AK Dall Sheep Gear and Prep

[Snyd]

What does the hive think about adding compression sleeves to his packing list? If it were me, I would have a compression sleeve/wrap for both knees and both ankles, just in case I rolled an ankle or got a little swelling in my joints.

Thoughts?

I take ibuprofen for swelling/aches because EVERYTHING gets that way! Seriously though....A guy needs to take what he needs, but at some point one has to stop with the "just in case" thinking. Pain, tweaks, swelling, etc. are all part of it. Sheep Hunting is tough on the body. No way around it. Rather than thinking "just in case" a guy needs to think "how little can I take and make it work". Sheep Hunting is risky, that's part of the adventure and fun!

If a guys got a bum knee then he should wear/take the appropriate brace. Or perhaps it's a matter of boot choice. I've got weird weak/floppy ankles. I wear plastic boots. No way I'd wear anything else. But, for another guy they might be a detriment.

 

[Stud Duck]

I take ibuprofen for swelling/aches because EVERYTHING gets that way! Seriously though....A guy needs to take what he needs, but at some point one has to stop with the "just in case" thinking. Pain, tweaks, swelling, etc. are all part of it. Sheep Hunting is tough on the body. No way around it. Rather than thinking "just in case" a guy needs to think "how little can I take and make it work". Sheep Hunting is risky, that's part of the adventure and fun!

If a guys got a bum knee then he should wear/take the appropriate brace. Or perhaps it's a matter of boot choice. I've got weird weak/floppy ankles. I wear plastic boots. No way I'd wear anything else. But, for another guy they might be a detriment.

Makes sense.

 

[Ray]

For my knees I found the off the shelf neoprene sleeves worked great to keep my joints happy. Also turned out to be great knee pads for crawling through the small shards of rock when glassing and moving, staying low and out of sight.

 

[Brightwhite]

Thanks for the info, i have a sandbag due soon and will intregrate some sandbag get ups into my program as well as the quadzilla complex from mtn. tactical, this is supposed to help with going downhill loaded


40min with 40lbs on the stairclimber today, gettting stronger, will increase to 50lb next week.

That quadzilla routine is legit. I did 4 rounds this morning and felt the 2-3-4th set for sure!

 

[bates]

That quadzilla routine is legit. I did 4 rounds this morning and felt the 2-3-4th set for sure!

No joke I just did 5 rounds tonight plus some push-ups and sit ups great little work out. Definitely a quad burner

 

[Snyd]

For my knees I found the off the shelf neoprene sleeves worked great to keep my joints happy. Also turned out to be great knee pads for crawling through the small shards of rock when glassing and moving, staying low and out of sight.

Great tip.

 

[wyosteve]

I'll usually throw an 'Ace' bandage in the duffel. Serves the same purpose as a ne0prene, but is more versatile imo, since it's not just limited to one joint.

 

[Boreal]

I'll usually throw an 'Ace' bandage in the duffel. Serves the same purpose as a ne0prene, but is more versatile imo, since it's not just limited to one joint.

No one should be limited to just one joint.

 

[Stud Duck]

No one should be limited to just one joint.

Just to be sure; we are talking about the same type of joint, correct?

 

[goat1958]

find a gym that has a jacobs ladder, It will do more for you than a stair stepper. Jabobs ladder is pure punishment, but will get you legs and cardio in one shot. Your gear list looks good. Prolly wont need the down pants. Good choice on 280 AI. I shoot one

 

[kaboku68]

Don't overthink most of the stuff and leave a bunch of stuff home. Practice shooting with both 22lr and with high power and then with your sheep rifle. Shoot enough so that you can shoot as well as your guide and that you can center punch a sheep heart at 400 yards. You may not have to shoot that far but right up there with condition you should be really familiar with your rifle and gear. Go on weekend camping trips with your stuff to iron our your stuff and then chuck anything that is extraneous.

