Montana Bighorn Sheep ewe hunt 2019
Day 1. After work I quickly packed the truck with my hunting gear, necessary food and camping gear. I drove 8 hours into a hunt area I had never stepped foot in. I arrived in the late hours of the night. Some rain.
Day 2. Woke at 5 am going stir crazy to get the hunt underway. Not daylight for another 2 hours made my dehydrated breakfast and camp coffee. Then met face to face with a landowner who I was very fortunate to secure access through his private property, in order to place me in a more strategic location within the wilderness beyond. During our conversation I was trying to get a better feel for the land I was about to push into. The landowners words “the sheep are where you find them, they could be anywhere” the morning hours consisted of scouting off the east end of his ranch not turning up sheep, mule deer everywhere. I didn’t bother with the camera much on the deer as they weren’t what I was pursuing (in hindsight I’m kicking myself for this). Shortly after noon I moved locations to the southwest corner of the ranch property. As soon as I stepped foot off the tabletop flat wheat fields I dropped into what I refer to as a “hell hole” on a high vantage point I glassed draw after draw , still no sheep. At about 2pm I laid eyes on my first wild sheep in the wilderness. Two rams! By their location I was now wondering if I would even be able to fill this tag if the ewes were there also? I continued to observe the rams in amazement waiting to see if more sheep would come over the skyline, the rams finally fed down towards me. No more sheep. Back at camp I was pouring over topo maps, I want to go back to the East in the morning but push deeper skirting the private property boundaries.
Day 3. Rain and some snow flurries through the night up again at 5am same morning routine. Back at the east end of the property turned up 3 huge bull elk bugling in the wheat fields. As I dropped down into the draw and followed closely to the property line, I found sheep tracks that went into private property that I don’t have permission on. After 6 hours I became cliffed out and made my return trip. Very big cat tracks in the gumbo on my way out. Now back at the truck 1pm time to head back to the “hell hole” feeling pretty discouraged, thinking I might’ve planned my trip too early. Two weeks prior to my scheduled hunt two feet of snow fell on this area any moisture at all on this dirt makes it almost impassible. Thankfully not a snow flake on the ground. 2pm I turn up a 3/4 curl ram paying attention to his whereabouts and where he’s heading while also looking down deeper into the canyon at 3:05pm I found four ewes at the back of the canyon. Knowing I didn’t have enough daylight to make it there if I could even make it there. For some reason I still dropped down immediately found sheep lower jaw bones clean of flesh with some blood residue still on them accompanied by more cat tracks. Just further down this draw I was using at an access point to the canyon I believe to be a type of tamarack that was overgrown seemed “catty” I climbed up higher staying ready not certain of what might be in there. I continue down deeper in the canyon dropping elevation rapidly. Become cliffed out again. Back on high ground I watch the sheep for the remainder of the evening. Hopefully the ewes will be in the area tomorrow. Back at camp more map study. That night seen some rain and 60mph winds my camp location was a good one as the wind didn’t affect the tent much through the night.
Day 4. Back at the hell hole I use the spotting scope from various vantage points for the first hour of daylight. No sheep, just about ready to pack up my optics and move locations again I spot twelve ewes feeding up one ridge closer than last night. Problem is they’re 3/4 of the way back in this canyon to the north “right side of picture” on top. I left my spotter and tripod there in order to cut weight from my pack. At 8am I was at 303 yards and still multiple draws between us. My map study the night before I knew I could make a successful recovery after the shot as long as the ewe was put down right there. Sheer cliff just behind her and even closer in front of her. I set my pack up on the hillside for a rifle rest. I must’ve ranged this ewe 50 times as I knew this would be my only opportunity on this hunt. In a perfect world I’d be shooting in a prone position. Fact is it’s not a perfect world. I’m standing on a very steep incline with my pack at shoulder level on the hillside I was almost standing upright with the rifle resting on the pack. I’ll be the first to admit I get trigger anxiety from time to time when pursuing new game, or game I may never have the opportunity again. I told myself YOU BETTER LIKE THE FIRST ONE! It settles my nerves and the shot was true! I added another round and continued to watch for several minutes to make sure she wouldn’t get up and fall off the cliff on either side. When I finally made it to the top where my harvest lay I was down to 8oz of water left. The packout was by far the hardest I’d ever done. The pack was heavy, the terrain was brutal, and no water. I made it out with not much light remaining.
This is definitely an experience I’ll never forget. My only regret is not taking more pictures of this amazing wilderness the wild sheep call home. The trip to and from was 5hours on pavement and 3 hours travel on gravel. I’m beyond thankful for a very generous landowner and a few other people that helped along the way during the planning process the morning of day 5 I made it back to civilization and made phone calls to give credit and thanks to these fine people.
