Fast forward to today, April 16, 2017. I sat on the beach, while vacationing with my family, and realized I was now T minus 90 days and counting, as my departure flight was booked for July 17. Looking out into the ocean, I sat thinking about all that has led up to it, and curious about what’s to come.
Something drew me to get on my computer and start to write about it. At a minimum, I can look back years from now and relive it a bit. Or, even better, I can pay forward to others, what I’ve learned through the experience, and through the generosity of those who have helped along the way.
My hunt will be with Nahanni Butte Outfitters and take place in the Northwest Territory. I am 44 years old (will be 45 at time of hunt). The long road of anticipation is winding down to what will soon become reality. Personally, this is a huge deal. Not just another hunt for this Massachusetts native, whose experiences are limited to Whitetail, Black Bear, Elk, Turkey and African Plains Game. Nothing close to this type of mountain adventure. If you want to follow along, Great! If not, that’s OK too!
First, and foremost: Thanks to those that have shared their experiences and knowledge, which have and continue to help me down the path in front of me.
When hunt time comes, I’ll keep a daily log and share those day for day, after I return from my trip. Until then, I’ll be sharing some of what I’ve learned along the way, what my gear plans are, my fitness regimen, and perhaps some other miscellaneous stuff that no one cares about.
More to come. - Geoff P.
Make sure to take lots and lots of pictures!
Stay laser beam focussed on your training (weighted backpack in your mountain boots on hills), your practice shooting (absolutely the most contorted/uncomfortable angled shots you can dream up) and your undeniable positive mental state of mind!
Pinch yourself every morning as you tell yourself that you are hunting sheep in one of the most unspoiled wildernesses in the world (breathtaking views included)!!
Good luck, you are going to do great!!!
Mark
"Take a trip of a lifetime every year"!
Gene
Glad to live it through your hunt. my best, Paul
Most of what I can offer is in that story, but let me know if I can help you with your preparations. Gene
Good luck, what are you doing for a workout routine, and just as important what does your nutrition look like?
It is a physical hunt and it sounds like you are already preparing your physical conditioning. In July the weather can go from Sunny and hot to rain and even snow so you need prepared for that. A good angle compensating rangefinder is a must and the country is open so shots may be a little longer than you are used to shooting on your previous hunts.
This hunt requires a lot of patience and the country can be a little imposing but remember to stay optimistic and have fun.
John
>>>>------>
I am 44 years old (will be 45 at time of hunt). I weigh 150 lbs and am 5’5” (Told my wife I was 5’10” when I met her and 5 years later, she realized I was lying……..no sh*t, true story).
Essentially, I’m going to get in whatever I can, whenever I can. I will have no idea if I am in the shape I need to be in, until AFTER the hunt (answer will likely be a resounding “not”). I have read that you can prepare, but you just cannot simulate sheep hunting, so I will plan for the worst, and hope for the best. Most of what my plan includes is: - Run at least 3 miles, 2X/week (adding in 12-16 lbs in form of weighted vest) - Free weights, 3X/week (each muscle group) - Treadmill at full incline, with my hiking boots on and 40 lb weighted vest, 2X/week for 45-60 min. Yes, I get some strange looks, but who the h*ll cares? I'm already married.... - Hike on trails with pack load at 50-60 lbs (1X/week), 1 – 2 hrs - In between all of this and when I can fit in, I will add hikes with load and runs with weighted vest, and try VERY hard to get in some extended hikes with load 2 hrs+
Unless we move base camp though, my hunt will entail going back and forth to a base tent each time out, so I will only be packing the necessities (rain gear, maybe insulation, optics, camera, food, water, bow). All in, the daily pack weight will be approx. 20 lbs., so I’m doubling this in the weighted work-outs shown above.
Also note - I have been working out at the gym (mostly just weights) for 20 years. Over the past couple of years I have added in running 2-3 miles, 3X/week and treadmill at full incline 2X/week. Point here is that I am not starting out at 0.
In closing on the fitness part, I realize the duration of these workouts are far less than ideal, but as I initially stated, I simply do not have the ability to do 3, or 4 our hikes, etc. on a weekly basis. Many of these are at the gym and either before work or on my lunch break. So, at times, I only have an hour-ish to get it done.
