Outfitter: Stan Stevens - MacKenzie Mountain Outfitters
Guide: Glen Stevens
Area: MacKenzie Mountains, Northwest Territories
Dates: July 15th-24th, 2014
Rifle: HS Precision .300 WSM, 168 gr TTSX

After striking out on all the western draws I got the itch to hunt sheep this year. Contacted Arctic Red and Stan Stevens at MMO. Those being my top two choices that I had been looking to book with. Just by chance I followed up again with both about Mid-June and as luck would have it Stan had a spot open on the first hunt. It was only a few weeks away at this point, but I figured that wasn't a reason not to go. so I sent the deposit and that was that. I try to stay fairly fit all year, so I was confident that I would do ok even on such short notice.

Quick gear list.
smartwool base layers
helly hansen impertech rain gear (took only jacket)
rest of clothing most all Kuiu
Scarpa Wrangel boots
smartwool liners and hiking socks
big agnes fly creek UL2 tent (wanted my own tent. last thing I want is not to get good sleep due to the guide possibly snoring etc... I also don't want to bother the other guy with my usual tossing and turning. at just at 2 lbs, well worth the weight)
big agnes mystic SL 15 bag and Big agnes UL pad
Kuiu Icon 5200 icon pack
Black Diamond Alpine carbon cork trekking poles (life savers)

only gear changes I would've made was to ditch the helly hansen rain gear and get some of the Kuiu stuff (back-ordered at the time I tried to grab some right before the trip). The guides had the kuiu rain gear and it performed well. Although if it was a later hunt and possibly LOTS more rain the helly hansen would be the ticket. I also might go with the Kuiu 7000 pack. Only because the 5200 was pretty full and then when packing the meat, hide, and horns, it was about to burst at the seams.

The hunting was pretty brutal. Lots of going up and down steep rocky terrain. Side hilling over very large rock piles with a heavy pack is not fun at all. I still can't believe I didn't bust my ass, the sticks really saved the day. Definitely the most physically demanding hunt I've been on. I got my ram on the 3rd day, I can only imagine having to go the full 10.

My guide Glen (Stan's youngest son) was a great guide and interesting guy. Did the whole hunt in vibram toe shoes! haha

I'll give you the short and sweet version of the hunt. Basically on the 3rd day we saw (or they saw us actually) a group of rams we had been chasing for a couple of days. We were pinned down by a small ram poking over a ridge, checking us out about 75 yards below. He didn't spook and bedded down right on a little bench on top of the ridge. After waiting a long time, the other rams in the group came over the ridge and when the big one presented a shot I sent one right thru the shoulder and dropped him right there. Luckily landing on a nice grassy bench before the steep rock slide below. made for a perfect spot for photos too










We estimated him to be about 9-9.5 years old. 12.5 bases and about 35 inches in length. I am happy as hell with him.






Base camp



some fishing to pass the days in camp after I got my sheep.


Glen with a nice Dolly


Quin with a fatty lake trout




Can't say enough good things about Stan, Helen, and the boys. A real quality operation. Friendly as can be. Jodi the cook was great, best camp food I've had yet. And she just happens to be a damn good singer/songwriter/guitar player too. Just a nice warm atmosphere in camp. One of those places you start thinking about bringing your friends and family to because you know everyone will just get along and have a good time. And on top of all that the area is as gorgeous and pristine as any place I've been. Lots of sheep! All the hunters tagged out by day 6. We even had a bow hunter in camp, he got a nice ram on day 4 I believe. Great group of hunters in camp. Nothing but good times. I'll be going back again for sure.


Here is short (11 minute) video I did of the hunt.

https://vimeo.com/102747543

Awesome ram - congratulations!

Nice ram bobby7321, well done!!! Stan runs a first class operation and they have been in business a long time.

The Mackenzie Mountains are one of my favourite places. Gets in your blood.

Congrats on your Ram. Well Done !
Love those early season short haired ones.
You can put a lot if detail in them and it shows off great in the short haired mounts.



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Congratulations on your ram Bobby
It's customary when you plan to go on a hunt it's gonna be a superb adventure...you didn't fail to impress me again on this one too!

Way to go!!!

