I just got back from a sheep and grizzly hunt with Jake Jefferson, Fortyonesix on this site. What an amazing trip. This was a hunt that was dreamed of when I was 12, booked several years ago, originally scheduled for August 2018, and it finally happened September 4th of 2019. Jake kept the mantra, "everything happens for a reason"...and as it turned out, he could not have been more correct.

Day 1 found us glassing a group of rams at 4 miles. Closing the distance to about 1500 yards, it was apparent the largest ram was full curl on the left, and had something weird going with his right...his horn was grown into his skull, just below the eye!

A short time later, I found myself perched 200 yards away, with a magazine cover-like look at 3 of the sheep bedded on a rocky ledge in the sun. 1 well placed shot from my Nosler 300WSM, and we had a ram down. It almost happened so fasr it was hard to reconcile.

Several hours later, after the 4 mile pack back to camp, and we were eating sheep tenderloin. Amazing experience, perfect day.

After Jake worked his magic with the sheep tenderloins, we spent 2 days working on the sheep cape, doing some fishing, and relocating to a new lake, backpacking our camp 10 miles over some absolutely beautiful country. Along the way, we ran into some caribou, glassed a nice bull moose with cow and calf, and a grizzly sow with cubs. Just that day might have been worth the trip!

Day 4 found us taking a somewhat leisurely hike into a new valley, a place Jake assured me was Grizzly heaven, or something to that effect! It's possible we were both feeling the hike of the day before and were looking for a semi-relaxing day of glassing and catching up on calorie intake.... Well, that plan went by the wayside when we glassed up what looked like a decent bear a mile or so up the drainage. Off we went, trying to make up ground. The grizz helped out a bit by stopping and digging, messing around, and just doing what bears do!

It didn't take all that long, and we had closed to 400 yards, dropped packs, and started after the bear in earnest. This was getting real fast! As we closed, suddenly the bear started running away. This was confusing, as the wind was steady and still favorable, and it hadn't bothered to lift its head and look at us. Jake started taking ranges, and then the bear turned hard left, running broadside, and chasing a wolverine! How cool was that! After the wolverine ran down a hole, the bear continued to try and dig it out, to no avail.

At this point, I got down in position behind my trekking poles, craftily made into shooting sticks by Jake. He ranged the bear at 200 yards, checked in with me about whether this was the bear for me, and all I could reply was, with bear in scope, "it's a beautiful bear"! One well placed 180 gr Accubond later, and I had my grizzly bear!

Wow!! Is all I can say at this point. The bear turned out to be a sow, squared 7'2", with beautiful coloration. While I couldn't have been happier, I was definitely struck with a touch of melancholy...my trip of a lifetime was over. After only 4 days of a 9 day hunt. But I've learned you don't spit in the hunting gods' eye. Take what is offered with great thanks and realization of the immense blessing!

Jake made short work of the field dressing, and a 4 mile hike had us back at camp before dark and plenty of time to cook up a fine Mountain House. Another amazing day enjoying nature's bounty.

Sounds like a great time, that is a beauty of a ram,must have been painful as hell with that horn growing in the side of his head like that.
Glad you had a great trip, big congrats to both you, and Jake

Beautiful coat on that bear and a very unique set of horns on that sheep! Congratulations on both.

Its incredible that the horn could grow into the face like that and not have caused serious infection/more deformation of the skull. Anyone with any explanation to why they grow in that way? Injury, perhaps?

The horn was just starting to press into his skull. There was a small hole in the hide of the cape, and to get it off, I had to brace my legs against the full horn and pull on the shorter horn as Jake pulled the hide out. There is obvious bruising in that spot too. It was probably just starting to really bug him. Can't imagine how painful the next year would have been!

When we checked him in at Ak fish and game, the biologists figured it had to be injury, maybe a cracked skull long ago healed..even though there is no sign on the skull plate.

Action-packed hunt right there!

Your ram is simply incredible. You’ll be the only kid on the block with one like it.

Beautiful coat on that bear.

Awesome ram! Thanks for sharing.

Got my blood a pumpin!

Can’t wait until next year when I get my chance at a grizz with Jake!

Congratulations on your trophies and thanks for sharing.

BH63

Those are some great animals! The amount of days it takes to get your animals correlates with how much Jake is enjoying your company. 4 days. Not bad!