There you have it. Like I said....not very exciting. Sorry!
Two things that made it possible were an escalator style stair machine and abductor and adductor machines which probably saved my life.
You will be surprised at how much patience will play a part in success. Also, if you are willing to sleep out away from base camp, you can extend your range quite a bit.
I've tried 5 times to kill a Dall with my longbow and never sent an arrow. Been within 6o yards a half dozen or more times, 25 twice. Regardless of the result of your hunt, it's a great experience and I doubt it will be your only trip. Have a great time.
What does the weight training do for you? I've read a lot of 'sheep shape' workouts that include weights, but I'm not sure what the weight training does for you. I can see core work for stability and strength, but pumping iron has baffled me.
The weight vest is a good addition but it spreads the weight over a larger area of your shoulder, not like your pack straps that are relatively narrow. While I agree with the vest on runs, why not get your shoulders in 'condition' with the pack whenever you can?
Looking forward to your adventure and hope it all comes together for you.
Given the workouts, work, family, real life stuff, etc., I’m not left with much in the day. BUT, what good is any of the prep if you’re not rock solid in shooting your bow. What I have learned over the past month or so is to MAKE IT SIMPLE. By this I mean, make the process and effort of shooting simple. To elaborate:
We have a small balcony off of our master bedroom. I keep my bow next to my bed (yes, you heard that right), next to the sliding door to the balcony. I have a path cut out through the woods to 80 yards. I shoot over the yard, over the driveway and into the woods where one of my targets is, on the lower side of my property. Every morning when I wake up, I step out onto the balcony and shoot 8 arrows. When I return home in the evening, I stop in the driveway, run down and grab my arrows. Then, I walk in the house, say high to the wife and son, go up into my bedroom, and shoot the 8 arrows again. Takes very little time, but, it allows me to shoot EVERY day 2X (minimum). The point is; if it’s a time consuming, cumbersome process, to get my gear, setup, etc., I just wouldn't be able to do it as much. So…..I keep it simple.....in arms reach. It has made a big difference.
Based on the input from some of you, I add challenge to this by shooting off a small step ladder, varying my footing. I also shoot some closer shots from the opposite direction, which are steeper downward angles. And, from time to time, and on weekends, I will do some oddball shooting here and there.
The Mental Part When not shooting, every now and then, I envision the shot. I picture it in my mind. I go through the motion, see the animal through my site, imagine the release, and KNOW that I WILL hit my target. I recently started to read the book “With Winning in Mind” by Lanny Bassham, which essentially discusses how imagining winning and knowing you will succeed can help in actually winning (in this case, killing a sheep). Simply put, I no longer talk myself out of it with thoughts like “Don’t screw this up” or “I hope I don’t miss”, because I will miss.
Instead, thoughts are “I am going to launch a perfect arrow and kill the animal”, or “I know this, been here, going to get it done”. For many of you, this part may not mean a heck of a lot. For me, it’s a BIG deal. I have ALWAYS had a problem with maintaining composure and my shooting form in the heat of the moment. The adrenalin, excitement, etc. just breaks me down. So, for me, this is an important piece of the training. Who knows...could end up being the MOST important part.
OK…..will be back next with my gear list!
Since you are on the east coast, you are probably not able to get to mountains anywhere close. Try to find a tall building with a stairwell or a set of football bleachers. Start hitting the stairs on a regular basis and work on those leg muscles and lungs. Add a backpack and increase the load week to week. Do it with your hunting clothes and boots so you get everything set and you are comfortable in that gear.
You will have an awesome hunt.