 

[PA 5-0]

Solid advice above but I'm just gonna throw this out there cause I love talkin sheep. Your gym work and cardio appear very solid so keep it rollin. I would suggest way more time out of doors in the pack, even if its flat. The gym stairmaster is not climbing mntns or walking a rocky creek bottom for a 4 mile hump. In 2014, I hunted the same mntns you'll be hunting with Jonah(real deal guide). Some of it can get real steep. '15 I was in the AK Range, which was a little softer where I was, but tons of brush pulling you down every step.

Training-By this time in the year, I was hiking at least 3-4 miles, 5-6x a week, working up to 50lbs. On weekends, I would double the mileage. I have hills around my town, but no mntns. Subbed in bleachers at our high school. Inside 90 days, I tried to get up the mntns a couple weekends a month to hike some steep, longer stuff. Try to find steepness that lifts your foot at or above your other knee. Like others have mentioned, you will live in your pack the whole hunt, be used to it. Weird muscles in ur hips, calves and ankles start to talk to ya after a handful of miles. Unfortunately, both my hunts went 10 or more days. The short one we logged over 70 GPS'd miles. I hope you have a short hunt but you have to be ready for an extended party. It's a marathon of pain but totally awesome!!

As for waving the white flag on a sheep hunt, I've seen it and been told soooo many stories by guides. Everything up to and including ultra marathoners. Imagine spending $25k on a hunt and tapping out on day 2 !!!! I'd eat a bullet first. Your mind has to be as strong as your lungs and legs.

Be able to shoot your rifle extremely well on steep angles. Take lots of camera batteries and SD cards. My biggest regret is not videoing EVERYTHING. I can send ya some pics of what you'll be hunting. Hit me up if you wanna shoot the sh't. Best of luck on an incredible hunt. Dan

 

[204guy]

Bates, I hunted with Jonah last year.
Your gear list looks pretty good. The Yukon is a pretty heavy jacket and it's not generally that brushy up there. If you have a lighter high end rain jacket I'd take it. Your guide will have an inreach which they'll let you use. Unless you worked something out with Jonah you will not have a packer and will most likely not have an assistant guide. Jonah had an excellent selection of food, a bunch of various MH's, candy bars, jerky, cliff bars, dried mangoes(make sure you take a bag of the dried mango's, make your guide carry them), etc. Unless you're a picky eater or have special diet needs I'd not go through the hassle of trying to fly the extra weight of food up there.
Couple things I'd bring that I don't see listed- game bags, Jonah probably has some but I used my own. Digiscope adapter, since you're carrying the weight of the spotter bring a way to take pictures through it. The only real regret I had from my hunt was that I brought my ED 50 instead of a bigger spotter to save weight, I regretted it.
If you have any questions feel free to shot me a PM.

 

[bates]

thanks PA, ive been able to get out on a few longer strolls in the pack, i call it strolls bc its just flat around the house.

my previous longest run was a 15k 9.3 miles, and i have a personal goal to hit 10miles, almost there and still need to drop another 10lbs too.

i have a place with a little elevation and trails thats 45min away and will incorporate that when time allows, probably starting in 2 weeks i will really up my time in the pack.

im already using a 50lb sandbag, next week i will go up to 70lbs, then go to 80 and probably just call it good there.

 

[Snyd]

thanks PA, ive been able to get out on a few longer strolls in the pack, i call it strolls bc its just flat around the house.

my previous longest run was a 15k 9.3 miles, and i have a personal goal to hit 10miles, almost there and still need to drop another 10lbs too.

i have a place with a little elevation and trails thats 45min away and will incorporate that when time allows, probably starting in 2 weeks i will really up my time in the pack.

im already using a 50lb sandbag, next week i will go up to 70lbs, then go to 80 and probably just call it good there.

Don't overtrain! Make sure you get adequate rest and recovery. The last thing you want is a sprain or strain that you won't have time to heal up from. "Instinctive Training" listen to your body. If you have a few days of solid, strenuous workouts and are tired/sore on a day you think you need to hit it hard again. STOP! Listen to your body. Take a day of rest, do some very light cardio and some stretching. Eat a bunch and rest.

