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I decided to make some big life decisions (my wife calls it my midlife crisis) and set the stage to move in 2018. So early in the planning for tag applications I wanted to use up my CO points.

I had 3+6 sheep points. I had already committed to a Kodiak deer hunt with a friend in Aug so was looking for a later hunt to not conflict. This hunt popped out as good success the last few years for bowhunters and maybe a chance at drawing it.

When the draw results came out, he drew a nanny Mt. Goat tag as well! We were going to spend a year in the mountains!

So the boys were dying to go to the Total Archery Challenge at Snowbird. It was great! really got you in shape and honed shooting skills. Bring extra arrows!

check out the link for a blast from the past. http://forums.bowsite.com/tf/bgforums/thread.cfm?threadid=339313&forum=7

The flight to Anchorage went well, but that is when the reality of Alaska weather set in. We boarded and flew to Kodiak, but got turned away because of fog at the airport. Back to Anchorage. For Three days!! checking in only to be sent away. Not wanting to live at the airport I decided to make the most of it. Fortunately the weather in Anchorage was amazing. sunny and warm. We took full advantage of the salmon run, and to explore the city and area.

Mark

We got base camp set up, unpacked and repacked for spike camp. set up the bear fence to hopefully protect base camp while we were gone. Then started up hill. Finally we were hunting!

On Kodiak you cannot hunt caribou same day as flying (you CAN hunt deer same day) so I made my best effort to keep up. This was my first caribou hunt, and I quickly learned you cannot keep up with moving caribou over tundra! We were pretty tired after a few miles up the valley and decided to set up spike camp. We had spotted several deer in the area, so we spent the last bit of daylight to try to stalk some deer with a bow- no luck but a learning experience.

The next morning I was up early and antsy to get out and look for the caribou. Luck came again and a few hours later we were looking over the herd. The camp rifle was my 35 whelen. It shot ok, but nothing like my long range 300wsm set up. So there we were bellying crawling at 300 yards from the closest bou. No really big bulls were spotted so I was hoping to close in at least another 100 yards to take a shot at a decent one. I don't know if I would have had a chance with a bow in that open country.

I felt a shift in the herd and noticed they were starting to move. From yesterday I knew my time was short, but I couldn't make a confident shot from where I was. Moving bou don't like to stop for a shot! Pretty soon the whole herd was going away! I went into commando mode. Dropped my pack, and started after the herd trying to get an angle. After a tortuous half mile running slog I knew it was my last chance. I took the shot and watched one stumble!

The caribou was down, but not out. I worked my way up to finish it off. Of course as I walked to the downed animal the herd bunched and came right past us at less than 100 yards! My kid said he wished he had a caribou tag! I was glad he didn't as I knew the pack back down was going to be tough.

the hike was tough and very wet. The vegetation was thick and hard to move through. Out of necessity we ended up hiking down a creek. We arrived at base camp exhausted and soaking wet. The rest of the hunt we wisely wore waders!

We came over a ridge and spotted a buck. We were a few hundred yards above the buck on a ridge with nothing between us but grass. I asked again if he wanted to just shoot one with the rifle, of course he said NO, its not big enough and I want one with my bow! That deer ended up moving out and I thought a good chance with it.

What happened next I would never have believed if I didn't watch it first hand! I spot a really nice buck come out of the brush at the bottom of the ridge and feed. Then another smaller buck comes out and starts feeding towards the big buck. My kid is excited about the bigger one and says he would shoot that with the rifle if he had to. We start butt sliding and creeping on the open face to close the distance to less than 200 yards. Luckily they don't spot us moving. Then the big buck beds down facing directly at us straight up the hill at us, and the smaller buck facing directly away from us. Tricky deer covering both sides. It starts to blow a bit and rain. My boy says Dad, let me shoot it! I say its bedded, maybe we should wait for it to stand and get a clear broadside. He says "I can perfectly see his shoulder in the scope" I says "Its better to wait for a perfect broadside when he stands" and back and forth for 15 min.

I give in since it's his deer and hunt. With the rain and wind in and out I say just wait til its clear....He says I got this- BOOM. the buck just rolls legs up with the big bullet perfect through the shoulder. Awesome shot. But even more amazing the smaller buck never flinched! It was sleeping head down and never knew what just happened. My kid says- Dad I'm going to slide straight down there and see if I can kill that buck with my bow. OK!

