Guns and Gear for a Dall Sheep Hunt

by
posted on July 26, 2016
guns_gear_dall_sheep.jpg

Editor's note: Sgt. Maj. Kyle E. Lamb recently put the following gear to use on a Dall sheep hunt. You can catch up on that story here.

If you have the means to hunt Dall sheep, I highly recommend the high-country adventure. I am far from a sheep-hunting expert, but I will advise you that getting to the range is a must before any hunt—especially a sheep hunt. Building your skills and confidence is priceless when such an excursion—and its expense—is on the line. Take the time to dial in your gear, because you never know when you might have one long shot that separates triumph from failure.

As gear goes I have plenty; there’s no shortage of lightweight gadgetry and innovation in my hunting shed. Most of my gear in sheep camp was my standard stuff, but I did upgrade from my normal hunting boots to Kenetreks for their added height and ankle support.

I used a Stone Glacier pack because it is exceptionally light and allows for separation of the frame and bag to easily transport meat if needed. For clothing, I used a mix of Kryptek, Kuiu, Patagonia and Smart Wool. Never a slave to fashion, I didn’t worry that the camo didn’t match. Where we climbed, the style Nazis wouldn’t be able to find us anyway.

From the arsenal, I prudently selected a Christensen Arms Summit Titanium chambered in the flat-shooting 6.5 Creedmoor. I have never hunted with any of the 6.5s on the market up until now. As the proud owner of a 1902 Swedish Mauser in 6.5x55 Swedish, I am an old fan of 6.5mm cartridges. But the old Mauser from the Carl Gustav factory just doesn’t scream “sheep rifle,” so it had to stay swaddled in the safe during this trip. I wasn’t sure of the engagement distance that would be required to bring down a sheep, but I wanted to have some long-range capability just in case.

The glass for this trip was stamped Leupold all around: VX-6 2X-12X scope screwed on with aluminum Mark 4 rings; BX-3 Mojave 12X binocular; RX-1200 TBR rangefinder; and, lastly, SX-2 Kenai spotting scope.

I fired Prime Ammunition’s 130-grain BTHP offering, the company’s only load in 6.5 Creedmoor. Prime is a relatively new company out of Las Vegas, and it sells no-nonsense, straight-up, beautifully manufactured fodder. Soon after stepping on the range to dial in the Summit, I realized this was the perfect choice. Groups were tight and recoil was minimal, and this in turn increased my confidence in the load.

After shooting a few rounds over a ProChrono to figure out the velocity of the ammo and entering the data into an app I use almost daily, I was ready. This program, Ballistic AE (buy it at the App Store for $19.99), works great to get good data in a format any shooter can understand and apply in the field.

Latest

Sportmen's Alliance Foundation
Sportmen's Alliance Foundation

Sportsmen’s Alliance Files Final Brief in Northern Rockies Wolf Litigation

On May 21, the Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation, along with Safari Club International and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, completed briefing in a trio of lawsuits brought by animal extremist groups to relist wolves in the Northern Rocky Mountain region under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

Important Change if You Hunt Outside the Country

U.S. hunters successful in other nations who wish to import meat or other parts of their harvest will soon be required to sign onto Login.gov to submit declarations and import/export applications with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

New for 2025: Christensen Arms Evoke .375 H&H

Christensen Arms has unveiled the Evoke .375 H&H, the newest addition to its esteemed Evoke rifle series. Chambered in the legendary .375 Holland & Holland Magnum, this rifle is the ultimate choice for hunters chasing the biggest and most dangerous game around the globe.

House Passes Bill Removing Suppressors from NFA

In a boon to hunters and shooters across the country, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R.1—the One Big Beautiful Bill Act—which included Section 2 of the Hearing Protection Act, completely removing suppressors from the National Firearms Act (NFA).

Invasive Screwworm Threat Headed for Our Southern Border

A New World screwworm (NWS) outbreak in Mexico has raised alarms at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The impact on livestock and wildlife—including game animals—could be devastating if the flying insect and the flesh-eating maggots it produces are not kept out.

The Bear Hunt That Went Bust—But Made Big History

The story of Holt Collier, the bear guide for President Theodore Roosevelt on his famous 1902 Mississippi hunt.



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.