JeffP,

I haven't bought the first item yet. I started to pull the trigger on some things last week while I was in Dallas, but instead just looked; Bass Pro Shop mainly.

I'm going to wait another six months probably before starting to lay-in supplies. My problem is that I have to buy my things and store them at my son's apartment in Dallas. (I don't want him to have to trip over them for a year.) I won't see them anyway until the week before I fly out, so there is no hurry in getting things together.

This isn't the way I'd like to do it, just the way I have to do it.

As far as getting in shape I've just bought a workout device that gives you more or less the range of motion/workout of bicycling / crosscountry skiing. It gets my heart-rate up pretty good. I'm going to workout on it multiple times a day.

I play tennis/squash some, and more golf here lately. We move into a highrise apartment in August or September. I plan to get intimately familiar with the stairwell.

I plan to drop about five pounds.

My major concern is my knees. They don't bother me that much, but I'm no spring chicken either. I'll probably have a couple of wraps/braces to keep things in line.

JeffP,

I'm in late on this but I thought I'd mention a couple things I did not see or maybe they were mentioned but I kind sped thru it. Obviously you have lots of great input from experienced mountain hunters so listen to them.

I've done a fair amount of backpacking and hunting for goats and sheep and on a few occasions we got so far from our spike camp ie... tent and sleeping bag during the day in hot pursuit of rams that it was to late to return and doing so would also have meant that we'd have to call off the hunt as you would loose sight of the game. So, in this case I always carry a space blanket to spend the night out and a few heat packs to keep you mentally and perhaps somewhat physically comfortable. When it is raining cold and miserable you would be suprised as to how comforting they are. Use them only when truly called for.

Also bring a straw, or some other similar device to recover water to refill your water supply. Sometimes a sheep hunter might find a very small flow of water coming out of a crack in a rock making it difficult to fill your container. If your setting three thousand feet above the creek far below and it sure beats descenting. Last time this happen to me in 2000 on a dall sheep hunt I used a bic pen body and it saved me and my guides butt big time! I know it has been mentioned and you intend to but always have some emergency quik energy food that you NEVER touch unless you must use it. As far as crossing creeks, I either simply take my pants sock and boots off and go barefoot which is not to fun or you can also put on your rain pants and with twine tie off several loops very tightly around the pants just at your ankles and this will work suprisingly well on a moderate creek. I wish you the best of luck. Man am I getting sheep fever again...........

Phieeuww, guys,

My last real backpack trip was in 1987! Lot's of this stuff has long been forgotten and all of my gear long eaten by moths!

This weekend I toured around and had a look at the mountains I might be hunting from the nearest parking lot and they still looked **very** far off. At least a day's worth of hiking to get anywhere near "base camp", at least 10 miles. How on earth am I going to get the meat out, the trophy and all my gear out, assuming I get lucky?

Just a scenario here: Day x I spot a ram, go for it, and by some stroke of luck stalk it within shooting range and kill it. It's late afternoon, and I'm just able to get the guts out, and cape it, and get the cape back to base camp. Next day I'm able to make two runs to the kill site and get the meat to base camp...how much meat do you get off a mature ram? I suppose two runs makes for two **heavy** loads. So I suppose I'll need three runs to the car to get meat, gear and trophy out. Even if I make the 20 mile round trip in one day..that's still three days...meat, cape and my knees will all be rotten by the time I'm finished....so is the lesson here, if you're on you're own, hunt closer to the road? Or get some horsy guy to pack you in and out? Thomas, you've been doing this on your own in Kananaskis...how do you solve this issue?

Frans

JeffP,

While I was in Las Cruces, New Mexico I picked up a paperback called the Complete Guide to Hiking & Backpacking by Karen Berger. It had some very good insight into all facets of backpacking. It was a good read with some nice tips. Two good chapters on what to wear and what to carry. My only problem with it was that it was written in 1995. I'm going to try to find something a little more current.

Kennseco,
You mention concern about your knees. A tip that I was given by Customstox that really helps is to carry a collapsable hiking staff. It makes a tremendous difference on side and down hill treks. You also mention your plan to work out multiple times per day? I would strongly caution against that. If you want to increase your strength you need to give your muscles proper recovery time. I don't like to work the same muscles more than every other day. You don't want to injure yourself by over training. Think variety.

Jeff

Kensco
Stan has some areas that are better (not so rough)
if you are concerned about your knees.Let him
know he'll put you in a spot you can handle.

I don't know about you,but I'm jazzed to get after
'em.

All my workouts are legs and lungs....stair stepper,bike,alot of hiking with pack and 25 lbs.
The harder you can go,the better.People I have
talked to who have done this hunt have all told
me it is a rugged hunt.But well worth it.

My hunt is 12 days.My game plan is first 9 days nothing less than a 40" ram.Unless it is a Fannin. As Fannin count towards your Stone sheep,I would have to kill it.Then the last three days a legal ram is in trouble.We'll she how she plays out.

Jeff