I've posted this elsewhere in accurate reloading. Hope I'm not spamming, but I'm still digging for info. Is anyone familiar with wmu 410? I'm not asking for your honey hole I'm just looking for general info. Are the animal numbers fairly good? Are there a good percentage of good rams? Seems being archery only that there should be lots of nice big boys....am I wrong? It's a small zone is it overrun with hunters? Can anyone suggest a better zone for when I'm carrying a gun-please don't say cadomin mines cause it sounds like a warzone.

thanks for the info

the chef

The biggest problem with 410 and 408 for that matter is that Canmore and the new park has eaten away alot of the huntable area and both zones have significant no hunting areas in them.

Proably the best place to start is to take a toppo map to the wildlife office in Canmore and have them mark on the map the different areas. Once you know where you can't go where to go for sheep will be a little clearer. I have not been out there for sheep. But if I had to guess it would be around the park boundary.

posting www.albertaoutdoorsmen.org might get you more info on thia question.

410 has a general archery season from Sept 8 to Oct 30, after Nov 1 until Nov 30 is archery draw only.

Calgarychef,

I've sent you a PM. We should get together some day and chat about sheep hunting. I'm a veteran of two seasons, one very short, and very long. I can give you some details about each. I've talked extensively to a few very knowledgable sheephunters prior to last year's season. Basically there are no guarantees, and nobody is going to reveal their secret spot right of the bat.

You can join the folks along HW 40 in K-country, look where the park boundaries are, and glass the slopes for rams. Many people do that and some are successful.

I didn't like the sound of that, so I bought all the topo maps, and looked for areas that looked sheepish to me (and my inexperience). Then I just started hiking and glassing. Every weekend, starting in June, and some weekdays too. Sometimes I'd get a tip from one of my better-connected buddies and I'd follow up on that. I did a few overnight trips, and many looooong day trips. From pre-dawn till after dark, 20-25 km per day, hours of glassing.

I put in about 20 days until I connected with a ram. Not a monster, but I reckoned I earned it. 2006 I'll be back at it, looking for a bigger one, and I've already planned a few trips into the backcountry to scout this year. I'm planning a different approach this time, instead of short 1-3 day trips I hope to settle down for at least a week in an area, maybe more, if I can wing the time.

Just ask Thomas on this forum (haven't heard from him in a while) how much time he puts in on average. Thomas has higher standards than I have, and he's passed up a few over the years. Still looking for Mr. Big.

Some gloomy reports about Metis killing big rams on the winter range makes one wonder how successful future quest for big curls will be, but we can try.

Frans

quote:

I put in about 20 days until I connected with a ram.

Lucky dog. I put in about 8 seasons worth of hunting for bighorns in BC and still don't have one to my name! At least 100 days anyway.

I musta blew all my luck on the stones.

Cheers,
Canuck

Just get your Metis card and not worry about
zones or seasons.

you know, I think I could get my card. But I'll be dammned.we're all canadians and things have changed since 100 yrs ago and I think it should be a level playing field for everyone-native-metis-other we're all in this forthe long run.

the chef

I have to agree. I don't know if you get Neil
Waugh in the Calgary Sun (He writes about the
outdoors in the Edmonton Sun) and he does make
a point to say it is unconfirmed but there are
reports of the Metis taking half a dozen rams
since last fall. If it is true it's a damn
shame.

If you're looking for a remote palce to go the Willmore Wilderness has lots of country with a lot of sheep territory, you can go in there for a week or two and not see another soul... I've been asked to go to Cadomin, and haven't, probably for the same reason as you, I don't want to hunt where there are 20 other hunters around.

quote:

Originally posted by Canuck:
Lucky dog. I put in about 8 seasons worth of hunting for bighorns in BC and still don't have one to my name! At least 100 days anyway.
I musta blew all my luck on the stones.

With a stone like that you can't complain for at leats another 10 years!!

Yes, to the luck I had. A wolf the first season and a bighorn the second. I've been very lucky! Can't find a decent buck, but sure found some good replacements. Now excuse me, it is time to go light a candle and burn some essence in my hunting gods shrine. Gotta keep in their favour!

Frans

This was a sheep I was lucky enough to get a few years back.

Canuck,

Your name must be in the book for that one!
Could you tell us the measurements and rank of that fine stone?

