things NOT to take on a guided hunt

[Hill Difficulty]

Do NOT bring your wife. ~Francis Macomber

 

[idig4au]

Apart from the other advise, I suggest leaving MH Chili Mac freeze dried meals at home as well. The aftermath of eating these have implications on all creatures great and small!

 

[mtwarden]

No way I go on a sheep hunt without a tripod, even If I leave the spotter back, the binos are going on it!

my thoughts exactly AND it's pretty handy to shoot off of if it's a long shot

 

[Doc Holliday]

my thoughts exactly AND it's pretty handy to shoot off of if it's a long shot

Even if it's not a long shot. If there's time to throw the tripod up, use it. $30,000+, all that time preparing and training, the time away from home. Not many shots in a hunter's career will have as much riding on them as a shot on one of the NAWS

Merry Christmas everyone

 

[eaglemountainman]

How did that 553 do in sheep country , I'm loving the size and weight but wondered if its good enough for sheep? thanks !

It was perfect for the situation of me wanting to look on my own but knowing the guide had a bigger spotter. The guide had a swaro ats 80 and going back and forth between the two the biggest difference was that the little one is just less forgiving about your eye placement being perfect. You could resolve a little better with the swaro but it wasn't earth shattering. We weren't in a situation where any tough judgement calls had to be made on legality, we would have been just fine if it were the only spotter we brought but it was nice to each have our own.

If you have access to one, this seems like a great solution. At just 28oz plus 4oz for an RRS BPC-16 panning micro ball, it will save a bunch of weight and take up very little real estate in your pack. While you may/may not be able to, your guide can resolve legal status through his bigger glass and you will still be proactive looking through the spectacular glass of the little 553/554.

Best of luck. I'm extremely jealous

 

[mtwarden]

Even if it's not a long shot. If there's time to throw the tripod up, use it. $30,000+, all that time preparing and training, the time away from home. Not many shots in a hunter's career will have as much riding on them as a shot on one of the NAWS

Merry Christmas everyone

Oh way to put the pressure on!!

Merry Christmas to everyone as well

 

[Bambistew]

My perception is probably a bit skewed after a bunch of sheep hunts, but if I ever went on a guided hunt, I'd pack what I do on a DIY hunt and wouldn't rely on the guide for anything except packing half the meat. I'd high-grade his food when I got to camp, but that would probably be about it. Snickers are heavy... I'd shoot for a pack weight around 55lbs for 10 days and call it good. If it fits and you're under weight, forget about it. You can always leave stuff in camp if its redundant and I highly doubt you'll be packing your camp with you more than one or two times on a hunt. Probably a good chance you'll probably have a packer if you kill one an have camp. Even if you don't have a packer, 2 guys and one sheep is a doable pack with camp. Full camp and a sheep sucks balls, and I don't recommend. haha

I have been taking a 10000 and 20000mha battery and have enough juice to watch movies for days when stuck in a tent. Plus have plenty for what ever else I need. A small solar panel woulnd't be a bad idea, but they weigh about the same as a battery. We've taken one before, and they work fine in AK, the days are super long, so it makes up for the clouds, sort of. Better than nothing.

Good luck! Planning and the anticipation is as much fun as the hunt, almost.

 

[mtwarden]

Thanks! Sounds like some folks in the past have had packers, but not all. Should know prior to the hunt if we do, obviously that would be helpful on deciding what and what not to bring

Based on past usage, I'm planning on two 10,000 mAH batteries- phone, watch and inReach. I'd rather have a little juice left in the batteries vs running out

 

[woods89]

I have nothing of value to add, except that a guide somewhere is probably making a note to check the regs booklet an extra time or two, just to make sure....

All kidding aside, you have to be among the top few % of clients out there, as far as experience and fitness. Best of luck, and I'm looking forward to the hunt report when it goes down.

 

[mtwarden]

I have nothing of value to add, except that a guide somewhere is probably making a note to check the regs booklet an extra time or two, just to make sure....

All kidding aside, you have to be among the top few % of clients out there, as far as experience and fitness. Best of luck, and I'm looking forward to the hunt report when it goes down.

thanks!

a woman said bringing your husband with you shopping is like bringing a game warden with you hunting

 

[Where's Bruce?]

If you aren't glassing you're not participating and bored.

 

[mtwarden]

If you aren't glassing you're not participating and bored.

agreed 100%!

 

[Where's Bruce?]

PS: Some people view a Guide as a hired service provider, someone who works for them. I have hunted with a few Guides, I view them as hunting partners, someone I can learn from, support and enjoy the hunt with. I don't allow the financial aspect to change anything. The Guide is a hunter, just like you. The Guide wants a quality hunt and successful outcome, just like you. Don't treat your Guide any different than you would your hunting buddy(ies). Most of the time a Guide is working harder than the client, be the exception to that rule. JMO.

 

[Deadfall]

fly in and backpack hunt, no stock


yeah I'm having trouble with leaving a spotter behind, tripod as well- I prefer to glass with binos off a tripod, especially covering a lot of real estate and with a 400 yard shot possible, would much prefer to shoot off the tripod too

no camera and don't own a solar charger ; phone will be my camera and plan on bringing two 10,000 mah chargers for it (for the inReach too)

Don't know if you've ever sheep hunted before. We ate usually looking at sheep a mile away or more. Definitely take the spotter.

Most often guided hunters are told to leave the spotter because most guided hunters are not in good enough shape to carry the extra weight.

Being in good shape definitely bring the spotter.

As for shooting off a tripod...personal choice. Honestly though if have time to set up a pod, you have just as much time to lay prone over your pack. The terrain is unstable and usually you have lots of time to take your shot. Most of hunt is spent examining animal for maturity and travel route to intetsept. Then climbing to get close enough.

Definitely talk to outfitter about food. On a sheep hunt sometimes the food is different. If there are certain snacks you prefer, bring them.

 

[schmalzy]

agreed 100%!

Thanks for starting this thread [mention]mtwarden [/mention]definitely getting get some good feedback. I’m sold on bringing a spotter.

Now the question is which one.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[mtwarden]

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

 

[jofes]

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.

 

[Usmcinfantry1988]

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.

Excited to hear the results of this hunt brother .. let me know how that 553 does in the brooks range. Thanks and good luck on your hunt !

 

[204guy]

No way I go on a sheep hunt without a tripod, even If I leave the spotter back, the binos are going on it!

my thoughts exactly AND it's pretty handy to shoot off of if it's a long shot

I'll diverge here. I wouldn't bring a tripod for bino glassing without also bringing a spotter. If its a huge part of your shooting system maybe. A Weiser kit on a pair of trekking poles is way lighter and nearly as functional. For a tripod to be really functional shooting it needs to be pretty heavy. It's going to be country and snow dependant but seeing a white sheep on a hillside is stupid easy. We're not talking about picking a bedded mule deer or bighorn ram out of a tree rock hillside.

 

[Wapiti1]

Thanks! Sounds like some folks in the past have had packers, but not all. Should know prior to the hunt if we do, obviously that would be helpful on deciding what and what not to bring

Based on past usage, I'm planning on two 10,000 mAH batteries- phone, watch and inReach. I'd rather have a little juice left in the batteries vs running out

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.

Jeremy