Sheep hunt information

ld2507

FNG
Joined
Sep 26, 2023
Messages
30
Location
South Carolina
Hello ! New on here. I see that many of you are well accomplished sheep hunters. I am currently looking around at outfitters in Alaska and I have it narrowed to either the brooks range or Wrangel mts.. There are probably 3 or 4 outfitters I have seen for brooks range that look pretty good, and a couple for Wrangells that look good. Of particular interest (as far as wrangells) is Wrangell outfitters. I emailed the owner (can't remember his name dang it) but have not yet heard back. Those hunts look really good and unique and they seem to carry a very high success rate. Any idea on what their dall sheep hunts are running for right now ??
 
Joined
Mar 1, 2017
Messages
2,058
Location
Eagle River, AK
Alaska sheep are not doing well. Even though it costs more, I would look at the Yukon or NWT. You will pay more up front, but what's the cost if you go AK and don't get a sheep?
 

HornPorn

WKR
Joined
Oct 7, 2020
Messages
320
^^ x2

If I were booking a dall hunt, these would be my first calls, and in this order:



 
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ld2507

FNG
Joined
Sep 26, 2023
Messages
30
Location
South Carolina
Alaska sheep are not doing well. Even though it costs more, I would look at the Yukon or NWT. You will pay more up front, but what's the cost if you go AK and don't get a sheep?
Yeah I keep seeing that. It does cost more by about 7-10 k it seems, but you are right it seems. I guess it may be better to suck it up and look at one of those provinces. I already know the trophy quality is generally better overall in those places, but I'm in it for the whole experience in general.
 
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ld2507

FNG
Joined
Sep 26, 2023
Messages
30
Location
South Carolina
^^ x2

If I were booking a dall hunt, these would be my first calls, and in this order:



Yeah I saw those the other day. I also saw Lancaster families page last night as well as blackstone. Anyone have any experience with any of those ?? I got an email back from Chris at Bonnet plume outfitters a couple of days ago. They are booked now all the way into 2027 !. Their hunts under current price are right in line with some of the others in YK and NWT at around 40k (although some such as midnight sun and tombstone are charging 50k).
 
Joined
May 22, 2014
Messages
1,359
Hello ! New on here. I see that many of you are well accomplished sheep hunters. I am currently looking around at outfitters in Alaska and I have it narrowed to either the brooks range or Wrangel mts.. There are probably 3 or 4 outfitters I have seen for brooks range that look pretty good, and a couple for Wrangells that look good. Of particular interest (as far as wrangells) is Wrangell outfitters. I emailed the owner (can't remember his name dang it) but have not yet heard back. Those hunts look really good and unique and they seem to carry a very high success rate. Any idea on what their dall sheep hunts are running for right now ??
I am booked with Will at Wrangell Outfitters for next year. PM me with any questions you may have. I know there is a few other guys here who have hunted with him. This time of year can be tough to get ahold of any outfitter cause they are all out working.
 

Joseph2186

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 17, 2020
Messages
227
Location
Indiana PA
I just did a Brooks range sheep hunt aug 19th. The sheep numbers are not good at all, if you can save up another year and go to NWT or yukon if you want a good chance at a legal ram. No fault of the outfitter Id deff hunt with him again just not for sheep.
 

schmalzy

WKR
Joined
Oct 1, 2014
Messages
1,581
Actually I just looked at Gana rivers. They are coming in at 34,000 for all backpack hunts and 36,000 for horseback (2024 prices).

I think Will is relatively close to these prices. I have never hunted with him but have heard nothing but great things. I had a zoom with him and was very impressed.

You want to do a backpack or horseback hunt?


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ld2507

FNG
Joined
Sep 26, 2023
Messages
30
Location
South Carolina
A horseback hunt would be really cool and a unique experience for sure, but I won't be picky if I don't have to be lol. I know a horseback hunt would have the added factor of a classic hunt , and likely be at least somewhat easier (if there is such a thing with any wild sheep hunting) but a backpack hunt would work too.
 

S-3 ranch

WKR
Joined
Jan 18, 2022
Messages
1,146
Location
Texas / Hillcounrty
Raven throat in NWT
some folks hubboo getting to a base camp via helicopter , but in my experience it’s about compared to a jet boat or super cub
because it’s still leg power afterwards Your just starting off from a better position it would take weeks to reach by horse
Alaska imo has let subsistence hunters ruin their wildlife unfortunately
 
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ld2507

FNG
Joined
Sep 26, 2023
Messages
30
Location
South Carolina
Raven throat in NWT
some folks hubboo getting to a base camp via helicopter , but in my experience it’s about compared to a jet boat or super cub
because it’s still leg power afterwards Your just starting off from a better position it would take weeks to reach by horse
Alaska imo has let subsistence hunters ruin their wildlife unfortunately
No doubt. Yes, a helicopter certainly would provide a significant advantage over horses or even a super cub since it can land basically straight down into a location so that's really cool.

