Stone sheep info for BC resident

[bard]

I'm an alberta sheep nut that is getting ready to move to BC. Wont be in time for this season but never to early to start looking. Been doing some research on lots of different areas. Just trying to figure out what some guys with some experience would recomend on what route to take. Try and find some hike in or quad in, pay a horse packer, drop trip with a jet boat, pay to get flown in? I see there is a ton of options and I'm trying to avoid burning a bunch of boot leather to find out an area is hunted hard. I dont mind hiking the extra miles or driving further to start. Any advise on services or areas to look at would be a great help.

 

[Rackmastr]

Riverjet Adventures if you are thinking of a jetboat trip.

Tons of great options with flights to different lakes, and you can get into sheep at several great lakes in Reg 6 or 7.

Also lots of good options off the Alaska Hwy for hike in early season or late season, depending on preference. We did a late season hike in 2 years ago (my second year as a BC resident) and managed to find 1 young legal ram (passed on) and one good looking ram that would be legal the following year. Tons of ewes and lambs and goat, grizz, moose, caribou, etc.

Shoot me a PM if you want any info.

 

[AXEL]

NO offence, but, NO serious BC sheep hunter is going to post details of Stone's, etc. sheep spots on an open forum such as this one.

Like it or not, BC hunting requires the use of LOTS of boot leather and can also take years of learning the mountains where game lives.

If, you are young and can hike, I would spend a few, couple at least seasons hiking as much as possible in areas known to hold the species you are after and just learn the ropes by doing this. Then, while this is happening, research the various fly-ins, etc.

REMEMBER, some "transporters" are NOT all that they claim to be and some charter air outfits have "exclusive" agreements with local GOs and will NOT take you into much of the best territory.....given that they operate from Canadian government wilderness airstrips, this is a REAL PITA and, yet another reason why we need to take the power from the GOs here in BC.

 

[bard]

NO offence, but, NO serious BC sheep hunter is going to post details of Stone's, etc. sheep spots on an open forum such as this one.

Like it or not, BC hunting requires the use of LOTS of boot leather and can also take years of learning the mountains where game lives.

If, you are young and can hike, I would spend a few, couple at least seasons hiking as much as possible in areas known to hold the species you are after and just learn the ropes by doing this. Then, while this is happening, research the various fly-ins, etc.

REMEMBER, some "transporters" are NOT all that they claim to be and some charter air outfits have "exclusive" agreements with local GOs and will NOT take you into much of the best territory.....given that they operate from Canadian government wilderness airstrips, this is a REAL PITA and, yet another reason why we need to take the power from the GOs here in BC.

I'm not expecting anyone to give up an easy hike in honey hole but I would like to hear some info on who is good to use and could point me in the right direction and who to avoid. Or areas that are a zoo and should be avoided. Sheep hunters in alberta are no different about not wanting to open the vault about where they go. I live an hour away from sheep country and am no stranger to burning boot leather to scout new areas.

 

[AXEL]

My comments here were/are merely an attempt to assist you, I will not post details of whom I know to be "hinky" concderning any commercial aspects of BC hunting or give these to anyone, except "face to face".....I am far too experienced in resource management, conservation, hunting and legal situations to chance an action for "defamation by slander" or "libel".

That said, perhaps "read between the lines" here a bit and see some issues you may wish to consider?

BTW, I was born, raised and commenced decades of resource employment in the Kootenays, 50 years ago when I started working for the BCFS,as well as the BC Fish and Wildlife, I later worked for the AFS, in your region.

I am not really into sheep hunting, but, have a lot of knowledge about where they are in BC due to my employment and friendship-blood relationships with VERY successful sheep hunters. I have spent many stints of as long as 3 months alone in the BC mountains in Stones and BH country, often living in tiny mountain tents and have seen a few rams.

Rackmaster can help you and I would trust his info., so, I will leave it at that.

 

[HornPorn]

So what is the current situation for BC residents as far as getting a Stone sheep tag? Is it OTC now, and if so, when did that change? It seems BC resident pressure on stone sheep has gotten alot worse over the last several years?