Clothing Base Layers - Peloton & Merino – 2 of each long sleeve and short sleeve Mid Layer Top - Merino (mid weight) zip-off long johns – 1 pair Mid layer Bottom - SITKA – 1 top Jacket – KUIU Chinook Pants – KUIU Tiburon Pants Insulation – Ultralight down, vest, jacket, pants (I absolutely HATE to be cold. These weigh very little, and frankly, when it comes to being warm, I don't care what it weighs) Rain Gear – Ultralight Teton rain jacket & pants Socks – wool, 4 pairs Merino underwear – 4 pairs Boots – Lowa Tibet Hunter (I bought the Bighorn Hunter GTX G3, but don’t think I need the insulation for a late July hunt, so I’m shedding the weight) Gaiters – Outdoor Vision Balaclava (Sitka) – Like I said.....I hate to be cold Lightweight gloves – 1 pair Waterproof gloves – 1 pair, KUIU Yukon Pro Mosquito mesh jacket - Coghlan’s, off of Amazon Lightweight camo boonie (or baseball hat) Croc slip-ons (for camp & travel) Optics/Camera/Electronics/Harnesses - Binos – Vortex Razor HD 10X42 - Spotting Scope - Swarovski 20-60X65mm - Rangefinder – Nikon Arrow ID 5000 - Tripod – Vortex Summit SS-P - Bino Harness – Outdoor Vision RIDGETOP harness - Rangefinder Pouch – Outdoor Vision SIGHTLINE pouch (hooks to RIDGETOP Bino Harness) - Camera – Sony A6000 (I am not a photographer, but this takes nice pics for an average bozo....a.k.a. me) - Novagrade digiscoping adapter - Battery pack, 12000mAh (might upgrade to something closer to 15-20000). Want to make sure I have enough juice for my camera. - Satellite phone (will leave at camp) - Primarily to keep in touch with family & work - iPhone - On the fence about bringing a GoPro. I really don't want take away from my focus, but having video would be quite nice, eh? Glad to hear feedback on this. Sleep System - NeoAir Xtherm sleeping pad - Enlightened Equipment Quilt (0-degree) - Sea to Summit Aeros Ultralight Pillow
Pack - Icon Pro 5200 w/hip pockets - Bow holder - Rain cover - Dry bags (4 different sizes for clothes/electronics)
Other - LEKI Carbon Vario trekking poles - Outdoor Edge Razor-Blaze knife - Princeton Tec headlamp -Sunglasses (lightweight Oakley) - TOAKS Titanium “Spork” (spoon/fork combo) - TOAKS Titanium cup 450ml cup - (1) liter size collapsible water bottle - (1) liter size hydration bladder - Ear plugs (for sleeping) - 2 packs of wipes (for when the stink really starts to get nasty) - Tylenol PM (I use these frequently at home to help sleep. Can’t begin to image how much worse it will be with visions of sheep dancing in my head!!) - Advil - Tumeric pills (supposedly helps w/inflammation) - Deodorant - Small travel sunscreen - Small bugspray - Meat bag/s (not sure what kind yet). Yes, that’s right meat bags. For the most part I eat what I kill. The thought of eating sheep loin from one that I killed myself in the middle of nowhere, just makes me all giddy. I’m bringing some meat back, if I have to stick it in my pockets!
All in, I am at about 33 lbs (not including my bows, which I will talk about in next post).
As for total weight of items I will pack out each day while hunting, I am at about 23 lbs, which includes pack, spotter, tripod, camera & digiscope adapter, binos & rangefinder, trekking poles, water, food, raingear, down, gloves, balaclava, knife, headlamp, cup, spork, mosquito net, bug spray and sunglasses.
If there is anything glaring, glad to hear feedback. Wheels up in 8 weeks, 1 day, 19-1/2 hours!
I could have cut my clothes down on my hunt.
I had Sitka, First Light and King of the Mountain on my hunt. The Sitka synthetic started stinking really quick. First Light stuff was awesome and I wore it for quite a few days with no stink. I had a KOM shirt, vest and hat that was all I needed for warmth. Probably could have gone the whole hunt with just the First Light and King of the Mountain.
The KOM stuff is bulky and heavy. I would probably not take it again. A good puffy down jacket is probably a better choice.
The merino long johns are a life saver - would take 3 pairs of those and only change out if they get wet.
Good wool socks are also a necessity. Probably 3 pairs of those to trade out if you get in over the top of your boots.
Take two good pair of boots - wear one in and have one packed.
A good set of gaiters can help keep the water out of your boots - at least for a quick dunk.
Take extra headlamps. 3 would be good to have. Pretty sketchy when you find out your guide's light doesn't work with a griz on the side of the hill above you packing out in the dark...
Not sure if you will need to worry about bugs that much. The sun screen could probably go as well and just wear that boonie to keep the sun off.