I didn't think he much of a chance covering 150 yards in the open but hey, its worth a chance. A few minutes later I can't believe he was closing in. I see him knock an arrow. the buck is up now! I see him come to full draw, the buck is starting to spook, I see the arrow flying and the buck moving at the same time! The arrow disappears- did he miss? where did the arrow go? Then the buck stops and looks back. I think- try to get another shot..... Then the buck falls over!! Buck down! Two bucks down in 5 mins. The second one with his bow!

We grilled up some fresh backstraps. I do have to say Sitka Blacktail is the absolute best wildgame meat I have ever had!

At this point though, I had to make a choice to make this hunt a great experience for my son. He was tagged out, and pretty tired like teenagers get. However I didn't feel I could leave him alone for a full day yet so I decided to take the next day off to recoup and rest. Normally I will hunt til I'm dead, but once again I had to realize this hunt wasn't about me. I glassed from camp hoping something my come by but nothing did.

All the bucks we saw were smaller than the one I glassed first thing so I decided to go for that buck. Late afternoon had us above the alder patch he had disappeared in. I saw a doe, then a fawn move out. Then another doe. Finally I spotted the tips of his velvet antlers. He started to feed in the brush as I tried to guess where he would go. However luck wasn't on my side. Light gave out as I was only able to get 65 yards from him with only his head/neck above the brush. No shot. He spooked as I made a last ditch move to make something out of nothing.

That next morning we packed camp and boarded the float plane, glad the weather had held up for our return to civilization.

This did get me thinking when would I ever find time to focus on my sheep tag?

Brady had a good write up of his adventures here:

http://forums.bowsite.com/tf/bgforums/thread.cfm?threadid=464218&messages=79&forum=12

I don't think many Alaskans hunt in Aug because that's OTC sheep season!! Also I think most like the late hunt since it can be easy to park the boat and tag out in a couple days on the beach! Easy way to fill the freezer.

After school Thurs we made the drive up to the trailhead. Maroon Bells can be crazy busy this time of year. It was not my first choice to hunt there but the local biologist and game warden said they were seeing lots of goats in that area. It was a good lesson to show my kid that you can hike in the dark, and make camp in the middle of the night!

On the hike up we ran into another hunter who had tagged out the day before. They had been there a few days, and gave us some good info. We continued up made our way to Willow Pass. I noticed some tracks on the trail and kept looking at them, seemed a bit different than a deer.....

We crested the pass, took in the view, Then I spotted 3 white dots!! There they are!

We made our way up to the downed goat. Steep terrain but luckily no cliffs where it was. It turned out to be an older mature nanny with a broken horn. So hard to judge these goats from a distance. Very beautify animal with character.

The weekend before the goat hunt I did begin to notice my left knee getting sore. After each hike it would be worse.

Of course he asks- so when are you going to scout up your Bighorn?? I know, I know, life is too busy!

Being a good friend I agreed to hunt with him a few days (karma). Nothing like bowhunting elk in the Rut! We called in a number of bulls, but since he has already killed a few nice ones (with us helping out) he was passing them up. I was lucky to find a carcass down a steep canyon and hunted it a couple days. On the last night I could hunt, a bear came in to 50 yards at last light. However the wind was unstable and it never gave me a shot. I was ok with that, I didn't want to use up all my luck on this hunt!

Hiking up out of that hole wasn't hard, but my knee was still acting up. I told Brady I couldn't keep it up every day, plus had other time commitments. Brady did tag out on the very last day of the season

Now my knee was acting up, it was getting worse, and a bit swollen. It was the end of September and I was planning time for scouting trips to my Sheep unit. I didn't want anything to ruin my sheep hunt. Following his good example, I made an appointment as well.

To my relief nothing major, just over-use and I'm getting old (40)!!! Imagine that, I guess I've been carrying heavy packs on gnarly steeps and elevation all summer!! Time to take it easy (along with some strong anti- inflammatory meds) and some physical therapy/stretching daily (RICE). diagnosis was quadracep tendonitis. Just a warning to those who may go too hard fast when they get a sheep tag to listen to your body.

That was going to put a damper on my scouting plans for sheep. However I wasn't going to risk compounding the injury.

With this in mind I did cancel a youth doe hunt for my youngest boy in AZ. That would have been too much. I took him rabbit hunting instead and he was just as happy.

