What do some of you guys use in Sheep or goat country? Does one rifle cover this kind of hunting pretty well? And what cartridge is considered minimum or maxium for these animals. The reason I ask is a friend and I have already started to talk about next years hunting trip and it sounds like we want to go to sheep country.

thanks guys

Markus; I believe that one rifle can be used for all of one's big game hunting. In fact I only have one rifle that i hunt with, and just competed a sheep hunt with it. While it's probably not ideal for everthing it works for me, and i have no plans of changing. For sheep and goat hunting, it could be a little lighter (8# 12 oz. scoped, loaded and Slung). It is a semi-custom .375 AI.-memtb

sheep and goats are pretty easy animals to kill. the same as a whitetail. for the past 2 years i have used a 7mm rem mag. much less cartridge is required, i just like my 7. expect to have to make fairly long shots because of the terrain they hang out in. although this is not always the rule sometimes in the rocky terrain you cant just sneak up on them. the closest you may be able to get might be 250 yards without walking 4 miles around the mountain.

I think I would consider the great shooting 25-06 cartridge. The 257 Roberts also would perform well on sheep or goat. Using the 115 to 120 grain bullet it should do a fantastic job at any practical hunting distance. I also like the old stand by take any game animal you choose to take the 300 Winchester magnum round for the longer range shooting. Of course the 300 mag is not for the recoil shy shooter.

Markus, I too would be perfectly happy shooting a sheep or goat with my 25-06. Enough power for those animals and flat shooting.

However, if I was hunting in an area where a grizzly might be encountered I guess I would have to move up to something on the order of a 7mm magnum. I would rather have my .338 Win Mag if needed, but a 7mm Mag would do in a pinch.

As little as I know about sheep hunting I would guess just about anything from 25-06 on up would be fine. Just not sure I could ever get in good enough shape for a lot of that type of hunting.
You had better start getting ready.

Actually, it might be hard to improve on Jack O'Connor's choice of a .270 Winchester, especially in a nice light rifle.

R F

Love my 25/06. If you had a 30/06 or 270 They would be choices too.

Hcliff

Hi Markus. I built my sheep/goat rifle on a Remington 600 action, 23" light contour Shilen barrel, chambered in 284 Winchester. Lengthened the mag box to allow 3.1" COL, use a compact 3 X 9 scope. It's worn a few stocks, HS Precision (too heavy), Lee Six (felt flimsy), a Brown pounder, and I'm currently looking at one of Bansner's stocks. It makes a great lightweight rifle, I end up using it for lot's of things besides sheep and goats. I see that Brownell's now sells an extended mag box for this application, (easier then the cutting and welding route I took), plus the WSM cartridges as well. I may build another similar rifle, except this time in 7mm WSM. FWIW - Dan

Sheep are not typically hard to kill. Lots of lung and they don't really take a hit well.
Goats are a differenty story. They are smaller, but are just plain tough.
While I would absolutely recomend the 25-06 for sheep (have used or seen 25-06 take 3 rams), I would recomend a bit bigger for goat. If I had to tell somebody what to use for both, I would say 30-06 or 7mm Mag if you want to reach out a bit more.
Hard to pick the ideal one for both since you usually want an easy to pack gun for those mountains, and you want something that will put a goat down in its tracks. A trophy goat can be broken and ruined by tumbling it off the cliffs they live on.

My Remington 700 in 30/06 siuted me just fine on my sheep&goat hunts here in Colorado.

A lightweight .270, such as a Remington 700 Mountain Rifle, a Model 70 featherweight, a custom built rifle on a lightened Mauser 33/40 action, or any other light bolt action .270 with a 22 inch barrel and a lightweight scope.

[ 11-18-2002, 23:47: Message edited by: LE270 ]

Thanks alot guys. Currently the only hunting rifle I have is a 300 ultra mag. I'm pretty young so I fell for the bigger is better sales pitch. I'm happy with it but sometimes it is a little more than the job requires. If needs be I can beg borrow or steal my dads 270 vangaurd. Its a good shooter and I am pretty comfortable with it.

As for getting ready what do you feel I need to do? Being in shape is no problem I work in forestry and spend my days running around on moutain sides looking for timber. I spend alot of time in the gym too and jog when I get a chance. I can get my hands on a laser ranger finder. Spotting scope is taken care of. I need a new pair of boots I guess. Chaulked boots aren't very safe on rock My friend I am planning on going on this trip with is going to get some maps from the local college so we can learn a bit about the area. I also have another friend who has guided in the area in the past but he seems to have dropped of the face of the earth lately.

I'm also looking for pretty much any excuse I can to buy a new rifle as soon as I get the money.

Am I missing anything?

Dan, would a 284 win fit into that M70 short action I was asking about a while ago?

My dad has a set of dies for 284 in the desk and no rifle to use them in.