Take a good duffle and a plastic tote. If you pack it right, you can get most all of your gear in the tote going up - Check your bow case and tote going up. I cut out the bow case by using a takedown longbow packed in my duffle.
Pack your cape, horns, and meat in the tote and insulate with some dirty clothes and sleeping bag coming back - Check the tote, duffle, and bow case (Jeez I really appreciate my takedown longbow for this kind of hunt!!!!).
If you also kill a caribou on the return trip, you'll end up checking the antlers as well (that can be very entertaining getting home!!) (Yikes, and with a big compound bow case you end up with lots of extra bag fees!). You will want to have the whole rack protected with cardboard and wrapped with tape to keep from damaging it. Don't cut the skull-plate if you want to score it for P&Y.
You are going to have lots of fun!
I was definitely thankful that I had 2 pairs on my hunt (wore one pair and had one in my gear). Got soaked crossing a creek and it was sure nice to have a dry pair...
Backpacking is different, but if crossing any streams, I would want waders instead!
One pair of well broken in boots and one headlamp (with lithiums).
Mark
I was sure glad to have a dry pair of boots!
I was glad to have extra headlamps in my pack when my guide and another hunter didn't have anything and we had to pack a caribou out in the dark with a grizzly bear just up the hill above us as well!
Pretty sure I could have outrun the other hunter, but also sure my guide would have outrun me...and the horses!
The key to all of it, to having a good time, to being safe, and to finding success, its all about attitude. Someone much smarter than me once said "the only real disability in life is a bad attitude". Fat guys kill rams and athletes get broken and quit. It's all about attitude.
I promise there will be a time in your hunt when you say to yourself "what the hell am I doing here?" When that happens, try to stay focused on how lucky you are just being there. Forget a dead ram, forget the pain and discomfort, just live in the moment, each and every moment that you're on the hill. Because I promise it will all be over so fast and you'll be back in your comfy home and your heart will still be in the mountains. And that's when you will suffer most.
Good luck, hope you kill a big honkin ram, but most of all, I hope you appreciate the privledge...
Going to talk about my gear in this post. As I have never been on a sheep hunt, my list is based on input from others, my own research & preferences, and in some cases cost. Trying to make the best of it, balancing weight, performance and cost. So….here we go: Clothing Base Layers - Peloton & Merino – 2 of each long sleeve and short sleeve Mid Layer Top - SITKA (mid weight) Zip-off merino long johns – 1 pair Jacket – KUIU Chinook Pants - KUIU Tiburon Insulation – Ultralight down, vest, jacket, pants (I absolutely HATE to be cold. These weigh very little, and frankly, when it comes to being warm, I don't care what it weighs) Rain Gear – Ultralight Teton rain jacket & pants Socks – wool, 4 pairs Merino underwear – 4 pairs Boots - Lowa Tibet Hunter (I bought the Bighorn Hunter GTX G3, but don’t think I need the insulation for a late July hunt, so I’m shedding the weight) Gaiters – Outdoor Vision Balaclava (Sitka) – Like I said.....I hate to be cold Lightweight gloves – 1 pair Waterproof gloves – 1 pair, KUIU Yukon Pro Mosquito mesh jacket - Coghlan’s, off of Amazon Lightweight camo boonie (or baseball hat) Croc slip-ons (for camp & travel)
Optics/Camera/Electronics/Harnesses Binos – Vortex Razor HD 10X42 Spotting Scope - Swarovski 20-60X65mm Rangefinder – Nikon Arrow ID 5000 Tripod – Vortex Summit SS-P Bino Harness – Outdoor Vision RIDGETOP harness Rangefinder Pouch – Outdoor Vision SIGHTLINE pouch (hooks to RIDGETOP Bino Harness) Camera – Sony A6000 (I am not a photographer, but this takes nice pics for an average bozo....a.k.a. me) Novagrade digiscoping adapter Battery pack, 12000mAh (might upgrade to something closer to 15-20000). Want to make sure I have enough juice for my camera Satellite phone (will leave at camp) - PROBABLY changing this to an InReach (Primarily to keep in touch with family & work iPhone - On the fence about bringing a GoPro. I really don't want take away from my focus, but having video would be quite nice, eh? Glad to hear feedback on this.
