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Do you want to hunt wild sheep? Hunting wild sheep is challenging since it is difficult to spot and track. You must be patient and disciplined to successfully hunt wild sheep. Additionally, wild sheep live in rugged terrain and you have to be physically fit to track and hunt them. In this article, we discuss how to hunt wild sheep.
Table of Contents
How To Hunt Wild Sheep
1. Scout The Terrain
The first thing you should do when you want to hunt wild sheep is to scout the terrain. Wild sheep are usually found in rugged terrain. Use Google Earth, topographic maps, or hunting apps to scout the terrain. Study the terrain for ridges, rocky slopes, dense regrowth, high hills, and valleys, and get familiar with it. Look for possible areas where they congregate or bed down. Also, look for possible feeding and water areas. Wild sheep are herbivores; they eat grasses and forbs.
2. Get In Shape
Bighorn sheep live in rugged terrain. To successfully track and hunt them, you will have to be physically fit since tracking and hunting them will involve long hikes in very rough, punishing, and remote terrain. It is physically demanding and to stand a good chance of successfully hunting wild sheep, you have to be in good physical shape. You don’t want to get injured in a very remote area where it will take many hours to get medical assistance.
3. Get On The Ground
After gathering information from Google Earth or other online resources, you want to physically get on the terrain to do more scouting. Use binoculars or spotting scopes to glass for wild sheep. They are usually active early in the morning or late in the evening. Get there during these times to glass for wild sheep. We reviewed the best spotting scopes on the market and you can read them from this link.
4. Be Patient
Bighorn sheep are very alert and can be spooked easily. They are wary animals and it may take days or weeks before you can get close to them for a good shot. Tracking and hunting wild sheep is not a quick hunt. You have to exercise patience, discipline, and stay calm to be successful when hunting them.
5. Predator Calls
Use predator calls to lure in wild sheep. Sounds of bleated animals can be played to get the attention of wild sheep and lure them closer to your shooting range. You can read our review of the best predator calls from this link.
6. Decoys
Decoys can also be used to lure bighorn sheep in your direction. You can buy decoys from the hunting stores or make your own.
7. Use Bait
If it is legal to use bait to hunt wild sheep in your state, then you can put bait down in areas you spotted wild sheep from your scouting. Hay can be used as bait to lure wild sheep into the open where you can get a good shot.
8. Ground Blind Setup
Set up a ground blind in an area where you spotted wild sheep grazing or bedding down when you glassed the terrain. Take the direction of the wind into consideration as you want to be downwind of the sheep so they don’t pick up your human scent and leave. You can read about the best hunting ground blinds on the market today.
9. Camouflage Clothing
Always wear layered and camouflaged clothing that closely matches the terrain to help conceal you from the bighorn sheep. Wild sheep have very good eyesight that allows them to quickly see you if you are not concealed. Most wild sheep hunts occur above the timberline so you may only have rocks and the topography to put between you and the wild sheep.
10. Practice Long Shots
Most of the shots you take when hunting wild sheep will be from distance. To improve your skills and accuracy with long shots, you must put in a lot of practice in taking shots from distance. Additionally, make sure that the rifle you purchase is a quality rifle for taking accurate shots from a distance. A high-quality bolt-action rifle is a good choice for hunting wild sheep.
11. Check Your State Laws
Make sure it is legal to hunt bighorn sheep in your state. You made need a guide to hunt wild sheep.
12. Bonus Finds
While glassing for wild sheep, you may find some elk or mule deer in some areas. Just keep this in mind so that when the opportunity comes, you will not be taken by surprise.
Wild Seep Hunting Tips For Beginners
1. Late summer or early fall is usually the best time to hunt wild sheep.
2. Get physically fit to hunt bighorn sheep as they live in rough, rugged, remote, and punishing terrain.
3. Be prepared to hike long distances.
4. Be patient when hunting wild sheep. They are very alert and difficult to hunt.
5. Wild sheep are most active early mornings and late evenings.
6. Use hunting binoculars or spotting scopes to glass and hunt wild sheep.
7. Use predator calls to lure wild sheep into open areas for a good shot.
8. If baiting is legal in your state, use hay as bait for hunting wild sheep.
9. Use decoys to also lure wild sheep into open areas.
10. Always stay downwind of wild sheep so they can’t pick up your scent as you track them.
11. Hone your long shot skills by practicing.
12. Wear proper clothing when hunting wild sheep.
13. Stalk wild sheep cautiously and quietly with the wind in your favor.
14. Remain calm and take your time to line up a shot.
15. Get a bolt-action rifle for hunting wild sheep.
16. The .270 Winchester ammunition is the most popular type of ammunition for hunting wild sheep.
17. Take a lot of ammunition when hunting wild sheep.
18. Check your state laws and be sure it is legal for you to hunt wild sheep.
Wild Seep Hunting Gear
1. Hunting Binoculars
Use high-quality hunting binoculars to scout wild sheep.
2. Spotting Scopes
Spotting scopes can also be used to glass and hunt wild sheep.
3. Hunting Knife
Always carry a good hunting knife when you hunt wild sheep.
4. Headlamp
Take along a headlamp or a flashlight as you move along the rough and dangerous terrain, especially when it starts to get dark.
5. Flashlight
Carry a flashlight as moving through rocky slopes and rough terrain in the dark is dangerous.
6. Layered Camouflaged Clothing
Wear layered camouflaged clothing to keep you warm from changing weather conditions and conceal you from wild sheep.
7. Walking Sticks
A pair of walking sticks can help you navigate the rough and mountainous terrain that you will move through to hunt wild sheep.
8. Eye Patch
An eye patch helps eliminate the squinting when looking through a spotting scope for many hours.
The Bottom Line
Hunting wild sheep is challenging, and dangerous but can also be rewarding. Wild sheep are elusive, alert, spooked, and very difficult to hunt. With little planning, patience, and discipline, you can successfully wild sheep. In this article, we discuss how to hunt wild sheep. You can read how to hunt hogs, how to hunt mountain goats, how to hunt red fox, how to hunt dall sheep, how to hunt aoudad, and how to hunt fox if you are interested in hunting hogs and foxes.
