Sheep Ewe - Whitestone Sheep Unit 20

[geauxtigers]

Well I never expected this to happen, but if I'm successful in September I'll have a pair of Bighorn sheep from WA.  Drew my ram in 2020, and one of the two ewe tags Sept 15-30 in the Lincoln Cliffs Whitestone Unit.  I will absolutely scout on the ground during the summer and am starting my online scouting today, but with the amount of private land in the unit I'm asking for the forum's help on where to focus. 

Has anyone hunted sheep (ewe or ram) in this unit, or live close by and have recommendations on where to start?  I'm curious if there are specific landowners that anyone on here knows either a) welcome sheep hunters, or b) absolutely will not allow hunters and I shouldn't bother asking.  Thanks

[lonedave]

Congratulations on both tags.  I don't have any information on your unit, but I thought I'd welcome you to the club (assuming you'll get your ewe).  I drew my Clemens Mountain ram tag in 2014 after putting in for 42 years.  I also drew a ewe tag for the same unit in 2019.  I have both heads on the wall!  I'm sure we're in a very small group of Washington State hunters that have beaten the odds for both ram and ewe tags.  Just for kicks, I have draw and taken 3 goats in Washington before they were made OIL.  In 2015, I also drew my bull moose tag and took a respectable bull in unit 101.  Congrats again on the two tags!

[geauxtigers]

Congratulations on both tags.  I don't have any information on your unit, but I thought I'd welcome you to the club (assuming you'll get your ewe).  I drew my Clemens Mountain ram tag in 2014 after putting in for 42 years.  I also drew a ewe tag for the same unit in 2019.  I have both heads on the wall!  I'm sure we're in a very small group of Washington State hunters that have beaten the odds for both ram and ewe tags.  Just for kicks, I have draw and taken 3 goats in Washington before they were made OIL.  In 2015, I also drew my bull moose tag and took a respectable bull in unit 101.  Congrats again on the two tags!

I wondered if anyone else had drawn both, I was guessing someone probably had way back before hunts went to OIL but figured it’s a pretty small club.  I’ll do my best to find success and join you in it!

[jnichols]

I had this tag last year! Start by getting ahold of Todd Baarstad, he is the private lands biologist for this region and he should have a couple contacts for you to reach out to for permission..

[geauxtigers]

I had this tag last year! Start by getting ahold of Todd Baarstad, he is the private lands biologist for this region and he should have a couple contacts for you to reach out to for permission..

Thank you very much!  I will reach out to him right away.  The WDFW biologist was great help for my Cleman Mountain ram but for some reason I hadn’t thought of that yet. 

[geauxtigers]

I had this tag last year! Start by getting ahold of Todd Baarstad, he is the private lands biologist for this region and he should have a couple contacts for you to reach out to for permission..

Big thanks to JNichols for getting me started in the right direction, and some very kind landowners that gave me access!  I spent the better part of a week in Montana chasing elk with friends without success, then pivoted to come back towards home and found success on my sheep tag in under an hour on the drive home!!  Certainly not what I was expecting, but when the ewes are there it can happen quick.  The meat has been even more delicious than I expected: wife said it tasted way better than beef filet mignon when I cooked them side by side. 

Doing a shoulder mount to put her up next to my 2020 Cleman Mountain ram.

[carpsniperg2]

Congrats!

[10Key]

Way to go, neat spot to get one.

[X-Force]

Very cool! 2 sheep tags in WA. You’re more than lucky.

[hunterednate]

This is fantastic. Nice job and would love to see a pic of the two mounts together when you get it back from the taxi. Thanks for sharing.