Sleep System NeoAir Xtherm sleeping pad Enlightened Equipment Quilt (0-degree) Sea to Summit Aeros Ultralight Pillow
Pack Icon Pro 5200 w/hip pockets Bow holder Rain cover Dry bags (4 different sizes for clothes/electronics)
Other LEKI Carbon Vario trekking poles Outdoor Edge Razor-Blaze knife Princeton Tec headlamp Sunglasses (lightweight Oakley) TOAKS Titanium “Spork” (spoon/fork combo) TOAKS Titanium cup 450ml cup (1) liter size collapsible water bottle, (1) liter size hydration bladder Ear plugs (for sleeping) 2 packs of wipes (for when the stink really starts to get nasty) Tylenol PM (I use these frequently at home to help sleep. Can’t begin to image how much worse it will be with visions of sheep dancing in my head!!) Advil Tumeric pills (supposedly helps w/inflammation) Deodorant Small travel sunscreen Small bugspray Meat bag/s (not sure what kind yet). Yes, that’s right meat bags. For the most part I eat what I kill. The thought of eating sheep loin from one that I killed myself in the middle of nowhere, just makes me all giddy. I’m bringing some meat back, if I have to stick it in my pockets!
All in, I am at about 33 lbs (not including my bows, which I will talk about in next post).
As for total weight of items I will pack out each day while hunting, I am at about 23 lbs, which includes pack, spotter, tripod, camera & digiscope adapter, binos & rangefinder, trekking poles, water, food, raingear, down, gloves, balaclava, knife, headlamp, cup, spork, mosquito net, bug spray and sunglasses.
If there is anything glaring, glad to hear feedback. Wheels up in 8 weeks, 1 day, 19-1/2 hours!
Those very thoughts went through my head on my first sheep hunt......and now I am planning my 7th!
Mark
For a sheep hunter, truer words have never been said!
After 4 sheep hunts on my own and double that number with other guys sheep hunting, not sure I have ever hit that point of asking myself , "what the hell am I doing here?" though. Love every second of my time in the mountains hunting sheep, no matter how much it hurts!
Extremely frustrated by this horrible service.
Pam Vanatta
Just a couple of small tips:
We call it a "comfort" pack. Put unscented baby wipes in a small Ziploc, anti-bacterial wipes in a small Zip-loc bag, and half sheets of quality paper towel in another Ziploc bag. When your hands are cold and wet, toilet paper just won't stand up. Staying clean is far more comfortable than trying to treat the mud-butt symptoms.
And the spork. The worst of two tools in one! Get a long handled titanium spoon. Long enough to eat Mountain House out of the bag without having to roll the bag down or get your fingers inside. You don't want to be licking MH off your fingers, especially if you have ignored the comfort pack advice. If you think you need a fork to, then buy one of those also.
Wear a high quality Merino base layer and you can ditch some of your extra clothes. I will wear the same clothes, everyday for ten days. One change of merino base layers and wash in a stream. Same for socks. I wear a very light wool liner and a midweight wool hiker. Rinse and hang to dry. It's usually windy enough in sheep country to dry them fast.
Use very good raingear and put it on BEFORE you get wet. You don't need a lot of extra clothes if what you wear stays dry. You only need enough clothes to layer up for temperatures. You can't beat down, but it has to stay dry. Have one lightweight, hooded windproof outer jacket.
Second, I know next to nothing about this type of hunt, so I apologize if this is a dumb question. Is the spotting scope necessary? I'm assuming the guide will also have one. Looks like dropping it out would save considerable weight for you. Also, any type of first aid kit, or does the guide provide that?
We also had an encounter with a grizzly while packing my sheep back to spike camp. Surprised me that grizzlies would be that high up. Guess he liked the smell of sheep meat:)
Ambush - thanks for the tips!
Shooting practice? Multi arrow practice is good BUT it may be getting close to the time to just shoot ONE arrow to duplicate the actual hunt. One in the morning and one in the evening. This should reveal if you are ready or not as you know, it is this one action that will make or break the hunt when the ram is within your effective range. ONE ARROW. My best, Paul
Check the bubble when you first settle into your anchor and then one more time before you pull the trigger.
If you have some steep hills, practice coming to full draw and holding at all different angles up, across and down. It will help, even if you don't shoot. You'll also find out any form problems that might result from uneven footing.
