My Hunting Stories
It didn’t look like I was going to get to go sheep hunting this season so I had planned to post a story about hardcore sheep hunters. However, the weather broke, so my son-in-law Sagen, grandson Jared and I made a quick trip in to an open sheep area. What I found out on this trip was at age 76, my days as a hardcore sheep hunter are pretty much over.
Well another August has passed and I didn’t make it into those majestic Alaska mountains to hunt sheep and to celebrate my 75th birthday which was August 10, the opening day of sheep season. The rains and mudslides kept us out. Hopefully next year. Hope you enjoy another special sheep hunting story.
Most hunters have a goal when looking for a trophy animal. Everyone would like a Boone and Crockett but that is hard to achieve. However, looking for a special trophy that might or might not make the record book is still a goal that is obtainable. Like a 10 foot brown bear, 9 inch Billy goat or a 60 inch moose. For Dall sheep it is a 40 incher. That was my goal after I took my second ram in 1967. I ended up taking three sheep 40” or better. Follow along on my quest for the magic 40 incher.
I haven’t written any current stories because I haven’t been on any hunts since starting the blog. That changed on September 2. I went on a backpack sheep hunt with my grandson Jared and son-in-law Sagen. I have been on over 50 sheep hunts and I will have to say this was one of my hardest. I didn’t want to think it was my age but maybe it was just the 20 hours of fighting alder, devils club, willow and blow downs on the climb in and reversing it after one day of hunting. That will get you no matter what age you are. I have decided however, no more long backpack hunts. So follow us on this short story with lots of photos of what I call a “brutal” hunt.
Here it is August 10 opening day of sheep season and my 72nd birthday and I’m at home. It feels a little strange as I have spent at least 35 of my last 50 birthdays chasing sheep. I’m going later this year with my grandsons Jared and Nathan and my son-in-law Sagen. We drew a late permit hunt in Carpenter Creek in the Chuguch Range so we will be going after the 26th.
I did want to post a sheep hunting story today so I chose one that is special to me. It was with Jared and his dad Sagen. It was actually a quest to get Jared one of those beautiful full curl rams. It took us three hunts. He was quite the hunter at 13 walking in 26 miles before we even started the hunt. That started our quest. Follow us along on the hunt as you read, “Back on the Mountain.”
