Gear questions for first (and last) sheep hunt.

Hello you experienced sheep hunters.

I have drawn an August tag for sheep.

I am an experienced hunter from Vancouver Island and my mid 20s son is joining me. He has hunted lots and done lots of mountain hiking too.
This isn't a hunt I'm likely to ever do again.

I've been reading blogs and watching youtube. The gear that these 'experts' say a person MUST have seems a bit much. I mean, really, mid priced gear nowadays is far better than the best was 30 years ago, right?

Can you share your gear list with me?
Some of my questions revolve around things like:
1) footwear - I have good hikers and good hunting boots, being primarily a stalking hunter not a truck hunter. Do I NEED to buy and break in a set of Scarpas or w.h.y.?
2) bugs - are these an actual nightmare or can a simple headnet and a pair of lightweight gloves deal with most of it?
3) range - I'm good for 300 yards and am willing to pass up on sheep beyond that. Is this an unreasonable thought process?

Sheep hunting is like an ironman race. Anyone can do it. Few succeed. Much adversity along the way. Good luck, my friend. We all need it, every year.

1) if you can hike all day with a pack for a week or two and your boots provide enough stability, are waterproof enough for shallow creek hopping, and your feet stand up in them then you are good. Lots of guys have problems with their feet so spending money on good boots is worthwhile to them.

2)I guess it depends on the weather and your location. I keep a few antihistamine tablets to manage the swelling if I get bitten really badly. Also I try to get the mosquito repellent with80/90% deet from the states if I can. More potency and you can get away with less.

3)It seems like that is a personal question, but you could have put a lot of miles on and blood sweat and tears to get to a possible 400yard shot. You could have a good rest and time to set up. But what about a 500y shot, and on and on. Have a rangefinder and know your abilities and that’s all you can do, besides practice as much as time allows.

If you have never hunted sheep before i would suggest asking a seasoned experienced sheep hunter to join you in your quest Having someone experienced is in my opinion worth more than all the other considerations and would greatly increase your chances.

Having said that optics and boots are high on my list.

How tough are you mentally? Thats the biggest aspect. If you can be in uncomfortable situations and simple get through it without it getting in your head and being pouty then you’ll be fine no matter what gear you have. Being mentally tough is what makes guys consistently successful, or unsuccessful as the case may be.

Can you wear your boots now all day long and hike around in them? Will you lose your temper and be a pouty bitch if your feet get wet? If you have boots you like, good enough. If they are falling apart at the seams, maybe think about a new pair. Or a fresh roll of good duct tape to take for repairs.

Ditto the bugs. Do you get whiny if there is a mosquito around your head? No? Take a bottle of whatever you like for repellent. A headnet weighs less than an ounce if you want to take a nap and not have your rain jacket over your face.

If you are willing to pass up shots then 300 is fine. But sheep aren’t typically super skittish when the shooting starts, (or their leader is laying there gasping his last for that matter) so a few pokes at 400 to see where your rifle hits won’t hurt. And sheep give up pretty easy when hit.

High end gear is about saving weight, or saving bulk, and increasing comfort, for the most part. If you can enjoy the experience for what it is, in its entirety, you will have a great time.

Are you a skier? Good stiff mountain boots are like ski boots in a way, a biatch to walk around in on hard flat ground but a god-send in the snow or rough moss and boulders
Yes, one can get by with All-Stars or rubber boots, but these or mountain boots needs to be conditioned to, to the highest degree possible
Maybe you don't need the high top stiffest boot, a good Merrell/Scarpa/Meindl 6" with a quiet gaiter can be better, gaiter on or off as needed

Kod said it about the bugs. More often it is black flies instead of mosqies, chemicals have too many down sides like getting in places you don't want
head net and gloves have a side benefit, if they are not shiny fabric they can help mask the reflective give-away of the white shining face and hands especially when waving them all over the place
A good sun shirt with a hood and face net is a good piece of kit, keeps the sunburn down, adds a layer against the wind and helps with the bugs

"am willing to pass up on sheep beyond that. Is this an unreasonable thought process?" know your limit and play within it
No regrets if you live to your own credo
Many many situations can be hunted to within what-ever range, sheep are killed with archery tackle.
But too often hunters feel pressured to try that cross-basin shot after 3 or more days of working a tough spot, there are horror stories to go with that sometimes

Sometimes a day or two in the warmth of a sleeping bag and tent is easier to endure than going out a getting wet and miserable
Take a sun-day to dry out and re-group
Wilbur Smith's Assegai looks like a huge paper-back to pack, but is good for at least 2-3 days

"If you can enjoy the experience for what it is, in its entirety, you will have a great time." ding ding

I agree with Kodiak, mental toughness is by a long shot the most important factor in success. Most guys check out mentally after a few tough days, get lazy, and look for excuses vs reasons to press on - you must "enjoy the suck" as we like to say. I also agree that boots and optics are the 2 most important pieces of gear. That said, I took my first sheep using $300 Bushnells and had no spotting scope...it was more important to me to actually hunt than to accumulate pricey gear. That said I now use Leica HD binos and a Swarovski spotter and will never go back. If your boots detonate or feet can't handle the workload, you are phucked. Bugs are nasty, no getting around it - mental toughness and mosquito net will get you through. I don't think I've ever had the need to shoot anything further than 250 yards in my life...your maximum is up to you.
Do a search, lots of gear lists posted on here already. Don't let any of the internet blowhards tell you that every item in your pack has to be top of the line, that is complete bs and as someone stated above mostly just reduces pack weight - yes it helps but not something to pass up a once in a lifetime trip with your son over.
Go on the trip, enjoy the experience for whatever it ends up being. You won't regret it.

What sheep tag did you draw is the question? My guess spat for stones? If this is your one and only sheep hunt and this is the year to do it, I’d consider other places in a gos area! If you’re talkin dalls different story, if that’s the case, you should consider flying. Just my .00000002

Oh and to your actual questions, get good boots, not Irish setters, but decent boots could make the difference between hating your life and being ok. Bugs keep you hiking. Once you bust out of the timber, they’re not as bad, and wind helps there. They can be a nuisance, but as mentioned by others, the mental game has to be there, the little things like bugs can make things seem way worse but if you don’t have the right mindset going in, you’re already fkd. Fun times ahead, you can’t be too prepared. I’ve never worn a bug net but often have wished I had one. Oh well, practice shooting lots between now and then, and different angles and ranges. 300 is 300 if you see a beauty at 400 would have been nice to practice to that distance. Also though you need good glass to make sure it’s legal so it don’t matter how far you can shoot if you don’t have a spotting scope

Besides boots and optics, another item high on the list would be your pack. Being a hunter, one would assume you're already running something. need to make sure its quality and comfortable. You will be wearing that thing basically the entire trip.

Boots - wear something that work for your feet. So, to answer your question, no you don't need scarpas. You need a broken in boot that is designed to perform in the backcountry under weight. I don't like the height of hunting boots personally, prefer something around 7" of height instead of 9-11". Usually always wearing gaiters as well. For my sheep hunt last year I was very happy with my Aku's. I also use them weekly for hiking. Also run Miendl perfekt hikers which work for my feet.