Montana Unlimited units

[Midwest_mountain_hunter]

Spoiler -I’m a super noob and I’m not a billionaire…I know it’s a shock. Alas, my only real option for sheep hunting is the unlimited units of Montana. I have searched Rokslide for info about the unlimited but all the posts are several years old.

No one wants to give up the honey hole, and I’m not asking…unless you’re telling….I’m more curious about the terrain. Specifically unit 501. Full disclosure, I’ve only done 2 western hunts in my life. A black bear in MT and a goat in Haines AK….I tend to punch above my weight class lol!

Anyone with experience in unit 501? What’s the hiking like? Is it steep? Thick brush? Is water readily available? How are the bears there, prolific? Aggressive?

I appreciate any suggestions. Now 501 is about 411 square miles, so obviously terrain could vary, but all information is good.

Thanks!

 

[Mojave]

You must have read enough on Rockslide to learn that no one actually shares information about it. Asking about units is forbidden.

 

[Midwest_mountain_hunter]

You must have read enough on Rockslide to learn that no one actually shares information about it. Asking about units is forbidden.

I have not, like I said. I’m a super noob. Thanks for the heads up. I’ll remember that from now on

 

[Bambistew]

Those hunts are some of the hardest in the west, both physically and mentally.

They're unlimited for a reason.

Good luck.

 

[Snowhunter11]

Anyone with experience in unit 501? What’s the hiking like? Hiking on the moon. Lots of rocks big and small.

Is it steep? Yes it sure can be in a lot of areas. The area has some of the highest peaks in Montana

Thick brush? In areas shred your clothes thick and pokey

Is water readily available? Depends on the melting snow pack and how much rain has fallen.

How are the bears there, prolific? Depends on the year. But yes some areas have a lot of bear shit

Aggressive? All bears are different just like humans.

All of these subjects can be researched. A lot of people walk in a few miles and just camp. Never to return again…

My advice-
Perfect your survival/camping/packing skills on easier hunts before attempting what I consider the ultimate competition for sheep. Mountain athletes from all over the US, Canada, and even world show up with little odds of success.

 

[MTGunner]

The unlimited in MT is a crap shoot. So many tags are sold. Lots of starry eyed hunters cover each zone. You would have to spend weeks searching good cover and if you were lucky enough, put a ram to bed the night before opening day. The terrain isn’t that heavy cover. We, two 73 year old old farts, hiked to the top of the pass. Very doable. Bears? Yes, there are black and griz. BTW, you had better sleep where you spotted that ram. PLUS, it has to be a legal ram. Good luck. MTG

 

[Midwest_mountain_hunter]

Thanks gents, this is good feedback. I was going into it assuming it would likely be a glorified camping trip, but if you never try you can never succeed!

If anyone has something to add please feel free! Happy hunting.

 

[jpmulk]

If you really want it then go do it. But it’s a multi year thing. I know a few guys have gotten it done in those units. I’ve heard the average is 7 years before filling a tag if you hit it hard. I know one guy it took 6 or 7 years and the other it took 3. They basically gave up archery elk and would be in the unlimited unit for 10-14 days at a time. Takes a while to learn weather and sheep patterns. Plus you are looking for a needle in a haystack. You need to want it and you need to enjoy just being in the backcountry. And you need to be ok with not filling a tag.

 

[DIYHNT]

The unlimited in MT is a crap shoot. So many tags are sold. Lots of starry eyed hunters cover each zone. You would have to spend weeks searching good cover and if you were lucky enough, put a ram to bed the night before opening day. The terrain isn’t that heavy cover. We, two 73 year old old farts, hiked to the top of the pass. Very doable. Bears? Yes, there are black and griz. BTW, you had better sleep where you spotted that ram. PLUS, it has to be a legal ram. Good luck. MTG

Good suggestions, I wish I had read this before going on the hunt. Could have make a real difference.

 

[The Guide]

Good suggestions, I wish I had read this before going on the hunt. Could have make a real difference.

Anyone who has researched and talked to people would know every thing you quoted. I know people that had multiple groups of hunters camped on 1 ram. They were filming the ram waiting on legal light when another hunter shot the ram 3 minutes early. Nobody got to keep that ram and the FWP had to come site the shooter and take the head and meat. Cutthroat, tough, limited success hunt.

