j3butch
WKR
The Journey Begins: A Dream Years in the Making
The early morning of July 31, 2024, marked the beginning of an adventure I'd been eagerly anticipating for years. My alarm jolted me awake at 3:15 am, but there was no need for the backup I’d set for 10 minutes later—I was already wide awake, adrenaline coursing through my veins. The journey that lay ahead was not just a physical one but also a culmination of years of dreaming, planning, and preparing. I was finally going sheep hunting.
As I set off on the four-hour drive to Denver International Airport, the reality of what I was about to undertake began to sink in. For the first hour, my mind raced with thoughts of what lay ahead, but eventually, a calm washed over me. This was it. I was actually doing it. The dream that had taken root in my mind back in 2017 was about to come true.
Back then, in my mid-40s, I'd started yearning for a true adventure hunt—something that would take me far from the comforts of home and push me to my limits. At that time, the closest I’d been to the north country was through the internet, where I spent countless hours researching, dreaming, and planning.
In 2019, I got my first taste of what I was seeking when I hunted woodland caribou and Canadian moose in Newfoundland. While it was a thrilling experience, it didn’t quite satisfy my hunger for adventure. The cabin-based hunt, complete with creature comforts, was far from the rugged, remote challenge I craved. I wanted more.
The Decision to Pursue Sheep Hunting
In June of 2020, I got serious about making my dream a reality. After listening to a Kifarupodcast, I reached out to Clay Lancaster, whose hunting chops had been endorsed by Aron Snyder, someone I admired. Initially, I inquired about a mountain caribou hunt, thinking a sheep hunt was financially out of reach. Clay explained that the mountain caribou hunt was challenging and took place in terrain similar to a Dall sheep hunt, and I should consider it. But he also said and without a hint of pressure, if I’m even considering a Dall hunt there’s no reason to wait.
For months, Clay and I exchanged texts, discussing the possibilities and logistics. Eventually, I made up my mind—I wasn’t getting any younger, and if I was going to hunt sheep, it had to be now. To make it happen, I’d need to save every bit of disposable income, but it was a commitment I was willing to make. The fear of living with regret as I got older was a powerful motivator.
The timing couldn’t have been worse, with the world in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Still, I put down a sizable deposit on a hunt scheduled for August 2024, nearly four years in the future. It was a hard decision to wrap my head around, but I knew that if I was going to do it, I needed to act quickly. And so began the long wait. I had to file away my excitement and focus on other things, knowing that one day, the time would come.
Preparation and Anticipation
The years passed slowly, but they were filled with experiences that helped prepare me for the adventure ahead. In September 2021, my good friend and hunting partner and I headed north to the Brooks Range of Alaska for a barren ground caribou hunt. This DIY drop camp hunt was just the adventure I needed to test myself and my gear in the tundra. The hunt was incredible, and I took a beautiful bull caribou early in the trip. Looking back, I realize how important that hunt was in building my confidence and proving to myself that I could indeed hunt in that type of terrain.
January 2024 finally arrived, and with it, the realization that this was the year of my Dall sheep hunt. The anticipation had been building for years, but now it was real. I had spent countless hours consuming sheep hunting content, listening to every podcast, and watching nearly every YouTube video I could find on Dall sheep and the Northwest Territories. While I did my best to stay in shape year-round, I ramped up my training eight months out, eager to be in peak condition for the hunt. As soon as the snow melted in the spring, I started hiking the mountains surrounding my home in Colorado, pushing myself harder with each outing.
By July, I started documenting the lead-up to the hunt on Instagram. I was even a guest on The Hunt Backcountry podcast, where we discussed the preparation and anticipation as part of their “Before and After Series.” (Airing soon..).
At this point, there was no turning back—everyone I knew was aware of the hunt and how much it meant to me. Not that turning back was ever an option.
The early morning of July 31, 2024, marked the beginning of an adventure I'd been eagerly anticipating for years. My alarm jolted me awake at 3:15 am, but there was no need for the backup I’d set for 10 minutes later—I was already wide awake, adrenaline coursing through my veins. The journey that lay ahead was not just a physical one but also a culmination of years of dreaming, planning, and preparing. I was finally going sheep hunting.
As I set off on the four-hour drive to Denver International Airport, the reality of what I was about to undertake began to sink in. For the first hour, my mind raced with thoughts of what lay ahead, but eventually, a calm washed over me. This was it. I was actually doing it. The dream that had taken root in my mind back in 2017 was about to come true.
Back then, in my mid-40s, I'd started yearning for a true adventure hunt—something that would take me far from the comforts of home and push me to my limits. At that time, the closest I’d been to the north country was through the internet, where I spent countless hours researching, dreaming, and planning.
In 2019, I got my first taste of what I was seeking when I hunted woodland caribou and Canadian moose in Newfoundland. While it was a thrilling experience, it didn’t quite satisfy my hunger for adventure. The cabin-based hunt, complete with creature comforts, was far from the rugged, remote challenge I craved. I wanted more.
The Decision to Pursue Sheep Hunting
In June of 2020, I got serious about making my dream a reality. After listening to a Kifarupodcast, I reached out to Clay Lancaster, whose hunting chops had been endorsed by Aron Snyder, someone I admired. Initially, I inquired about a mountain caribou hunt, thinking a sheep hunt was financially out of reach. Clay explained that the mountain caribou hunt was challenging and took place in terrain similar to a Dall sheep hunt, and I should consider it. But he also said and without a hint of pressure, if I’m even considering a Dall hunt there’s no reason to wait.
For months, Clay and I exchanged texts, discussing the possibilities and logistics. Eventually, I made up my mind—I wasn’t getting any younger, and if I was going to hunt sheep, it had to be now. To make it happen, I’d need to save every bit of disposable income, but it was a commitment I was willing to make. The fear of living with regret as I got older was a powerful motivator.
The timing couldn’t have been worse, with the world in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Still, I put down a sizable deposit on a hunt scheduled for August 2024, nearly four years in the future. It was a hard decision to wrap my head around, but I knew that if I was going to do it, I needed to act quickly. And so began the long wait. I had to file away my excitement and focus on other things, knowing that one day, the time would come.
Preparation and Anticipation
The years passed slowly, but they were filled with experiences that helped prepare me for the adventure ahead. In September 2021, my good friend and hunting partner and I headed north to the Brooks Range of Alaska for a barren ground caribou hunt. This DIY drop camp hunt was just the adventure I needed to test myself and my gear in the tundra. The hunt was incredible, and I took a beautiful bull caribou early in the trip. Looking back, I realize how important that hunt was in building my confidence and proving to myself that I could indeed hunt in that type of terrain.
January 2024 finally arrived, and with it, the realization that this was the year of my Dall sheep hunt. The anticipation had been building for years, but now it was real. I had spent countless hours consuming sheep hunting content, listening to every podcast, and watching nearly every YouTube video I could find on Dall sheep and the Northwest Territories. While I did my best to stay in shape year-round, I ramped up my training eight months out, eager to be in peak condition for the hunt. As soon as the snow melted in the spring, I started hiking the mountains surrounding my home in Colorado, pushing myself harder with each outing.
By July, I started documenting the lead-up to the hunt on Instagram. I was even a guest on The Hunt Backcountry podcast, where we discussed the preparation and anticipation as part of their “Before and After Series.” (Airing soon..).
At this point, there was no turning back—everyone I knew was aware of the hunt and how much it meant to me. Not that turning back was ever an option.
