Idaho 27-2 Sheep Tag

[Mountain Built]

Hey guys!
I'm beyond excited because I just drew my first sheep tag! It's in Idaho Unit 27-2, which is pretty rough, remote country, but my wife and I will be able to spend quite a bit of time up there. I just wanted to hop on here to see if anyone has had experience up in that part of the Frank Church. I'm just starting to gather as much information as I can.
Thanks in advance!
-Jason

 

[timstl]

Nice, congrats on the draw! Good luck.

 

[Mountain Built]

Thank you! I’ve never been so excited for a tag in my life… it seems like it has the potential to be the adventure of a lifetime

 

[xwiscony]

Well I’ll see you up there! I drew that one as well!

 

[Mountain Built]

Awesome!! Huge congrats! Have you ever been in that country? I can’t wait for the snow to melt so we can get up there and see it in person!

 

[BeaverHunter]

Drawing the tags in that unit might have been the easy part.

 

[Mountain Built]

Drawing the tags in that unit might have been the easy part.

That’s what I’m starting to gather… I knew harvest rates were low, but I’ve read about guys who spend 10-14 days in there without ever seeing a ram!

 

[xwiscony]

I haven't but am planning on getting down there in a month or so. It's a bit of a drive but not terrible. Think im planning on getting down there once to scout and then two 7-10 day hunts if needed.... Thats what I have the wife talked into now anyway.. Mine won't be going with she will be watching the little ones so my time is a slightly more limited.

 

[Mountain Built]

I haven't but am planning on getting down there in a month or so. It's a bit of a drive but not terrible. Think im planning on getting down there once to scout and then two 7-10 day hunts if needed.... Thats what I have the wife talked into now anyway.. Mine won't be going with she will be watching the little ones so my time is a slightly more limited.

Awesome! I would think that would be enough time to get into some sheep… we’re hoping to get up in there to scout at least once in July and then hopefully again in august. We’re hoping to go in from panther creek once and then from the bighorn crags trailhead for the second trip. We’ve never been up there, but we’re hoping to find a spot to camp where my dad is able to come along at least to base camp. Looks rugged and steep, but at least there are some good trails in there

 

[Kimbersig]

Awesome! I would think that would be enough time to get into some sheep… we’re hoping to get up in there to scout at least once in July and then hopefully again in august. We’re hoping to go in from panther creek once and then from the bighorn crags trailhead for the second trip. We’ve never been up there, but we’re hoping to find a spot to camp where my dad is able to come along at least to base camp. Looks rugged and steep, but at least there are some good trails in there

Don’t be a too sure on that! I know guys that spend 20+ days without seeing a ram. I spent 18 days in the unit up river. 14th day I finally found a mature ram. That country is the most brutal country and there is little water on too near the trails outside of the lakes where the sheep seldom visit. Most rams will be a long ways from the trails and with how steep it is it’s very difficult to glass from the tops. It’s amazing country. Good luck to you two. Enjoy the experience and hope you find rams. Depending on where you live…hiring Dave Melton the outfitter for that unit may be worth your time and money for an OIL tag that is getting harder and harder to draw.

 

[Mountain Built]

Don’t be a too sure on that! I know guys that spend 20+ days without seeing a ram. I spent 18 days in the unit up river. 14th day I finally found a mature ram. That country is the most brutal country and there is little water on too near the trails outside of the lakes where the sheep seldom visit. Most rams will be a long ways from the trails and with how steep it is it’s very difficult to glass from the tops. It’s amazing country. Good luck to you two. Enjoy the experience and hope you find rams. Depending on where you live…hiring Dave Melton the outfitter for that unit may be worth your time and money for an OIL tag that is getting harder and harder to draw.

Awesome! Thank you for the info! Did you end up killing the mature ram you found?
It seems like everyone goes into these units with optimism thinking they’ll beat the odds (which is the stage I’m at now lol), then reality hits around day 7 when they haven’t seen a single ram… then they just stick it out and try to put themselves into position to get lucky and find one.
I’m thankful to live relatively close to the unit and my wife and I have quite a bit of time to dedicate to the hunt.
I’m so excited to get to experience that country for this summer and early fall.

 

[MCS]

Have you looked into floating the river?

 

[Mountain Built]

Have you looked into floating the river?

Only a little… I would definitely have to hire someone because I don’t have any river experience. We have mules and most the places we want to check out first are pretty deep into the heart of the unit, so we’re thinking we’ll come in from the top, but we’re still obviously pretty early in the planning process. Have you ever floated the middle fork?

 

[MCS]

I have not but I have seen some good rams just up river from your unit. When I was glassing from the river.

 

[Mountain Built]

I have not but I have seen some good rams just up river from your unit. When I was glassing from the river.

That’s awesome! We’ll definitely have to look into that option… we’re open to anything that increases our odds of finding a mature ram

 

[Mountain Built]

I have not but I have seen some good rams just up river from your unit. When I was glassing from the river.

That’s awesome! We’ll definitely have to look into that option… we’re open to anything that increases our odds of finding a mature ram

I have not but I have seen some good rams just up river from your unit. When I was glassing from the river.

What month we’re you glassing from the river, if you don’t mind me asking?

 

[MCS]

That’s awesome! We’ll definitely have to look into that option… we’re open to anything that increases our odds of finding a mature ram

What month we’re you glassing from the river, if you don’t mind me asking?

Last week of October

 

[xwiscony]

I backpacked in for 9 days with a buddy and we had a great time. Saw 2 different groups of sheep but no Rams. Hoping to get back out closer to the end of the season. Best of luck to you!

 

[Mountain Built]

I backpacked in for 9 days with a buddy and we had a great time. Saw 2 different groups of sheep but no Rams. Hoping to get back out closer to the end of the season. Best of luck to you!

Yeah, it is SUPER tough to find them in there. We didn’t see a ram for the first 7 days we were in there and it was pretty discouraging. We got unlucky and ended up on the same glassing point as the outfitter and his hunter on opening morning lol But I suppose that’s the way it goes sometimes.
My wife and I made it back in there and killed a ram on day nine of hunting… not a giant, but it was an amazing experience and he aged at 9 1/2. I’m so pumped with him! He was by himself and just appeared out of nowhere. I hope you get to have that experience!
The biologist did say that guys are usually more successful later in the season because the bands of rams break up and they start to move a little more. He said they’re definitely not rutting at that time, but they’re a little more visible at least.
My ram was up high, but I don’t think that info is much help… it sounds like they can be anywhere from the river to the top. And plus, we didn’t even see a ram for the first 7 days, so we basically just got blessed to cross paths with our ram lol
My wife enjoyed the experience so much, she’s going to apply next year, but my legs aren’t quite recovered enough to be that excited about it yet.
Anyway, I hope you’re able to find one. I was getting pretty discouraged when that ram appeared, so just keep glassing and hopefully you’ll get a lucky break like we did!
Keep me posted!
-Jason

 

[xwiscony]

Jason,
Gald to hear you had success! I just missed crossing paths with one on the last day of my first trip. Some hikers had one walk through their camp an hour before we got their but I couldn't turn it up again. Then i'm back in town for 4 days and my buddy calls to help him pack out an elk so after I get off work I toss in my boots and pack and head up to the mountain to try and beat the sun going down. Of course I didn't throw in my bow and i drove up on a real nice 6 point that was playing with his ladies right off the road. Hopefully my luck changes! I'll be headed back solo in October so hopefully I can manifest one for myself! you've got one tough wife if she spent that many days behind the glass with you on the mountain!