Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Other Big Game => Topic started by: Calebrose on June 18, 2023, 09:01:17 PM

Title: Chelan Butte A
Post by: Calebrose on June 18, 2023, 09:01:17 PM: I drew one of the Chelan Butte A Bighorn Sheep tags. Like most people that get the tag, I have never hunted sheep. Anybody with experience hunting sheep or familiar with the unit got any helpful tips? Like whats a good ram for this unit? What makes a good Ram? Anybody local that could help me out with some info? For example good places to camp? My dad's going to pull over his 5Th wheel and will find a campground most likely. But I want to hunt out of my wall tent. Is there a meat locker in the area I can take my meat and head to if successful? I'm self employed so I'm planning several scouting trips. I got everything cleared to go over a few days before opener and not come home till I got my sheep or season closes. This is once in a lifetime so I'm going to give it everything I have! I also drew Pogue quality buck. But I'll worry about that tag when I got my sheep. Plus I've been hunting that unit for 20 years. I've logged well over 1000 miles on foot in the unit, so I know the unit, I know what the deer do. So I would greatly appreciate any knowledge on the unit or sheep hunting that you guys could give me.
Title: Re: Chelan Butte A
Post by: RockChuck on June 18, 2023, 09:08:30 PM: Ive got no tips but Congrats! Sounds like you’ll have a fun season!
Title: Re: Chelan Butte A
Post by: Romulus1297 on June 19, 2023, 01:42:08 AM: Wow
Title: Re: Chelan Butte A
Post by: str8meat on June 19, 2023, 03:29:25 AM: Have fun , hunted it 5he last two years and it’s a blast. By no way did we see the whole unit. Good luck
Title: Re: Chelan Butte A
Post by: Skyvalhunter on June 19, 2023, 05:46:29 AM: . I've logged well over 1000 miles on foot in the unit

Enough said
Title: Re: Chelan Butte A
Post by: Rainier10 on June 19, 2023, 07:39:13 AM: Quote from: Skyvalhunter on June 19, 2023, 05:46:29 AM
. I've logged well over 1000 miles on foot in the unit

Enough said
I think he is talking about his deer tag.
Title: Re: Chelan Butte A
Post by: Calebrose on June 19, 2023, 08:47:54 AM: Yes that is for my deer tag. Extremely well prepared for that tag. Sheep tag not so much. But by September 15th I will be!
Title: Re: Chelan Butte A
Post by: grade-creek-rd on June 19, 2023, 12:28:59 PM: Your sheep hunt can be over in less than an hour if you want it to be...its not a hard sheep hunt by any means. If you want to see the most sheep, then head to the top of the butte (you can drive to the top) and set up your spotting scope and start glassing into the canyons. You can also hike/hunt down the ridges and glass into the draws and flats, just be sure to know where you will come out at the bottom to be picked up, as the east side of the butte puts you out either on the old chelan falls road, or way down by the river at the end of the road past chelan falls (used to be an orchard there but I heard its become houses...), the south side of the butte putts you out near Stayman Flats rd, either the butte wildlife area road, or if you go too far east, then all they way down to the end of Stayman flats road and the railroad tunnel...there are not too many sheep on the west side by Downey Canyon, though they do venture over there. They also venture up Union Valley, and the hills above the airport, but the best chances are on the backside of the butte itself.

camping options: City of Chelan park (right in town, so it will not be a "wilderness" experience...also check, as they might not allow firearms in the campground), or Chelan Falls county park is a good spot for the 5th wheel. the nearest place you could pitch your wall tent (as I am not sure if WDFW wildlife areas allow camping...look into it and if they do then you can camp right on the backside of the butte...highly recommend out by the orange gate on the flat above the river, take the spur road to the east just after/before the old grain silo) would be 1st creek state park (firearms might not be allowed there) or up Oklahoma Gulch on FS property, which still means you need to drive to the butte each day.

Any ram that is 3/4 curl would be a good one up there, but there is always a chance at a bruiser...(full curl). Not sure which rams they got when they did a recent capture/relocate (to Utah I think...not sure) but there are very few predators on the Butte (mostly coyotes and bobcats for the lambs...a few bears, maybe a cougar...maybe) so the sheep can grow old, but these are California Bighorns so don't expect michellene tires for curls...

Watch for RATTLESANKES!...there are a lot of them back there...and if bird season is open, then chukars and quail can be found. Keep in mind that part of it is a non-toxic shot area (where they release pheasants...)

If you head over a few days early you will likely have your ram picked out before opening day...

Grade
Title: Re: Chelan Butte A
Post by: Berin Denson on June 19, 2023, 12:38:24 PM: What are the dates of your hunt?
Title: Re: Chelan Butte A
Post by: Calebrose on June 19, 2023, 04:13:02 PM: Hey thank you for the info grade-creek! That helps tremendously. I prefer to camp in Nation Forest but I got family coming in from out of state for the hunt, so it depends how it all works out logistically. Everyone keeps telling me its a pretty easy hunt but I'm gonna prepare like its gonna be the tuffest hunt of my life. Plus if its over quick, the memories come from the preparation. You can camp on WDFW land where I hunt deer in Conconully, but I don't know if that is the case everywhere. I'll have to call and ask.