I had also drawn a 4th season mule deer tag in CO that overlapped my sheep hunt. The deadline for turning it in was close.....

Another stroke of good luck- A good friend and old roomate, who flips houses for a living, had told me he was working on an old cabin in Divide, CO. which just happens to be right in the middle of my units!! It was almost done on the remodel and I was welcome to stay in it.

We made the 5.5 hour drive out to the cabin, and the next morning bagged the easiest 14er- Pikes Peak while looking for sheep. The bad news was we didn't see any sheep. It was 7 F on top and blowing 30mph gusts. How am I going to bow hunt that? I checked out access to a few other areas as well, knowing that I needed to make another trip out. To cap it off they won their soccer game, and we made the long drive back home.

Once again I stayed at the cabin in Divide. One morning I checked out Colorado Springs Utility land below the summit where a number of rifle hunters had been successful earlier that year. No luck, and I wan't up for a 10 mile hike yet... I then focused on the S46 unit which is traditionally winter range. The biologist said there is a resident herd there, but they tend to stay on private.

That afternoon I accessed through the private I had permission for a slowly hiked a couple miles. It looked great, but no sheep. The next morning the plan was to cover the other end of Dome Rock SWA that I didn't get to from the private the night before.

I headed out on what I thought was the trail that joined where I was the evening before and where sheep were reported in the past. After a couple miles I thought this doesn't look right, I had left my gps in the truck thinking this is a SWA with trails, I can't get lost and my batteries are out. I didn't even have a map! I was only planning a couple mile and thought I'd be back soon.

Needless to say it wasn't til I was about 4 miles in I ran into a couple other hikers and figured out where I was. There was a big loop and I had taken the wrong way in. I knew that I could join up to where I was the night before and come out the way I had intended. However this turned a quick 2 miles in/out for 4 total miles to a 9 mile loop.

That's when I got lucky. No sooner had I hit the section I covered the evening I thought I should hurry through this part I notice tracks on the trail. Then I spot movement. Sheep on the Rocks. My lucky mistake let me walk right up onto a band of sheep! There was a legal ram with them. I just glad to finally find some sheep.

The extra 4 miles out was ok, even though I ran out of water. Better to make these mistakes on a scouting trip, and to learn the area, and my knee was holding up ok.

Thanks for sharing with us--------->

Good luck, Robb

How can you say no to that? It was for the 3rd season, so the weekend before my sheep hunt. We had hunted the property before and knew there were a number of deer, but not usually any size. The first morning we glassed a couple deer and my son set up on a small 4pt buck. I was on the video, but the deer wouldn't stop for the shot. Of course I was telling him to wait for the perfect set up! The buck spooked last minute and ran up a little ravine. We start to run to get an angle before it left the property- The 3 bucks come out the top. No time to video, my son takes a shot. The deer run, but one circles and falls! It turns out to be a 3x4 with lots of mass we had seen the year before but didn't shoot.

Needless to say, I was looking through the leftover list and a 3rd season buck tag for a unit I had hunted elk in before popped up. I couldn't pass up a "free tag" and got it just in case. After my son had tagged out on his buck tag, I did a quick scouting trip and figured out two options:

First: I knew of a small funnel where deer come off the public into a private field almost like clockwork morning and evening. However the only bucks in the group were a couple 2pts and a 3pt. I felt really confident I could shoot one with my bow either morning or evening.

Second: I found this nice 4x4 buck feeding in a private field, but didn't know where he bedded but it just might be on public on the far side. I would have to rifle hunt for any chance, and it seemed slim since I had never hunted the far side before.

I called my hunting buddies and sent the video, to see if I should go for the big one, or just bowhunt a small one.

My good friend Phil said it was a no brainer- I didn't need to kill another dink buck !

Monday morning found me a couple miles in on a ridge glassing the field I saw him the night before. Groups of deer were heading out to bed but I didn't see the big buck. I moved to the next ridge and kept glassing the edges. Finally an hour after sunrise I spotted him in the private field. He was headed the wrong way though, away from me.

I made a move, knowing I may loose him but had to make it to a vantage point if I was ever going to have a chance. Another hour has me looking over a BLM pinyon-juniper flat that touched the private. I catch movement and see a doe flash by. then another deer, and a small buck. I wait.... nothing else.

