MT unlimited sheep

[funkafied]

I'll be heading in for my first taste of the Unlimiteds this year. Probably doing 10-20 days scouting throughout the spring/summer (as much for terrain/fitness/gear as animals) then 10-15 days for the hunt in September. I'll be sticking with the spray over the 10mm so wish me luck!

 

[Coppertopr]

Funkafied,

How was the hunt this year, I am going to go for sure next year, Have put in and drawn a tag last two years but I scouted summer and I found a few sheep this year during summer scouting, I am going to pay my $1250 next year and finally have a sheep tag in my pocket. Just curious if you had any gear problems or gear you wouldn't take back when you venture in again. Two summer trips in the unlimited wore a good pair of boots out, that county is pretty rough. Hope you're one of the lucky people that have already harvested a sheep. What shelter and cook system did you use?

Coppertop

 

[MojaveJim]

Weather was great, terrain was brutal. Or maybe my e-scouting just sucks, picked a area without a trail and just sent it. I guess I missed the 2 mile long boulder field that was a maze of cantaloupe to RV sized rock that did a number on a new pair of crispy's. The area seemed great but didn't see any sheep before the season closed quickly. Learned a lot, was trying to do some scouting last year but my trip was timed perfectly with the flooding so it was a wash lol. Stayed for some scouting after the season & have a new plan for next year.
As far as the gear, new EXO K4 was great, with way to much weight, old Black Diamond tent performed fine (could be a bit lighter, Oasis 3 6lbs but split in half with my oldest son), New Swaro EL range & STS 80 HD (to heavy but nice to look through, almost 20 years old), Gitzo Basalt & RRS head (under 2lbs total) always performs, Crispy Briksdal MTN GTX good support & comfortable but left boot lost an eyelet & has stitching coming apart, Mnt Gear Bi Pod must of took a hit on the rocks in side pocket of my pack & cant was really loose tried to tighten and snapped the bolt. cooking was an old Ti snow peak set-up. Peak food was tasty but takes up a lot of volume compared to others, green belly & Heather's choice was on point (took 6 days worth) . Also the Ursack was a great improvement over my old canister. BTW fishing was epic, I was glassing but my son took up some gear & every other cast had a Yellowstone Cutthroat.
Hopefully someday I'll draw a sheep tag (have 24-25 points in a few states) but this is at least a chance, I've been thinking about trying it since about 2005 from my notes, hopefully my body has 5 years of Unlimited sheep left in it. That's my plan, give it 5 years straight with minimum of 10 day effort if available.

 

[Coppertopr]

Thank you for the info Mojave Jim, I have been thinking about the hunt since 2008, I have put in a draw the last two years for an unlimited unit. I have scouted both summers, and I saw enough this last year to make next year a go. I have lots of Kifaru and Seek Outside gear, It works fine in the summer, I have seen some major wind on the first summer trip. I wish now, I would have gone at this hunt head first 15 years ago. Congrats on a good first attempt and I am glad you learned more for next year. I look forward to being in that region with a tag next season, I wish I would have gone on and done it this year, It just requires a lot of planning with work. I plan on a trip every year until I am successful or physically not capable. 5 years with summer camping and 5 years of 10 plus day hunts, should at least give me an outside chance. Montana is beautiful and the unlimited Hunts is America's Best Treasure Hunt, Forest Fenn Treasure was found, So maybe we will find us both a treasure next year.

 

[MTElk1987]

I could've shaved 9 lbs off my pack by leaving the rifle at home. Spent 7 days in there over the opener and didn't see a sheep. Hoping to get back in for another week in early October if the quota stays open. Weather was everything from hot to rain to chilly in the mornings. Had a blast and cannot wait to get back in there again!

 

[PMcGee]

I just came off the mountain yesterday. Didn’t find any live sheep. We found a dead head ram and saw some sheep sign. Saw some goats, deer and and a couple black bear. I hurt my leg on opening day and that kind of killed my plan on where I wanted to hunt. I’ll definitely be back some of the most beautiful country up in there.

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[jofes]

I just came off the mountain yesterday. Didn’t find any live sheep. We found a dead head ram and saw some sheep sign. Saw some goats, deer and and a couple black bear. I hurt my leg on opening day and that kind of killed my plan on where I wanted to hunt. I’ll definitely be back some of the most beautiful country up in there.

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What did FG age the deadhead at?

 

[BAKPAKR]

I just came off the mountain yesterday. Didn’t find any live sheep. We found a dead head ram and saw some sheep sign. Saw some goats, deer and and a couple black bear. I hurt my leg on opening day and that kind of killed my plan on where I wanted to hunt. I’ll definitely be back some of the most beautiful country up in there.

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You were bowhunting? Wow!

 

[PMcGee]

You were bowhunting? Wow!

I had the rifle too. I left the bow in the truck the second time in.


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[PMcGee]

What did FG age the deadhead at?

We didn’t take it out. After I hurt my leg my buddy had to take most of my gear so I could get out. When we went back in we went in a different trail. My guess was 9 but I’m no sheep aging expert.


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[funkafied]

Funkafied,

How was the hunt this year, I am going to go for sure next year, Have put in and drawn a tag last two years but I scouted summer and I found a few sheep this year during summer scouting, I am going to pay my $1250 next year and finally have a sheep tag in my pocket. Just curious if you had any gear problems or gear you wouldn't take back when you venture in again. Two summer trips in the unlimited wore a good pair of boots out, that county is pretty rough. Hope you're one of the lucky people that have already harvested a sheep. What shelter and cook system did you use?

