled away from me and put with another guide. My new guide was a friend of the outfitter that was called in as the reserve because the outfitter was out of guides for hunters.
We hunted for 10 days never seeing a ram.
I would be lying if I said that I wasn't devastated from the hunt.
I couldn't even look at pics or video I had taken for a year.
I started to really reflect on that hunt after time had passed. What was hunting really about? Did I measure success with a pair of horns in my hands? Or was it about the experience? The people? Me?
Many reflections passed through my mind.
As time went by I realized I wasn't letting the hunt experience be a positive influence.
A few more months passed by and I got a text. It was from the first guide I was with on the sheep hunt. We had exchanged contact info and kept in contact.
On the sheep hunt he was in the process of buying 2 of the hunting areas from the outfitter as he was retiring.
His text was a question if I'd be interested in becoming a guide for him?!!
I instantly said yes. I now guide for him and have a close friendship with him.
Also the second guide I had on the sheep hunt is a friend and took me out under his wing for 2 years to teach me the ropes.
Still no sheep on my wall as that was my only sheep hunt. I think that someday it will be there but the journey was different for me.
Jason was right. It changed my life!!!
I am now a full time Alaskan hunting guide.
I've been saving all my guide money to continue that dream of hunting sheep.
I am now scheduled to hunt sheep in 2024.
Paid in full with wages earned from guiding.
What a journey this has been so far!
