Slim Jim
WKR
What an awesome adventure! What happened next?
"I am not sure I'm cut out for this"--Becca's 2012 Dall Sheep Hunt
- Thread starter Becca
- Start date
Kevin Root
WKR
Thanks for the post on what type chairs you posted Becca. I have some old ones that have a foam pad but they are bulky and not all that easy to pack. I like chairs more so for some back relief. Sitting without back support on the ground gets old after a while, for me at least. The chairs you have look like they would pack down well.
Great post by the way and some nice pictures.
Great post by the way and some nice pictures.
So Becca,
I understand that you just buy the sleeve, then use your matress in the sleeve when you want a chair?
sounds like a great idea.
I understand that you just buy the sleeve, then use your matress in the sleeve when you want a chair?
sounds like a great idea.
luke moffat
Super Moderator
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2012
- Messages
- 102
Robby,
That is correct or you can just leave the pad in the "chair sleeve". Overall a standard folding bleacher chair is about 50% heavier and only really functions as a chair. Plus the Thermaest setup packs down smaller as well. Handy little setup, especially when stuck in the tent in foggy/rain for hours and playing cards in the tent to pass the time.
I think total its 14 oz so and it rolls up nice and small.
That is correct or you can just leave the pad in the "chair sleeve". Overall a standard folding bleacher chair is about 50% heavier and only really functions as a chair. Plus the Thermaest setup packs down smaller as well. Handy little setup, especially when stuck in the tent in foggy/rain for hours and playing cards in the tent to pass the time.
I think total its 14 oz so and it rolls up nice and small.
Robby,
That is correct or you can just leave the pad in the "chair sleeve". Overall a standard folding bleacher chair is about 50% heavier and only really functions as a chair. Plus the Thermaest setup packs down smaller as well. Handy little setup, especially when stuck in the tent in foggy/rain for hours and playing cards in the tent to pass the time.
They are also alot more comfortable than a bleacher style chair.
- Thread Starter
- #27
OP
At the sound of the shot, the remaining sheep stood up, and all four
actually began meandering slowly towards us, as they looked around
nervously. My heart sank, as the ram did not appear to be hit, and I
assumed I had missed. We would later determine this first shot hit the
sheep in the neck, which would have been fatal, though he didn’t show
it.
While the sheep weren't moving that fast, I feared that any moment
they would hightail it out of the bowl before I had another chance to
anchor my ram. As they walked, the rams were intermittently blocked
from my view by Volkswagen sized boulders in the bowl below me. I
concentrated hard to be sure I knew which one was "my ram" in case he
presented me with a follow up shot. After agonizing seconds, he walked
fully from behind a boulder, and Luke confirmed through the spotter
that he was the one I was after. I steadied my crosshairs once again
and fired.
I didn't even have time to jack another bullet into the chamber before
I heard Luke hollering beside me. "YOU DID IT!!!" he yelled. Sure
enough, a look through my rifle scope showed all four legs in the air!
I had successfully taken my very first Dall Sheep!
A glance at my watch showed that it was just after noon. As we
gathered our gear to head down to the sheep, Luke and I discussed what
to do. The bowl where my sheep lay appeared to have reasonable access
to the creek drainage below, which flowed 8 miles back to the airstrip
and our additional food cache. We decided that it made the most sense
to pack the sheep downward to the creek and directly back to the
airstrip, rather than carrying it uphill and back through the boulder
fields to where the tent was. Plus, while we had very little of our
food remaining, we now had a whole sheep to eat.
We made our way through still more boulders down to my ram, and maybe
it was the adrenaline but I hardly minded the terrain. I was overjoyed
when I could finally look him over up close, he was indeed quite
symmetrical with intact lamb tips that flared out beautifully. As we
set up to take photos, Luke reminded me with a smile, “I thought you
weren’t cut out for this sheep hunting thing?” All I could do was grin
sheepishly (pun very much intended).
After the photos, we got to work caping the sheep out and putting the meat into game bags. One of my personal goals for this hunting season was to do my own caping; I have previously helped take apart a lot of animals, but never been the one calling the shots and wielding the knife. With Luke's direction I took my time, trying hard not to put any big holes in the cape, and making mental notes for next time I
found myself skinning and butchering an animal.