Thanks! It really was an incredible hunt. Amazing that all of that happened in such a short time!

You will have a blast with Jake. You won't meet another guide with more drive, work ethic, knowledge, and pure love for what he does....and as a bonus, he's pure entertainment! It's funny, we had been texting periodically for a couple years before my hunt, and I kept telling anyone who would listen, that we were going to get along great and have a really good time. His sense of humor and outlook is right up my alley!

John, I'm sure he would have regretted spending the whole 8 days with me! But then again, we all have that one guy we can't spend too much time with, don't we? ...as I remember that fateful 2 weeks I had to deal with the dreaded combination of you, and no elk a couple of years back.

Congratulations and thanks for sharing the report!

Congratulations on a special hunt. Thanks for sharing.
I spent 10 days in the wilderness with Jake in 2018. Had a blast and came home with a beautiful black wolf.
He's a great hunter.

Ski+3
Whitefish, MT

Another great hunt with Jake. It doesn't surprise me. He's the real deal. I'm a little surprised that he let you do a little fishing. Jake, you still owe me a grayling.

On the photo with the rams bedded on the point, which one is the ram you shot? I really like that photo. Your grizzly looks like it could be a sister to my bear. Jake asked me on the 1st day what I wanted. Told him a solid 7'er with good fur.

Conglads on 2 great trophies.

Looks like a Great hunt great critters, Talkeetna range?

After much research I have determined there are no sheep in the talkeetna range and it’s over guided.

A true trip of a lifetime! Congrats!

Thanks to all, it was a trip of a lifetime!! Until I get a chance to figure out how to make another trip of a lifetime happen, of course. Because once you get a taste, you really can't stop!

Colorado Bob: I shot the ram in the middle, the one facing directly away from the picture. I honestly don't know if I had a size of grizzly in mind...but from the moment I saw that bear, over a mile away, I liked it. Amazing looking animal.

I don't really know where I was. I believe Jake blindfolded me on the flight in.

I gotta day thanks to Tim, success largely depends on the client as much as the guide. It’s a team thing.

I asked him to post this report as I thought this was a pivotal hunt for me and my business. It’s almost been one year since my wife unexpectedly passed away while I was out in the field. I wanted people to know who are booked on hunts down the road or guys considering me as their guide to know that I am on track, things are progressing in a fantastic direction and my family has been blessed!

I wanted others to hear it from a client rather than me saying. So thanks Tim for standing in the mountains with me and bleeding the rocks red. Your good people.

Once again, Jake, your pictures are fantastic. Beautiful weather!

Congrats on being back in the field. A double no less!

Love that Toklat coloring on the Bear.

Amazing animals, love the color of that bear! Congratulations!!!

tshoepe,

incredible sheep. Only one I've ever seen with a weird horn like that one. I like it a lot and know you appreciate how wonderfully different it is. Beautiful pale grizzly also. Nice!

Alaska usually doesn't gives up her prizes to those that don't put in the work.

Well done!

Mark

Amazing ram! Great story and thanks for sharing. God bless you, Jake, as life rebuilds.

Awesome hunt. Love the pic of the three bedded rams just before the shot.

Awesome job guys!!

That was me in 2017, and Jake made it happen. Man that is some neat country to spend time in.

Congrats on a spectacular sheep and one fine bear.

Jake, it's good to hear things are good with you and the family.

Jeremy

Jeremy this Sheep was almost right across the big valley from yours.
I sit every Sunday and listen to Jonathan walker preach now too....

Fantastic!

416: How do you turn 20 trekking poles into shooting sticks? Thanks.

quote:

Originally posted by bobmn:
416: How do you turn 20 trekking poles into shooting sticks? Thanks.

Throw 18 of them on the ground. Loop over loop over and cross the poles.

Thanks 416. Don't know how the numeral 20 got into my question. Do you use a rubber belt for the loop over loop or do you use any old cord? Thanks again

Just wonderful

Thanks for sharing


Morten

quote:

Originally posted by bobmn:
Thanks 416. Don't know how the numeral 20 got into my question. Do you use a rubber belt for the loop over loop or do you use any old cord? Thanks again

awesome! congrats on the hunt!

Thanks 416

That is a slick trick with the poles.

You might put some of those shooting stick companies out of business. LOL

BH63

Well electrical tape has been on gun barrels for a long time but someone still buys the barrel condoms for 10x the price....