Gray Canyon success ???

Littlebrookie

Member
Messages
41
Hello friends, I wondered out to gray canyon over the break to go look for and watch sheep. I'll preface by saying I'm not familiar with the unit, just have always wanted to go. So i Drove around and glassed most of the day and couldn't turn up a single sheep. Ran into acoiple of hunters, I believe there are/were 3 tags left unfilled in there. Spoke to one guy that has seen some just not quite what they want to kill. Says it's been slim pickins this year. Have any of you guys heard or seen the same? I understand there's alot of country not visible from the roads but would have expected more during this time of year.
 
How far up woodside did you go? That’s crazy that you didn’t see a sheep in any of those areas. Usually just glassing the faces between woodside to sunny side you can turn up a wondering ram.
 
I didn't make it up wood side very far. That was the last place I went to. Having never been there, in a full size truck I got to the river crossing. It looked doable but just questionable enough it wasn't worth the last hour of light that I had. The other hunting parties were either not being entirely transparent or they too were struggling.
 
Not sure where you were looking but I marked the shelves in red that you need to look at. A lot of the time they were laying on these shelves. The one pictured was taken in 2020.
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I didn't make it up wood side very far. That was the last place I went to. Having never been there, in a full size truck I got to the river crossing. It looked doable but just questionable enough it wasn't worth the last hour of light that I had. The other hunting parties were either not being entirely transparent or they too were struggling.
Probably a good idea to stop at the river crossing in a truck.
I usually drive up the green river early November to look at the sheep. There was one year that we only seen 2 ewes. But most years we see lots of sheep. Must be one of those years. Hopefully you can make it back and they are there.
 
Not sure where you were looking but I marked the shelves in red that you need to look at. A lot of the time they were laying on these shelves. The one pictured was taken in 2020.
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LIK2HUNT you are a good person. I'm a noob when it comes to sheep. I think they're awesome. And I dream to hunt one some day. I've seen them out and about in my travels, but almost never really on purpose. It's like when I look at a mountain or hillside I can depict with deer or elk this looks like a good spot because of XYZ, or that looks good over there so on so forth. When it comes to sheep and that environment down there I wasn't really sure where to focus. Figured with the rut theyd be up and moving more hoping to catch movement. And hopefully learn from that what they look like against that landscape and maybe where they wanna be and why. Up high, mid, low. North face, South face, Steep grass? Boulder fields, straight up cliffy barren stuff. All the above? Or how do you pick apart an area when specifically looking for sheep. Thanks for those pics. Great lookin ram!
 
Probably a good idea to stop at the river crossing in a truck.
I usually drive up the green river early November to look at the sheep. There was one year that we only seen 2 ewes. But most years we see lots of sheep. Must be one of those years. Hopefully you can make it back and they are there.
Ya I will be back down for sure. Do you see rams in there year round? Or Lambs and ewes mostly throughout the year until November during the rut and the big dogs come in to find the ladies?
 
Mostly ewes and lambs early in the year. It’s like a lite switch. One day they won’t be there, the next day you’ll have a dozen cruising rams looking for a hot ewe.
 
The Unit is down pretty bad and has been for a few years. There are a couple of small herds scattered along the face from Sunnyside to Woodside.
If you come down here again or have any questions give me a call.
435-650-1156
 
The Unit is down pretty bad and has been for a few years. There are a couple of small herds scattered along the face from Sunnyside to Woodside.
If you come down here again or have any questions give me a call.
435-650-1156
I'll keep that in mind. Thanks kk
 
Littlebrookie, are you in the running for a tag? Or just looking to see sheep?
In the running, mmm yes but no. I have applied there several times, I alternate between acouple units. Im not 100% sold on any one unit really. Just As long as its a real rocky. I only have 8 points so doubtful I'm dangerous in drawing a tag. I would just like to become proficient at finding sheep, studying units, getting familiar with the whole thing so when my name is called, wherever that may be, I can put my best foot forward and not have to go through such a learning curve when I actually have a tag. Lord knows I don't have the money to hire a guide, and also don't know that I'd necessarily want one. Id want the greater gratification of doing it on my own and with friends. Alot of my friends are hunters but none have any sheep knowledge or the desire to learn them like I do. So im more or less just reading posts on here and others trying to take the tid bits and learn. Maybe build some relationships prior and not be that guy who finally draws a tag and has no idea where or what to do and starts asking the MM Community all the things weeks before the hunt.
 