Yeah and that's a shame about Alaska. I have read that in the not too distant future it's likely they will have to go over to an all draw system. Sucks but maybe that is what's needed for a couple of years at least I dunno.
 
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ld2507

FNG
Joined
Sep 26, 2023
Messages
30
Location
South Carolina
^^ x2

If I were booking a dall hunt, these would be my first calls, and in this order:



Hunters have bagged some MONSTER rams with all 3 of those outfitters. "Gana" seems to be the current best value of the 3 (if you wanna call that a best value 🤣) although ARRO doesn't currently have prices posted. Last night I shot ARRO an email about current pricing so waiting to hear back, but if memory serves me correctly based on previous prices, ARRO is probably gonna be more than ravens throat. That's just based on several years ago I did briefly inquire to them about prices and they were pretty steep back then, which is nothing compared to right now. Sheep hunting has always been a dream of mine but until the past few years I haven't been financially able to book a hunt like this (starting your own business has its significant advantages for sure). I have been putting in for a few raffles and have started putting in for the various draw tags here in the lower 48, but we all know that stuff is hit or miss and can take years to happen (although it seems with "some" of these quota limited raffles your odds of winning can be significantly higher than drawing a state sheep tag especially if you purchase multiple raffle tickets) so as far as a "guarantee" sheep tag I'm gonna have to obviously purchase one of these hunts.

My fear is that once I go on a dall sheep hunt I am going to be addicted to this 😅 😉. I have already been personally warned by my uncle who got into sheep hunting in his early 30's (he is 70 now) and has some impressive rams on the wall. Of course back then sheep hunting was nowhere even remotely close in cost to what it is today. By the time he was a couple years older than me in his middle 40's he already had a grand slam, and before he called it quits all together had managed to kill 3 more rams. He has given me pretty much all the advice that he can but given the fact that he has been "out of the game" for years now and so much has changed since then he can only offer so much advice as it could possibly relate to guided sheep hunts today. I do remember growing up and always being super excited whenever he would go on a sheep hunting trip because I knew he might be bringing back a bunch of awesome meat for us to feast on (our family is in the Carolinas so it's not like we even live anywhere remotely close to any kind of sheep country at all) so it was an "extra" special treat for all of us when he did. I have a pretty good memory and I distinctly remember how good that meat tasted after now being almost 20 years since I have last even had a bite. Granted he killed each ram a couple of years apart so I couldn't exactly compare which subspecies tasted the best out of the 4 but they were all were excellent eating. My uncle also told us numerous times that he intentionally made sure to not kill a bighorn during the rut because if killed during the rut it can be very gamey tasting. He said that the "thin horns" don't seem to have that problem for whatever reason.

So anyway, I reckon I am among a minority of people who have never killed a ram themselves but have had the rare privilege of eating the meat from one at least. I just wish I hadn't waited until fairly recently to get very very serious about finally getting a ram for myself. Had I prioritized things 20 years ago when I "should have" I would likely have taken several by now. Oh well, I'm still fairly young so i figure if I get serious with it now I have a decent amount of time to at least get a couple on the wall before I get too old 😅..
 
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ld2507

FNG
Joined
Sep 26, 2023
Messages
30
Location
South Carolina
So tell me about Ultima Thule ...... From what I gather it's an awesome place to get a sheep "if" you can actually get the chance ?? .. Interesting...
 
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ld2507

FNG
Joined
Sep 26, 2023
Messages
30
Location
South Carolina
I am booked with Will at Wrangell Outfitters for next year. PM me with any questions you may have. I know there is a few other guys here who have hunted with him. This time of year can be tough to get ahold of any outfitter cause they are all out working.
I have some questions but unfortunately since I just got on this site yesterday I cannot PM you due to their website forum policy it seems.
 
Joined
May 22, 2014
Messages
1,359
I have some questions but unfortunately since I just got on this site yesterday I cannot PM you due to their website forum policy it seems.
Gotcha, I'm not sure if I can PM you but I will try a little later this morning.
 

schmalzy

WKR
Joined
Oct 1, 2014
Messages
1,581
So tell me about Ultima Thule ...... From what I gather it's an awesome place to get a sheep "if" you can actually get the chance ?? .. Interesting...

Long waiting list. Last I checked they weren’t accepting anyone else but that could have changed.


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ld2507

FNG
Joined
Sep 26, 2023
Messages
30
Location
South Carolina
Long waiting list. Last I checked they weren’t accepting anyone else but that could have changed.


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Yeah, "Don" emailed me back yesterday and said that they were cutting back on the amount of sheep hunts right now because of the situation with sheep numbers right now in AK. He said that they were having to actually cancel a BUNCH of hunts for the time being so they can properly manage the problem. On the flip side he explained that they have like a 160 average with several going over 166+. I didn't ask him, but is Ultima Thule private land ??. I had read that a place does exist in Alaska that's THOUSANDS of acres of private land for dall sheep hunts. I'm guessing this place is it ??
 
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