Contributors to this thread:
Weathering the front end of our third tropical force storm this week here in Southeast Alaska. Maybe that’s a small stretch, but let’s just say it’s been sh*tty. Currently a stay at home dog dad with a new springer spaniel pup and minimal work this time of year. Doing my best to ignore all the political entertainment, here and everywhere else you turn. Been on a stone sheep kick lately to occupy some boredom. YouTube, Amazon Prime, other forums etc. Living in Alaska now Stones are currently the only thing on my radar I’d ever be interested in paying to hunt, as far as having to be guided. Things change obviously, but that’s where my interests are for the time being. Been reading through some old hunts, Jim’s was great, and whatever else is deep on the sheep forum here. Not a whole lot on these guys recently though.
In the spirit of pure boredom if anyone is willing to post up anything Stone sheep related I’m all for it. Old pics/stories, taxidermy, do’s/don’ts when choosing a hunt, thoughts on hunt pricing (what was a hunt 10-15-20 years ago, what do you think prices will do in the next 10-15-20 years)? Is demand going to go down when the Boomers fall out? Should a guy just shoot a dirty Dall and pretend it’s a stone to keep the significant other happier? How would you go about saving for such an excursion if it’s a down-the-road dream but still plan to recreate a fair amount in the states meanwhile? Or does a guy try to get in on some cancellations and finance anyway he can and worry about the rest later? How many lotteries should a guy be in, probably all of them? Obviously everyone’s situation is different, but I’m all ears. Anything goes. Thanks for your input.
I recently booked a moose hunt in northern BC. The outfitter also offers Stone Sheep hunts. I guess that’s their main Hunt. I thought the moose was expensive, the sheep hunt was a jaw dropper. I knew they are expensive but I guess I didn’t know how expensive.
Best of luck saving up.
I had a thread about my hunt years ago but don’t know how to bring it up
Stones are expensive and most outfitters don’t like archers, that’s the facts. There are a few who do archery but it changes every couple of years. It’s a fantastic hunt, beautiful country, I’d do it again in a heartbeat but lots of due diligence before would be best. If you’re getting information over 2 years old, don’t count on it.
By far and away the best option is to increase your income, maybe exponentially depending where you are?
If that's not an option, then you must move to British Columbia.
Third option- Hunt dirty Dall's in Alaska. I hear a few Fannins are killed on this side of the border, though the competition is fierce.
Other than that you will be wasting money on raffles. The ticket prices has gone up too far to make it a viable option. on top of that as mentioned outfits don't like bowhunters. Also wining a raffle may not put you in the best areas since you aren't a "paying" client..... Demand will not drop in the near future. There may be a long term plateau in the prices, but I think that is like 15-20 years out.
I'm somewhat in the same boat, hunting Stone sheep would be an incredible adventure but not sure I will ever be able to swing the financial/time commitment. In addition, as a midwesterner, there's several other "pay to play" species that I want to tackle in AK and otherwise.
One thing I can promise is that the hunt will not get any cheaper, unless somehow the sheep populations increase dramatically.
Good luck on your quest!
Hey kaleb, always wanted a stone more than anything. In the early 80s Bruce krake(sp) was 6400$. I kept putting it off and it he price went up faster than I could afford. Out of reach for me now. I know you and I say go now. Figure it out. Know you’re not talking to one of the guys on here who’s financially set and is now trying to figure hisbucket list out. I went to my limits and got quite a bit of hunting in. You won’t always be able to cover ground like you can now of that I’m sure.
JTreeman's awesome Stone sheep hunt from two years ago
Here is a link to my 2019 hunt (unsuccessful) in BC. Probably the best hunt I’ve ever been on. And I’m not a big dog high roller, you want it bad enough you can find a way to make it happen...
—Jim
Ha, TKJ, I think we were posting at the same time! Thanks for the shout out!
—Jim
Do it before you do something crazy like getting married. Just kidding!
dark ram
dark ram
Not a Dirty Dall's, but needs a couple of years.
About the closest I’m going to get to a real chance of killing a true stone sheep. Had I not braked and stopped I could have run over a few and tossed them in the back of my rig...
A month later driving the Alcan we stopped in the same location with a moving truck and shot some with the camera...