Then I spot the doe in a narrow sage opening in the junipers, then a big buck appears out of nowhere! Its a long shot but I squeeze of a shot. It jumps but doesn't go down. I put another shot in and hit him. He still runs back towards the fields. I take up the blood trail and find him just out of the junipers. Big buck down!

I barely have time to field dress and bag the buck, and cover the few miles back to the truck before I get to work (a little late). After work and school I grab my son and we go back it out right at dark. Another hike with heavy packs.

The other good news was the free cabin. It had sold, but wasn't going to close until after my hunt, so I was free to stay in it and not have to clear out each day for showings. Things were looking up.

I heard a few rifle hunters had killed sheep from that property in October. Looking at the maps it was a long hike in and out every day (camping prohibited). We hiked in about 5 miles and never saw a track. The property went another 3 miles, but felt we could glass that section from the top of Pikes Peak. This fall had been very dry. The peaks were still completely clear of snow. We hiked the 5 miles back to the gate and headed to the cabin.

We then planned to head up Pikes Peak. There is a toll road up Pikes Peak with a number of restrictions. The gate does not open until 9 am, and the road all the way to the summit may be closed at anytime due to weather conditions. Also you had to be off the summit by 4pm, and out the gate by 5pm. Not very convenient for hunting. For bighorn sheep hunters only, they do allow camping on the summit or at the halfway point if you buy a permit.

We went about 100 yards and got a visual on the sheep. Still about 300 yards away in the open below us. I wanted to swing wide out of sight and see if I could work down to their level. As I started to go, Phil said- There's a ewe right there! I look and see nothing. He said it spooked and went over the rocks.

We go to where he last saw the ewe and see nothing. I never saw it. However the two rams below us must as saw her because they got up and were looking weary. I hoped they would stay with all the ewes with them but it was apparent they didn't like what was going on.

They actually start to head our direction but lower. I figure its now or never and move to try to get an angle and see what happens. There is no way I can move fast enough at that elevation, and they are spooked anyway. I actually got to 60 yards as they crossed over the ridge and bailed down an escape chute. Wasn't even close to a chance but fun to see and chase sheep. I did find a horseshoe at about 13,600' and felt it might be lucky. You never know if you are too aggressive or not, but his time it didn't work out.

There were a few ewes and a legal ram in an easy spot. The ram was maybe a 5/8 curl and I wasn't sure I wanted to shoot it on the 2nd day (I was still thinking about the big ram from the day before). Phil said I was crazy and would never have an opportunity like this again if I pass it. My goal was to kill a ram with my bow, and knowing the overall odds of archery success in Colorado is low, knew it was risky to pass a legal ram.

I said lets go for it and see what happens. The ram was up and down, checking a ewe. When I was ready to move in it had bedded down. I got in to range and couldn't focus on a spot! ram fever kicking in. The front shoulder was in the way, the hind quarter tucked up tight, and I was shooting up and didn't want to punch the gut. Needless to say the steep angle up also through me for a loop. I ended up punching the release and knew I pulled it high.

The ram jumped up and ran to the ewes. I knocked another arrow but saw a ewe directly behind him, no shot. Pretty soon they knew what was up and the ewes bolted while the ram took off the other way. Hopefully that wasn't my only chance. I felt pretty bad.

We watched where he went and Phil said lets give him an hour and see. That was a long hour. We sneaked back to where we last saw him. A few hundred yards through the boulders Phils says- I see his horns! The ram was coming back towards us, about 60 yards away. A few big boulders were in between us. Phil stayed back and I went forward. I peeked around and saw his hind. I quickly ranged it at 25 yards, drew my bow and leaned out for the shot.

The ram saw me move and and bolted again. He ran back to where the ewes were. It was on a sheer cliff area with no chance of a stalk. I guess it wasn't meant to be. I was feeling down but learned some valuable lessons.

Here is a video right after my miss. You can see the ewe behind him so I couldn't take a follow up.

This time the peak was closed for traffic due to high winds. We waited for an hour til it was clear. It had become evident to hunt the Peak with all the restrictions I would have to commit and camp there. Always tough to give up a warm cabin and electricity for a tent in the freezing wind!

We glassed all day on the Peak and turned up several bands of ewes and one small ram, maybe a 1/2 curl. We then went to the SWA and hiked the 4 miles with no tracks and no sign of sheep. I needed to commit to the Peak since we had been seeing sheep there. Day 5 was also Phil's last day to hunt with me.