 

[Blockcaver]

Still over the counter for thinhorn mountain sheep (Stones) with "park" exceptions (LEH), Aug 1 - Oct 15. Been pretty similar regulations and seasons for the 13 years I've lived/hunted Stones in BC

 

[canadian_bacon93]

Still over the counter for thinhorn mountain sheep (Stones) with "park" exceptions (LEH), Aug 1 - Oct 15. Been pretty similar regulations and seasons for the 13 years I've lived/hunted Stones in BC

Hi @Blockcaver I am a BC resident and have the Stone Sheep bug real bad. Feeling the pressure to get this done OTC right now because I’m worried this will get switched to LEH in the next couple years. I haven’t had any luck with my hunting friends committing to a sheep hunt this year. What would you say about someone heading solo into the sheep mountain? I’ve done lots of solo and experienced, just don’t know if this is maybe a bit too hardcore to do solo?

 

[Blockcaver]

Backpacking in and hunting solo is great!

But do you have the conditioning, time and ability to pack out a ram plus your camp? They aren’t huge but still add at least one or possibly two more round trips to the hunt for the packout (unless you are one super tough strong dude).

A lot depends on how deep in you are, how much gain and loss of elevation, weather, etc!

I’d say go for it and make an educated call on the mountain. Only you can decide, too many variables to make the decision from the house!

 

[canadian_bacon93]

Thanks @Blockcaver That’s kind of where I was leaning too. I appreciate the added confidence!

 

[Decker9]

It took me 10 seasons to find my first ram, day 7 of a solo trip. One of the toughest things Iv ever done (mentally and physically), but man was it worth it!

Any solo hunter, I highly suggest a good pack dog. Made the mental part a lot easier.

 

[canadian_bacon93]

It took me 10 seasons to find my first ram, day 7 of a solo trip. One of the toughest things Iv ever done (mentally and physically), but man was it worth it!

Any solo hunter, I highly suggest a good pack dog. Made the mental part a lot easier.

My friend said the exact same thing to me about the dog yesterday.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ram94]

While I don’t disagree about the companionship of a dog, just be aware that Grizz are known to attack more often if there is a dog involved.

Allegedly.

 

[Decker9]

While I don’t disagree about the companionship of a dog, just be aware that Grizz are known to attack more often if there is a dog involved.

Allegedly.

If it weren’t for my dog, I’d probably be grizzly poop. Twice she saved my rear.

 

[Decker9]

My friend said the exact same thing to me about the dog yesterday.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

A good dog, a well trained dog. As ram mentioned, it can go the other way really easily. A good trained dog though is very tough to beat.

 

[Ram94]

If it weren’t for my dog, I’d probably be grizzly poop. Twice she saved my rear.

Well you can’t mention that without telling a story! Love a good bear run-in story….kind of like a car crash, just can’t look away.

 

[Decker9]

Well you can’t mention that without telling a story! Love a good bear run-in story….kind of like a car crash, just can’t look away.

For sure!

On a fly in sheep hunt with my dad, each with our own tent. We were set up about 30’ apart in a little opening in the sub alpine. One morning about 4:30am, I was up and crouched outside my tent making a coffee, wind at my back, dad still sleeping in his tent, my dog laying beside me, and my rifle still in my tent…. BIG lesson learnt.

In a split second my dog was up in a roar darting off behind me, just as I stood and turned, there was a grizzly coming in around a balsam patch, not 100’ feet away, coming right for between our tents. It was on a lope more then a run, moving with the wind, I don’t think it even knew we were there. Just as I got to “HEY” of “hey bear”, my dog was at the bear, but just as my dog got to it, within a spit second it seemed, it spun 180 on a hind foot and was gone as fast as it came in.

If it weren’t for my dog, I’m positive that bear would have ended up right between our tents, surprising all of us.

2 years later, camped in the exact same spot with my gf and dog, glassing some small rams from the tent, my gf was off for a pee. All I heard was whispering “Bear, bear”, not 100 yards away stood a grizzly, I swung the phone skope from the rams to the bear abd hit play, then got on our one and only rifle.

Luckily the bear went the other way eventually, I often wonder if it was the same bear.

Another trip while goat hunting, just my dog and I. We were hiking up a small aldered in creek, in the pooring rain. Because of the slippery rocks, I was nose down ass up watching my footing, but coving ground quick.

My dog, let a couple small growls out, I didn’t think much of it. Just as rounded a sharp corner, she let a woof out, when I looked up, a sow and cub grizzly were coming down the creek, about 75 yards up, luckily they didn’t know we were there yet.

We were able to back out and get around them, another instance where without my dog, im sure I woulda been in for an ordeal.

 

[Ram94]

That’s an awesome video! Thanks for sharing!