Dall Sheep Hunting - The Mental Approach

By Tony Dingess

Having guided Dall sheep hunters for the past 15 years I have encountered just about every kind of hunter one can imagine. From guys that have lost 30 pounds during the training before the hunt, to guys that simply thought way too much of their own abilities before coming into sheep country. One eventually encounters every shape, size and mindset. Of all these things, the mindset has sent more people home early than any other thing, period!

For the most part the physical demands of sheep hunting in Alaska are pretty well understood. Few guides will pretend that there is anything easy about such hunts, and because of the very nature of sheep habitat, more often than not sheep hunts are also "backpack" hunts, thus the physical abilities of clients must be considered from the very beginning. This being said, and as important as getting in physical shape is, I have yet to see a client give up due to physical reasons in the past 15 years. Yes we have had guys give out physically during a particular stage of a hunt, but I have never had anyone that had a physical problem that caused them to quit and go home. I cannot say the same for psychological breakdowns!

My sheep hunting experience began as a packer and day one of my sheep hunting career ended with a client breaking down in the middle of a stalk, and not only refusing to go on for the final 200 hundred yards, but insisting that we return to spike camp, pull it and get completely off the mountain in one move. Why? The slope was a 60 degree slope with intermittent grass, which is better than most ram locations, and it was very early afternoon, yet the client seemed thoroughly convinced that we would be stuck on the mountain until midnight. Irrational thoughts swept through his mind and there was no reasoning or logic would convince him to continue on for a couple of hundred more yards.
The physical preparation that this hunter had went through was probably perfectly sufficient to carry him through, indeed there was no evidence to the contrary, but he obviously encountered something that he was not mentally prepared for, and rest assured, the middle of a stalk on the ram of a lifetime isn't a good time to start your mental preparation.

Of course one will ask, logically so, "How do I prepare mentally for such a hunt?" If you haven't asked this, you should, and the first thing I would suggest is simply the acquisition of knowledge. Find out everything you can find out about sheep hunting, the terrain, typical stalk scenario, weather and delays, potential problems, etc. Knowledge is fundamental, and knowing what to expect is mentally critical. Surprises often send the human brain reeling and Alaska wilderness hunting often throws surprises, but you can limit these by getting the basics down. The more informed you are, the less likely you will succumb to the despair of any particular moment while in sheep camp.
While it is beyond the limits of this article to spell out every situation that you may encounter while sheep hunting in Alaska with any one of hundreds of different outfitters, we can give a few pointers to those who have ears to hear.

• Expect to be physically challenged, perhaps to the point that you simply think you cannot go on, and then be prepared to force yourself beyond this. You have more in you than what you would imagine.
• Don't expect things to overly comfortable in the field on a sheep hunt, rather prepare for small tents, heavy packs and less than exciting meals.
• Be prepared for weather delays, possibly before you even get in the field, and realize that there is nothing you can really do when the visibility gets down to a hundred yards in the mountains.
• Don't be surprised by an apparent lack of game. Alaska is huge and game populations are seldom comparable to many western states. Be prepared to stay focused until the end of the hunt.
• Do expect rams to be in very difficult places. Many times they are positioned in places that we simply cannot get to, so be ready to wait, and even pass up a potential trophy if it is too risky.
• Expect everything to weigh more than you thought it did while at home.
• Expect steep slopes, horrendous footing and rock slides and be prepared to go where you would not normally go.
• Expect to cross a stream that is running at 33 degrees in your underwear, and don't think it is unusual to do so by headlamp in the middle of the night.
• Truly expect your opportunity to be knocking, even if it the last day and nothing but failure has haunted you for the entire hunt.

These are the basics for mentally preparing for the hunt, and this kind of preparation can overcome a lot of obstacles, even physical shortcomings, or less than perfect marksmanship, but don't skimp on any area if you really want to experience the hunt of a lifetime. Settle it in your mind, get ready and go!

Registered Alaskan Guide and hunting outfitter Tony Dingess invites you to check out the resources available to the prospective hunter looking for adventure in the great land at http://www.alaskahunts.net. Feel free to contact us for additional information by phone or email at http://www.alaskahunts.net/alaska/contact.htm

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