New to sheep hunting...

[arffdog875]

I have been putting in for CO Big Horn sheep for a few years, mostly for points. I am needing some advice from the sheep hunters in the forum. Is there good books out there on sheep hunting? Gear lists...what are the big ticket items I need so I can start acquiring these items now instead of at the last minute. Thanks for any help you can give! Ross

 

[land cruiser]

I have been putting in for CO Big Horn sheep for a few years, mostly for points. I am needing some advice from the sheep hunters in the forum. Is there good books out there on sheep hunting? Gear lists...what are the big ticket items I need so I can start acquiring these items now instead of at the last minute. Thanks for any help you can give! Ross

Hmm...as far as books go, I'll give you a list below Now for gear lists, any reputable oufitter's website will have a list. As far as big ticket items, yours are probably going to be in optics, scope, bino's/range finder and spotting scope. Buy the best you can afford.

Here is your list
Andrews, R Chapman Across Mongolian Plains
Andrews, R Camps And Trails in China
Andrews, R The New conquest of Central Asia
Annabel, R Hunting and Fishing in Alaska
Annabel, R Tales of a Big Game Guide
Armstrong, N After Big Game in the Upper Yukon
Auer, H Campfires in the Yukon
Baillie-Grohmann W Fifteen Years Sport & Life in the Hunting Grounds Of W. America
Beach, W In the Shadow of Mount McKinley
Burrard, M Big Game Hunting in the Himalayas and Tibet
Cane, C Summer and Fall in Western Alaska
Clark, J Trails of the Hunted
Cobbold, R Innermost Asia: Travel and Sport in the Pamirs
Darrah, H Sport in the Highlands of Kashmir
Demidoff, E After Wild Sheep in the Altai and Mongolia
Demidoff, E A Shooting Trip to Kamchatka
Demidoff, E Hunting Trips in the Caucasus
Etherton, P Across the Roof of the World
Gates, E Trophy Hunter in Asia
Haughton, H Sport and Folklore in the Himalayan
Haydon, H Sport and Travel in the Highlands of Tibet
Herbert, A Casuals in the Caucasus
Holman, J Sheep and Bear Trails: A Hunters Wanderings in Alaska
Hornaday, W Campfires in the Canadian Rockies
Housholder, B The Grand Slam of North American Wild Sheep Hubback, T To Far Western Alaska for Big Game
Jamsheed, R Memories of a Sheep Hunter
Kinloch, A.A. Large Game Shooting in Thibet, the Himalayas & N & Ctrl India
Lydekker, R Wild Oxen, Sheep and Goats of All Lands
MacIntyre, D Hindu Koh
McGuire, J In the Alaska Yukon Gamelands
Morden, W Across Asia's Snows and Deserts
O'Connor, J Game in the Desert
O'Connor, J Sheep and Sheep Hunting
Phillips-Woolley, C Big Game Shooting
Radclyffe, C Big Game Shooting in Alaska
Ronaldshay, E Sport and politics Under An Eastern Sky
Roosevelt, T East of the Sun and West of the Moon
Sheldon, C The Wilderness of Denali
Sheldon, C The Wilderness of the Upper Yukon
Swayne, H Through the Highlands of Siberia
Wallace, H.F. The Big Game of Central and Western China
Williams, A Game Trails in British Columbia
Young, G Alaska Yukon Trophies Won and Lost

 

[arffdog875]

Thanks Land cruiser for your reply! I am working on the optics, I am looking at rangefinders now, just acquired a new GPS. So far all my gear with pack is about 56 lbs, I am still trying to whittle that number down, my tent and sleeping bag are also on the chopping block for replacement. Thanks for the book list! Ross

 

[KurtB]

Hey Arf, Did you draw the tag or just getting points? Nothing like sheep hunting and hope you drew.

 

[arffdog875]

KurtB... I am still drawing points, someday, hopefully sooner than later I will draw! I am looking forward to the hunt, it will challenge me physically and mentally! I am trying to get gear together, test it, retest it, so when I do draw the tag I will concentrate my time scouting and getting into "sheep shape"!

 

[mtmander]

Optics, Optics , Optics,..........get the best since you will be using them a lot for sheep and you need optics that will not make your eyes 'tired'. Oh, you also need to get in condition for climbing.

 

[KurtB]

I was fortunate to have kept up a good level of conditioning over the years. Son is hunting sheep with archery tackle in August so it has been a simple matter to take the training up a notch. Feel ready to hit the mountain right now. Actually we will be hitting the mountain sooner than later for scouting trips. Life is good. I would not want to be out of shape and only have a few months to get ready. Maintain conditioning base year around till you draw the tag. Makes elk hunting easier too....

 

[arffdog875]

KurtB,
I have maintained a base fitness level, and it has helped with all my hunting. Are you and your son packing in to a spike camp? What are your packs weighing getting to spike camp? How far in is your camp? I am looking at approx. 4-5 miles in to spike camp. I am doing a rifle season, I am not good enough to do archery for sheep, good luck to your son!

 

[KurtB]

Target weight for packs on way in for 7 days is mid 30 pound range. Hope to hit that. No base camps on our trip as we need to cover a lot of ground. Hunting starts from about the 4 mile mark and could go as far as 14. Planning on about 100 pounds each coming out. Odds for sheep tags are much better with archery of course.

 

[arffdog875]

KurtB, How are you keeping your pack weight to 30 lbs? My hunting pack weight (W/water) is about 15lbs. Could you send me your gear list so I can compare? Are you guys going with a tarp instead of a tent? How much is just your food weighing for 7 days? Ross

 

[.284]

Don't know if your counting water, pack weight and rifle for your 56 lb weight but I have never got under 60lbs with everything for a 10 day solo sheep hunt. I use a mystery ranch which takes up about 10lbs and include 3 litres of water and run swarovski binos and spotting scope in that but I would be very happy with a 56lb pack.

 

[arffdog875]

.284, No it didn't include water, it should have. I need to pack in at least 3 litres to get to base camp and then find a water source during scouting to keep a supply at camp.

 

[Okiecat]

Just drew my non-reident colo sheep tag. Unit 32, georgetown. I had 15 pts and there were a lot of hunter with 20-25 pts at the orentation meeting last weekend in denver. Trying to get ready for hunt, had knee surgery yesterday. Laying in bed reading huntin fool and longrange hunter. Good luck to all!!!

 

[arffdog875]

okiecat...Congrats on a great tag, a bummer about the knee surgery. Good you took care of it now. Was it worth it going to the orientation in Denver last weekend? Did you get alot of info there? I have heard both ways.