You guys Suck!!!

Not sure if you caught my post in regards to the Willmore. When I wanted to make my first trip in to the Willmore i actually spoke to George about being safe what to watch out for and if there is any particular etiquette i should follow out there since i was in new stomping grounds and have never had to share a range of mountains with anyone. He was a great help.

I have been reading some of the classic books over the last couple of years now (Horns in High Country, Sheep & Sheep Hunting & The Elusive Bighorn. Now i need Valerius Geist's book "Wild sheep & their Behaviour" i believe) and i wish i could meet one of the legends before it's too late. The mountain sheep guides are definitley a rare breed and a piece of Alberta's history.

Right on Chet. Its about as real as can be now...other than actually having the little fella out. Co-worker was due two days before us and they were a bit early so they just stopped by work for a visit with their new one...gonna be so weird.

Hey Sympatico...and everyone else for that matter....how many of you hunt completely solo? Anyone do solo stuff for the week long type adventures?

Blake

I'll do day trips and overnighters solo but not longer trips....nice to have the company and split some of the weight when packing.

Certainly you have every right to hunt where the outfitters hunt but if I know someone is hunting a certain mountain I'll try to find another or at least talk with them about their plans so as not to screw them up. Sheep country is pretty limited in Alberta though so you are bound to bump into both residents and outfitters occasionally.

I will go for at least one pre-season trip and this is mainly to have a look and begin preparations for camp so i don't have to work my ass off in the evenings (wood and so forth). I havn't worked up enough adrenaline to be in there alone for a week. I would say the best is a group of 2 or 4. If there's 4 you can split up and cover more territory for spotting/glassing.

The first time i went out for my sheep there happened to be 2 guys camped exactly where we were intending. they had been there 3 days before opening and we arrived on opening. After discovering this i first thought; well ok, what's your strategy over the next 4-5 days so we can keep out of eachothers hair. Well by the time they broke it down ("he has this ridge, i have these two, i'm glassing there, he's covering that basin") there were no basins left in the range. So began a new plan. We then began the remaining 4 days of our hunt crossing the river 14 times a day (just soaked) and drying boots each night just to do the same the next. We did spot some ewe's however.

In hindsight our next plan after seeing those guys on the mountain should have been to pack up completly and go to the next range. But my friend & I fugiured we could hoof it each day there and back. Ya Right. We did check out some good fishing holes, beautiful scenery and followed the same bull moose for three days. All in all the first one was enough adventure for me to be hooked for life.

I will always respect the others around me hunting and try to keep the impact & effects as low as possible with one another.

Simpatico

80% of my day trips are solo and I've only done two longer trips (3 days each) and they were with a buddy. This year I hope to catch up with some guys from the boards for a trip (my other hunting buddies aren't as big into sheep).

I'm also hoping to visit Willmore this summer to see if I can plan a trip for this or next fall.

I would love to do a week trip.

Yeah, i was thinking the day overnight max alone thing too. Then buddy/buddies for longer stuff. This may be a stupid question but whats the scoop with satalite phones? Haven't the foggiest idea bout them...seen a big fat clunker on a show once...thats all i know of them...will they build them into the gps units at some point. Would be nice to let the wife know if a guy has to spend the night and that he's okay etc. Just thinking outloud here...don't laugh too hard if its a dumb one.

B

They are small and portable and work great and the cost is coming down. I don't own one but they are a great idea if it's in the budget.

take your cel phone when you go up scouting and check, you would be surprised where you can get service

Was wondering that...wonder how good the 'mike' network is out there...supposed to be able to radio nationwide.:lol

B

I thought I'd heard that you can rent sat phones for $10/day + air time. Don't recall exactly though.

Simpatico,

I'm going to the banquet on saturday as well , hope we have a chance to talk.

Did Bazil mention the book they are doing "People and Peaks
of Willmore", it should be coming out sometime in May.

If you like to read about sheep hunting give "Skyline Pursuits"
a try. It's written by John Batten.He started hunting bighorns
in Alberta around 1930 and then went on to B.C. , Alaska
as well as Iran etc... Starting in 1928 he hunted till
about 1983 or so , a good, long and interesting career.

He knew a lot of the old timers like Chester Sands.

BTW ,for what it's worth most of my hunts are solo ,although having a "good" companion can be very nice.



340W

From the early reports I've received, the new book on the Willmore is first rate. I know I'll be ordering one.

yes , I expect it will be, I've sent my check and am looking
forward to it.

340W

So let's rate the sheep books??? What are some favs?

I personnel don't have any of the books mentioned here but I am going to get a few this summer.

Chet, My girls are born on Aug 25 as well...must be a sheep hunting thing! haha

Bazil did let me know about the book...I'll be on the list.

I will be looking for the book 340W, awesome, thanks!

I have been trying to get my hands on some of the older ones since they seem to be getting more & more scarce. I had a heck of a time getting a copy of Len Jeck's "The Elusive Bighorn" then one day my sheep hunting "mentor" hands it over to me over coffee one friday morning. Well that made my summer.

