Judging Legal Dall Sheep

[Cascade340]

Does anyone know of any good articles or videos for judging legal dall sheep in Alaska? Other than the Alaska Fish and Game one? Drew a dall sheep permit in Alaska and this will be my first dall sheep hunt so just looking to understand it as best as I can before I get out there.

 

[Blockcaver]

You might google "judging stone sheep" as there are some documents and videos there. They are a thinhorn just as a Dall is. Good luck!

 

[stvnshnn]

I like the Proving Trail Adventures first DVD, Lace Em Up. There's a few hunts on it and there's an "Extras" feature that covers field judging rams.

Lace' em Up | Proving Trail Adventures

Alaska Sheep Hunting Instructional Video Video Summary The first ever Do-It-Yourself Dall Sheep Hunting Instructional Video. Everything you need to know in order to Lace' em Up for your own Dall Sheep Hunt in Alaska. 160 Minutes Price: $34.95Domestic and International Shipping Fees apply In this...

www.provingtrailadventures.com

 

[Bambistew]

Look at every sheep mount you can find, and every picture/video you can scour of live sheep. When they look at you head on, look at the tips, they should come up past the eye, or at least past the bridge of the nose. If the tips are really thin and hard to see. Good chance its a dink. There are threads on there and other places with "is it legal."
IMO, if you have to spend much time deciding if they are legal, you will be disappointed in the outcome unless the outcome is to just fill a tag. Everyone has their own bar for measuring success.

Mature rams have a swagger, and pot belly/swayed back. The horns will look massive at first glance compared to a younger ram, more mass down lower. Bases on younger rams are usually pretty smooth, not many ridges.

My only advice for a draw a tag (which have far better age class than OTC areas), is if you have to spend more than 30 seconds trying to figure out if they're legal... look for another ram. Squeekers don't look big, and your brain will try to make them legal. Don't fall for it...

Good luck on your hunt!

 

[Wingert]

Here's a couple resources from Alaska Dept of Fish and Game.

Dall Sheep Guide to Judging Sheep Horns Under the Full-Curl Regulation:

https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/hunting/dallsheephunting/pdfs/dall_sheep_guide_to_judging_sheep_horns_under_full_curl_regulation.pdf

Dall Sheep Hunting Full-Curl Identification Guide

https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/hunting/dallsheephunting/pdfs/dall_sheep_hunting_full_curl_identification_guide.pdf

 

[huntfishtrap]

Go to a local Cabelas, Bass pro, etc.. Look at as many mounts as you can from afar. Also, dont shy away from calling the closest ADF&G area office to the hunt you drew and ask for the Area Biologist. They have lots of great tips and can help you with questions you have about the hunt. Another important consideration: get into sheep shape! Best of luck.

 

[justinspicher]

This book really helped me out. I read it twice before my sheep hunt in 2018.

 

[wildwilderness]

Where do you live? Are you a resident?

 

[Cascade340]

Thanks for the resources and advice! I’ve read the Tony Russ book and jack wilsons book so far. Trying to get my hands on Duncan gilchrist’s book now.

 

[Cascade340]

Where do you live? Are you a resident?

Montana. I’m a non-resident going with a family member.

 

[Silver]

No other resources to share beyond what's already up there. Two pieces of advice that I've learned over the years.

1) patience - take the time to confirm from many angles that he's legal - I've found that unlike other game you've usually got plenty of time to look rams over.
2) if you have to work at all to convince yourself that he's legal, he's not legal.

Have a great hunt - my Dall hunts in BC is probably my favorite trips.

 

[wildwilderness]

Montana. I’m a non-resident going with a family member.

So you are going with an First degree kin Family member that is an Alaskan resident? Have they hunted sheep before? Been successful?

 

[Wingert]

I forgot to include Duncan Gilchrist's video - Field Evaluating the Thinhorn Ram.

Field Evaluating the Thinhorn Ram | eBay

For every hunter that gets a chance tho hunt a bighorn ram, there are many that get to hunt Dall or Stone sheep. Learn tricks of evaluating sheep from Alaska guide Tad Gilbert, as well as from Duncan.

www.ebay.com

 

[Bearlodge10]

+1 for checking out every mount you can. Most of the mounts are going to be big, so keep in mind what different horn configurations look like as well as counting rings. Also watch all the videos you can and my suggestion is to go through them and put them on Mute to judge the sheep, then go back and watch with sound on to pick up insight the guide/hunter has to say.
I agree with the post from above that mentions talking to the Area biologist. Getting a good idea of caliber of rams in the area and insight to horn growth/configuration is always good. There are areas where rams have wide horns and rarely get full curl even when older than 9 or 10 years old. Info that is good to know before going into the back country.

 

[AKjon]

Does anyone know of any good articles or videos for judging legal dall sheep in Alaska? Other than the Alaska Fish and Game one? Drew a dall sheep permit in Alaska and this will be my first dall sheep hunt so just looking to understand it as best as I can before I get out there.

Cascade, what tag did you draw if you don't mind sharing, and were you successful?

 

[Aubs8]

Check out Clay Lancaster and the "crown method"....there was a thread on here...I can't find the video but did find a podcast on youtube. Have fun!

 

[Aubs8]

This is the podcast...

 

[BBob]

Check out Clay Lancaster and the "crown method"....there was a thread on here...I can't find the video but did find a podcast on youtube. Have fun!

He has another video where he has 4-5 heads of various ages and legalities in the back of a pickup that’s pretty good too. Can’t seem to find it at the moment.

https://wildsheepsociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Understanding-Sheep-Aging-Andrew-Walker.pdf

 

[Aubs8]

https://wildsheepsociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Understanding-Sheep-Aging-Andrew-Walker.pdf

Thank you, Bbob!

 

[Doc Holliday]

Cascade, what tag did you draw if you don't mind sharing, and were you successful?

Looks like he took care of business

Congrats on a cranker Cascade