OK - I have a BIG QUESTION for those who may have hunted with Lancaster. I am now filling out my tag form. IF for some odd reason I were to kill a sheep early in the hunt, and IF I wanted to relocate to hunt goats or caribou..........which do you suggest?!?! One other member here had suggested goats is a better chance. Honestly, a mountain goat is on my bucket list, BUT, I would love to hunt either, if given the opportunity. Any thoughts?
Plus, the odds of taking two mountain animals on one hunt with a bow is astronomical.
Buy whatever add'l tags you can afford, just in case you get super lucky and kill really early in the hunt, but focus on the ram. The goat and caribou are separate adventures.
Hey guys - Figured I give a little update. Frankly, I am not where I want to be at this point in time. My wife had shoulder surgery a month ago, so I have had quite a bit of double duty. I am just over 6 weeks out and adding in more hikes with weighted pack (55 lbs) on a good hill that is about 1 mile up, so (up and down, 2 miles), shooting for 3X/week, along with weights and running 3 miles, for the other 2-3 days a week. Again.....work, family, etc. Just focusing on what is most impactful for the opportunity I get. I.e. since I cannot hike on my lunch break, I will run. When I can't run or lift at lunch, I will bring my boots and pack and hit the hill after work, etc. Working to get a session in 6 days/week.
Thanks again for all of your tips, encouragement and motivation!
You will fly into base camp and be assigned a cabin to park your gear in. Stow all of your gear there. If the weather is good, they will fly you out to your camp that afternoon. You will eat lunch at base camp and will take dinner with you. Eat a good meal as it is dehydrated meals hereafter. Have all of your gear packed and ready to go -meaning already have all of it in your pack or another duffle. It is best if you already have your gear ready to pack in the chopper and go. That way, you can spend time shooting your bow at base camp and talking with Clay, Jim, possibly Stan and the guides. You will be transported directly to your tent site via the chopper. It is not necessary that all of your gear be packed into your pack. You could put some in a small duffle bag. Don't worry too much about the weight of your gear. I watched every ounce but it was unnecessary. Not to say you can take 100 pounds, but this is not a pack-in hunt. The chopper will fly you directly to your tent camp. You will not be hiking with any gear on your back to set up your camp. Their chopper pilot for the past 2 years has been a guy from BC who owns his own shopper flight school. Very nice guy who takes great care of his chopper. He is also very talented flying it. One of the cleanest choppers I've flown in.
One suggestion is to bring a small archery target. Grizz targets in Alberta makes a very goo small target (Backpacker Super Light) 12"x12"x2.2". Cam Foss writes about using it on his hunts. I used it last year and it worked well. Just hang the target from you hiking pole to allow the target to swing once shot. It helped pass the time when I was stuck in the tent for 2.5 days because of rain/fog.
Don't worry about having multiple headlights. It is light most of the day. It is only dark from 1:30 AM until 4:30 AM in the morning. We hiked back to camp one evening from 10 PM until 1:30 AM without using a headlamp I had in my pack and I was able to see just fine. On that note, an eye mask helps block the light and helps for going to sleep when it is still light out if you are not on a ram.
Have an honest conversation with your guide on day 1 about your desire to kill the ram with your bow. When I was there, 5 out of 7 hunters were rifle hunters. 4 killed on the first day. the other archer wounded his on day 1 and killed it with a rifle on day 2. The other rifle hunter killed his on day 2. I went to the last day and killed my with a rifle on the last day as the rams caught our wind and were about to leave the country.
I run a couple of full length Ironman triathlons and know a little bit about endurance nutrition. I brought powdered electrolyte mix (EFS Electrolyte Powder Drink) for drinking during the day and a recovery drink before bed (Endurox R4 recovery). The Endurox has glutamine, which great helps cell recovery. I strongly suggest both of these for your trip. Make up ziplock baggies full of one serving. You can grab a days worth from your stash in your tent and put in your pack each day.