By the time we were finished, and had my ram in our packs it was about 4:30pm. Luke and I hadn't eaten since breakfast, and so we each enjoyed a Snickers bar now to give us a little fuel for the pack down to the creek where we planned to make camp for the night. Except for sheep, our food supply was pitifully dismal now, and I hoped we could make it to the airstrip to resupply without too much trouble the following day. To save time, we packed the meat bone-in and the cape still had the head in it. We were both careful with our footing as we slowly descended the bowl with heavy packs.
actually began meandering slowly towards us, as they looked around
nervously. My heart sank, as the ram did not appear to be hit, and I
assumed I had missed. We would later determine this first shot hit the
sheep in the neck, which would have been fatal, though he didn’t show
it.
While the sheep weren't moving that fast, I feared that any moment
they would hightail it out of the bowl before I had another chance to
anchor my ram. As they walked, the rams were intermittently blocked
from my view by Volkswagen sized boulders in the bowl below me. I
concentrated hard to be sure I knew which one was "my ram" in case he
presented me with a follow up shot. After agonizing seconds, he walked
fully from behind a boulder, and Luke confirmed through the spotter
that he was the one I was after. I steadied my crosshairs once again
and fired.
I didn't even have time to jack another bullet into the chamber before
I heard Luke hollering beside me. "YOU DID IT!!!" he yelled. Sure
enough, a look through my rifle scope showed all four legs in the air!
I had successfully taken my very first Dall Sheep!
A glance at my watch showed that it was just after noon. As we
gathered our gear to head down to the sheep, Luke and I discussed what
to do. The bowl where my sheep lay appeared to have reasonable access
to the creek drainage below, which flowed 8 miles back to the airstrip
and our additional food cache. We decided that it made the most sense
to pack the sheep downward to the creek and directly back to the
airstrip, rather than carrying it uphill and back through the boulder
fields to where the tent was. Plus, while we had very little of our
food remaining, we now had a whole sheep to eat.
We made our way through still more boulders down to my ram, and maybe
it was the adrenaline but I hardly minded the terrain. I was overjoyed
when I could finally look him over up close, he was indeed quite
symmetrical with intact lamb tips that flared out beautifully. As we
set up to take photos, Luke reminded me with a smile, “I thought you
weren’t cut out for this sheep hunting thing?” All I could do was grin
sheepishly (pun very much intended).
After the photos, we got to work caping the sheep out and putting the meat into game bags. One of my personal goals for this hunting season was to do my own caping; I have previously helped take apart a lot of animals, but never been the one calling the shots and wielding the knife. With Luke's direction I took my time, trying hard not to put any big holes in the cape, and making mental notes for next time I
found myself skinning and butchering an animal.
By the time we were finished, and had my ram in our packs it was about 4:30pm. Luke and I hadn't eaten since breakfast, and so we each enjoyed a Snickers bar now to give us a little fuel for the pack down to the creek where we planned to make camp for the night. Except for sheep, our food supply was pitifully dismal now, and I hoped we could make it to the airstrip to resupply without too much trouble the following day. To save time, we packed the meat bone-in and the cape still had the head in it. We were both careful with our footing as we slowly descended the bowl with heavy packs.
- Thread Starter
- #29
OP
Glad you are enjoying the story so far, it truly was an incredible trip, and one Luke and I will never forget!
I will try to get the rest posted by this evening...
I will try to get the rest posted by this evening...
Mike7
WKR
Becca and Luke, that is awesome!
Becca, I can't help but jump ahead, and hopefully this will be answered later in the story...so can you safely store the cape and meat inside of the bear fence while you have to hike back up the mountain to get the rest of your gear? Here we have plenty of tall trees for hanging meat and not too many grizzlies, so I don't have experience with the bear fences...it just seems like fresh sheep meat might cause a grizzly to learn the "high jump"
Becca, I can't help but jump ahead, and hopefully this will be answered later in the story...so can you safely store the cape and meat inside of the bear fence while you have to hike back up the mountain to get the rest of your gear? Here we have plenty of tall trees for hanging meat and not too many grizzlies, so I don't have experience with the bear fences...it just seems like fresh sheep meat might cause a grizzly to learn the "high jump"
mtbshark
WKR
oh man great write up and an awesome critter you got.
Congrats Becca
Congrats Becca
Gman
WKR
Great write up Becca! I can totally relate to the mental drain and challenge from boulder fields. I do not like them either!
Looking forward to the rest of the story.
Looking forward to the rest of the story.
a3dhunter
WKR
I agree completely.
When you start questioning your safety and realize you are risking your life it is time to re-evaluate. The mental strain is exhausting.