Haha, you’re not wrong Randy! $6,400 eh, times have changed for sure! I don’t expect prices to go down by any means. More curious about a plateau like ww eludes to and thus the value drops over time, if you will. Betting on that scenario will probably leave a guy outside looking in as some of you elude to. Good stuff so far.
This guy reminds me of the sheep I get onto here in Alaska that are just short of being legal. Unbroomed, not quite over full curl, and probably 7 years old not 8!
A link to my hunt along with another Bowsiter’s hunt that followed mine (that second hunt being inc,used wasn’t planned!). This was my Super Bowl championship and it’ll never be topped.
I did spend two years researching outfitters and the hardcore Bowsite sheep hunters were a tremendous help. I also had the advantage of being able to attend both SCI and WSF in my home town and visit with all the Stone Sheep outfitters on my list. SCI and WSF were nicely spaced several weeks apart so I narrowed it down to my top 4 at SCI, spent the next several weeks calling references then spent time with the top 2 at WSF and ultimately chose Tuchodi. It’s been a long time and I have no idea who the current best are since I haven’t kept up on Stones.
If someone told me you can go on one hunt, all expenses paid, I’d definitely choose another Stones hunt!
So I take it Stones are rare in Alaska? For some reason in my mind thinking of Jack O'Conner's hunts were in Alaska?
https://www.mccowans.com/listings/hunting-territories
Notice the huge price jumps for the ones that offer sheep.
Around 6 years ago I was hunting goats with Babine Guides. An Asian man from Vancouver just bought a large concession in northern BC and used Babine's docks to fly his float plane from Vancouver into Smithers Landing to refuel. Speaking with him he said some of the concession had never been hunted by the prior owner and he was cutting new landing strips and access into the property. Was talking about offering some lower priced hunts for clients who would take a gamble and explore some new sheep territory with him or a guide.
Think his name was Shawn Raymond of YBGO that I spoke to at a sheep show one year. He was doing the same thing with a new piece he purchased the year prior.
Finding an outfitter who's looking to expand territory might be an option to get a lower priced hunt but could be risky not even knowing if sheep are there. Just food for thought.
Congrats to all the stone sheep archers! I had a chance to hunt with Ross Peck for Stones years ago and was successful with my 270 win it cost me $10 grand then. Ross had another hunter that lived in Fairbanks and then I was living in Eagle River so we met in Tok and left my rig and he drove across the border to Ft. Nelson , he was successful as well. The price has definitely gone through the roof. Good luck with your searching .
Looking at 2021 stone prices is shock and awe. I have an archery stone taken under a special discounted price when at the time the cost was $12500. I would not have paid 12.5 then but would today which is not going to be offered. I guess it is about how much you want it. For $40,000 a hunter can do a great elk hunt, great whitetail hunt, antelope hunt, do another elk hunt, take the wife to Italy, then Hawaii and have money left over. I am fond of elk hunting. I have a friend that went on a stone hunt and never really had an opportunity mostly do to a poor operation. Another friend did arrow a nice ram on the last day utilizing a sheep drive but was treated so poorly it was a miserable experience. You sound like you know your way around hunting so likely only bad weather, somebody getting sick or equipment failure would derail a hunt. Covid was an unplanned risk this year. They say you show your age when prices seem high but they have increased by a couple of factors.
The Olsen's in the Toad River BC region sold their concession a couple years ago, but they were bowhunter-friendly. Can't speak about the folks who have it now, but they might be too. I wrote up my archery hunt with them in a picture-heavy report a few years back....for whatever it might be worth:
https://forums.bowsite.com/tf/bgforums/thread.cfm?threadid=445607 Some Stone and Dall sheep hunting info and reading is available under the Bowsite thread "Bowhunting Thinhorns". My link didn't work but the thread is booted up from the archives.
Zbone, I remember reading about Jack O'Connor's hunting Stones at the head of the Prophet and Muskwa River drainages in BC. This is the same area where the famous B&C world record Chadwick Ram was taken back in 1936...over a 50" ram.
Incredible write-ups guys! Greg’s pics worked and about half of Scott’s for me! Thanks for bumping your’s Kurt! Gotta love Bowsite. :)
Thanks Kurt... I remember Fred Bear's Stone being taken in BC lobbing an arching arrow over a bolder and my favorite Papa Bear photo, but for some reason was thinking Jack O'Conner hunted Stones in AK... Thanks for the info...
