Jeff Sinner: Alaska Grizzly, Dall Sheep Combo Hunt Report

HUNT: Alaska Dall Sheep/Grizzly Bear Combo Hunt
CONSULTANT: Outdoors International

September, 2014

I started out as a little boy watching my dad leave for big game hunts year after year until I was old enough to go. I have always enjoyed hunting and being outdoors. A few years ago, a good friend of mine went on a successful Dall sheep hunt. After hearing his stories and seeing his sheep mounted, I became very determined to hunt one myself.

A friend told me about Outdoors International, so I contacted them and booked my dall sheep hunt based on a recommendation from my friend. After hearing about this Alaska outfitter, I decided that was the place I wanted to go. He asked me if I would be interested in a grizzly bear hunting as well, and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.

A year and a half went much faster that I had anticipated.

After months of training, it was finally my day to board my plane to Alaska for a hunt of a lifetime! When I arrived at the hunting lodge, I was surprised at how nice the lodge was for being out in the middle of the Alaskan bush. I was also super excited to learn that they had taken the SCI World Record Grizzly Bear during the last season.

I met my outfitter and the crew as I got off the plane, we proceeded to shoot my gun so I was prepared for the next morning to head out sheep hunting.

The next morning, my guide and I were dropped off on the sandbar of the river and proceeded up the mountain. The Dall sheep we had spotted while hiking to the top were nowhere to be seen once we got there. We spent most of the day glassing and spotting. My guide spotted two rams approximately three miles away. We sat and talked about how we would make the stalk and if it was possible. The way the rams were laying we couldn’t come from the bottom, they would see us. The only route we could take was to take the peak of the a mountain so they wouldn’t spot us.

It was one of the toughest hikes I have experienced.

At one point, we were walking on a ledge that was no wider than one foot. At one time my guide had figured we were 1,000 ft above the sheep. We just kept going until we finally reached the last ridge to where I could shoot. Bryce, my guide ranged the rams at 340 yards and I got into position to shoot. I was lucky enough to take the ram and when he fell, he fell several hundred yards down the mountain. I was worried about the horns breaking, Bryce reassured me that it happens quite often. When we made it down the mountain to where the ram fell, we took pictures and started processing the ram.

My Alaska Dall sheep hunt was over.

After field dressing my ram and getting everything in our packs, we started back towards camp. We couldn’t make it all the way back to camp, so we spent the night on the few flat spots on the side of the mountain. The next morning we started down the mountain towards the river to get picked up. The plane came and picked us up and brought us back to the lodge. It felt great to get a hot shower and a good meal.

The Outfitter and my guide discussed where they would relocate us to go after the grizzly.

We flew out to our Alaska grizzly bear hunting camp and got the camp all set up. The next morning we woke up to fog so thick we were unable to hunt so we sat in the tent all day. We woke up the next morning we headed out to a vantage point they had known about that was a good spot to glass from.

On our walk there, my guide spotted a grizzly 1⁄2 mile from camp. We snuck around to get in front of him and he walked within 150 yards of us. The guide stopped him for me and I was able to take him. As we walked up he got bigger and bigger.

It was a great way to end my Alaskan trip! I couldn’t believe in less than seven days I had harvested a Dall sheep and a grizzly bear, it was a trip of a lifetime! I can’t say enough about how impressed I was with this Outfitter. From the knowledge of the outdoors to how my made my time in camp with him very memorable.

Jeff Sinner

Thank you Outdoors International!

It was an amazing steelhead fishing trip! I brought my dad along with me and we slayed the fish. If you guys aren't applying for the OI Draws, you should. They're legit!

Tyler Kirk / OI Draw Winner

I couldn't believe we won!

We won this fully guided, all-inclusive New Zealand red stag hunt in the OI Draw! I highly recommend this hunt, and Outdoors International—fantastic company, amazing meals, and hunts that are second to none.

Brandon Ball / OI Draw Winner

I'm so grateful for the opportunity!

Thank you to Outdoors International, all the PH's and their awesome staff. I made some new friends and will be back to Africa again 100%.

Brye Mangum / OI Draw Winner

My most memorable and rewarding experience.

This was my first guided hunt, and the outfitter was amazing. He was able to keep me motivated and encouraged to hold out for true trophies. I would rate him on an 11 on a scale of 1 to 10! I never thought Africa would be a reality for me. Thank you Outdoors International.

Dason Lasater / OI Draw Winner

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