idaho 27-3 sheep

[kimbersig]

Well let me start out saying that i'm embarrassed that my first post is one asking for help. I just discovered this forum while looking for info on the sheep tag i just drew! i'm active on MonsterMuleys and Rokslide and wish i had found this one earlier!!

I drew one of the 4 tags in 27-3 this year and i'm still not over the excitement. Ive been talking to fish and game and trying to find someone who has hunted 27-3 (Camas Creek north to Waterfall Creek) but have had ZERO luck finding anyone whose hunted it and willing to chat about it. several guys that have hunted 27-1 have reached out and given me their experiences from the other side of the river which is very helpful and should translate somewhat to 27-3, although 27-3 is more timbered. After talking to fish and game i know the two general areas are around middle fork peak and wilson creek and have been studying google earth. I'm planning on taking a charter flight in july to do some aerial scouting and get a better idea of the lay of the land and then go put boots on the ground hopefully a couple times in August before the season opens. If anyone has any advice for me i'd sure appreciate it.

I am originally from New Mexico and can help folks out with Coues, Barbary Sheep, Elk, Deer, Antelope, Oryx, and ibex.

Thanks!

Josh

 

[dbusta]

try dry gulch jack ck Wilson ck alpine ck I was sheep guide there

 

[nvborn]

Do you have the past harvest data yet? That will show you generally where the harvest has been concentrated in the past. Then you can decide how best to access those places.

 

[kimbersig]

Ya I got that from fish and game. It's helpful for sure. I'd really like to talk to guys that have hunted it to know how they hunted sheep in thicker timber. Is it as simple as lots of time behind glass like you would do for mule deer? Looking at google earth and finding trails looks like they are hanging out between 6-7000 feet elevation? Does that sound right or am I seeing the ewe trails and rams are in timber?

 

[brymoore]

i doubt you'd see sheep trails from GE. They're probably elk trails. Find the burnt timber patches and concentrate on them.

 

[kimbersig]

I've never seen elk in the places I am finding trails. scree fields, between cliffy areas, etc.... unless the wolves push the elk into places normal elk don't venture id bet money they are sheep or goat trails. whether they are trails that rams are using is totally up for guessing.

 

[nvborn]

Dont drive yourself nuts staring at google earth - you still have 12+ weeks to go! And you may not step foot in the sheep containing parts of that unit til well into July.

Focus your energy on figuring out what a decent ram from that country looks like. Get a good feel for what you would, and wouldnt, shoot. Figure out the difference between 13.5" and 14.5" bases and know what a 29" horn looks like compared to a 33" horn.

The glassing for rams part will come soon enough and will likely last a while. And you'll wanna know exactly what youre looking at when you do catch up to some of those rams.

Make the most of that tag.

 

[HighWildFree]

I've never seen elk in the places I am finding trails. scree fields, between cliffy areas, etc.... unless the wolves push the elk into places normal elk don't venture id bet money they are sheep or goat trails. whether they are trails that rams are using is totally up for guessing.

I've seen elk above mtn. goats on several occasions. From what I know about sheep in that kind of country is that the places where the are likely to make a trail are pretty much solid rock.

 

[brymoore]

I've never seen elk in the places I am finding trails. scree fields, between cliffy areas, etc.... unless the wolves push the elk into places normal elk don't venture id bet money they are sheep or goat trails. whether they are trails that rams are using is totally up for guessing.

If not elk then deer trails. My experience in the Frank, including three sheep hunts, idcthat there aren't enough sheep concentrated together to make exclusive sheep trails.

The most valuable thing you can do is to hike into the country listed on the kill charts and glass. Air travel might be fun but is a waste of time unless you simply want to see the landscape.

 

[LopeHunter]

No help on how to find sheep in timber though the better shape and lighter your gear then the longer you can spend each day trying to find your ram. If you live at about the altitude of your unit then all is good but if you live much lower then prepare for dealing with altitude challenges that can range from mere shortness of breath up to some serious matters. A locator beacon or satellite phone might be worth consideration.

Will you drive, fly or raft as your Plan A to access the unit? If driving, do you have access to mountain horses? I am old so if I had this tag would seek a guide with horses though even 5 years ago I would be headed in solo or with a buddy to help glass and carry part of the gear we could share.

 

[kimbersig]

If not elk then deer trails. My experience in the Frank, including three sheep hunts, idcthat there aren't enough sheep concentrated together to make exclusive sheep trails.

The most valuable thing you can do is to hike into the country listed on the kill charts and glass. Air travel might be fun but is a waste of time unless you simply want to see the landscape.

Thank you for the advice!! The waiting to get on there with my binos and spotter is killing me! I heard those roads to middlefork peak and the crags campground open up early July. Is there much point scouting then or wait till later in July and august better? My thought on a flight is just to get a lay of the land so I might will know if on the other side of a ridge is worth going to or not. It'll depend on price for sure. Flying from salmon is should be much I wouldn't think.

