Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Out Of State Hunting => Topic started by: TeacherMan on February 19, 2016, 08:20:13 PM

Title: Alaska DRAWS ARE OUT! SHEEP TAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: TeacherMan on February 19, 2016, 08:20:13 PM: So little stoked tonight, more excited than a kid on Christmas! I've been putting in for a sheep tag in AK for sometime and finally got it! Less than a 1% chance of drawing it! My wife and I will be flying in it looks like around the 24th of August and hunting for 10 days. Delta Control Area outside Tok. Big country, at least its the fly in hunt not the pack 25 miles in until you can even hunt tag :chuckle: Time to start lightening up the packs and getting into sheep shape! I need to drop 40 plus pounds between now and August! My wifes already a twig lol... Will be using my Kimber 308 Mountain Rifle, Leopold 4.5-14 scope with my Zeiss 1600 Range finder. Besides that I've got some serious thinking to do on what gear to bring to KEEP LIGHT! Tent ideas? Gear ideas? Love any input. I've been hunting in AK for a while now but this will be a first! I'm already thinking not to cut corners on a spotting scope. Thinking a Swarovski 20-60x80. its about 5 lbs with tripod but I think I can cut weight in other spots. I've got a Leopold and its just not comparable. With that said I'll be selling some guns to fund it lol. Thanks for all the input and looking forward to it! Side note, I already contacted the air services in that area today lol. This is not a cheap sport I will say that , but worth every penny 8)
Title: Re: Alaska DRAWS ARE OUT!
Post by: rtspring on February 19, 2016, 08:24:30 PM: Congrats!!!!
Title: Re: Alaska DRAWS ARE OUT! SHEEP TAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: huntnphool on February 19, 2016, 08:29:39 PM: :tup:
Title: Re: Alaska DRAWS ARE OUT! SHEEP TAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on February 19, 2016, 08:30:19 PM: Congrats. :tup:

My buddie drew a moose tag for a second year in a row. :yike:
Title: Re: Alaska DRAWS ARE OUT! SHEEP TAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: JoeE on February 19, 2016, 08:53:25 PM: Congrats! Dream hunt right there.
Title: Re: Alaska DRAWS ARE OUT! SHEEP TAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: carpsniperg2 on February 19, 2016, 09:11:06 PM: Congrats and good luck :IBCOOL:
Title: Re: Alaska DRAWS ARE OUT! SHEEP TAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: jackelope on February 19, 2016, 09:13:04 PM: Congrats Teach!! Hoping you'll document the hunt on here for us.
I'd look at a good 3 person tent so you have room for gear inside. Will you be packing this tent around with you or setting it up as a base camp and leaving it when you're hunting?
Title: Re: Alaska DRAWS ARE OUT! SHEEP TAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: REHJWA on February 19, 2016, 09:43:47 PM: Congrats :tup: Let the fun begin!
Title: Re: Alaska DRAWS ARE OUT! SHEEP TAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: Jarhead Chase on February 19, 2016, 10:06:45 PM: Congrats!

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Title: Re: Alaska DRAWS ARE OUT! SHEEP TAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: GurrCentral on February 19, 2016, 10:08:36 PM: Congrats on the draw!!
Title: Re: Alaska DRAWS ARE OUT! SHEEP TAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: Whitpirate on February 20, 2016, 12:35:30 AM: Boom goes the dynamite! Base camping or are you gonna bivvy?
Title: Re: Alaska DRAWS ARE OUT! SHEEP TAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: TeacherMan on February 20, 2016, 01:22:45 PM: I'm very much hoping to base camp. But its sheep hunting so you never know if the animals are there thats great if not you go looking after a couple days. The real dilemma right now is do I go the first few days of the season and go after them before anyone else has had a chance to get in there to them or do I go in middle Sept when the snow has pushed them down lower. But with other X factor is my wife is going to be coming and the difference in weather between Aug 24 to Sept 10 can be crazy. Best case in the early season we have to hike 6-7 miles up a creek bottom from the airstrip before we get into sheep country. That would early season. Worse case that 6-7 miles turns into 18-21 miles. Remember you have to come back out lol. Late season best case scenario the sheep are visible from the airstrip, worse case theres two feet of snow and pilot won't go in and I wouldn't want him to try anyway. Sheep disappear when the mountains turn white. I've got a Mountain Hardware two man tent that works good for me. Has a little vestibule, its a 3 season tent and its light. But if the weather socks us in for a couple days and I'm stuck inside a tent with my wife it could be fun for a while but a couple days I think it would be a little to much :chuckle: I have a feeling I'm going to go in heavy and just move slow up the mountain. We will get lighter by the day as we eat up our food.
Title: Re: Alaska DRAWS ARE OUT! SHEEP TAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: Branden on February 20, 2016, 02:18:57 PM: Hilleberg Nallo 2 or 3 GT would be good. The GT has a bigger vestibule then the regular Nallo. It's a good 4 season tent and pretty light weight. Definitely get the best spotter you can buy.

Good way to save weight would be get a down quilt for two. Save a lot of weight with the quilt and stay just as warm. Don't take a stove etc. Eat cold food. Saves lots of weight not packing stove pots fuel. Make sure you bring hiking sticks. They also work great as a bipod. I would get lightweight rain gear that is white. It does work. If you wait until later season and there is snow it's way harder to spot sheep. Also you might not be able to get to them. I would go a few days before the season and have my ram picked out for opening morning.

