This webpage is to be used for reference only!
I am willing to share any info I have to help you on your quest for a trophy ram.
The hunt information below is a Sheep hunting trip that took place in unit 13 in a drawing permit area. During the early hunt, the area is a non motorize 15 day hunt. This area has been set up for the purpose of having an area where hunters can get Trophy Dall Sheep and the trophy area worked, from what I have seen. There should still be plenty of massive horned trophy rams running around and there always will be. Chances of getting a permit are slim, but if you don't TRY, you won't get one.
Opening day of sheep hunting my hunter and I peeked over the first ridge to start our hunt and there in the 2.5 mile mountain valley were 47 rams, of course not all were legal, but we saw rams that made our hearts jump right out of our chests. Unbelievable said my hunter!
I hear the same thing over and over. Where can I get a trophy Dall Sheep? The answer now days is, spend a lot of time doing research. find a place with little hunting pressure, like the Brooks Range in the Arctic Circle, Wrangell St Elias Range in the south eastern part of the mainland of Alaska, sections within the Alaska Range, or get your name in the drawing permits for Alaska. There are still some great sheep hunting in Alaska. But like I said above DO YOUR RESEARCH!
The Alaskan Dall Sheep lives in some of the most inhospitable terrain Alaska has to offer! Their range of altitudes is from sea level all the way up and into the permanent snowy regions of 8,000 foot mountain peaks. Their food ranges from roots in the gravel mountain sides to grasses and bushes in the middle elevations and drainages of the mountains ranges.
Once the hunter won the drawing permit, we made our plans. The hunter flew into Fairbanks airport around August 8th, were I personally greeted him. We did last minute shopping for supplies needed, then headed out of Fairbanks south to the Alaska range where we parked the vehicle and started our journey into the glacier infested valley of the Alaska Range and the Dall Sheep permit area.
In one of several areas, we could go from the vehicle and walk in roughly 6-8 miles and climb off the glacier and set up camp. From these locations a hunter is in sheep country starting about 3 miles in. We hunted all the way up the glacier valley to the divide of the ice field, which is about 10 miles. We never went past the 10 mile area to get a Trophy Dall Sheep.
Everyone asks how rough and hard is a Dall sheep hunt in Alaska? Well, It starts out fairly easy like walking up a sloping road all the way to the camp up the glacier. From there it is Dall Sheep country, anything from the worst pinnacle rock terrain, Steep shale rock slides 100s to 1,000s of feet in elevation, to gently sloping grassy mountainsides. It just depends on where the Dall Sheep are at the time of the hunt!
Hunting success will depend greatly on the physical abilities of the hunter. The better the shape of the hunter the better the chances of a hunter actually getting a Trophy Dall Sheep. In the past, I have had hunters not being able to make the climb, because they did not bother to get in shape for the hunt. Just doing stairs is still one of the best ways to get into shape for sheep hunting. If available several flights of stairs work great. Start out just walking up and down without stopping . As you get stronger, and breathe easier, put on a day pack and load it down with the things you would take day tripping for sheep. 15-20 pounds of gear. Now walk up and down the several flights of stairs till your breathing is slow after a none stop climb. Keep adding some weigh and try to climb the stairs faster. This is almost as good as being in the mountains.
To help out with the packing of camp and some of the hunting gear, It helps to have a packer freighting stuff back and forth. Camp is usually in place and set up by the time the hunter shows up, so all we have to do is hunt.
A sheep camp is mainly set up for back packing. The tents will sleep two people comfortably on therma rest pads with room for gear. Cooking utensils are new back pack kits, with modern back pack stoves to cook on, and a wide sampling of food for sheep hunting. The meals are designed for maximum energy, because you will burn many calories/day hunting in the mountains.
Throughout the state of Alaska, there are still big record book sheep. It is a matter of doing your home work and researching the sheep country around the state, to get the best chance possible to harvest a trophy like this.
I am willing to share any information I know about sheep hunting, or any other hunts in Alaska.
E-mail to, AK @ Adventure Alaska Outfitters
Click on the facebook link below, then click the like button to stay up to date on happenings with A.A.O.
Adventure Alaska Outfitters, Facebook Page