Jay

 

[COSA]

Hunted it a few times. Access in the South is fairly easy, but more hunters and your hoping a ram comes out of the park. Coming in from the North is tougher to get high, as much of the area burned, and the deadfall, doghair regrowth, and boulder fields make it tough - if you get an early snowfall it's downright treacherous. The county is big and cliffed in; it's not easy to move drainage's w/o coming all the way down to the river. It's not an enjoyable hunt, and the country lacks game. As for bears, I jumped a sow and yearling cub at close range, luckily she ran the other way. In the 3 times I hunted it, only saw a handful of ewes and a sickle horned ram.

 

[DIYHNT]

If you really want it then go do it. But it’s a multi year thing. I know a few guys have gotten it done in those units. I’ve heard the average is 7 years before filling a tag if you hit it hard. I know one guy it took 6 or 7 years and the other it took 3. They basically gave up archery elk and would be in the unlimited unit for 10-14 days at a time. Takes a while to learn weather and sheep patterns. Plus you are looking for a needle in a haystack. You need to want it and you need to enjoy just being in the backcountry. And you need to be ok with not filling a tag.

This a is realistic overview.

Anyone who has researched and talked to people would know every thing you quoted. I know people that had multiple groups of hunters camped on 1 ram. They were filming the ram waiting on legal light when another hunter shot the ram 3 minutes early. Nobody got to keep that ram and the FWP had to come site the shooter and take the head and meat. Cutthroat, tough, limited success hunt.

Jay

had a similar experience, but everything was legal. Have you done this hunt multiple years?

 

[MTGunner]

Anyone who has researched and talked to people would know every thing you quoted. I know people that had multiple groups of hunters camped on 1 ram. They were filming the ram waiting on legal light when another hunter shot the ram 3 minutes early. Nobody got to keep that ram and the FWP had to come site the shooter and take the head and meat. Cutthroat, tough, limited success hunt.

Jay

This, in itself is pure selfishness. Shooting before legal shows us all that some people are purely selfish. No one benefits from this.

 

[DIYHNT]

This, in itself is pure selfishness. Shooting before legal shows us all that some people are purely selfish. No one benefits from this.

I understand competition, but shooting before light or over another hunt who is already set up robs the purity of the experience. We as hunters are on the same team and should show respect. Speaking from experience, I had to tip my hat to a successful hunter who was there first. My turn will come if I continue to hunt the unlimiteds.

 

[buffybr]

I'm lucky enough to have started hunting the Unlimiteds in the early '80s. There were more unlimited units, and way fewer hunters. Some years some of the unit quotas didn't fill.

My biggest problem was that I didn't take those hunts seriously enough. Back then we could apply for a limited unit, and if we didn't draw, we could just buy a $25 Unlimited tag. I did that for about 10 years in several units and most years I wouldn't even see another hunter. There also wasn't a 7 year wait to apply if you killed a ram. Most years I just hunted opening weekend, and if I'd get a ram, great, but if I didn't, there was always the next year.

The year that I killed my last Unlimited ram I almost had a confortation with another hunter.

The year befor a friend and I packed a camp in with my horses. About a quarter mile from my camp, an outfitter had a camp with 1 guided hunter and another friend of mine was staying there, but not being guided hunting.

So opening day no one from either camp saw any rams on the mountain above our camps. The second morning, the Outfitter's guide and hunter went up the mountain. The Outfitter and my other friend stopped my camp. We talked and all decided to go around to the back side of the mountain to glass the avalanche chutes for sheep. The Outfitter balked at my Golden Retreiver going with us.

After glassing for about an hour without seeing any sheep, the Outfitter decided to go up the mountain to check on his guide and hunter. He asked if any of us wanted to go up with him, my friends said no, but I said that I was there to hunt so I went with him.

About half way up the mountain I found some fresh sheep tracks going up the mountain so the Outfitter and I split up, him going up an avalanche chute, and I went up through the timber. Higher up the mountain, I came across 2 rams below me at the edge of the avalanche chutes. Both rams were legal, but because I had killed a full curl ram the year before, I decided to pass on them.

I then picked up a walnut size rock and threw it underhanded and hit one of the rams. They ran up the mountain. A few minutes later a shot rang out, then both rams ran back down and stopped just above me. One of the rams ran out into the avalanche chute and the other ram had been gutshot and his small intestines were dragging on the ground like a rope, and he ran the other direction into the trees.

I didn't want to see him suffer so I followed him and caught him in the next avalanche chute, and gave him a finishing shot, then went back and found the Outfitter and his guide and hunter, and took them to the dead ram. I helped them dress the ram and helped carry it over the mountain and down to their camp.

In 9 years of hunting that mountain, that was the 1st ram that the Outfitter had killed. He invited me to a steak dinner at his camp that night, and gave me the biggest Porterhouse steak, and gave my dog all of the bones.