- Thread Starter
- #34
OP
Three hours later, we were down to the creek bottom and found a flat
spot to bivy for the second night in a row. We both gathered dead
brush, and soon had a small fire going. I got into the gamebags and
retrieved some of the miscellaneous neck and rib meat, which we
roasted on sticks and seasoned with some seasoning salt I had brought
for just this purpose.
The meat was excellent, and we both had fat dripping down our chins as
we ate our fill of the best meat there is! We ate and ate, knowing our
other food supplies were limited and we still had about 8 miles of
packing to get the sheep to the airstrip. Later that evening, we sat
by the fire and I boned out the quarters while Luke pulled the skull
out of the cape and removed the lower jaw to lighten our loads for the
following day.
The pack to the airstrip the next day was long, wet, and hungry. We
were able to walk gravel bars for most of the distance, but often had
to cross the creek to avoid the brush.
In the narrower sections we actually walked in the creek to avoid
climbing or beating the bushes. The water was fairly warm and only
about knee deep, but we took care to hold onto each other and make
sure neither of us slipped with our heavy packs. We saw two black
bears within a single 1/4 mile stretch along the creek, and Luke
almost walked into one that stood up in the brush about 20 yards in
front of him as he hiked with his head down, but it took off when it
winded us.
All we had to eat for the 8 hours of packing was some left over cooked
sheep from the night before, one packet of peanut butter M&Ms each,
one energy gel each, and a single snack bar that I gave to Luke in the
last mile when he "ran out of gas". I don't think I have ever
experienced hunger to the same degree I felt that day, for which I am
profoundly grateful. I know many people all over the world are hungry
all the time, and I feel fortunate that I always have more than enough
to exceed my needs. I am pretty sure I either fantasized or worried
about food at least every 5 minutes for that entire pack out. As we
came out of the brush onto the gravel bar near the airstrip, my heart
was hammering as I worried about whether our supplies would still be
inside the bear fence or not. I felt an immense sense of relief when I
spotted our dry bag full of supplies, and we literally dropped our
packs and ran to start boiling water to rehydrate our supper.
We made a fire again that night after dinner, and attempted
unsuccessfully to dry out our socks and boots for the following day.
We each had spare socks on the trip, but we foolishly left them up at
5800' with the rest of our camp. We did have a pair of socks around
our Sat Phone in a gallon ziplock bag, and we took turns wearing them
before Luke gave in and let me wear them to sleep in our bivy shelter
for the third night in a row.
The following day we hiked back up the drainage to retrieve camp, and
since our feet were still wet, we opted to walk in the creek again to
save time.
We arrived to find the tent and supplies just as we had left them, and
stayed the night there before packing everything back down to the
airstrip the following morning. After hiking back to the strip, we
finally had the sheep and all our supplies in one place. We called
the air service to see if an early pick up would be possible as we
still had 12 days left in the season, and weren't scheduled to come
out until then. Less than two hours later, I heard the distant sound
of a plane engine, and we hurried to collect all our gear before they
landed to pick us up. As I packed up my cape and horns, I felt elated
to finally have a ram of my own, but slightly disappointed that the
trip of a lifetime was coming to a close.
spot to bivy for the second night in a row. We both gathered dead
brush, and soon had a small fire going. I got into the gamebags and
retrieved some of the miscellaneous neck and rib meat, which we
roasted on sticks and seasoned with some seasoning salt I had brought
for just this purpose.
The meat was excellent, and we both had fat dripping down our chins as
we ate our fill of the best meat there is! We ate and ate, knowing our
other food supplies were limited and we still had about 8 miles of
packing to get the sheep to the airstrip. Later that evening, we sat
by the fire and I boned out the quarters while Luke pulled the skull
out of the cape and removed the lower jaw to lighten our loads for the
following day.
The pack to the airstrip the next day was long, wet, and hungry. We
were able to walk gravel bars for most of the distance, but often had
to cross the creek to avoid the brush.
In the narrower sections we actually walked in the creek to avoid
climbing or beating the bushes. The water was fairly warm and only
about knee deep, but we took care to hold onto each other and make
sure neither of us slipped with our heavy packs. We saw two black
bears within a single 1/4 mile stretch along the creek, and Luke
almost walked into one that stood up in the brush about 20 yards in
front of him as he hiked with his head down, but it took off when it
winded us.