My season is September 15Th to October 10Th
Title: Re: Chelan Butte A
Post by: Timberstalker on June 19, 2023, 04:14:57 PM: Looking forward to following along here. Hope to see a report/write-up when you finish your hunt.

Best of luck. :tup:
Title: Re: Chelan Butte A
Post by: timberghost72 on June 19, 2023, 04:55:28 PM: Was just up there yesterday. Saw 23 rams all together in 2 groups about 300 yards apart from each other. A couple pics.
Title: Re: Chelan Butte A
Post by: scotsman on June 19, 2023, 05:32:55 PM: Couple of years ago…. Photo taken on the shoulder of hwy 97a
Title: Re: Chelan Butte A
Post by: Ridgerunner on June 19, 2023, 07:55:55 PM: Alot has changed on the butte since the first hunt(and when I killed the ram of my dreams). My advice would be not to worry about the score, spend time up on the butte and find some rams that you want to look at on your wall the rest of your life. Be aware that the raffle and gov tags most likely will kill off the higher scoring sheep before your hunt. I'm sure there are plenty of amazing rams still up there. It might be over quick, but just spend alot of time scouting and it wont matter.
Title: Re: Chelan Butte A
Post by: Romulus1297 on June 20, 2023, 12:36:03 AM: Summer hill farm has sites for RVs not sure if it is full during the hunt but should be better than the chlelan rv park
Title: Re: Chelan Butte A
Post by: Karl Blanchard on June 20, 2023, 06:28:12 AM: Huge congratulations on drawing a sheep tag sir! Sheep are incredible animals. I never used to care much about WA sheep for the simple fact that most tags can be filled from a road of some sort. Goats was where it was at! Deep into the mountains standing defiantly atop cliffs looking down upon the world. Now that would be an adventure. There's no grand mountains, remoteness, danger, etc associated with our sheep units. Yawn.

Then I went sheep hunting and fell in love. What makes WA sheep hunting fun isn't actually in the hunt itself. It's everything that leads up to it. The excitement, gear prepping, conditioning, THE SCOUTING!!!! Watching sheep be sheep never grows old. Drink it all in and savor each moment and step for it is your last when it comes to hunting sheep in WA :tup:
Title: Re: Chelan Butte A
Post by: huntnnw on June 20, 2023, 06:45:50 AM: Quote from: Karl Blanchard on June 20, 2023, 06:28:12 AM
Huge congratulations on drawing a sheep tag sir! Sheep are incredible animals. I never used to care much about WA sheep for the simple fact that most tags can be filled from a road of some sort. Goats was where it was at! Deep into the mountains standing defiantly atop cliffs looking down upon the world. Now that would be an adventure. There's no grand mountains, remoteness, danger, etc associated with our sheep units. Yawn.

Then I went sheep hunting and fell in love. What makes WA sheep hunting fun isn't actually in the hunt itself. It's everything that leads up to it. The excitement, gear prepping, conditioning, THE SCOUTING!!!! Watching sheep be sheep never grows old. Drink it all in and savor each moment and step for it is your last when it comes to hunting sheep in WA :tup:

draw the Mt view or Wenaha tag and you can have a pack in adventure
Title: Re: Chelan Butte A
Post by: Karl Blanchard on June 20, 2023, 06:47:24 AM: Quote from: huntnnw on June 20, 2023, 06:45:50 AM
Quote from: Karl Blanchard on June 20, 2023, 06:28:12 AM
Huge congratulations on drawing a sheep tag sir! Sheep are incredible animals. I never used to care much about WA sheep for the simple fact that most tags can be filled from a road of some sort. Goats was where it was at! Deep into the mountains standing defiantly atop cliffs looking down upon the world. Now that would be an adventure. There's no grand mountains, remoteness, danger, etc associated with our sheep units. Yawn.

Then I went sheep hunting and fell in love. What makes WA sheep hunting fun isn't actually in the hunt itself. It's everything that leads up to it. The excitement, gear prepping, conditioning, THE SCOUTING!!!! Watching sheep be sheep never grows old. Drink it all in and savor each moment and step for it is your last when it comes to hunting sheep in WA :tup:

draw the Mt view or Wenaha tag and you can have a pack in adventure
They won't give me a tag :'(
Title: Re: Chelan Butte A
Post by: djgianukakis on October 24, 2023, 01:58:45 PM: No success story? Pics? Hope you were able to get your ram...
Title: Re: Chelan Butte A
Post by: KP-Skagit on October 24, 2023, 02:05:22 PM: He posted an ATL in the 2023 ATL thread under the deer page.

My dad and I ran into him out there while hunting my dad's ewe tag. He had spent a lot of time in the unit and had just passed on two big rams because he didn't see a way to get them out without heroics.

Would love to see some other angles and a story though!
Title: Re: Chelan Butte A
Post by: Huckleberry on October 27, 2023, 09:10:14 AM: He posted his story on rockslide and hunttalk. Nice sheep and a nice guy. I appreciated all the scouting reports and pictures while I was home working or on dad duty. Thank you.