Coppertop

You gotta go! It was an amazing trip. Saw not a single sheep, mind you haha. Take less is my only real advice. We had very mild weather so can't say that my gear was truly stress tested though. I used lots of the common gear - seek tipi, SG pack, Schnees boots, MSR Windburner - and it all worked great. Didn't bring my down pants for glassing and I would bring those next time for sure. Brought some cheap Frogg Toggs rain gear and ripped the crotch out day 1 so lucked out there with our weather. Lesson learned, getting durable rain gear. Would have liked to have my down pants for glassing. Didn't need as much food as I brought (3k-3.5k cal/day) because my strategy was mostly to sit and glass a lot, rather than move camp a lot. Not sure that's the right strategy, but in general I could have done a better job matching food weight to game plan. Can't think of anything else at the moment, but feel free to post follow-up questions or DM me.

Oh ya. Train harder. However hard you train, train harder and more single leg stuff. You won't regret it.

 

[MojaveJim]

Purchased another tag this year for the same unit. Sticking to my plan that my post season scouting info provided. Hopefully I can do a 7 day or 2 5 day efforts. Maybe if I get the biggest K4 bag I could fit 10 days of food. This year I'll be solo due to my son's works schedule so I'll already have a little more weight with out splitting up the tent.

 

[6.5x284]

Purchased another tag this year for the same unit. Sticking to my plan that my post season scouting info provided. Hopefully I can do a 7 day or 2 5 day efforts. Maybe if I get the biggest K4 bag I could fit 10 days of food. This year I'll be solo due to my son's works schedule so I'll already have a little more weight with out splitting up the tent.

You’ll be fine. I ran 10 days of food and tent solo in a K3 6400 with plenty of room to spare. Have a good trip!


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[MojaveJim]

Yes, I have the K4 5000 & 2200 now. Looking at the 7200 for 10 days, the 85mm Swaro doesn't help, also I'm going to repackage the Peak meals. They take up to much space compared to Heathers Choice & others that I took in.

 

[6.5x284]

Yes, I have the K4 5000 & 2200 now. Looking at the 7200 for 10 days, the 85mm Swaro doesn't help, also I'm going to repackage the Peak meals. They take up to muck space compared to Heathers Choice & others that I took in.

For what it’s worth I also ran a 85 STX and peak for meals, and ran rifle inside the side pocket and had plenty of space in the 6400. You’ll be sitting pretty with the 7200. 5000 would be tight if you are packing for cold weather. Probably doable if it’s mild. I only use a peak for dinner so if you’re using a peak for more than one meal a day that’s a big cubic inch increase.

Getting excited talking about. Can’t wait to get in there again!


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[MojaveJim]

Yes, I do 2 meals a day. B'fast & dinner. Greenbelly for lunch if I'm traveling, just snack if glassing. I had 15* down bag, puffy's ,rain gear & Ursack food bag. In that area I think it's better to pack for cold weather because seems you can have both the same day. The 5000 was loaded to the max stretch lol. Fit everything in except the tent fly last year with 6+ days of food. If successful I cant imagine coming out of the scree with gear & sheep but hopefully I'll get to experience that suck in my lifetime. I'm looking forward to this year, after the Unlimited's swinging by the house for resupply & some gear swap on my way to NM Oryx.

 

[IDVortex]

This is something I've talked to my wife about. Hoping of going over there this summer for camping/backpacking trips with the goal of just scouting. If I believe to be as dumb as I am, i then am planning on giving it a try next year. Even if I don't get one. I at least get to scout for sheep and have a sheep tag. That's worth it to me.

 

[bascott1]

Believe I’m gonna giver her a go this year also. Have no clue what I’m doing, but screw it. Gotta learn somehow.

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

Yes, I do 2 meals a day. B'fast & dinner. Greenbelly for lunch if I'm traveling, just snack if glassing. I had 15* down bag, puffy's ,rain gear & Ursack food bag. In that area I think it's better to pack for cold weather because seems you can have both the same day. The 5000 was loaded to the max stretch lol. Fit everything in except the tent fly last year with 6+ days of food. If successful I cant imagine coming out of the scree with gear & sheep but hopefully I'll get to experience that suck in my lifetime. I'm looking forward to this year, after the Unlimited's swinging by the house for resupply & some gear swap on my way to NM Oryx.

I ran a prototype K4 6000 pack in November in the UL. The later season hunt pushed the capacity to the limit, with added puffy layers etc. I was also solo. At first I was hesitant to use the load shelf of the pack for gear, rather than just meat on the way out. The Stone Glacier load shelfs I used in the past didnt work out for me that well. However the K4 worked fantastic to use the load shelf to carry all my food, making alot more room in the pack for gear. I used a Kuiu Large Extreema Bag for the food, which is a rectangle shaped bag that fits in the load shelf great.

I double carried on the way out, so didn't have to worry about capacity as much.

 

[cumminsbassguy]

I used an IA4k for my dall hunt this past year. All your gear and 10 days worth of food gets impossible without utilizing the load shelf in a smaller pack. I'll have to look into that rectangular bag if I don't upgrade my bag size before this season. Much more efficient than wrapping it in the poncho and securing with P cord keep getting after it though !