Posts tagged as:

dall’s sheep

Mission Accomplished!

August 27, 2009

I’m writing this installment of the Mission Dall’s Sheep blog on the flight home from Fairbanks, Alaska, and I’m happy to report, “Mission Accomplished!”
On Wednesday evening August 26, I took a Dall’s ram that later was verified at Fish & Game check-in as 14 years old. He was heavily-broomed on both horns which each measured [...]

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The Inspiration in Visualization

July 1, 2009

Video 10: Running On The Road
What’s kept me getting up at 4:16 a.m. most mornings, what’s made me go just “five minutes more” on the treadmill, what’s made me pick up that pack and go hiking when there were 10 other things I should be doing and five I wanted to be doing – is [...]

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Thank Heavens for Retired Friends

June 29, 2009

Something that every busy hunter today needs is at least one retired buddy who loves to shoot. Thanks to my good friend Mike Larsen who is retired from a 30-plus year career at Federal Cartridge, my T/C ICON .30-06 is ready for the Mission Dall Sheep hunt that’s almost here.
Mike heads to the rifle range [...]

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Pondering Electronics

June 5, 2009

I know, I know … the very notion of pondering what “electronics” I’m going to take on the Dall’s Sheep hunt likely has Jack O’Connor spinning in his grave! Fact is, it even makes me a little queasy to admit it, but this is 2009. There are a few devices that can give “piece of [...]

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Spring Is Hunting Season, Too

May 26, 2009

Well, turkey season is done. I ended up with three more notches in the box call and counted coup on four more gobblers––everything except dropping the hammer.  That’s part and parcel to hunting for television, though. If I suspect the camera might not be seeing what I’m seeing, I have to let ‘em walk or [...]

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Thanks For The Encouragement … I Think!

April 28, 2009

Video 7: Alaskan Guide
Hey all – Just a quick one before I head to the guys at Thompson/Center.
I received a nice note today from the new North American Hunter “Guns, Ammo & Optics” columnist Ron Spomer.  I can’t think of a single person I know who has done more real mountain hunting than Ron.  He [...]

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The Fun Begins

April 13, 2009

Video 6: Bill’s Messy Office
Things are getting fun now. The first of the gear for Mission Dall’s Sheep is starting to arrive. It will be exciting to break open the boxes and lay my hands on the first of the “new stuff” that I’ll be counting on for comfort, possibly success, and maybe even survival [...]

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Answering the Number One Question

April 7, 2009

Whenever I tell a fellow hunter about “Mission Dall’s Sheep” the first question most often asked is, “Who are you hunting with?”
Well the outfitter we’ll be with is Hunt Alaska which has been operated by the Umphenour family since 1991, though patriarch Virgil Umphenour has been hunting and fishing all over the state since moving [...]

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So Close, Yet So Far

April 4, 2009

Seven weeks of Mission Dall’s Sheep are in the books now. Let’s review how things have gone.
On the plus side:
1) NAHC Members have provided a ton of great response and recommendations for training, for motivation, for packs and for boots. All are much appreciated and are a great source of inspiration to keep going.
2) I [...]

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Boot Camp

March 24, 2009

Video 5: Hiking The Hills
Week Six
They’re talking about 50 degrees here on Sunday in tropical Minnesota! I know for most of you reading this that rates as a minor “whoopdy doo,” but for those of us in the North country, the first time in March the thermometer pushes past 50 is cause for major celebration.
Especially [...]

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Top-Quality Pack: Looking For Advice From NAHC Members

March 12, 2009

For a lot of years, I’ve been well served by an old aluminum pack frame. Usually, I just hung a large day pack on the back of it and bungeed it in place. Then when there was meat, hide and horns to carry out, I’d just remove the day pack and strap the load in [...]

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On My Way!

March 6, 2009

Week Three
Just a few more days, and I’ll have put in a solid month at the gym. Only missed one day in all of February. Yes, it’s hard to make my feet hit the floor when the alarm goes off at 4:30 a.m., but I’ve got several things keeping it interesting.
First Emerson, who I introduced [...]

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Six Pounds After Seven Days

February 20, 2009

Video 2: Kayser Chimes In
Video 3: Mr. Whitetail Advises Bill
Video 4: Bill On The Treadmill
Week One
At the end of Week One of Mission Dall’s Sheep, I’m please to report that I’ve dropped 6 pounds on my way to 45 pounds. My program is a combination of two things. Can you guess? Of course, diet and [...]

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Mission Dall's Sheep

February 17, 2009

Video 1: The Mission Begins
A Dall’s sheep hunt always ranked at the top of my dream list, but I always figured it would always be that – just a dream. Then through the twists of fate the opportunity actually came along.
Despite being 46 years old, nearly 50 pounds overweight and resigned to the fact [...]

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