After doing a little range searching answered my own question, found these maps of thinhorn ranges... Top left, Stone, top right Dalls, lower Fannin... If maps are accurate, looks like a three subspecies over lap just a small area of AK...
Z-bone, Based on University of Alberta DNA work (from horn core samples taken when plugging rams), they determined the only genetically true Stones are those in the lower Stone range shown on your maps. I didn't look this up, just recalling the U of A researcher's presentation at the BC Wild Sheep Society convention a couple yrs back. Don't know if the findings are online but might be?
The Northern range sheep are genetically Dall's i.e. Fannin's or Dall's with a bit of dark hair but are classified as Stone's by the record keeping organizations (P&Y, B&C, Grand Slam....not sure about Safari Club). If the clubs changed their definition of Stone sheep to match the DNA work, then the price of Stones would undoubtably go up even higher due to narrowing the range and hunting opportunity. Doubt the clubs will make the change but do not know.
Mine is titled Congrats Ned if someone could bring it up
I found you via the Google, Ned. Slow to get it posted. That’s one hell of a ram and adventure!
Here’s a couple more maps I found while googling around. I think one reason my interest has spiked is knowing how close I live to stone country. Yet they seem a world away to have the opportunity to arrow, haha! Maybe a good summer adventure will be to run my jet boat up river and see if I can lay eyes on a few anyway.
Kurt - Speaking DNA, please correct me if I'm wrong but aren't Stones and Dulls biologically the same species, just different color phases geography isolated?
I was booked to go with Collingwood’s in 2020 but got derailed by COVID. Now Collingwood sold out to Spatsizi and pushed out to 2022 which is alright since Spatsizi seems to have a good reputation but bummer having to wait 4 years (booked in 2018) to finally get out and hunt. Good news is that I locked in the 2018-2019 rates, still crazy expensive but cheaper than it is now. I booked with my eyes closed tight as I wrote the check but I figured it wasn’t going to get any cheaper. Looks like that turned out to be an understatement.
Dall’s and Stone’s are subspecies of the thinhorns as I understand it.
Google “Dall versus Stone sheep, Univ of Alberta” and some of the information I am mentioning comes up. I’m a Mining Engineer and sheep hunter so you are better off reading about the genetic differences in the subspecies and the study for yourself, LOL.
One thing to note on the maps is the small amount of Dalls sheep range in British Columbia. I hear it’s a tough draw to get a Dalls tag there, so be sure to kill a Dalls in Alaska before you move to BC for your Stones and Bighorn :)
Thanks for the info Kurt...
Withwilderness, our BC Dall draw is tough to get and getting tougher each year. Odds were about 1 in 16 in 2019 in the better area.
And it is a tough hunt with typically 2-4 Dalls taken out of around 40 licenses each season in BC. I've only been able to come up with one Dall ever taken here by a bowhunter way back in 1994. There could be more but they aren't entered in P&Y or the British Columbia Record book.
Seems obvious we should have bought a few more acres from Russia...
Would have been nice to have won more territory in the War of 1812 from British Canada ;)
Would have been nice to have won more territory in the War of 1812 from British Canada ;)
Thanks KB. I need to fiqure out how to do that.
If I were dictator of the world I would rule that all true Stones’ would be mounted lifesize. The resource is too precious to waste. Don’t shoot one unless you care enough to show the full glory of the cape.
Glad flyingbrass isn't the dictator of the world. I like my sheep wall of shoulder mounts just fine.
So do we hunt for the experience and the challenge and the adventure or to stretch some pickled hide over Styrofoam
So do we hunt for the experience and the challenge and the adventure or to stretch some pickled hide over Styrofoam
^^^ Yes ^^^
And to eat the flesh, and to dream before and after, and....
Doing a BC resident stone sheep hunt this year in Region 6. Going to do a quick fly in and chase them around for 8 days this September! I'll be rifle hunting, but wont be far from the Todagin bow zone. Always thought about running around in there.
I moved to BC 9 years ago now and killed my first back in 2014. Lucky as hell to be a BC resident and get to go north whenever I want to chase them. Love some of the stories on here!!!
Stinks that all the pics from the older threads are gone!