Another thing about late season. I haven't been in that area but the areas I was in if they drop down they are in the slide alder and that's almost impossible to hunt.

That's just a few things off the top of my head. Good luck and have a great hunt.

Regards, Branden
Title: Re: Alaska DRAWS ARE OUT! SHEEP TAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: X-Force on February 20, 2016, 03:19:38 PM: Sounds awesome! Congrats!
Title: Re: Alaska DRAWS ARE OUT! SHEEP TAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: TeacherMan on February 20, 2016, 03:23:28 PM: Thanks for the info on the tent. I usually bring in mountain house meals, super light. The spot I'm going has a good water source. As for my stove I only bring in my JetBoil. They are light and its super nice to have hot coffee and cocoa when your sitting there glassing for hours.
Title: Re: Alaska DRAWS ARE OUT! SHEEP TAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: jasnt on February 20, 2016, 03:43:15 PM: Congrats!!
Title: Re: Alaska DRAWS ARE OUT! SHEEP TAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: HUNTINCOUPLE on February 20, 2016, 04:24:58 PM: Congrats! This is going to be a great adventure for the both of you! :tup:
Title: Re: Alaska DRAWS ARE OUT! SHEEP TAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: JAFL on February 20, 2016, 04:56:20 PM: Congratulations! Take notes, take pictures then write a story so we can live vicariously!
Title: Re: Alaska DRAWS ARE OUT! SHEEP TAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: TeacherMan on February 20, 2016, 06:37:27 PM: Plan on doing a daily journal that I will post when we come back out...
Title: Re: Alaska DRAWS ARE OUT! SHEEP TAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: SkookumHntr on February 20, 2016, 07:40:38 PM: What an adventure this hunt will be! :tup:
Title: Re: Alaska DRAWS ARE OUT! SHEEP TAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: X-Force on February 20, 2016, 08:21:39 PM: Have you thought about renting a spotter? It could save some serious coin.

What pack are you going to be running?
Title: Re: Alaska DRAWS ARE OUT! SHEEP TAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: lokidog on February 21, 2016, 08:20:01 AM: Congratulations!
Title: Re: Alaska DRAWS ARE OUT! SHEEP TAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: 7mag. on February 21, 2016, 07:06:16 PM: You can't fly with isobutane fuel. Your Jetboil isn't going to work. You'll need to look into stoves that use alternative fuels. I would also get good backpacking or mountaineering boots. Regular hiking or hunting boots probably won't cut it.

Good luck, should be lots of fun. This is a dream hunt for me. Pretty cool that you get to share it with your wife. Take lots of pics, and be sure to tell us all about it when you get back.
Title: Re: Alaska DRAWS ARE OUT! SHEEP TAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: wackmaster on February 21, 2016, 08:31:12 PM: Congratulations hunt of a lifetime

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Title: Re: Alaska DRAWS ARE OUT! SHEEP TAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: Gringo31 on February 22, 2016, 08:22:12 AM: I've put in for that tag in years past.....forgot to this year, but WAY COOL!

I'm excited for you! :tup: :tup: :tup:
Title: Re: Alaska DRAWS ARE OUT! SHEEP TAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: TeacherMan on February 23, 2016, 01:52:34 PM: Quote from: 7mag. on February 21, 2016, 07:06:16 PM
You can't fly with isobutane fuel. Your Jetboil isn't going to work. You'll need to look into stoves that use alternative fuels. I would also get good backpacking or mountaineering boots. Regular hiking or hunting boots probably won't cut it.

Good luck, should be lots of fun. This is a dream hunt for me. Pretty cool that you get to share it with your wife. Take lots of pics, and be sure to tell us all about it when you get back.

I've flown before with my jetboil? Small plane that wont be going over 1500'. Not sure if that matters...
Title: Re: Alaska DRAWS ARE OUT! SHEEP TAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: Sitka_Blacktail on February 23, 2016, 02:09:08 PM: Quote from: TeacherMan on February 23, 2016, 01:52:34 PM
Quote from: 7mag. on February 21, 2016, 07:06:16 PM
You can't fly with isobutane fuel. Your Jetboil isn't going to work. You'll need to look into stoves that use alternative fuels. I would also get good backpacking or mountaineering boots. Regular hiking or hunting boots probably won't cut it.

Good luck, should be lots of fun. This is a dream hunt for me. Pretty cool that you get to share it with your wife. Take lots of pics, and be sure to tell us all about it when you get back.

I've flown before with my jetboil? Small plane that wont be going over 1500'. Not sure if that matters...

Here's a thread you may want to read in it's entirety. Bottom line, talk to your air taxi to find out what is legal.

http://forums.outdoorsdirectory.com/showthread.php/112469-No-ISo-butane-on-air-taxis
Title: Re: Alaska DRAWS ARE OUT! SHEEP TAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: 7mag. on February 23, 2016, 02:09:43 PM: My info could be wrong. I've never done this hunt, but I've been researching them for a while. That is what I was told by an outfitter.
Title: Re: Alaska DRAWS ARE OUT! SHEEP TAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: Wanttohuntmore on February 23, 2016, 07:02:35 PM: Congrats! I'm super jealous! Make this hunt fun and take too many pics, and share too many photos, because it might feel like too much at the time, but later you'll be grateful. I'm excited for this.
Title: Re: Alaska DRAWS ARE OUT! SHEEP TAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Post by: Skyvalhunter on February 24, 2016, 12:03:27 PM: Glad to hear that someone drew some special permits for AK as I sure didn't draw any of my permits. Oh well always another year.