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Stone Sheep Help

Not sure what he has left but my hunting partner is going to hunt Stone Sheep and I'm going to hunt a mnt goat next year with Collin at Kawdy Outfitters- we both shot outstanding moose and Caribou with his outfit in 2017 -
 
I killed a stone and goat in 2014 with who was at the time Bradford and co. They've renamed to Bluestone. They were fantastic. Billy and Devlin run a tight ship. If you arrive legged up and don't quit you will kill a sheep. Mine was 39 7/8" (I should round up to 40"....). They killed a 174" ram a week before I showed up. They don't advertise and don't need to. Fantastic area with quite a history as GFC Dalziel (#3 and #9 all time B&C stone sheep) passed the area on to his son in law, Myles Bradford, who has passed it on to his son in law, Billy Oestreich. I would recommend talking to them as they are high success on a species with an overall hit or miss succcess rate.
 
Not one to usually post but I believe I would be doing a huge disservice to all hunters if I didn't warm them about Big 9. Big 9 has undoubtedly had a solid reputation. That is until taking new ownership in 2019. Since then, they tried forcing 14 hunters already booked with them (prior to taking ownership) to pay an additional 15k as a kill few. The old owner was furious as he had promised all hunters nothing would change. Fast forward and to my knowledge every hunter already booked asked for their money back. Some went as far as threatening law suits but in the end I believe everyone decided they didn't want to even hunt with them. I was one of the unlucky hunters. There's a long list of ongoing issues with the outfit. It wouldn't take very long to find out that everyone who was on the team left. The old owner is as reputable as they come and I guarantee you he would not say anything good. Bottom line, they have big sheep (for awhile) but the new owners are dentists. Not hunters or outfitters. They are trying to turn it into a country club for stone sheep hunting. 70k is what they claim to sell their hunts for. I would recommend anyone calling as for the numbers of the 14 hunters they screwed out of their hunts.
 
That's too bad. I looked at them awhile back. I really think Bluestone is a solid outfit and Tuchodi is also a great place. I'm still deciding on what route to go but I'm sure I'll find something.
 
Funny you mentioned Big 9. I was at the Sheep Show in Reno last week and they had a booth. I didn't realize it had been sold. I picked up a price list and when I saw they are asking $60,000 this year and $70,000 next year, I dropped the list like a hot potato. That's more than most desert hunts!!
 
Yep... The new owner was bragging to my friend about selling them for 70k. If somebody is paying that, you would expect you would be getting a guide/outfitter familiar with the area (but all their guides quit). Their old crew can back it up with results. Their average tanked from the year prior, just ask for pics to prove it.
 
And to add one more tidbit to the Big Nine story...yup, I spoke with the dentists also, and I believe they're from Anchorage. Interesting conversation, especially that I know Russ MacLennan that was an initial investor but has exited stage door left. Yup, all the guides, and family, have gone elsewhere. Barry Tompkins' daughter, Amanda, as well as Spencer Wallace who started tagging along in 2013 when he was 17 with Stan and I, both have their guide/outfitter/pilot license/certificate...whatever the necessary licenses are called in Canada..and both have been a solid addition to an already top-notch Reynolds Outfitting in the Yukon.

I've hunted with Dan/Stan/Franklin Ross in 2012...Franklin died in a snowmobile accident Jan 2013; I hunted with Dan/Stan/Spencer in 2013; hunted with Barry in 2014 when Amanda was 16-17; hunted with Dan/Stan/Spencer in 2015; hunted with Dan/Spencer in 2016. Amanda and Spencer have been together since 2017 and she has been invaluable helping guide/cook/fly during the 2018 and 2019 seasons.

I spoke with Dan last month at the WSF convention in Reno, as he was up for his archery Desert and I was there for Rifle Rocky/Desert nice little plaques and my "FNAWS"...a quality operation appears to have gotten even better with the addition of Amanda, per Dan, and a phone conversation with Stan backed it up. I'll be back up there this coming August and Sept 2021. I'm afraid the Big Nine area has lost all of the experienced team and more than likely there will be more changes to come...so I'd avoid it.
Best,
DWD
 
I know Ron fleming with Love Brothers & Lee has stone sheep in his area and I dont think they have hunted them for a few years. Float plane only area so it might be better for lower resident pressure also. Another option. They are just south of the spatizi
 
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