On that note, I brought all of my food with me from the US, which is something you may want to consider instead of eating Mountain House and crapping orange for a week. I ate Heather's choice breakfast and dinners, which are very good. It is a very good dehydrated backcountry meal from Alaska. Higher protein than Mountain House, organic ingredients and less weight per package. And the packages are half the size of a Mountain House package. I used ziplock gallon sized bags to organize my food for each day. I had a zip lock bag full of food for each day so I would just grab a bag and go. I didn't have to think about it on the mountain. Each bag contained a Heather's choice breakfast and dinner, macadamia nut/cashew m&m/raisin mix, tuna in foil packs, triscuits, Justin peanut butter, Justin chocolate/peanut butter cup, Pro Bar Meal, honey stinger waffles, olive oil, EFS Elctrolyte Mix and Endurox R4 recovery. I would eat about 4000 calories on 6 mile hiking days with about 3000' vertical and about 1700 calories on days when I was shut down in the tent because of rain/fog. (We are about the same size). Bring an empty Gatorade plastic bottle or sports bottle to mix drinks. Make up single use ziplock baggies of toilet paper and bring a package of antibacterial wet wipes.
When you kill one, I'd recommend that you bring the horns and hide back with you in a duffle bag on the flight. It will save you $600 of transportation cost that the taxidermist charges.
Practice shooting steep uphill and downhill shots with different footing/stances/kneeling, etc.
Bring your own angle compensating rangefinder. It is also good to bring an second one to loan to your guide.
Bring a spotting scope. You are simply more engaged in the hunt if you are both looking through scopes and talking about what you are both seeing. The guide can also teach you about judging, rams, sheep, etc. when you are both looking through the scopes.
Use merino wool base layers. They don't stink at all. Poly stinks bad in one day.
Use a poly liner sock and lightweight wool sock. Cabelas sells a lightweight wool sock with x-static silver coated thread. Silver is the most effective natural antimicrobial. The socks have very little smell, even after 5 days of use.
I used all Kuiu gear and can answer any questions you have on it for your particular hunt. I brought my Kuiu down pants, jacket and vest. I used a 30 degree bag and had the down jacket and pantts if I needed for sleeping, and never did. I used the down garments as a pillow at night.
Practice shooting as far as you are comfortable. I took my mountain caribou with a 56 yard shot after missing him on my first shot when he took a step at 74 yards.
Most guys tip around $1,000 or more per guide.
I'm sure I left something out and would be happy to answer any questions you've got. Shoot me a PM.
Very nice rundown of what to expect. Anything you wish you would have done differently going into or on the hunt?
Any pics of the hunt you can share?
Waterdawg: Is Jason Nutani still guiding for Nahanni? He was/is a fantastic guide.
I wouldn't change anything, except I would have taken the shot on my ram and just guessed the yardage. He would be dead and would be larger than my 159 I shot with the rifle on the last day. No worries, I'll just go on another archery dall hunt sometime.
I am still at it. Hitting the gym, running, and some weighted hikes. As I stated in my previous post, it is NOT as much as I'd like to, but doing as much as I can, when I can. Trying to keep the peace at home, with work, etc.
I am still tweaking gear 2+ years into this journey. My wife thinks I'm a lunatic. She tells people, "he's been out in the garage fondling his stuff for over a year now?!" Of course, she could not possibly understand the infatuation of hunting sheep, which has come over me. I see sheep everywhere I look. A beautiful, curvy woman walks by me, and what do I see.......a sheep, high up in the mountains! Is something wrong with me??
I have gone several rounds of certain items, fine tuning. Some of the updated items include a SLIK Mini II tripod, Sitka Mountain Pants and 90% Jacket, long handled titanium spoon (thanks Ambush). I've also trimmed down some on overall qty of clothing.
Let me say, that you guys have helped me HUGE. I was away on business recently in TX and was able to have dinner with Alan M. who I met here on Bowsite, and who has also helped me along with way. I cannot express my gratitude to each of you for the time spent on guiding me down the path ahead. I am rich with new friendships.
I plan on getting at least one more post out before wheels up! All the best - Geoff
These kinds of hunts are really special. You will have an awesome time!
Take tons of pictures! Of everything, every last detail... You will not regret it.
Congratulations and good luck to all of you guys!
LOTS OF PICTURES!!!
Make everyday a new day, no matter what happened the day before. It can just as easily come together in the last hour as the first.
Take some blunts or G5 small game heads and shoot your bow several times a day as you hike along. Marmot hole dirt piles and grass hummocks make good targets to simulate real hunting shots. Up, down and across.
