It all started when I drew the Chugach tag which took many years of trying. My wife had drawn this very same tag back in 2013 and had taken a nice ram then. Having past experience and knowing an area was key and being so close to home it was the best opportunity to have a chance at hunting sheep with the access and ability to scout the areas these sheep live.
August 2024, the plan was to go solo, but my wife said that if I was going alone she would be going with me. Having to work on JBER with a handful of Air Force airmen, I asked a couple of them who love to hunt and fish, and asked if they would like to accompany me on a sheep hunt. They did not hesitate, and took me up on the opportunity. They however did not have any experience with sheep, but have with other animals. I made sure everyone was outfitted with the right gear from boots to packs even loaning out a few items needed. I brought a new 3-man tent that we tested and proved it’s worthwhile on this hunt.
The day came when we set out for this hunt and we looked over topo maps, to mark our trail. I led them on a trail we got dropped off on and made 13 miles on the 1st day until dark in which we set up camp on a high ridge looking both sides of a drainage. The next day we set out on the route we originally planned and started seeing Ewes and Lambs.
We stopped to glass them over for an hour or so until we determined there were no rams to be seen, but it was nice to see a good number of Ewe to Lamb ratio. We then packed up our optics and loaded up and headed onward. On our route a few miles in we finally saw rams!!!…..Finally!! We then dropped our packs and settled in for a glassing session, we spotted a good number of rams with two looking to be just legal, not what we were looking for, so we packed up again
to move further into a steep gnarly area we suspected would hold good mature rams. We were then on to travel another 7.7 miles from where we camped the last night. One of the best ways to travel among the steep mountains is to travel on “Sheep Highways”. They are packed down narrow trails made by sheep themselves and through the years these trails proved to support body weight and packed gear and are somewhat safe along steep slopes as long as you control your vertigo. It was starting to get dark up high as we could see the sun starting to set when we spotted a few rams, this time we started to see what DREAMS are made of, it was a beautiful sight and with the anticipation of darkness upon us late that evening we set up camp. We made plans, and gathered our water which was plentiful as high as we were due to pockets of snow. We suspected we would get up early and make a play on them and get into position to glass them over real good and maybe make a move.
Of course nothing goes as planned…..we slept in late and woke up to some lost sheep (lol). We couldn’t find them anywhere, so we started packing up camp and went on a trek in search of the rams we saw the night before. Four hours into our hike and climb we finally found them, they were feeding on what looked to be a mineral lick because there was absolutely no vegetation at all, just granite colored dirt. There were 5 rams total with two of them sublegal. They were all head down in this stuff, we soon moved into position to get a little closer but still over a thousand yards away, we moved slowly and methodically which took time. It started getting late in the afternoon when we actually had a decent look and place to settle to glass them over. After looking them over which seemed forever we found the Ram I decided to take. The stalk was on and we actually got to within 227 yards of the big Ram, but it was a steep uphill shot and at times could only see his back. We then decided to move in to level ground and somehow like most mountain game they know something is up and started moving across a drainage away from us, it was steep and by the time we got to the edge of the ridge they were already 300-plus yards and the smallest of the rams saw us and started running. I set up my rifle along with the spotter, my partners were calling the yardage as they were on the move and I got all set up. Having to attend Long-range shooting school earlier in the summer, thanks to the Alaska Wild Sheep Foundation, proved invaluable for this very situation. The Ram I had set on went from 320 yards, to 430 in a matter of seconds, I dialed my MOA up and BOOM!!! RAM DOWN!! I breathed with a sigh of relief! I finally got my Chugach Ram! And on the evening of day #3. We took pictures, gave thanks to God, and worked on the process of taking care of the ram for the next couple hours. Darkness fell and we hiked through the night until we could no longer endure, our tired bodies needed rest, we found a flat spot to set up our tent. Only to wake the next day refreshed and fueled for a death march back to our pick up point where our good friend was waiting for us.
The hunt was one for the books, the memories of this adventure will forever be embedded in me. I am very grateful for this great state of Alaska and with the help of the Alaska Wild Sheep Foundation. My wish for many others to have this same opportunity of a Lifetime!