So back to the almost confrontation that I mentioned earlier...

The next year I went back to that area by myself. Opening morning climbed up the mountain, and a little way down the other side I found and shot the ram that I had passed on the year before. While I was dressing him, the Outfitter from the year before and his hunter showed up.

The hunter congratulated me and offered me a drink from his pocket flask, which I thanked him for but refused the drink. Talking with them, they had been on the next ridge and saw me stalking and shoot the ram. The Outfitter had told his hunter to quickly take a long shot at the ram, but his hunter had refused because I was already stalking the ram.

The Outfitter then told me of a trail where I could get my horses close to my ram, and offered me one of his horses to pack my ram out.

Of my 3 Unlimited Unit rams, this one had the shortest curls, but at 9 1/2 years old was the oldest.

 

[AgLawman]

Thanks for the stories, buffybr. I always enjoy well-written sheep tales.

 

[LoH]

That has to go down as one of the most epic photos of a harvest ever. With your loyal Golden Retriever perched on a rock overlooking the scene.

 

[treydfoster]

I'm lucky enough to have started hunting the Unlimiteds in the early '80s. There were more unlimited units, and way fewer hunters. Some years some of the unit quotas didn't fill.

My biggest problem was that I didn't take those hunts seriously enough. Back then we could apply for a limited unit, and if we didn't draw, we could just buy a $25 Unlimited tag. I did that for about 10 years in several units and most years I wouldn't even see another hunter. There also wasn't a 7 year wait to apply if you killed a ram. Most years I just hunted opening weekend, and if I'd get a ram, great, but if I didn't, there was always the next year.

The year that I killed my last Unlimited ram I almost had a confortation with another hunter.

The year befor a friend and I packed a camp in with my horses. About a quarter mile from my camp, an outfitter had a camp with 1 guided hunter and another friend of mine was staying there, but not being guided hunting.

So opening day no one from either camp saw any rams on the mountain above our camps. The second morning, the Outfitter's guide and hunter went up the mountain. The Outfitter and my other friend stopped my camp. We talked and all decided to go around to the back side of the mountain to glass the avalanche chutes for sheep. The Outfitter balked at my Golden Retreiver going with us.

After glassing for about an hour without seeing any sheep, the Outfitter decided to go up the mountain to check on his guide and hunter. He asked if any of us wanted to go up with him, my friends said no, but I said that I was there to hunt so I went with him.

About half way up the mountain I found some fresh sheep tracks going up the mountain so the Outfitter and I split up, him going up an avalanche chute, and I went up through the timber. Higher up the mountain, I came across 2 rams below me at the edge of the avalanche chutes. Both rams were legal, but because I had killed a full curl ram the year before, I decided to pass on them.

I then picked up a walnut size rock and threw it underhanded and hit one of the rams. They ran up the mountain. A few minutes later a shot rang out, then both rams ran back down and stopped just above me. One of the rams ran out into the avalanche chute and the other ram had been gutshot and his small intestines were dragging on the ground like a rope, and he ran the other direction into the trees.

I didn't want to see him suffer so I followed him and caught him in the next avalanche chute, and gave him a finishing shot, then went back and found the Outfitter and his guide and hunter, and took them to the dead ram. I helped them dress the ram and helped carry it over the mountain and down to their camp.

In 9 years of hunting that mountain, that was the 1st ram that the Outfitter had killed. He invited me to a steak dinner at his camp that night, and gave me the biggest Porterhouse steak, and gave my dog all of the bones.

So back to the almost confrontation that I mentioned earlier...

The next year I went back to that area by myself. Opening morning climbed up the mountain, and a little way down the other side I found and shot the ram that I had passed on the year before. While I was dressing him, the Outfitter from the year before and his hunter showed up.

The hunter congratulated me and offered me a drink from his pocket flask, which I thanked him for but refused the drink. Talking with them, they had been on the next ridge and saw me stalking and shoot the ram. The Outfitter had told his hunter to quickly take a long shot at the ram, but his hunter had refused because I was already stalking the ram.

The Outfitter then told me of a trail where I could get my horses close to my ram, and offered me one of his horses to pack my ram out.

Of my 3 Unlimited Unit rams, this one had the shortest curls, but at 9 1/2 years old was the oldest.

Awesome, looks like he could be mines dad.

 

[Jake Larsen]

I'm lucky enough to have started hunting the Unlimiteds in the early '80s. There were more unlimited units, and way fewer hunters. Some years some of the unit quotas didn't fill.

