When It All Comes Together: Two Women in the Chugach | Alaska Dall Sheep Hunt

Story By: Chelsea Llyod

Drawing a Coveted Alaska Dall Sheep Tag

Having the chance to hunt Dall sheep in Alaska as a resident is a privilege in itself, but when I learned I had drawn a coveted tag in the Chugach, I was beyond excited. That said, I knew that the real work had begun: scouting by air and on foot, long hours in the gym, dialing in long-range shooting, and countless trips into the mountains with a heavy pack.

Not only did I want taking my first ram to be special, but I wanted to share the experience with another woman who understood the grind. When the season opened, my close friend Sam and I hiked into the country we had scouted all summer. We found rams right away, but that didn’t mean it was going to be easy.

Scouting the Chugach for a Legal Ram

On August 8, we spotted a legal ram and planned to keep tabs on him until opening day. But by the next morning, he was gone. So, we set off to find other rams. After a long day of glassing, we headed toward camp only to bump into the ram we’d been watching since the eighth. He was just 225 yards away, blocking our route. We ducked behind boulders and decided to spend the night right there in the rocks, layered in every piece of clothing we had, ready to make a play at first light.

By morning, he had fed higher and only offered a steep 450-yard shot. I set up on a slanted rock, squeezed the trigger, and missed by inches. My bullet sailed over his back. Watching him run into another drainage crushed me. We hiked back to camp in the pouring rain, and for the next two days, I beat myself up over that miss.

Closing the Distance on a Heavy-Horned Ram

On August 12, things changed. We spotted a group of rams about two miles away, high on a ridge. Even from that distance, we knew they were worth pursuing. As we began our stalk, luck was on our side because they started feeding down toward us. At 400 yards, we scrambled for cover. The rams slipped behind a grassy rise, and I crawled forward for a better look. At first, I thought they had vanished. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw them just 200 yards away, drinking from a creek.

The younger ram spotted me but eventually bedded. The older ram, the one I wanted, soon did the same. At 240 yards, I lay prone, steadied my rifle, and squeezed the trigger. This time, the bullet went straight through both lungs; the ram dropped instantly.

Harvesting a Nine-Year-Old Double-Broomed Dall Sheep

Still in shock, I laid my head in the grass to take in the moment. I had just taken my first Dall ram. After a few seconds, joy overcame me. I jumped up and down and waved Sam over, unable to hide my excitement. Walking up to him, I felt overwhelmed with gratitude and pride. Sharing that moment with another strong, independent woman made it all the more special.

He was a heavy-horned, nine-year-old, double-broomed ram. I couldn’t be more thankful.

Lessons Learned from a First Dall Sheep Hunt

This hunt taught me that no amount of training fully prepares you for the physical demands of sheep country. It reminded me that everything happens for a reason, because if I had killed that ram on opening day, I wouldn’t have gone home with this incredible old warrior. And most of all, it showed me that sheep hunting takes a special kind of person… Maybe even a crazy one. Somewhere along the way, I fell in love: with the mountains, with the challenge, and with the highs and lows that only a sheep hunt can bring.

After I thought I’d never get it done, it all came together. And when it does, there’s no feeling like it.