Do you have bighorn sheep on your hunting wish list? Do you want to hunt bighorn sheep on a hunting trip? Many hunters have hunted bighorn sheep as one of their goals to accomplish in their hunting careers.
Hunting bighorn sheep will bring to your attention every flaw in your hunting game; it is challenging to hunt. In this article, we share information to help you successfully hunt bighorn sheep.
1. Get Physically In Shape
Bighorn sheep live in very rugged terrain. Bighorn sheep are very skillful at rock climbing and to have any chance of successfully hunting them on a hunting expedition, you will have to work on your physical fitness.
It is very tasking tracking and keeping up with bighorn sheep. If you are not in shape, you will quickly call it a day and the hunting trip that you plan and relish for a long time will be over before it actually started.
2. Use Technology
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Spend some time studying the area where you will go hunting for bighorn sheep. Use Google Earth and other hunting apps like onX, HuntWise, and HuntStand to study the landscape. Look for the cliffs, valleys, rock formations, possible travel routes, water sources, and mountain peaks.
Google Earth can allow you to study the topography of the area and look closely for possible routes, bedding areas, food and water sources, high elevations, and other areas where bighorn sheep may be found.
Additionally, you can mark areas that you want to scout when you get on the ground. Most hunting apps give you the capability to mark areas that you want to investigate further.
3. Hire an Outfitter or DIY
One important decision you have to make is whether you will do the bighorn hunting trip alone with other hunting buddies, or if you will hire an outfitter. The decision will depend on whether any member of your hunting team has any experience hunting bighorn sheep and hunting them in that area.
If the answer is an emphatic yes, then, you might consider doing the hunt all by yourself and the team. However, if there is no one in your hunting party with adequate experience hunting bighorn sheep, then a smart decision will be to hire an outfitter.
An outfitter has a lot of experience hunting a particular animal in an area. The outfitter brings knowledge and experience to your disposal that can be used to help make a successful hunting trip.
You can learn from the outfitter the best areas the big game animals can be found, what are their behaviors, movements, the food they eat, where to find it, etc. Moreover, in case of accidents, the outfitter has the experience to help with that situation and get the help needed quickly.
4. Hunting Method
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Another decision to make when hunting bighorn sheep is the hunting method that will be used. If you are hiring an outfitter, you will get all of that information from the experienced guide. However, if you are doing a DIY with your hunting buddies, then the decision will be based on research.
Nonetheless, the hunting method that is widely used when hunting bighorn sheep is spot-and-stalk. This hunting method involves following the animal carefully after spotting it. The aim is to carefully get within shooting distance without being noticed to take a good shot.
With rugged and dry terrains, stalking bighorn sheep is very challenging as they are very good rock climbers and very alert to danger. This is the reason you will have to work on your physical fitness before embarking on a bighorn hunting trip.
5. Safety
Safety is an important issue when hunting and even more so when hunting big game animals like bighorn sheep. You want to do everything to make it a safe hunting trip. Always follow all safety protocols, take along water, wear the right hunting clothing, and once again, get in shape.
Additionally, there may be other hunters not far from where you and your hunting team are hunting bighorn sheep. You want to be aware that others may be in your vicinity and their safety as well as yours is very important when hunting.
6. Hunting Gear
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If you are doing a DIY hunting trip, then you want to make sure you have the right weapons and ammunition for hunting bighorn sheep. Bighorn sheep is a big and tough animal. High-powered hunting rifles and bows and arrows are the best choice of weapons when hunting big game animals like bighorn sheep.
The hunting gear can make or break a hunting trip. With the right hunting gear, your chances of a successful hunting trip increase. If you didn’t have the right gear, you may end up with a frustrating trip. Spend some time to find out what you really need to successfully hunt bighorn sheep.
7. Wildlife Biologists
Spend some time researching the wildlife biologists for the area you want to hunt bighorn sheep if you are embarking on a DIY hunting trip. You will find their contact information on the state’s wildlife website. Contacting them might result in getting a lot of valuable information about the big game animal that you want to hunt.
They might give you information about the population of bighorn in the area, the ratio of males to females, the areas you might find them, what they eat in the area, their behaviors and movements, etc. You might get information from wildlife biologists that could take you years to learn from multiple hunting trips. They are the wildlife experts for the area.
Conclusion
Hunting bighorn sheep is the dream of many hunters. Bighorn sheep live in rugged and dry terrain and are very good at rock climbing as they live in the mountain peaks to avoid predators. Additionally, they are very alert to avoid predators. These behaviors of bighorn sheep make it very challenging to hunt.
In this article, we have shared information about hunting bighorn sheep to help you have a successful hunting trip. If you want to learn more about hunting bighorn sheep or hunting, then visit this website.
