My 2013 RAM

[HellsCanyon]

Is that an OTC hunt for residents there? Awesome work!

Mike

 

[Manosteel]

Yes, early season OTC for residents. I am usually a bow hunter but with my shoulder injury earlier this year I was not going to chance a once in a lifetime shot to an "iffy" shoulder.

Gear list: Everything is in oz

Pack:
Kifaru - Bikini/Timberline-1 92
Grab-it 4
Hip belt pockets (1 - 1.7oz each - kifaru 1.4) 3.1
Sub-total weight 99.1

Tent and Shelter:
Oware Bivysack Drawcord Closure 6.7
Mountain Shelter LT w spikes/lines/bag 35
Sub-total weight 41.7

Sleeping bag:
MEC Merlin DF -0c sleeping bag (with its sack) 28.4
Klymit Inertia X-Frame sleeping pad 10
Sub-total weight 38.4

Clothing:
1 Darn tough Med wt Trekking Socks 3
1 merino wool liner socks 1.4
Hiking Underwear (Jocks – 1 pair) 3.1
APX L1 SCENT-STP LITE BASE LAYER TOP (Lg) 7.6
APX L1 SCENT-STP LITE BASE LAYER BtM (M) 6.6
Russell APX L1 Wool base layer Top (Lg) 7.3
Kryptek Katos Primoaloft jacket 18.8
Gloves – (1 pair) 1.9
bennie 1.9
Neck Gator Fleece 1.1
Sub-total weight 52.7

Rain Gear
APUC level Gore-tex Ultralight Rain Jacket 17.8
Light Weight Gore-Tex Gaitors 10.5
Sub-total weight 28.3

Cooking: JetBoil Stove 14.4
1 small (100g) Jetboil fuel canister 7.1
Spork 0.4
Sub-total weight 21.9

Water:
1- 500 ml Gatorade bottle 1.6
1- 4 liter MSR Dromlight Bag water blader/hose kit 6.3
Sawyer 3-Way Inline Water Filter. 2
1 - 2 liter Platypus Reservoir 2
Sub-total weight 11.9

Safety Gear
Emergancy & First Aid Bag [ pullout: whistle/compass/matches; Headlamp w 3 AAA; ducktape; sling; tensor bandage; Wire saw: cotton firstr ; space blket,zip ties, 2 bic lighter, water-purf pills; pinkilrs,antibiotic ointment, alcohol wipes, cotten bandage, moleskin ] 19.3

Headlamp w/1 AA batteries - Zebralight 502 2.6
Delorme Inreach Device w/ lithium batteries 8.2
Sub-total weight 30.1

Trophy Care
Kill Kit
• Custom Medium PullOut 0.5
• Havalon Piranta-Edge knife 1.5
6 Piranta-Edge replacement blades 0.6
• 6 T.A.G. BOMB Game Bags 9.3
• Silnylon Meat Baggie 1.7
• Roll of marking ribbon 1.4
• 26ft section of orange mil spec 550 cord 2.3
• 26ft section of green mil spec 550 cord 2.2
• 3 sets of latex gloves 1
Sub-total weight 20.5

Misc Items
Olympus TG-820 Camera/case/cord 10.3
Iphone 6
Bruton Resync Battery 9.5
Primus micronlatern 4.1
Leatherman 5.3
mini sharpner 0.6
Internal Knee pads 1
Tobbaco 1
1 Industrial Size Black Garbage Bags. 1.2
Silnylon pack rain cover/tarp 5
Windchecker 0.8
Extra batteries 3AA 2
Lens cloth 0.2
pack towel 2.5
1 roll tp 1.3
Scent Away Field Wipes (20) 3.5
shoes camp –crocks 8.2
Treking poles 20.7
Sub-total weight 83.2

Hygiene Kit
Custom Small pullout 0.3
Lip Balm 0.4
Travel Tooth Brush & Tooth Paste 1.2
Contact case & solution 2
Extra contacts w/case 0.4
Glasses/soft case 1
Dehydrated sea to sumit Soap sheets 0.4
scent-free deorderant(small) 1.2
Sub-total weight 6.9

Optics
ZEN-RAY ED3 10×43 Binoculars w ultralight straps 29.3
Lepould RX1000 TBR Rangefinder 7
Vortex Summit SS Tripod 28
Nikon XLII Spotting scope 26.4
Bino adapter for tripod 3.8
Sub-total weight 94.5




