things NOT to take on a guided hunt

[Moose83]

I haven't read everything on this thread and I've never been on guided hunt so take what I say with a grain of salt. ... but after reading several of your threads I would say that most of us aspire to have a loadout as light as what you typically have. Take what you want within reason and have a spectacular hunt.

And don't forget to show us pictures☺

 

[mtwarden]

^ thank you Sir!

even bringing everything I normally would, I don't think my pack will be too bad weight wise

from visiting with the outfitter, one off his guides and several past hunters- sounds like we'll hike in a ways and then spike out of that camp; possible that spike camp could move- but don't anticipate moving every single day with a full camp load (but probably it's in the realm of possibilities)

also sounds like there is a high probability that we'll bring in 5-6 days worth of grub initially and then be restocked via plane (if needed)- with 5 days of grub, pack going into spike camp should be ~ 50 lbs (~7.5-8 lbs being food)

 

[schmalzy]

I went with the Kowa 553 with a va 5 head on a siriu AM 225. I'll be up in the brooks in August and will see how it works. 4 lbls 3.2 oz all up and I'll shoot off the tripod as well.

I’m between a 553 and a 773.


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[Wapiti1]

I’m between a 553 and a 773.


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773. The 553 is superb, but the top end at 45X is, IMO, a deal breaker on sheep. A usable 60X is what you want when that ram you are looking at 3 miles away is a legal ram contender.

Size is a consideration, but I don't think weight really is. 2lbs for the 60X mag is worth it. Tripod wise, I'd use the same for each. In the case, of MTWarden, he wants a tripod that is shooting capable, so it will likely be a bigger tripod anyway.

Just my 2 cents, but the extra mag can be the difference between several miles of hiking or knowing you should just pass this one up. And there are a lot more maybe rams than sure thing rams.

Jeremy

 

[schmalzy]

773. The 553 is superb, but the top end at 45X is, IMO, a deal breaker on sheep. A usable 60X is what you want when that ram you are looking at 3 miles away is a legal ram contender.

Size is a consideration, but I don't think weight really is. 2lbs for the 60X mag is worth it. Tripod wise, I'd use the same for each. In the case, of MTWarden, he wants a tripod that is shooting capable, so it will likely be a bigger tripod anyway.

Just my 2 cents, but the extra mag can be the difference between several miles of hiking or knowing you should just pass this one up. And there are a lot more maybe rams than sure thing rams.

Jeremy

Which tripod you think? Got a promaster 525xcm and a slik sv501 head.

Edit: Sorry for the hijack @mtwarden


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[mtwarden]

I had a similar styled aluminum Sirui tripod that I was able to lighten pretty significantly by removing lower legs and removing the center section- as I only needed it for sitting. Easily put back to stock configuration if needed.

I'm going to bring a pan head, heavier than a ball head, but nice to spot from

 

[Wapiti1]

Which tripod you think? Got a promaster 525xcm and a slik sv501 head.

Edit: Sorry for the hijack @mtwarden


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I'd be fine with that tripod and head. I really like that head. Maybe shaky standing with a 773 on it, but would be fine sitting. Weight it and I think it would be fine standing.

Shooting wise, I can't say. I don't shoot off one, and would go with a bipod (Javelin), or just use a pack, rocks, etc.

Jeremy

hijack over

 

[GoatBoat218]

As a guide I always have everything needed to hunt and put a ram down wether the client is there or not. I am nowhere near as worried about killing a sheep as I am about my client finishing the hunt. You should really only need to pack for a backpacking trip, along with your rifle, rangefinder, and bullets. Guides know how to take care of their clients, the more stuff you bring along for the hunt the more weight you are carrying and energy you are expensing. It's not a make or break if you bring a stove or spotter it's really just not needed. Hunting sheep isn't usually the hard part of guiding a sheep hunt, it can be much harder to get your client to the sheep in the first place. The more things you bring the slower and less energy you'll have and that just makes it harder on the guide. Also I have never needed to use binos on a tripod for Dall sheep, you'll be surprised how easily they pop out, they are easy to spot, then you just need the spotter to judge the horns. I have had clients who bring their own tents, stoves, and optics that they really like. If they are better than what I have and I think it may make them slightly more comfortable I'll leave my tent, stove, and optics behind but it's pretty rare since a guide already knows what's in store for a hunt and what they have has worked plenty of times before. The best way to be prepared is to be in the best physical shape you can be in and make sure your boots, personal gear, and rifle are squared away, then it's just up to the quality outfit and guide doing what they do best. Bad boots, bad shooting, and bad physical fitness will break more hunts than anything.

 

[idig4au]

As a guide I always have everything needed to hunt and put a ram down wether the client is there or not. I am nowhere near as worried about killing a sheep as I am about my client finishing the hunt. You should really only need to pack for a backpacking trip, along with your rifle, rangefinder, and bullets. Guides know how to take care of their clients, the more stuff you bring along for the hunt the more weight you are carrying and energy you are expensing. It's not a make or break if you bring a stove or spotter it's really just not needed. Hunting sheep isn't usually the hard part of guiding a sheep hunt, it can be much harder to get your client to the sheep in the first place. The more things you bring the slower and less energy you'll have and that just makes it harder on the guide. Also I have never needed to use binos on a tripod for Dall sheep, you'll be surprised how easily they pop out, they are easy to spot, then you just need the spotter to judge the horns. I have had clients who bring their own tents, stoves, and optics that they really like. If they are better than what I have and I think it may make them slightly more comfortable I'll leave my tent, stove, and optics behind but it's pretty rare since a guide already knows what's in store for a hunt and what they have has worked plenty of times before. The best way to be prepared is to be in the best physical shape you can be in and make sure your boots, personal gear, and rifle are squared away, then it's just up to the quality outfit and guide doing what they do best. Bad boots, bad shooting, and bad physical fitness will break more hunts than anything.

