Cartridge choice for sheep hunt

[TN2shot07]

I just think I’d have to do it with a 270

 

[wildwilderness]

Nothing like turning a sheep thread into a charging bear self defense thread.

Maybe those who have killed sheep should post what they killed their sheep with?

4 sheep with a 7 saum, (it also has killed 3 mt goats and some bears) and a couple sheep shot with a bow I don’t think they are that tough,

But 1 “charging” brown bear that ran between my buddy and my self that was yelled off that was sketchy for a second. It always happens way faster than expected. The buddy had a pistol and didn’t see the bear til it was between us and heard the commotion. My rifle was strapped on the pack with a dead sheep.

I Yelled at the bear and it realized what we were and luckily kept running. By the time I got the rifle off and my friend down the rock-slide pulled the pistol the bear was hi tailing it out of effective range weaving in and out of trees


On another sheep hunt I had a stupid black bear destroy my camp! I left for about an hour in the morning to glass a ridge- I had to move about a quarter mile to get a good view. I come back and another hunter is standing by my camp and asks if I saw the bear. I say no but look at my tent, sleeping bag and food all destroyed! The hunter heads off another direction and I take stock of the situation- need to pull out. While cleaning up I hear some noise behind me and see that black bear coming back! Needless to say he took a 7mm bullet in the chest and I packed down a hide and skull with the rest of the mess!

After that I make a point to shoot bears when sheep hunting!

 

[stevevan]

Anyone who is going on a Guided sheep hunt, needs to give next to zero concern about packing a rifle that they feel needs to protect them from a bear attack. Your are with a guide who carries a gun for that purpose.

Besides, any gun that you are carrying for sheep would have the potential to stop a charge.

Remember, you don’t need to kill a charging brown bear in one shot. All you are doing is stopping an initial charge so you can either get out of the situation or have time to place a CNS shot(s).

For what it's worth. On 3 of my 4 northern sheep hunts the guide didn't carry a weapon.

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

For what it's worth. On 3 of my 4 northern sheep hunts the guide didn't carry a weapon.

Unless he did that because he knew that you were particularly competent, that sounds pretty naive of the guide to 1: trust that his hunters had foolproof rifle systems that would hold zero and make an ethical shot on a ram, and 2: trust that his hunter was able to act as his protector in the slim case of a bear encounter lol.

 

[stevevan]

I like to think they thought I was particularly competent. I am.

 

[RdRdrFan]

6.5-284 for first ram.

Built a new 6.5 PRC for my sheep hunt this August.

 

[sticknbox]

6ish pounds and moderate recoil I would probably get a 7mm-08 or AI of that. My setup is a 7mm WSM and a little over 7 lbs ready to go. 162 ELD-X

 

[Bado20]

Took my ram with a 7mm-08 and the 162 ELD-M. Dead right there, shot was only 182 yards though. Have a hunt planned for this summer, I’ll be taking a 6.5CM. They aren’t particularly tough, last sheep hunt we also hammered a goat with one shot from a 6.5 PRC.

 

[Bado20]

Took my ram with a 7mm-08 and the 162 ELD-M. Dead right there, shot was only 182 yards though. Have a hunt planned for this summer, I’ll be taking a 6.5CM. They aren’t particularly tough, last sheep hunt we also hammered a goat with one shot from a 6.5 PRC.

 

[teph45]

Well, it's been 25 years but I used a 30/06 Mauser shooting Sierra 165 gr hpbt game king to kill a rocky mountain bighorn here in Oregon. That old sporter 98 Mauser has killed mule deer in Oregon and Idaho as well as caribou in Alaska. Still have that rifle, it's one of my favorites.