Clothes on body:
1 Darn tough Med wt Trekking Socks 3
Hiking Underwear (Jocks – 1 pair) 3.1
Kryptek Alaios Pants 20
Kyptek Valhalla Minimalist Shirt 245 1/4-ZIP 13.3
kryptek Ball cap 3.3
Sub-total weight 42.7

Boots:
Cabel’s Meindl Alaskan Hunter 65.4

Wepon:Savage 111 270 win/scope 129.3

 

[Manosteel]

Off the top of my head the only things I would change would be to get a better sleeping pad. The Klymit Inertia X-Frame sleeping pad is light but it did scarifcie some comformt becuase I move alot when I sleep. I might even go with a quilt and pad combo since I am a hot sleeper and move a lot. I flet constricted in the mommy type sleeping bag.

The Alaios pant were not great for all the movement I did climbing, crawling etc.. the button kepted poping off, I had to use some cord for a make shift suspenders, and very little flex in the pants.

I would go with a new spotter next year and figure out a digiscoping set up.

The tripod was fine but I think I will try and put a handle on the head as moving it by hand was a pain. Will look into going with 8x32 Bino's next year to save weight which will probably be added by another spotter.

I would leave behind the Russell APX L1 Wool base layer Top since I have never used it and can't see when I will. The Kyptek Valhalla Minimalist Shirt was awesome, feels great works in hot and cool weather and dry's quick.

I would also cut down on my emergancy bag - the moleskin was useless, ducktape worked better, leave out tensor bandage, sling and get a lighter backup headlamp.

Thats all that pops to my head, I had tested all this stuff on scouting trips so I had a good idea of what I was getting into gear wise

 

[JasonWi]

Tks for the equipment rundown. Alway nice to see what is being used and what doesn't meet a persons expectations.

 

[Eagle]

Awesome ram, congrats. Looks like you had great weather compared to a lot of other folks.

 

[black525]

Congrats on your ram. Looks like an awesome hunt

 

[paddlehead]

That is an awesome hunt. I hope you realize how lucky you are to be able to hunt sheep every year as a resident. Us poor saps that live int he lower 48 can only dream of doing once in a lifetime what you are doing every year!!

Congrats!!

 

[ol490]

Manosteel,
Congratulations on an awesome hunt and a great ram. What is your goal with a new spotter? I am assumng that with the one you had at 26.4 ounces you must not be looking for light weight, rather your are looking for more clarity/better glass and willing to go up in weight. Correct? I ask as I am considering downsizing from a 20-60 power (heavy) spotting scope to something along the lines of a the Vortex Razor HD 11-33x50, which is 25 ounces. In your opinion, would the 11-33 power be enough for sheep hunting?

 

[KHNC]

congrats as well on a great hunt! i know im not quite ready for that type of hunt . lol. Packing in 2-3 miles and covering 7-8 miles per day in the mtns is about my limit. Im going to continue to train for this stuff, but im not getting any younger! Sounds like an awesome trip that is much better when you are looking BACK at it and telling the stories.

 

[Manosteel]

That is an awesome hunt. I hope you realize how lucky you are to be able to hunt sheep every year as a resident. Us poor saps that live int he lower 48 can only dream of doing once in a lifetime what you are doing every year!!

Congrats!!

Yeah we are lucky, but if you are successfully on a trophy ram one year you have can't get a tag for trophy sheep the next. I believe you can still apply for a ewe tag the next year after you take a trophy ram but not 100%. The best sheep areas are on a draw and most of the general season areas are for early season, if you want to hunt the rut in November it is draw only. But I can't complain at all, I only hope we still get these opportunities in the future.

 

[Manosteel]

Manosteel,
Congratulations on an awesome hunt and a great ram. What is your goal with a new spotter? I am assumng that with the one you had at 26.4 ounces you must not be looking for light weight, rather your are looking for more clarity/better glass and willing to go up in weight. Correct? I ask as I am considering downsizing from a 20-60 power (heavy) spotting scope to something along the lines of a the Vortex Razor HD 11-33x50, which is 25 ounces. In your opinion, would the 11-33 power be enough for sheep hunting?