Be sure to taper your training. You are really excited and want to work out. But at this point, it really does more harm than good. Do a few light workouts to stay in the game but really cut back on everything else. You want to arrive fully rested and ready to go.
This is standard practice for marathoners...
Mark
What airlines lost the bow?
Good luck from here on out!
Definitely a hunt that you will remember vividly for the rest of your life!
Enjoy it to the fullest!
Good luck!
The first day in the mountains, my legs seem to always feel like crap. Just stay AHEAD on your hydration....guzzle a liter first thing in the am and make sure you have access to lots of water all day!
Mark
Always remember, it only takes a minute to actually kill a sheep. Enjoy the ride until that minute comes.
Lying in your bag, on your pad, wide awake for ten hours should give you a good idea how comfy that is.
When the weather breaks, the rams will be just as anxious to get out as you are!
Lots of hunter's here pulling for you... keep at it!
Good luck .
Keep your spirits up! You gave it your all and learned a lot! You had an awesome experience and it will keep the fire going for a very long time to come.
Tavis
Hope you will still write up your adventure and also a gear review. Do's, don'ts and should have's. That's how we all improve our hunting experience.
I already ordered one of the pillows you used.
You made an attempt to do something few try, and gained the respect of a small, but amazing, fraternity. All the best!
Pack - KUIU 5200. I love the pockets and organizational features, BUT, to me it was sloppy. Even cinched down, it was shifting around quite a bit. 2 other guys in camp actually brought it up, and I agreed. I did have my bow attached, which likely didn't help. The KUIU bow holder for me was useless. The cam kept coming out. I scrapped it and jammed it in the base pocket, which proved to be MUCH better.
As mentioned earlier, EE quilt, Neo-Air XTherm and Sea2Summit Aeros Premium pillow were great. Sitka Mountain Pants were great. For the warm weather I had they were a bit too heavy, BUT, I was in some NASTY terrain and on my knees a lot, and not so much an abrasion. Really surprised. I was expecting them to be shredded, but they are still like new. KUIU Yukon Pro Gloves - Way too hot. The Guide gloves would have been much better, but the gloves did hold up great in nasty stuff. Good, tough gloves were a must for this hunt. Glad I had them. Spotter & Tripod - Have to say, after day 1 I dumped it. It was all about weight after that initial day. I had my bow on my back, food, water, raingear, extra layers, camera, bino's, rangefinder, first aid kit, and that's it. Only those of you who have done it can understand. The terrain was unexplainable. I was more interested in staying alive and on my feet then glassing & digiscoping. The 4 extra pounds stayed at the tent. Boots - Lowa Tibet GTX were GREAT. No blisters and I cannot tell you how many times I had only an inch of rock to traverse. Those things grabbed and held every time. They were life savers.....literally. Merino Wool Boxers and Socks - True.....they really don't stink after MUCH use. I took 3 pairs of each, but could have got by with 2. Also, the thicker wool socks helped with padding my feet in the boots. Bino Harness & Rangefinder Pouch - Have to say with complete honesty, there is nothing I would change on our Outdoor Vision bino and rangefinder setup. Functionality is really dialed in. Spot-Hogg Fast Eddie XL adjustable sight - I really love this site, but traversing the steep mountains it would sometimes hit the rocks next to me. I use it with the dovetail fully extended. I would still have used it, but man, I had to be very careful, as I did hit it several times (hey, wait, maybe that's why I missed?!?!). Moving on....Another issue was my 10" long stabilizer. It stuck out and wacked the mountain next to me many times. It was cumbersome. I would go w/o one altogether, or a very short one. I had KUIU peleton base top and SITKA mid & 90% jacket - Definitely wore too much in the AM's. I was drenched climbing those mountains. Best to go light in the AM even if you are cold starting out. Does not take long to warm up!
Food & Water - I needed more. I really did not get the calories and water I needed throughout the day. I should have taken more with me each day. Lunches were granola bars, candy bars, trailmix, jerky. Running out of water, which was just about every day, sucked!!! Rationing was not fun.
That's all I can really think of that needs mention. If I missed something or you have a question, please say so. Next post will be on the hunt itself.
I will get to the next post on the hunt in the next couple of days......hopefully!