exactly what he said. I would listen to this advise and follow closely. You will be surprised how quickly weight adds up and how much extra weight (spotter, tripod, stove, etc) sucks towards the back half of a long backpack sheep hunt over many miles. Just not required on a guided dall sheep hunt.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Several days of snow storms can make seeing white sheep a much more difficult proposition. Anyone hunting the last days of August/first days of Sept in 2018 should remember.

 

[mtwarden]

Certainly a lighter pack is advantageous- no argument. Mine will still pretty light even if I decide to throw in the spotter/tripod/stove/etc.

 

[eaglemountainman]

Certainly a lighter pack is advantageous- no argument. Mine will still pretty light even if I decide to throw in the spotter/tripod/stove/etc.

No way I'd do that hunt without my own spotter, tripod and binos. I could live without the stove, as long as the guide has one.

 

[mtwarden]

No way I'd do that hunt without my own spotter, tripod and binos. I could live without the stove, as long as the guide has one.

I’m still 99% sure my spotter/tripod are going

I’m pretty sure the stove/pot are going. Might be left at the spike camp, but figure if we’re rained in for a few days don’t have to bother the guide with boiling up water when I want a cup of coffee.

 

[Usmcinfantry1988]

I’m between a 553 and a 773.


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I have been doing a lot of research on this , no matter how attractive the weight of the 553 is the 773 is a bette choice for sheep , that’s the route I’m going as well , really wanted the 553 to be the ticket but I just don’t want to be underpowered, but would love to be underweight however ha ha !

 

[GoatBoat218]

I’m still 99% sure my spotter/tripod are going

I’m pretty sure the stove/pot are going. Might be left at the spike camp, but figure if we’re rained in for a few days don’t have to bother the guide with boiling up water when I want a cup of coffee.

You started a thread asking what not to bring. Giving advice having been there done that, just trying to help. Your guide will be more than happy to share his stove. If your end up having a long brutal pack out you be regretting all the unnecessary things that you didn't really need. Best of luck!

 

[mtwarden]

I’ll gladly take a long brutal pack out if it means there is a nice ram on my back

Definitely appreciate all the feedback! I was very undecided on the spotter when I posted this thread, no longer based on the feedback.

I think I’m going to at least bring the items I had question marks on; if the outfitter and/or guide convince me otherwise they’ll stay at the lodge.

 

[wind gypsy]

If you are not paying extra for a packer, there is no packer. That is usually an upcharge proposition.

Otherwise, it's you and your guide. In some rare occasions, you might have another guide along who is bored if there is a main camp and he/she has nothing else to do.

Depends on the Outfitter. For some of the outfitters that are running a handful of guides at a time they like to get a couple "packers" every year that are really there to learn and be molded into future guides on the Outfitter's dime. A quality outfitter running 4 or 5 sheep hunters a week needs to plan ahead if they want to have guides they trust and can stand behind. I didn't expect or pay for a packer on my Dall hunt but my guide's 18 YO son came along as a packer anyway to get some experience. Our packout was easy and we didn't have any need for him. There was a little unexpected added expense in tipping him but he was a good kid, good company, so I was happy to throw a little his way.

 

[wind gypsy]

Certainly a lighter pack is advantageous- no argument. Mine will still pretty light even if I decide to throw in the spotter/tripod/stove/etc.

I've seen enough of your posts over the years to wager your pack with tripod/spotter will probably be lighter than lots of guided sheep hunter's packs without spotter/tripod. And I bet 99% of em aren't logging over 1000 miles in the mountains every year..

 

[Wapiti1]

Depends on the Outfitter. For some of the outfitters that are running a handful of guides at a time they like to get a couple "packers" every year that are really there to learn and be molded into future guides on the Outfitter's dime. A quality outfitter running 4 or 5 sheep hunters a week needs to plan ahead if they want to have guides they trust and can stand behind. I didn't expect or pay for a packer on my Dall hunt but my guide's 18 YO son came along as a packer anyway to get some experience. Our packout was easy and we didn't have any need for him. There was a little unexpected added expense in tipping him but he was a good kid, good company, so I was happy to throw a little his way.

That's a good deal if it works that way. The outfits that I talked to all charged for that service. In the case of hunters I talked to, they had an upcharge. That said, it was a request up front from the client, so a guaranteed packer was factored into the hunt. The guys that had booked with packers that I talked with were all 65 plus years old.

That would be sweet to have one.

Jeremy

 

[Bambistew]

I splurged for a Swaro ATS 65 recently- figured a pretty decent compromise between performance and weight. If my guide has a 80+ scope- all the better

Everyone is different... but I've been on a couple dozen sheep hunts and all but one were with one spotter. Its redundant weight, IMO, but I understand wanting to not miss a single second of the action. What kind of camera do you have? If I had to chose between a spotter and a good camera with a big zoom, and video capability it would be the camera. Set it on a tripod and and film while the guide is looking at the ram. Phone scopes are ok, but a good camera is better.