Your budget is going to restrict you to Dall Sheep but they are fun to hunt.

A word of advice about booking a sheep hunt ---- book thru a reliable booking agent that represents more than one guide service. The booking agent will explain the different types of sheep hunts and what you can expect and conversely you can tell him the kind of hunt you want. If I were going to book a sheep hunt the agent I would talk to first would be Atcheson's.

About conditioning for sheep hunting.....you can't do anything about the differences in elevation but the best excercise you can do is going up and down real steps. Stairwells in buildings are OK but the best are in gyms or stadiums where the spacing is not the same between steps. As soon as you feel comfortable in your workout clothes take off the shoes and put on your hunting boots and then heavier clothing and finally a small daypack.

John, It'll give us plenty to do on the drive up to Elk City I been meaning to e-mail you, I ordered the Scent-Lok stuff Sunday and loaded some 180gr Xs for my old 06 only 26 more days to go!! Not that I'm counting or anything. Gotta get back to work.

Just a few points, as one could write a book on the subject: The NWT will give you the most bang for your buck on a Dall Sheep hunt (Dall Sheep is the only sheep you can even contemplate on $10K). Alaska has a few larger sheep, but the sheep in NWT are very good, hunts rarely are not 100% (not the case in Alaska), and NWT hunts are cheaper. Also, the NWT terain is generally not as rough. I suggest a horseback hunt, but you still need to be in as good of hiking condition as possible. Your altitude is your biggest problem, and I don't think you have any hills to practice on down there, but do your best. As mentioned, stairs are good. By the time you go, you should be able to do a minimum of 20 flights without pause, in your hunting boots, with a day pack of about 25#. 40 flights without pause or extreme excersion would be much better. You need good, stiff mountain boots, not like you would use for bird or deer hunting. You are most likely too late for 2004, 2005 even getting fairly full by now. Be very carefull--sheep hunting is a terrible, very contagous disease that is usually started by 1 hunt. The only known cure is more sheep hunts.

HI Mark,

...more for us to talk about in Idaho it seems. The hunts I have the contact for are a bit more than $10K ($11,000 for a backpack hunt and $12,000 for a horseback hunt) but this guy takes some old sheep with a 40+ incher or two every year.

Best,

JohnTheGreek

Mark
First decide the type of experience you want..ie do you
want a horseback hunt,backpack hunt,or other.Narrow your
choices by the type of hunt that will please you the most.
But be honest with yourself.Know your limits.It's easy to
type out I can walk or ride a horse all day but the reality
is most guys just can't.Can you help pack out 1/2 a ram
and gear over 10 or more miles over rough country?

I think that the NWT and Yukon have the better overall
experience,in the classic backpack type hunts.You have to
decide which type you want to go on then decide how to
get ready for it.In other words why go on a horseback
hunt if you hate horses,or a backpack hunt if you can't
do the physical work.There are sheep hunts that fly you
to the top of a mountain with your guide then you hunt
down hill to the sheep,a good choice if you are not in
great shape.
The NWT,and the Yukon have some advantages.
They have great sheep hunting,the outfitters have exclusive
lease on thier areas,and sheep tags are cheap.But...
They are expensive.Typical NWT or Yukon 10-12 day hunt is
@ $11,000-$12,500 USD.Thats this year prices.
Now add your flight from USA to Edmonton,then a flight
to Norman Wells or Yellow Knife,and from Norman Wells or Yellow Knife to camp.If you shoot a moose or caribou you have the added logistics of getting it home.

Alaska dall sheep hunts average @$8000.00.Yes there are some
alot more expensive and one master guide has a sheep hunt
for $6000.00.But the avg. I have found right around $8000.00.

My sheep hunt this year ,
I have one flight to Anchorage,and one from Anchorage to
camp.No extra to bring any critter from field to Anchorage.
So if I shoot a bou or grizz or moose I will not have meat
hauls or extra freight to get my stuff to Anc.



As far as gear...Bring the best you can,worn in.Don't test
it when you get there.Your outfitter will give you a
list of gear he recommends.Then call the references,besides
the usual questions ask them what they brought that they
did not use.And what they wish they did bring but left home.

Yukoner posts here...He has a wealth of info.He has a post in the Canadian forum on sheep hunts.Ask him or e-mail for
his gear list as he is a sheep nut.

Hope you decide to go.

Jeff