I have had a tag there, back when the unit was better.
I spend a good amount of time out there.
That's cool, how'd you do on your hunt? I'm up in northern UT it takes nearly 4 hours to reach Green River. So it's a commitment for me. But I'd like to get out there acouple times a year
 
That's cool, how'd you do on your hunt? I'm up in northern UT it takes nearly 4 hours to reach Green River. So it's a commitment for me. But I'd like to get out there acouple times a year
Come on KK...... the ram he took was one of the best ever to come off that unit and he did it with a muzzleloader.
 
In the running, mmm yes but no. I have applied there several times, I alternate between acouple units. Im not 100% sold on any one unit really. Just As long as its a real rocky. I only have 8 points so doubtful I'm dangerous in drawing a tag. I would just like to become proficient at finding sheep, studying units, getting familiar with the whole thing so when my name is called, wherever that may be, I can put my best foot forward and not have to go through such a learning curve when I actually have a tag. Lord knows I don't have the money to hire a guide, and also don't know that I'd necessarily want one. Id want the greater gratification of doing it on my own and with friends. Alot of my friends are hunters but none have any sheep knowledge or the desire to learn them like I do. So im more or less just reading posts on here and others trying to take the tid bits and learn. Maybe build some relationships prior and not be that guy who finally draws a tag and has no idea where or what to do and starts asking the MM Community all the things weeks before the hunt.
Hey Li'lbrookie,
I sense symptoms of "the disease", and I like your forward thinking. Sadly drawing sheep tags requires patience and/or pure dumb luck. Either way, if you want to be a "sheep hunter" you are smart to first learn the game because it's way different than elk/deer.
Many days are sometimes required for sighting even one sheep in some areas, but it's exciting when it finally happens. Most sheep fanatics would be glad to assist if you reach out.
There are Rockies along the Wasatch front in Utah county if you want some closer experience. But if you are applying for the River units looking there would help you learn specific hang outs for sheep.
Best of luck
 
Hey Li'lbrookie,
I sense symptoms of "the disease", and I like your forward thinking. Sadly drawing sheep tags requires patience and/or pure dumb luck. Either way, if you want to be a "sheep hunter" you are smart to first learn the game because it's way different than elk/deer.
Many days are sometimes required for sighting even one sheep in some areas, but it's exciting when it finally happens. Most sheep fanatics would be glad to assist if you reach out.
There are Rockies along the Wasatch front in Utah county if you want some closer experience. But if you are applying for the River units looking there would help you learn specific hang outs for sheep.
Best of luck
Thanks for your input. Ya I'm catching something. I know it takes forever and you may not even draw. Especially a NR tag, but cant draw if you dont apply right. I apply in 7 states and go to the expo FNAWS, local utwsf banquet, and sheep show in reno to try and network and of course enter the raffles. I started setting aside $ diligently to go on a dall hunt for my 40th birthday here in 6 years. I have seen some of the sheep along the wasatch, af canyon, rock canyon, timp, by the G in the winter. Along lake canyon and Indian canyon, strawberry pinnacles. Out by the gorge a bit. Just hadn't been to the green river unit yet and I struggled to find them . Since it takes so damn long to draw I'm trying to sort of what type of landscape and therefore style of hunt I'd like to settle into. The wasatch and Nebo are the others I have alternated with. I like the idea of backpack style hunt wasatch/Nebo provides Seen some good rams there. But wouldn't complain glassing from the road or day hikes like the green river. I even have a raft. Who knows man. Thanks for reaching out
 

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