Gentlemen

No Sheeps or goat in Sweden

I would choose something 270,280 7mm mag or 300 mag of some sort . I would choose an ordinary rifle that is easy to shoot. I don't think weight is much of a problem. 8,5.-10 pouns should be no problem. As a matter is easier to shoot with a heavier rifle after steaming up and down mountain sides

Lighweights is just a silly gimmick. It's better with lightweight hunters

/ JOHAN

[ 11-19-2002, 01:32: Message edited by: JOHAN ]

"Lighweights is just a silly gimmick. It's beter with lightweight hunters"

That is SO true!!! How many guys spend hundreds of dollars to lighten a snow mobile or quad or bike or whatever to get a little extra performance out of it when they are 40 lbs over weight themselves.

Markus,
Sounds like your on the right track. If you can shoot a 300 RUM and do not mind carrying it, you are set there. As far as what to do now?
Practice shooting whatever you are going to use. Get it sighted in and then take it out and shoot it in some simulated hunting situations, get used to the gun and get comfortable shooting it.
As far as gear goes, I would say make sure you have some decent binocs, sheep can be seen from miles with good 10x binocs because of their big white butts. Goats can be picked out even further unless there is snow on the ground. Goats will actually look a little more yellow than actual snow.
Have fun. Scouting and preparation can be the most fun part of the hunt.

I've got a Ruger No.1 RSI in 7x57 that is perfect in the mountains after sheep.

markus

Just 40 pounds
I have seen worse, and often thoose who has the smallest and lightest rifles.

I wonder how they make it over the mountains, heartattack would be very close

/ JOHAN

Markus, the 284 fits a short action 70 like it was designed for it. You'll get enough mag length to get a 3.1" COL, and with a 22-23" barrel you should get 2900-3000 fps with a premium 150 gr bullet, 2800-2900 with a 160. There isn't a sheep or goat that won't fall to one of these. the 284 is a vastly under rated cartridge, think 280 remington in a more compact package. - Dan

Well Dan I think 284 sounds like a good choice to me for that M70 I have then.

I do like that 300 RUM I have quite alot actually. I do however need to get a synthetic stock for it though as it currently has one of those fairly nice Grey Laminated stocks on it and I hate putting scratches in it.

A pair of good Bino's I definately need to pick up.

I think that if I were going to build a sheep/goat rifle I would give the .264 Win mag a serious look. Providing the rifle wore a 26'' inch tube. I know that the round is a little inefficient but when set up right it's a real zapper. Just my .02 cents.

Marcus,

I was planning on having a light weight 25-06 or a 6.5 WSM built for hunting goats and sheep. I felt it would be a great choice for a sheep rifle. I am sure most would agree. I have since decided against that.
The reason being is that most sheep and goat country is also bear country. I never used to concern myself with bears a whole lot other than when returning to a kill to pack out meat. there you have to be carefull. Other than that I had very few bear problems considering the large amount of time I spend in bear country.
A couple of incedents recently have reminded me not to under estimate them or become to complacent with them. They are unpredictable.
I have killd sheep with the 7mmRM and the 338WM. They worked just fine.

I think I will still have a 25-06 or a 6.5WSM built but I will use it for whitetail and winter caribou.

Daryl

.270 w/ 22" bbl, synthetic stock, worked well for me. Light, straight shooting, accurate. Try to stalk them from above. Go way around then come down. Its amazing how close you can get, but carry a "reach out" rifle anyway and carry a rifle that'll let you do lots of walking.

[ 11-19-2002, 23:20: Message edited by: BBBruce ]

A herd of Goats sits up on the cliffs above the local rifle range in the spring. I see them everyday I am out there shooting. I lasered them last year once and they were sitting just 800 yards away from the firing line. I think this spring I will sneak up there and see if I can grab some pictures of them.

I have no problem really with weight of a rifle. I just don't like to pack something just shy of 4 feet long when I am in tricky terrian.
Grizzlies will certainly be a bit of a concern for sheep but I don't really think they will be right in the same area as a goat. I could be wrong though.

Thank you all

I keep putting in for a goat tag & when I get one, I'll probably take my lt. wt. .280. If I had a .270 (heaven forbid) I would use that & be happy.

I am happy to report that my M700 in 257 Weatherby, free bore and all, is the gun I recommend for your quest. I was a non-believer until I test drove the 257 Weatherby, accurate, flat, and fast. With 120 grain Nosler Partition bullet placed in the sweet spot success will be yours.

I'll be taking my new Model 70 Featherweight .300 WSM up the mountains next year for sheep. Hopefully when I come down the mountain I'll have a sheep and a black bear. We'll see. I only mention my .300 WSM is because the area I'll be in has both black and brown bears, and brown bears can't be hunted there. I do have a 7x57 mauser in the closet that belongs to my cousin and I know that round will work just fine for sheep and goats, because that one rifle has already taken a freezer full of moose and caribou.