Quote:
Originally Posted by outdoorsman12b
Being a newbie sheep hunter and learning alone is going to be painful. You already have fitness covered. I would try and prioritize:
1 - Find a mentor, or get in with a sheep hunting group. You will learn far more by going on a trip with someone who knows what they are doing than anything else because you can ask why along the way. If you don't know anyone than you may have to trade in. For example give up a good elk spot.
2- Shoot your rifle and learn the ins and outs of your equipment. I am still amazed at the number of hunters I meet that are not sure where there rifle hits beyond 100 yards or if they are even zeroed. You need to have verified drops for the ranges you want to shoot, or risk just watching that animal walk up and away.
3- Go over your gear list again and again. Only carry what you absolutely will use. This takes a bit of experience and will change over time. Don't cheap out on anything that will ruin your hunt. Primarily boots and rain gear. Last year we got hit with a snow storm in August and it was brutal. My group is a bunch of tough mofos though and we were able to weather it out while everyone else went running back to the trucks. There are quite a few posts on here that can help with gear.
4- Food is king. Make sure you have adequate food and meal plan. If you don't have enough you will lose steam and become demoralized. Everyone is different there is no one plan fits all.
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This is great, thanks.
1 - The mentor is a hard one, but I think I will check our the Sheep Foundation that the fellow in a previous post mentioned. I am actually interested in getting involved and volunteering for some kind of hunting/conservation group. My BIL is an experienced hunter and we will be looking at sheep hunting together, but this is new ground for him as well.
2 - I will take this to heart - I need to shoot more at distance. Also, I need to practice at angles!
3 - I am a bit of a gear and weight junky, so with this part I am well on my way. I may try and revive that old sheep gear list thread and post my gear list as it stands (have it all in excel with weights). I have a closet full of fleece, puffy jackets, and gore-tex. Still unsure of my boots, but I have a couple pairs I am good to hike in all day.
4 - Still working out the details for food, but I have a fair amount of experience to build on for this. I know what my body needs to thrive for a couple days backpack hunting or a day of trail running. What I am looking at is getting away from the mountain house meals and coming up with my own dinners. Have thought about ditching the stove, but man it is nice to have something warm for dinner.