My biggest problem was that I didn't take those hunts seriously enough. Back then we could apply for a limited unit, and if we didn't draw, we could just buy a $25 Unlimited tag. I did that for about 10 years in several units and most years I wouldn't even see another hunter. There also wasn't a 7 year wait to apply if you killed a ram. Most years I just hunted opening weekend, and if I'd get a ram, great, but if I didn't, there was always the next year.

The year that I killed my last Unlimited ram I almost had a confortation with another hunter.

The year befor a friend and I packed a camp in with my horses. About a quarter mile from my camp, an outfitter had a camp with 1 guided hunter and another friend of mine was staying there, but not being guided hunting.

So opening day no one from either camp saw any rams on the mountain above our camps. The second morning, the Outfitter's guide and hunter went up the mountain. The Outfitter and my other friend stopped my camp. We talked and all decided to go around to the back side of the mountain to glass the avalanche chutes for sheep. The Outfitter balked at my Golden Retreiver going with us.

After glassing for about an hour without seeing any sheep, the Outfitter decided to go up the mountain to check on his guide and hunter. He asked if any of us wanted to go up with him, my friends said no, but I said that I was there to hunt so I went with him.

About half way up the mountain I found some fresh sheep tracks going up the mountain so the Outfitter and I split up, him going up an avalanche chute, and I went up through the timber. Higher up the mountain, I came across 2 rams below me at the edge of the avalanche chutes. Both rams were legal, but because I had killed a full curl ram the year before, I decided to pass on them.

I then picked up a walnut size rock and threw it underhanded and hit one of the rams. They ran up the mountain. A few minutes later a shot rang out, then both rams ran back down and stopped just above me. One of the rams ran out into the avalanche chute and the other ram had been gutshot and his small intestines were dragging on the ground like a rope, and he ran the other direction into the trees.

I didn't want to see him suffer so I followed him and caught him in the next avalanche chute, and gave him a finishing shot, then went back and found the Outfitter and his guide and hunter, and took them to the dead ram. I helped them dress the ram and helped carry it over the mountain and down to their camp.

In 9 years of hunting that mountain, that was the 1st ram that the Outfitter had killed. He invited me to a steak dinner at his camp that night, and gave me the biggest Porterhouse steak, and gave my dog all of the bones.

So back to the almost confrontation that I mentioned earlier...

The next year I went back to that area by myself. Opening morning climbed up the mountain, and a little way down the other side I found and shot the ram that I had passed on the year before. While I was dressing him, the Outfitter from the year before and his hunter showed up.

The hunter congratulated me and offered me a drink from his pocket flask, which I thanked him for but refused the drink. Talking with them, they had been on the next ridge and saw me stalking and shoot the ram. The Outfitter had told his hunter to quickly take a long shot at the ram, but his hunter had refused because I was already stalking the ram.

The Outfitter then told me of a trail where I could get my horses close to my ram, and offered me one of his horses to pack my ram out.

Of my 3 Unlimited Unit rams, this one had the shortest curls, but at 9 1/2 years old was the oldest.

Awesome stories and photos to back it up!

Do you still spend time in the AB Wilderness? I have always wondered how it’s changed since many/most of the drainages have huge areas burned out now.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[buffybr]

The last time I went into any of the Wilderness Areas or hunted in any of the Unlimited Sheep units was in 1999. I was down to only one horse then and my Son and I packed him back into a section of Unit 300 that a friend of mine had killed a nice ram in the year before.

I saw a full curl broomed ram the afternoon before the season opened, then opening morning there were orange pumpkins all around that basin, 4 tent camps in the largest clearing in that basin, and an outfitter bringing his dudes on horseback through the basin. My Son and I and my Goldern Retriever were close enough to several ewes and young rams that we could hear them chewing the grass that they were eating, but we never saw a legal ram.

As for the fires, I think that they have provided more food for the wildlife. 1988 was the worst fire in years in the Yellowstone NP area. In the summer of '89 I helped with some Forest Service trail work in the Hellroaring drainage just north of the Park. The grasses in the burned out areas were higher and brighter green than I had ever seen them before. Today, many of the lodgepole pine areas in the Park that were burned out in '88 have 20-30' high LPP new trees that are almost too close together to walk through.

Every Thanksgiving and Christmas I visit family in the Denver area. About 4 or 5 years ago I found an area just west of Golden, CO where I've counted up to 20 Bighorn rams wintering. I've seen them there every winter since I first discovered them. Last summer about a half mile of that hillside burned. Two weeks ago I spotted a half curl ram feeding on the new grass in that burned area.