Day 1. After work I quickly packed the truck with my hunting gear, necessary food and camping gear. I drove 8 hours into a hunt area I had never stepped foot in. I arrived in the late hours of the night. Some rain.
Day 2. Woke at 5 am going stir crazy to get the hunt underway. Not daylight for another 2 hours made my dehydrated breakfast and camp coffee. Then met face to face with a landowner who I was very fortunate to secure access through his private property, in order to place me in a more strategic location within the wilderness beyond. During our conversation I was trying to get a better feel for the land I was about to push into. The landowners words “the sheep are where you find them, they could be anywhere” the morning hours consisted of scouting off the east end of his ranch not turning up sheep, mule deer everywhere. I didn’t bother with the camera much on the deer as they weren’t what I was pursuing (in hindsight I’m kicking myself for this). Shortly after noon I moved locations to the southwest corner of the ranch property. As soon as I stepped foot off the tabletop flat wheat fields I dropped into what I refer to as a “hell hole” on a high vantage point I glassed draw after draw , still no sheep. At about 2pm I laid eyes on my first wild sheep in the wilderness. Two rams! By their location I was now wondering if I would even be able to fill this tag if the ewes were there also? I continued to observe the rams in amazement waiting to see if more sheep would come over the skyline, the rams finally fed down towards me. No more sheep. Back at camp I was pouring over topo maps, I want to go back to the East in the morning but push deeper skirting the private property boundaries.
Day 3. Rain and some snow flurries through the night up again at 5am same morning routine. Back at the east end of the property turned up 3 huge bull elk bugling in the wheat fields. As I dropped down into the draw and followed closely to the property line, I found sheep tracks that went into private property that I don’t have permission on. After 6 hours I became cliffed out and made my return trip. Very big cat tracks in the gumbo on my way out. Now back at the truck 1pm time to head back to the “hell hole” feeling pretty discouraged, thinking I might’ve planned my trip too early. Two weeks prior to my scheduled hunt two feet of snow fell on this area any moisture at all on this dirt makes it almost impassible. Thankfully not a snow flake on the ground. 2pm I turn up a 3/4 curl ram paying attention to his whereabouts and where he’s heading while also looking down deeper into the canyon at 3:05pm I found four ewes at the back of the canyon. Knowing I didn’t have enough daylight to make it there if I could even make it there. For some reason I still dropped down immediately found sheep lower jaw bones clean of flesh with some blood residue still on them accompanied by more cat tracks. Just further down this draw I was using at an access point to the canyon I believe to be a type of tamarack that was overgrown seemed “catty” I climbed up higher staying ready not certain of what might be in there. I continue down deeper in the canyon dropping elevation rapidly. Become cliffed out again. Back on high ground I watch the sheep for the remainder of the evening. Hopefully the ewes will be in the area tomorrow. Back at camp more map study. That night seen some rain and 60mph winds my camp location was a good one as the wind didn’t affect the tent much through the night.
Day 4. Back at the hell hole I use the spotting scope from various vantage points for the first hour of daylight. No sheep, just about ready to pack up my optics and move locations again I spot twelve ewes feeding up one ridge closer than last night. Problem is they’re 3/4 of the way back in this canyon to the north “right side of picture” on top. I left my spotter and tripod there in order to cut weight from my pack. At 8am I was at 303 yards and still multiple draws between us. My map study the night before I knew I could make a successful recovery after the shot as long as the ewe was put down right there. Sheer cliff just behind her and even closer in front of her. I set my pack up on the hillside for a rifle rest. I must’ve ranged this ewe 50 times as I knew this would be my only opportunity on this hunt. In a perfect world I’d be shooting in a prone position. Fact is it’s not a perfect world. I’m standing on a very steep incline with my pack at shoulder level on the hillside I was almost standing upright with the rifle resting on the pack. I’ll be the first to admit I get trigger anxiety from time to time when pursuing new game, or game I may never have the opportunity again. I told myself YOU BETTER LIKE THE FIRST ONE! It settles my nerves and the shot was true! I added another round and continued to watch for several minutes to make sure she wouldn’t get up and fall off the cliff on either side. When I finally made it to the top where my harvest lay I was down to 8oz of water left. The packout was by far the hardest I’d ever done. The pack was heavy, the terrain was brutal, and no water. I made it out with not much light remaining.
This is definitely an experience I’ll never forget. My only regret is not taking more pictures of this amazing wilderness the wild sheep call home. The trip to and from was 5hours on pavement and 3 hours travel on gravel. I’m beyond thankful for a very generous landowner and a few other people that helped along the way during the planning process the morning of day 5 I made it back to civilization and made phone calls to give credit and thanks to these fine people.
