Cheesehead
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Given COVID and all the associated fun, if anyone hears about a decent cancellation sheep hunt, please pm me.
Sheep cancellation hunts
- Thread starter Cheesehead
- Start date
geetar
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One thing I have heard from people in the know like Brendan Burns from Kuiu is to contact outfitters and let them know you are serious about going on a Dall sheep hunt and to call you if they have a cancellation. Hope you find what you are looking for.
As stated, research the outfits you want to hunt with, then call them and let them know you want to know about cancellations. It's tough to do the research on spur of the moment short notice when you have to make a decision. You want it to be a good decision.
EYJONAS!
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Might get in touch with a few hunting brokers.....I had to instances of cancelations last July for dalls. One of them was advertised beyond cheap......
jryoung
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What's AKs requirement for testing/quarantine right now?
sneakypete
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A cancellation hunt in Canada / Mexico will probably not happen this year. You’re best luck may be Alaska but with COVID not likely. FYI on cancellation hunts, most outfitters try to recoup as much $ they can for the hunter cancelling. With the Canada’s border closed until August 21 those outfitters have lost a month of hunts. A typical Stone or Dall hunt is 10-15 days.
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406LIFE
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The ones I talk to already have a similar list. I'm not high on it. But if I ever got the call,. I'll max out a CC if I need to.
jryoung
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72hrs could be a challenge for most. Our tests are running 48-72 depending on their case load.
If folks are seriously considering this path is highly recommend you have an at home PCR test kit at home and ready to drop at UPS/FEDEX.
If folks are seriously considering this path is highly recommend you have an at home PCR test kit at home and ready to drop at UPS/FEDEX.
You can probably snag a Dall sheep hunt in alaska on short notice ....call around. Less then three weeks till I fly up. If didn't have plans already I would suck up an Alaska sheep up this year for sure for the right discount.
Bambistew
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I haven't heard of any cancelled sheep hunts, yet. I think there may be more logistic issues than just getting the hunt and lining up airline tickets to AK. The second or third leg into camp could be the bigger challenge. Also it could be a gamble on the other end, the outfitter may have to cancel once you book, for who knows why... no pilot available, guides sick/out, etc... Lots of risk involved this year.
As noted above, I wouldn't pounce on just any sheep hunt. There was likely substantial winter kill last year in some areas of the state, mostly the Talkeetnas and Alaska Range, but others as well. I would like to know what I'm getting into before pulling the trigger. While for some just getting out and hunting sheep is rewarding enough, hunting in an area where you might spend 10 days and not see a legal ram or one bigger than a squeaker may be something else to consider.
Good luck on your quest. Hope something pops up. I think Canada may be about done for this year.
As noted above, I wouldn't pounce on just any sheep hunt. There was likely substantial winter kill last year in some areas of the state, mostly the Talkeetnas and Alaska Range, but others as well. I would like to know what I'm getting into before pulling the trigger. While for some just getting out and hunting sheep is rewarding enough, hunting in an area where you might spend 10 days and not see a legal ram or one bigger than a squeaker may be something else to consider.
Good luck on your quest. Hope something pops up. I think Canada may be about done for this year.
TriStar Hunt
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That is definitely what a lot of labs and clinics are experiencing right now (especially the free COVID test sites). I know there are a lot of veterans so I would add that if you have VA benefits than you can get a rapid COVID test. Just something to consider and to ask your doc about before you really need it on short notice. I can find out the name of the order if you need. Happy hunting!!
buffybr
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I shot my Dall ram 20 years ago when a Canadian Outfitter friend called me on a cancellation with another outfitter. A couple of years later my friend called me abut another cancellation, again with another outfitter, of a Stone sheep hunt for $11,000! Unfortunately I was in the middle of a very nasty divorce and every extra dollar that I had went to my lawyer, fighting for me to keep my house.
I have another friend who completed his sheep slam on cancellation hunts.
I have another friend who completed his sheep slam on cancellation hunts.
Some people here in CO are waiting over a week for results. I haven't explored the possibility of getting expedited results for travel, but I'm guessing the CO Rockies players aren't waiting a week for their test results.
geetar
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Celebrity privilege
jryoung
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We use BioReference Labs for some of these tests we run, they just announced a contract with the NFL. I imagine sports teams will be high priority for some of these labs.
I saw a note from LabCorps CEO that they can't keep up with current demand.
BrokenChicken
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i dunno. wife and i live in Denver. she had hers done yesterday (free at one of key advertised location) results were given to her later that afternoon via phone call (i think she said it was a call)
Yellowknife
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As someone who (normally) does a lot of bush travel in the summer, Bambistew is right about the second and third legs being an issue for some outfitters. If the bush flight is direct from Fairbanks or Anchorage, you are probably ok, but quite a few village hubs or bases are either shut down or severely restricted. Ft Yukon is grappling with an outbreak right now and isn't letting outsiders in. Happy Valley has been essentially closed all summer. Hotel McGrath is reserved for essential travelers only. Etc, etc. Those are all major intermediate transfer points for non-resident sheep hunters.
Getting to Alaska is only half the battle really. If a cancellation hunt does come up, make sure the logistics are actually doable.
Her test was probably processed by the state lab. Colorado is also using private labs that are part of the national testing system - Quest, LabCorp, etc. - and results from those labs are coming back in 7-9 days. The state lab is running three shifts, 24 hours a day, and has increased output from about 200 tests a day to over 3,000 tests per day. But overall Colorado is running 10,000+ tests per day, and the balance of those are going to private labs.
Huntnut60
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The molecular based test (PCR) is the problem. I work in a hospital lab and it can take 7-10 days to get PCR results back if we do not do it “in house”. COVID antigen tests results are available in as little as 20 minutes after the specimen is received. PCR is the gold standard but time restraints might make it impossible to get results in 2/3 days.
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