Incredible scenery,,,and your photography stunning as usual...Thank you for your great reports and photos

Thanks fellas

nice ram and pics

Congrats on a great Ram and terrific pics....
Having just booked a last minute hunt myself for Dall Sheep it really does compress all the excitement that really comes in the preparation side of things.
Scott

Nice ram!

Outstanding....congrats!

Congrats on a nice Ram. Did you run into any high wind with that Big Agnes one man? Mine barely survived some nasty winds in the Brook's Range. Brett & Jena had the two man and the center support pole seems to be attached to the tent body better than the one man.

Cheers
Jim

Winds were a big strong a couple times up on the mountain, but the tent stay put no problem. It is the UL2 (2 person tent). for an extra 2 ounces (over the one man) the two person is much better.

I also got to see the KUIU one and two man tents in camp. the one main is tiny. A 6' 180 lb guy has just enough room to lay down in it. The two man was a little better but not much. Also the setup takes wayy too long. They need to work on that for the next version. carbon fiber poles were light, but I imagine even the slightest nick will render them useless. Big agnes all the way...

Congrats to you bobby7321, Great bear at Shoemakers too!

I am off to the Brooks range in 9 days to hunt with Erik Salitan from Bushwack Alaska, yes the planning is a lot of the fun.

thanks doug! its been a real good year so far. Good luck in the Brooks Range. Look forward to seeing pics and a report!

Thanks for the story and photos and congrats on a fine ram.
I had the pleasure of hunting Caribou a few years ago with Glen as my guide, good people for sure.
Dave

Congrats on the successful sheep hunt. They look like a quality outfit and I have only heard great things about Artic Red. Looks like an amazing time. Great photos as well.

Wonderful dall sheep hunt at its best :-)

Very nice and thanks for sharing the experience. I had the pleasure of hunting moose/caribou with Stan a few years back and they put on a great camp/hunt with very knowledgable guides. Pristine is your word and mine for Stan's territory. Tough but so clean and beautiful at the same time.

Nice trophies, great photos.

Very nice ram. I miss sheep hunting. Sounds like you had a great time. Congrats!!!!!!

VERY NICE RAN ,WELL DONE THANKS FOR SHARING

Bobby, Thats a great ram !!! Glad you got to squeeze in a Dall sheep hunt this year, looks like the weather was decent although the terrain wasn't , but that's what makes it special...the ones you gotta work for, thanks for sharing the Hunt pics, and the fishing pics, good luck the rest of the season.....

Here is the video I put together

https://vimeo.com/102747543

Enjoyed that movie, thanks for sharing,
and congrats.

Congratulations! Nice ram! Awesome adventure.

Congratulations. Wonderful sheep and report. I just got back from the hunt immediately after you with Stan and Helen and echo all the good things you had to say. I would post a picture of my ram but evidently don't have permission to post photo albums. Any idea what I need to do to be able to do so?

Congratulations !!!
Fabulous report, photos and movie. Excellent job on everything. Thanks for posting.

Great video!! Thanks for sharing. That Piedmont style playing in the background reminds me of Mississippi John Hurt. Who is it may I ask?

thanks!

I recorded all the music on the porch in camp one night (using the voice memo feature on my iphone). Jodie, the camp cook, is actually a fairly well known canadian musician, and played a few things for us. Here are her websites.

http://missquincy.ca/

http://rocknrollbushcook.com/

it was all done in one take and totally spontaneous. you can even hear the guys in the back ground playing cribbage on a few parts
the song she sings in the credits is a cover of a Fred Eaglesmith song.

she's working on a more folksy, hunting camp, type album now. From the little that I heard, its going to be pretty cool.

quote:

Originally posted by bobby7321:
thanks!

I recorded all the music on the porch in camp one night (using the voice memo feature on my iphone). Jodie, the camp cook, is actually a fairly well known canadian musician, and played a few things for us. Here are her websites.

http://missquincy.ca/

http://rocknrollbushcook.com/

it was all done in one take and totally spontaneous. you can even hear the guys in the back ground playing cribbage on a few parts
the song she sings in the credits is a cover of a Fred Eaglesmith song.

she's working on a more folksy, hunting camp, type album now. From the little that I heard, its going to be pretty cool.

She certainly has a good feel for the alternating bass Piedmont Style of acoustic blues roots.