Talkeetna mts sheep hunting?

[jim in anchorage]

I have noticed it's never mentioned here. Is it because there are no sheep or is it a big secret? I would like to plan a hunt there and wonder why it seems to get no attention.

[Wyo2AK]

Probably because it gets so much attention. It's no secret. And since everything south of the Glenn went to draw, pressure in the Talkeetnas has only gone up. Look at the hunting stats - sheep still get killed there. Plan a hunt, but don't plan on being alone.

[AK Wonderer]

Like mentioned, it's extremenly crowded. I thought I read somewhere that 60% of the states sheep guides operate in the Talkeetna's.

The nice thing about the Talkeetna's are that they are easily accessible and cheap to hunt. You can walk in, atv, or catch a very short flight. If I were looking to hunt the Talkeetna's I would head towards the glaciers or nastiest looking area I could find in hopes of finding one of those old rams escaping the people in the crags.

[Matt]

I'm working now on trying to get a fly-out sheep hunt in August for somewhere in Talkeetna's for my first sheep hunt, but am a bit discouraged from what I'm hearing about how crowded it is in that range.

[polardds]

It is not just the Talkeetna's. The Brooks is just as bad now. As they keep putting more and more areas into draw permits the other non-draw areas get more pressure.

[AKDoug]

Send brwnbr a pm and ask him what he thinks. I'm pretty sure that he said no more guiding for sheep hunts in the Talkeetnas for him anymore. He was definately bummed by all the pressure. I wonder if he stuck to his guns this year?

[AGL4now]

Sheep needs to go to "ONE" every four years State wide.

[Akres]

I ain't seen 'em all, but I would estimate the number of legal rams in the Talkeetna's and Syncline's to be about a fourth of what were there ten years ago...and the total numbers of sheep are about half. Even then, their numbers did not compare to the Wrangells, Brooks or Alaska Range. The only guys/gals that will kill a good ram in the next few years in there will have to work doubly hard at it. At the headwaters of each major drainage though at least a few will be available. I would look at Iron Creek, Honalulu, Kashwitna and Yanert....paying close attention to the side drainages at the headwaters. I have no quantifiable data on this, other than personal observation...over several years.

[Alasken]

Sheep needs to go to "ONE" every four years State wide.

Agreed. That should have happened a long time ago. People are going to scream when everything goes to a drawing hunt.

[martentrapper]

Sheep needs to go to "ONE" every four years State wide.

You sure that will do? That only knocks out the successful hunters. Appears largest number of hunters are unsuccessful. Of course there are a number of regularly successful hunters..........so a one every four knocks out a good percentage of the hard core hunters.

One every four was the standard for griz in Alaska. I wonder why the state hasn't tried it in some areas with sheep?

[kaboku68]

Right now the biggest success story for sheep comes from DCUA. Nonmotorized during the early season and then freeforall afterwards. It is a draw but I think that non-motorized during the beginning and then freeforall at the end would do a lot more for sheep management than 1 in four.
I hope people thinking this way consider a 1 in four North STate and a 1 in for south State. I also think that it is crazy that everybody bombs nearly the same spots when there is a lot of the state that is still pretty well left open.


OP- I would talk with Ed Stevenson and then with Tony Russ.
Either one would be good for that range. Both have experience with Tony being on this forum. I would PM him. Ed is the sort that would be cool to run into on a scouting trip up the backside of Sheep River.

Sincerely,
Thomas

[sheep man]

One every 4 years,that plays right into the hands of our friendly guides who are one of many reasons why we went to a permit hunt for most of the chugach...i know most of you are going to hate me for this comment but i think if you want real sheep hunting to come back to ak we need to go to a state wide permit hunt for sheep. There's a reason we all would like to draw a sheep tag,#1 quality of the hunt,#2there isn't a cub flying over your head looking for sheep,#3 number of legal rams are high. #4 success is higher.#5 you actually have a chance at looking at a 40'' plus ram... the negative side to this is were not going sheep hunting every year....

[Akres]

One every 4 years,that plays right into the hands of our friendly guides who are one of many reasons why we went to a permit hunt for most of the chugach...i know most of you are going to hate me for this comment but i think if you want real sheep hunting to come back to ak we need to go to a state wide permit hunt for sheep. There's a reason we all would like to draw a sheep tag,#1 quality of the hunt,#2there isn't a cub flying over your head looking for sheep,#3 number of legal rams are high. #4 success is higher.#5 you actually have a chance at looking at a 40'' plus ram... the negative side to this is were not going sheep hunting every year....

Interesting Perspective...but I honestly think you are in the minority, in your thinking. From what I have seen and heard, from a lot of hunters is:
Quality of the hunt is not paramount to opportunity...More is better than one.
Most hunters have never seen a 40" ram...will settle for the first legal sheep they see.
"Success" doesn't necessarily involve a kill...Many are totally content with a sightiing of a sheep.
The overwhelming majority of sheep hunters actually access sheep country via "a cub"...and do not regard them as being evil.
Most would question a permit, equating to a "higher" level of success...I personally don't...Unless the Permitted Area is specifically managed for Trophy/Numbers, I don't think we would see a difference in kill ratio's...we are already killing almost every ram as they become legal in some of the units, like the Talkeetna's...don't think we can improve on That!

I do agree with the notion, that the "one every 4 years" scenario will not put more sheep on the mountain...it will only decide who gets to kill them. There are no shortages of people looking to kill a ram and the numbers are growing each year.

[AK-HUNT]

One every 4 years,that plays right into the hands of our friendly guides who are one of many reasons why we went to a permit hunt for most of the chugach...i know most of you are going to hate me for this comment but i think if you want real sheep hunting to come back to ak we need to go to a state wide permit hunt for sheep. There's a reason we all would like to draw a sheep tag,#1 quality of the hunt,#2there isn't a cub flying over your head looking for sheep,#3 number of legal rams are high. #4 success is higher.#5 you actually have a chance at looking at a 40'' plus ram... the negative side to this is were not going sheep hunting every year....

I am with you. My #1 priority now adays is that my children can have a reasonable opportunity to sheep hunt in 15 years. If that means I can't hunt them for several years till I draw that permit, I'd make that trade. I think if you put aside the "I want a sheep" attitude, its the right thing to do. The areas can be managed better when draw. If 1 in 4 everyone could go to the same range and wreak havoc (in theory). Its easier to spread the hunting pressure with permits. Permit will put x number of hunters in y area. That's why its a proven effective management tool. AND its gonna be that way eventually. I'll make that bet. SO might as well do it before things are ridiculously screwed up. My .02. Gotta go enjoy the sun!

[Alaska_Lanche]

One every 4 years,that plays right into the hands of our friendly guides who are one of many reasons why we went to a permit hunt for most of the chugach...i know most of you are going to hate me for this comment but i think if you want real sheep hunting to come back to ak we need to go to a state wide permit hunt for sheep. There's a reason we all would like to draw a sheep tag,#1 quality of the hunt,#2there isn't a cub flying over your head looking for sheep,#3 number of legal rams are high. #4 success is higher.#5 you actually have a chance at looking at a 40'' plus ram... the negative side to this is were not going sheep hunting every year....

I concur with you as well. I have no problem just muling with different experienced guys that might draw every year just to be out sheep hunting in the event that my wife or I didn't draw....hint hint sheep man