The Jack O'Connor "Sheep & Sheep Hunting" was won on Ebay. i counted on paying up to $285 US for it and thougth i had it secured at about 150. Then the next thing you know it takes off...180 i go 190, 210 i go max 235, 255 i go max 285. All of a sudden it goes to 280 with 30 seconds left i nail it to 325 and finally it closes at $305 US. I AM SO HAPPY i thougth i was going to lose it. I told my wife about the victory becasue she was supposed to be backing me up if i couldn't log on to our connection; well #@!! did i get an earfull. HEr & I were bidding against eachother. I could have had it around 150.

Ah well who cares. I DIDN'T! Great book excellent condition. If i can afford it i will go all out for the mountain hunts. It is seriously intoxicating.

Simpatico

340W how can we meet at the banquet?

Simpatico,

Should be no problem , you will find me with Don .

you can pm me for details.

BTW , great story ,sounds like something I would do!!

340W

Sheep and Sheep Hunting is a classic as is Jeck's book the Elusive Bighorn. Nowicki's Home of the Bighorn is a good Alberta read and of course Geist's Mountain Sheep.

I've got loads of sheep books about sheep the world over but those in my mind are the basis of any sheep hunters library in Alberta. You won't go wrong with any of Duncan Gilchrest's books either and Sheep Hunting in Alaska by Tony Russ is a great guide for sheep hunters anywhere.

Sheep Hunter,

I'm reading the Tony Russ book for about the 4th or 5th
time. I'm a little slow!!

One of my all time favorite books is Alaska's Wolf Man. Although not a specific book about sheep it does have a fair bit of space dedicated to sheep hunting and is a great read about a time and place few will ever see.

340W

I ordered Tony Russ's Sheep hunting in Alaska editions 1 and 2 just yesterday online. They are all about Dall sheep but are supposed to be good for any aspect of sheep hunting.

Thanks for the information on the books fellas.

Are they pretty easy to find on-line? I have been having a hard time with Geist's sheep book.

I also have a question about scouting & hunting. Here goes. Should i be just walking the creek beds & Valleys looking up and not waste time & effort climbing or should i be going up to vantage points and then begin the search. In the past i have only been walking the valley and looking up. Most times access to begin climbing up the mountain is tough. Either too steep, a body of water or muskeg is at the foot. What am i doing wrong? Spending too much time walking the low ground or not picking the best way up?

Simpatico

I find i spot the most sheep by getting up to a high point and looking around. Its amazing how many areas you can see from above that are invisable from the valley floor. I always look from the bottom first though, still spot tons of sheep from creek level. Just make sure your not easy to see from the high vantage point or while climbing up, sheep can be spooked at really long ranges if your not careful (i've seen them spook when i'm significantly further than a kilometer away).

Other than the Tony Russ' books...most are a challenge to track down but you may be able to access some through the library or watch e-bay. Some are as elusive as rams themselves...lol


Hunt up or down, now that is the million dollar question. I let the topography dictate where I spot from but usually I'm going to the top of a mountain on a day's hike so in that case I'll be spotting all the way up and then down on the other side once I get to the top. The best advice is to glass carefully from wherever you can see. Spotting sheep before they spot you is what it's all about. Be certain to spend enough time spotting too. A quick look over a mountainside is rarely sufficient. If it looks like it should hold sheep, spend some time looking for them with binos first then a spotting scope.

My advice for anybody wanting some of those old sheep books -- get a Alberta libraries card from one of the universities -- that'll get you access to any university or college library in the province. I found Geist, O'Connor, some old Andy Russell, Jeck and a couple others on there. I think for non-students the cards are around 10$.

If you attend the gun show in Edmonton around the end
of Nov. early Dec. ,there is a fella from Sask. that shows up.
He has a lot of good books that are out of print and he could help you with a search for the rare ones. I'm looking for his
card and will post details if I can.Sorry, I don't have more info
to give right now.

BTW , I'm looking for a copy of a book called "Hard Hunting"
about a young couple that did an extended backpack hunt in BC in the late 60s or early 70s for sheep , goat, bear etc.

340W

You might be talking about "Eric Marles Safari Bookshelf"
booknut@sk.sympatico.ca

I've bought a few tough to find books off of him, or there was a little old book store "Shaws books" Just off Broadway ave in Saskatoon that had a huge selection of wildlife/hunting books.

Buckshoot,

Yes, I think that may be the man (Eric Marles). He's in his 50s
tall with a beard and glasses.hhmmm.sounds like I'm filing a police report!! He only comes to Edmonton once a year but
it's sure worth the wait.Got a first edition of Elmer Keiths
Big Game Rifles and Cartridges from him along with a whole pile
of other books over the years, and all out of Sask. go figure.

Thanks again for the info.

340W

Its been a while since I read or tried to read Geists book, Very dry. I found a few things that were helpfull, bedding areas were easy to spot. Sheep paw at the ground before they bed, over the years big eroded bare spots will cover the hill. I key into these areas first when spotting. Sheep are habitual so at one time or another they will be in that area. Also learned that if you find ewes in the early season move on the rams are some were else. Another thing I read was a little disturbing, thank god I'm not a subordinate ram bending over for the soap. I got the book from my local library. A lot of the other books mentioned I borrowed from my Dad. Any one know what a sighned J. O'conner book is worth?

I just ordered Geist's book off of Amazon, showed up in two weeks

Any one know what a sighned J. O'conner book is worth?

It depends on what book, what edition it is and what the condition is but some O'connor books are very collectible.