 

[kimbersig]

No help on how to find sheep in timber though the better shape and lighter your gear then the longer you can spend each day trying to find your ram. If you live at about the altitude of your unit then all is good but if you live much lower then prepare for dealing with altitude challenges that can range from mere shortness of breath up to some serious matters. A locator beacon or satellite phone might be worth consideration.

Will you drive, fly or raft as your Plan A to access the unit? If driving, do you have access to mountain horses? I am old so if I had this tag would seek a guide with horses though even 5 years ago I would be headed in solo or with a buddy to help glass and carry part of the gear we could share.

I'm good on the light weight gear and altitude. I grew up at 9000. I have several buddies that all day they are coming but I'm also planning on going solo if needed. No stock it will be backpack. Planning on stashing water and some mountain houses when I go scouting to help lighten the load going in

 

[T Bone]

You have a great few months ahead of you.

I've spent time sheep and goat hunting in 27-2. Accessed from the Crags Campground trailhead.

Sheep are sparsely distributed from the river all the way to the tops.

Spend as much time as possible this summer scouting it. You'll find them.

There are burns in there. Concentrate on that area.

It's easy to get discouraged in there. You'll go days without seeing a sheep. Sometimes weeks without seeing a ram. Keep at it. They'll show up.

The other word of advice....listen for rams. Especially mornings. Many times I've heard the distant crack of head butts, and it took hours or days to locate them.

 

[kimbersig]

You have a great few months ahead of you.

I've spent time sheep and goat hunting in 27-2. Accessed from the Crags Campground trailhead.

Sheep are sparsely distributed from the river all the way to the tops.

Spend as much time as possible this summer scouting it. You'll find them.

There are burns in there. Concentrate on that area.

It's easy to get discouraged in there. You'll go days without seeing a sheep. Sometimes weeks without seeing a ram. Keep at it. They'll show up.

The other word of advice....listen for rams. Especially mornings. Many times I've heard the distant crack of head butts, and it took hours or days to locate them.

Thanks man! ya the prep and planning is a big and fun part of the experience. can't wait to get boots on the ground and start glassing!

 

[BigHornRam]

Congrats on the tag! Be prepared for a hunt of your lifetime. Lot's of great advice so far. I was lucky enough to hunt sheep down stream and across the river many years ago. Still my all time favorite hunt! The native sheep there tend to be small in body and horn size. The magnificent terrain they live in more than makes up for these "short comings"



For your reference judging horn size, my Middle Fork ram is 14" x 35" and 9 years old.

Please share some pics of your hunt and go get a nice one!

 

[kimbersig]

Congrats on the tag! Be prepared for a hunt of your lifetime. Lot's of great advice so far. I was lucky enough to hunt sheep down stream and across the river many years ago. Still my all time favorite hunt! The native sheep there tend to be small in body and horn size. The magnificent terrain they live in more than makes up for these "short comings"

View attachment 71300

For your reference judging horn size, my Middle Fork ram is 14" x 35" and 9 years old.

Please share some pics of your hunt and go get a nice one!

Nice Ram! thanks for sharing!

 

[1_pointer]

You have a great few months ahead of you.

I've spent time sheep and goat hunting in 27-2. Accessed from the Crags Campground trailhead.

Sheep are sparsely distributed from the river all the way to the tops.

Spend as much time as possible this summer scouting it. You'll find them.

There are burns in there. Concentrate on that area.

It's easy to get discouraged in there. You'll go days without seeing a sheep. Sometimes weeks without seeing a ram. Keep at it. They'll show up.

The other word of advice....listen for rams. Especially mornings. Many times I've heard the distant crack of head butts, and it took hours or days to locate them.

Having taken 2 separate trips into the same country T Bone hunted, I'd say he's spot on. Especially the last two points. The ram my pard ended up getting, we heard them knocking heads way before we could find them in the spotter.

 

[kimbersig]

Having taken 2 separate trips into the same country T Bone hunted, I'd say he's spot on. Especially the last two points. The ram my pard ended up getting, we heard them knocking heads way before we could find them in the spotter.

I hope i get to hear that!

 

[T Bone]

now you've got me thinking down memory lane....

-Any ram is a trophy in that country. That said, after 28 days of hunting in there I killed a very small ram. I was sicker than a dog and out of time. I spent a lot of the season chasing one enormous ram that I'd nick named "Big O". In the process of chasing the big ram, I'd passed up a few rams. So moral of that story is be flexible.

-Take a rangefinder.

-Have an extra rifle, binos, food, water, sleeping bag and pad at the truck.

-Carry an extra buckle for your pack.

-Do not carry a deer, elk or wolf tag. Just don't.

-I'd start by planning two 10 day hunts. The first starting 3 days prior to the season opener.

- do carry a spotter.

- the mature rams I saw in there were always darker in color.

-a sheep or goat tag does not make you spider man. we did some really stupid stuff.






-

 

[Cheater]

T Bone, did you ever do a write up of your hunt? Based on your bullet points, it sounds like there are a few great stories to be told.