All we had to eat for the 8 hours of packing was some left over cooked
sheep from the night before, one packet of peanut butter M&Ms each,
one energy gel each, and a single snack bar that I gave to Luke in the
last mile when he "ran out of gas". I don't think I have ever
experienced hunger to the same degree I felt that day, for which I am
profoundly grateful. I know many people all over the world are hungry
all the time, and I feel fortunate that I always have more than enough
to exceed my needs. I am pretty sure I either fantasized or worried
about food at least every 5 minutes for that entire pack out. As we
came out of the brush onto the gravel bar near the airstrip, my heart
was hammering as I worried about whether our supplies would still be
inside the bear fence or not. I felt an immense sense of relief when I
spotted our dry bag full of supplies, and we literally dropped our
packs and ran to start boiling water to rehydrate our supper.
We made a fire again that night after dinner, and attempted
unsuccessfully to dry out our socks and boots for the following day.
We each had spare socks on the trip, but we foolishly left them up at
5800' with the rest of our camp. We did have a pair of socks around
our Sat Phone in a gallon ziplock bag, and we took turns wearing them
before Luke gave in and let me wear them to sleep in our bivy shelter
for the third night in a row.
The following day we hiked back up the drainage to retrieve camp, and
since our feet were still wet, we opted to walk in the creek again to
save time.
We arrived to find the tent and supplies just as we had left them, and
stayed the night there before packing everything back down to the
airstrip the following morning. After hiking back to the strip, we
finally had the sheep and all our supplies in one place. We called
the air service to see if an early pick up would be possible as we
still had 12 days left in the season, and weren't scheduled to come
out until then. Less than two hours later, I heard the distant sound
of a plane engine, and we hurried to collect all our gear before they
landed to pick us up. As I packed up my cape and horns, I felt elated
to finally have a ram of my own, but slightly disappointed that the
trip of a lifetime was coming to a close.
- Thread Starter
- #35
OP
Thanks for your kind words everyone! I am glad you enjoyed the story, and I am sorry it took me so long to get it written up...
We did end up storing the meat and cape inside the bear fence while we made our trip back up to retrieve camp. While I can't say I felt good about leaving it, it wasnt possible to haul it with us back up the hill, and the bear fence made us feel somewhat better about having to leave it.
The night we bivied on the creek bottom, we tucked the meat, cape and horns underneath the guy outs on the Megatarp. It would have been quite the awakening if a bear had gotten into it, but at least we would have known. Fortunately the only bears we encountered on this trip were of the black variety, and they were always running away from us
Becca, I can't help but jump ahead, and hopefully this will be answered later in the story...so can you safely store the cape and meat inside of the bear fence while you have to hike back up the mountain to get the rest of your gear? Here we have plenty of tall trees for hanging meat and not too many grizzlies, so I don't have experience with the bear fences...it just seems like fresh sheep meat might cause a grizzly to learn the "high jump"
We did end up storing the meat and cape inside the bear fence while we made our trip back up to retrieve camp. While I can't say I felt good about leaving it, it wasnt possible to haul it with us back up the hill, and the bear fence made us feel somewhat better about having to leave it.
The night we bivied on the creek bottom, we tucked the meat, cape and horns underneath the guy outs on the Megatarp. It would have been quite the awakening if a bear had gotten into it, but at least we would have known. Fortunately the only bears we encountered on this trip were of the black variety, and they were always running away from us
- Thread Starter
- #36
OP
It is important to recognize that I am a whole lot better at bouldering, but it still isn't what I would call "natural" for me. I find myself over thinking every step, and then look up to see Luke balanced on one leg, sprinting through the shale like its not big deal
I doubt I will ever move like that in the mountains, but I managed to work through my fears to get it done, and with only a few tears Pretty sure my husband is a saint since he patiently continued to take me along 
fillthefreezer
WKR
this part right here sounds very familiar, in a place I've affectionately named broke leg basin, a certain somebody gets a little flustered sometimes.It is important to recognize that I am a whole lot better at bouldering, but it still isn't what I would call "natural" for me. I find myself over thinking every step, and then look up to see Luke balanced on one leg, sprinting through the shale like its not big deal
hope she doesn't read this
- Thread Starter
- #38
OP
this part right here sounds very familiar, in a place I've affectionately named broke leg basin, a certain somebody gets a little flustered sometimes.
hope she doesn't read this
I hope she does! If this thread encouraged even one person, male or female, to get out there and try then it's all been worth it. I didn't grow up in a hunting family, nor was I ever particularly athletic....if I can get out there and do this anyone can.
Broke leg basin....think I might have been there once....and bought the t-shirt
BuckSnort
WKR
Awesome read! Congrat's on the ram...You guys make a great team..
bowuntr
WKR
Very, very, very.... cool. Congratulations. Ed F
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