I want more clarity and useable distance. The Nikon XLT Spotter I have is 16x48x60. The use ability of 48x is not really their, best at 40x. Would have liked the option of going to 60x but weight is a big concern for me. Ounces equal pounds fast in the mountains and you feel it every step of the way, especially if you get lucky.

I am keeping a close eye to what my buddy stinky coyote is doing with the Nikon ED50 and the KOWA TSN 600 series of scopes. He is a way bigger gear junkie than me and he loves his optics. And the fact that he lives only 2.5 hrs south of me - means he hunts the same Rocky Mountains I do; in similar conditions. I have come to respect Stinky Coyotes opinions on gear; he buys quality stuff, hunts hard, and puts his suff to the test with no brand loyalities.

 

[Buster]

Although you get to hunt rams every year (every other if you kill), finding legal rams is tough business in Alberta. Finding a cannon like yours is pretty phenomenal.

 

[Bigfeet]

Beautiful ram - congrads!

 

[nflesher]

Congrats on your Ram! Nice work.

 

[crazy_davey]

I believe you can still apply for a ewe tag the next year after you take a trophy ram but not 100%.

Yes sir you can.

 

[Stinky Coyote]

Yeah we are lucky, but if you are successfully on a trophy ram one year you have can't get a tag for trophy sheep the next. I believe you can still apply for a ewe tag the next year after you take a trophy ram but not 100%. The best sheep areas are on a draw and most of the general season areas are for early season, if you want to hunt the rut in November it is draw only. But I can't complain at all, I only hope we still get these opportunities in the future.

Thanks for props Mano! I have made up my mind(very recently) to stick with my ed50. The 602 which I'm pushin on my buddy for 400 (just paid 480 plus tax) is worth every penny and it has a great 60x I text u some pics shortly. Robinsons camera might be sitting on the 20-60 eyepiece they brought in with it right now and should match euro optic 370 bucks as they match euro for me on everything else...the ordered eyepiece although I didn't need it, I have the eyepiece with my 664 and keeping as truck spotter but I'm used to the ed50 for what I do and going to only pack it. The 602 is yours if want it, my buddy also has spotter xlII and not even close to same league, this 602 at 60 devastate that xlII at 40. It's the lightest quality 60x u will find and I'm kinda torn on decision but have not been left wanting with the Ed I'm going to be loyal since it's already in arsenal. Congrats again on that ram!

Oops, thought I was quoting the spotter bit...doh

 

[Manosteel]

Thanks for props Mano! I have made up my mind(very recently) to stick with my ed50. The 602 which I'm pushin on my buddy for 400 (just paid 480 plus tax) is worth every penny and it has a great 60x I text u some pics shortly. Robinsons camera might be sitting on the 20-60 eyepiece they brought in with it right now and should match euro optic 370 bucks as they match euro for me on everything else...the ordered eyepiece although I didn't need it, I have the eyepiece with my 664 and keeping as truck spotter but I'm used to the ed50 for what I do and going to only pack it. The 602 is yours if want it, my buddy also has spotter xlII and not even close to same league, this 602 at 60 devastate that xlII at 40. It's the lightest quality 60x u will find and I'm kinda torn on decision but have not been left wanting with the Ed I'm going to be loyal since it's already in arsenal. Congrats again on that ram!

Oops, thought I was quoting the spotter bit...doh

Thanks buddy, I will gladly take the 602 off your hands!

 

[arffdog875]

Congrats on a great Ram! Sounds like you had an awesome hunt!

 

[luke moffat]

Well done man!!! That is a very nice ram...having only done one load that was 135 pounds in my life I never hope to have to do that again...BRUTAL! Awesome stuff there, thanks for sharing.

 

[Manosteel]

Thanks guys. Its been a month since the hunt, it was hard but would do it again in an instant!

Luke, I met some buddies at a truck stop on the way home and they didn't believe me when I told them my pack wieght.... that is until they tried to unload it from my truck... crazy heavy and Unmanageable unless you have it straped to your back.

When I got home I told my wife I was done for the season, no elk or moose hunts, I was fried. lol Ofcourse that feeling only last two days and by the end of the week I took off for a quick half-day scouting trip to my elk area with my 7 yr old son.

Like others have said on this forum, success never hurts sooo good when your hunting!