The three pillars.... Exercise, Rest and Nutrition. If you neglect one regularly you will pay the price.

My .02

 

[oenanthe]

Be really careful with the heavier loads. In training, I rarely carry more than 50 pounds, and I'll never carry more than 50 pounds downhill. The only time I train with more than 50, the extra weight is water and I dump it at the top of the hill.

Hiking with a lot of weight, especially downhill, is really hard on your feet, ankles, knees, and hips. The only time on a guided sheep hunt that you should need to carry more than 50 pounds is if you're coming out with meat, and no one has ever had a problem suffering through that!.

The last thing you want to do is develop a nagging overuse injury. Packing a lot of weight dramatically increases your odds for such an injury. The best way to increase your fitness once you've worked up to 50 lbs. is to extend the time you spend hiking, and to increase the variety of terrain you hike on. The best training is to go on long hikes in the mountains - the closer you can simulate that the better.

 

[Aubs8]

I'm no expert but have been lucky enough to have gone on both a goat and sheep hunt in the last few years and will be heading back to AK next summer for what will most likely be my last mountain hunt. A couple of thoughts...

I would highly recommend a rain suit like Helly Hansen Impertech II as well as a light-weight, packable one.

Wear your boots up to 50 times prior to your hunt. I soaked them in water and hiked until they were dry several times. Footcare is a must.

Bring a neck gator-type piece of clothing in the event you're pinned-down or stuck on a peak without shelter. The two guys I was with would have killed to have had mine when I pulled it out of my pack after the winds picked-up on top of the Brooks Range after a 3 hour hike.

For me, the best way to prepare was to put 30-40 lbs. in a pack and hike up to 2 hours/day 4 times per week up until 2 weeks before you go. Find inclines if you can. Let your body recover over the last two weeks by hiking without the weight.

There is no question...you have to prepared mentally to go up the mountain each day with no guarantee of success.

The only things you can control are your mental attitude, your conditioning and your shooting.

When you come down the mountain on that last day, you need to know in your heart you gave it everything you had and had more to give, if necessary.

And, that advice from someone who brought a rifle. For those who hunt with a bow, I have the greatest respect. I can honestly say I would have come home empty-handed both times if I had a bow... not because of a lack of effort, determination or ability but because I would not have had an opportunity. 350 yards on the last day for my sheep and 250 yards on what turned-out to be the last huntable day for my goat was as close as I was able to get.

Best of luck. Mike

 

[Jdog]

I'm a workout fanatic & i eat fairly healthy: 45 yrs old, played D1 college basketball, 6'8", 235 lbs and I'd say I'm in decent shape.

I don't ever get really physically drained on sheep hunts--i stay in sheep shape year round--its just my routine...the mental grind is the challenge. Getting stuck in a small tent with two 6'8" dudes for 2-4 days in bad weather, cold, wet, hungry, etc can play tricks on your brain.

The biggest challenge is the mental game for many. I really enjoy the challenge.

 

[Jimss]

I've been on quite a few sheep and goat hunts the past few years. One of my top recommendations is telescoping trekking poles! They are a life-savers on steep uneven terrain! I used to think only wimps use trekking poles until my Alaska relative got me hooked on them. Comfortable, fairly light but stiff boots would be my 2nd recommendation. My go-to boots are Scarpas. Next would be a comfortable backpack capable of 100+ lb loads. Kifaru is tough to beat! Quality optics. I use Leica binos and spotter and a Gitzo tripod. Raingear is a must...I use Sitka and Marmot precip. I use Sitka base layers, Sitka pants, Cabelas microtex shirts. I've been using (and abusing) a Hilliberg Nallo 3 tent the past few years and love it. Lots of useable space...especially with the giant vestibule. Good camera and camcorder is a must. My camera is a waterproof Lumix. I switched over to tiny Panasonic camcorder that has a giant telephoto on it and takes great HD 1080 video. It fits in a large pocket. Wild sheep are my favorite species to hunt...pronghorn are also way up there!

 

[Jdog]

i take my trekking poles everywhere--knee and leg savers for sure.