My son wanted to come along on this hunt, but with the logistics and school it didn't work out. He did however go help his friend (his dad agreed to drive) out on a mule deer hunt and spotted a buck for him. Not bad for a couple 15yr olds.

We got to the gate, and were informed that once again the road was closed to the top. That is why I need to camp in there, its not closed if you are already up on top. we drove to where rangers had the closure and waited. High winds (up to 70mph gusts) on the summit were to blame. An hour later the wind died down enough to open the road. Phil asked the ranger who came down if he had seen any sheep from the road- Nope.

As we slowly drove up the switchbacks Phil said you got to get one today since I'm with you to help out. I said that would be great, just got to find a huntable sheep. Next thing I hear is Phil saying "There's a ram over there!"

Sure enough he spotted a ram and ewe in a very stalk-able spot. From all our glassing the days before we knew we could get above the sheep, get to the edge of the cliff and hopefully have a close shot. We hurried to the parking spot and got ready fast, hoping the ram would stay.

I was having flashbacks of my missed opportunity before and starting to feel a little anxiety. Phil said you got this. We started moving quickly down the ridgeline to where we though the sheep were. The wind was blowing so our noise wasn't a big issue. We stopped above a cluster of boulders we had marked. Phil had the plan and said "I'm going to peak over and find the ram and range it. You only need to draw and lean over and shoot" I said "Ok, it better be closer than 25yds so I don't miss!"

I saw Phil look over the edge, bring up his rangefinder turn to me and say 23 yards, you got this!

The sheep run behind the boulders out of sight. Phil says you just got a ram! A minute later we see the ewe run out from the boulders and cross a draw away from us. Phil moves down the edge and spots the ram still standing below us. I hurry to him and he says 47yds (angle compensated) Once again I come to full draw. This time I am clear headed and deliberately go through the process. A clean release and we watch the arrow fly.... what? did I miss? it looked like the arrow went high over the ram?

No time to think about it because the ram is running across the draw, running, running, staggering! falling over!!! Ram down! It is down right there!

We made our way to the downed ram.

I kept in touch with him throughout the hunt. He had a couple good chances and a missed shot throughout the hunt, but ended up empty at the end.

I had a week scheduled off after Thanksgiving in case I needed it for the sheep. Since I was tagged out I decided to go hunt whitetails in Arkansas with my friend Brady who owed me for help on his elk hunt ;) Its a low key fun hunt to hang out at deer camp. I shot a doe, and passed a few others and a 7 pt, waiting for one of his shooter bucks that never materialize. Always grateful to sit with a bow in hand in stead of at work!

As kids age they want more and more independence. This hunt turned out great for my son to learn to do it by himself. As a Dad I wanted to be there and tell him the best way to do things, but I never did sit or hunt with him during this hunt. It was close enough he could ride his bike over or get dropped off and hunt. He even had a couple friends sit with him on various occasions. There were a lot of learning opportunities (2 missed shots!) But finally he was able to connect on this deer! He even had it dressed and at home before I got back from work!

I do have to say I was really impressed with Justus. The first thing he did after his move was to convince the local archery shop to hire him, a 15 yr old with no experience to work at the shop! I figured he deserved a little help to get his first archery big game kill ( I had taken him the year before and the boys killed turkeys with their bows).

It became a joke at deer camp that Justus was the only guy at the archery shop without a biggame kill so we put him in all the best stands. The Hunt went by fast, There was a couple days of general season where they took some does with rifles, then bowhunted the rest. Justus finally got this awesome doe at 17yards!! he was the happiest bowhunter! and a good friend, hopefully a friend my son will have to grow with and go on many future hunts and become the next generation of bowhunters.

As I have seen over the year, good friends and family makes a hunt priceless. And I plan to continue to leave a hunting legacy for the next generation. What a year.

Fantastic! Congratulations all around!

Bill v

What a year...congrats! Nicely done with the young guns! They are lucky to have a great Dad like you!

Mark

I am that lucky bowhunter who drew that tag for sheep! This gets me so jazzed on getting into the country for the hunt......can't wait. Did a drive by yesterday when in the area. Didn't have the time to swing into the country, but will be very soon. I got to read this a few more times ha ha!