GordM

GordM, I am no expert, but given my experience at judging trophy sheep , I'd guess it at about 46" x 43" give or take a 1/4" each side

It is a sheer Monster and Canuck should describe his hunt to us so that we may dream his reality!! Again, big congratulations goes out to him!

CanadianLefty, either you are REALLY good at this, or you were paying attention the last time this came up!

With 13 1/8" bases, it just misses "the book". I wouldn't have entered it anyway....not my thing. The hunt was one of a lifetime, the ram is gorgeous and everything I ever dreamed of. Numbers are fine for getting an idea of relative uniqueness, but they can cheapen the hunt. (rant off )

I will take the time one day to write down the story of my hunt. It was a particularly gratifying experience in consideration of the YEARS of researching, scouting, etc that went into it, and even moreso due to the great 14 days of hunting I spent God's greatest creation with my best friend/hunting partner (some who know me may be wondering if I am talking about my dog or my human hunting buddy...I'll just leave it that way ).

Cheers,
Canuck

Dark Templer,

That is a whopper of a bighorn! Congrats!!

Is it from Alberta? BC? Montana?

We have trouble here with displaying pics hosted on Imagestation. You might want to try www.photobucket.com

Cheers,
Canuck

It's funny how my hear goes pitter patter at the mere sight of a picture!!! nice animal, and congratulations. Non hunters don't appreciate what goes into getting a trophy animal, but I do. Well done.

the chef

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Canuck:
CanadianLefty, either you are REALLY good at this, or you were paying attention the last time this came up! [/QUOTE

Canuck, I will never forget your sheep for as long as I live- chalk it up to paying attention I gotta add though, that I have spent at least 60 days in sheep country and am a faily good judge of sheep nevertheless.

It would be great to hear your story- maybe over a campfire one day? Wanna come east for Quebec Caribou? P.M. me.

Cheers,
CL

Hey there Canuck,
It is from Alberta. Kananaskis Country. What is different about this sheep is that it has a third horn growing from its nose.

quote:

Originally posted by calgarychef1:
you know, I think I could get my card. But I'll be dammned.we're all canadians and things have changed since 100 yrs ago and I think it should be a level playing field for everyone-native-metis-other we're all in this forthe long run.

the chef

it is amazing how many Calgary firemen hunt sheep. It is sad how many are Métis and are abusing the right slaughtering bighorn and elk. G-bear season opens right away and the first bears killed in K-country in a long long time will be this year by Métis firemen. Ones I've spoke to figure they only have until this fall to rampage until the gov shuts them down. It is sad to think about the desperate situation these 70K a year firemen will be in with the right to "subsistence hunt".

quote:

Originally posted by Dark Templer:
Hey there Canuck,
It is from Alberta. Kananaskis Country. What is different about this sheep is that it has a third horn growing from its nose.

That's pretty bizarre. Is it actually growing from its nose, or is it a chunk of horn from another ram that got broken off?

Cheers,
Canuck

It was actual horn growth. At first I thought a broken horn. But it was larger at the base and when the taxadermist was caping it out it actually came off. You could see where it had formed and started growing.

DT, That is a nice K country Ram. Out of curiosity, where did you kill him? Sheep? Hwy-40? Highwood? Pickeljar? Other?
I'm not looking to pinpoint your "spot" just like to know where the animals are being taken.

Frans, as for you, you are either way too luckey or way too good. I imagine a little of both is closer to the truth.
Unfortunetly My sheep season is going to be interrupted this year with a course in Edmonton for most of September. BOOOOOOOO!!!

Spray lakes. When you could hunt it. All park now unfortunatly

Well I guess that makes my AK DAHL more pretty than trophy..Thats OK to..Still adds to the wall

quote:

Originally posted by Thomas:
Frans, as for you, you are either way too luckey or way too good. I imagine a little of both is closer to the truth.
Unfortunetly My sheep season is going to be interrupted this year with a course in Edmonton for most of September. BOOOOOOOO!!!

I consider myself more lucky than good... What kind of cruel course takes you out of the sheep picture during those times? Is this work related? Quit!!

Frans

Any time work interferes with hunting is badBAD. Unless it's the plum job of a lifetime and can't be replaced.......I'd consider quitting. Luckily I was unemployed all of last hunting season --I heartily recomend it. What if you were mained in a car accident or hurt at work and could never hunt again. You would regret not having done the things you love a little more.

the chef