T E X A R K A N A M A G A Z I N E
T E X A R K A N A M A G A Z I N E
Beautiful view of the Wrangell Mountains of Alaska
hide our profiles. Wednesday was the day I really experienced glassing and being cold.” Howe and her dad had to stop midway up the valley, hoping for the wind to settle. Positioned on the side of a hill and vulnerable, she says she wore her heaviest base layer, vest and puffer and was still chilled. There was little to quell the never- ending wind spell. “This is when I learned one of my favorite warming tactics,” she said. “My dad would make apple cider with boiled water from the jet boil stove we had and mix everything up in my water bottle. I would then slip my very warm water bottle into my jacket and have a personal heater until it was cool enough to drink. That saved my hide several times during this hunt.” The wind never changed direction, and they ended up scaring “some good-looking rams” in their attempt to reach their goal hill, but Howe and her father finally reached the top of the knoll. The opportunity for a good shot never presented itself, so they called it a day. Once they reached camp that evening, it rained, preventing any hunting through the next day. On Friday [August 13], they began the hike up the left side of the valley; the initial elevation was 5,400 feet. They ended up in the clouds at 6,800-6,900 feet. “This part of the mountain is ‘affectionately’ dubbed the ‘Stairway to Heaven’ by anyone who hunts there,” said Howe. “It’s a steep climb that brings you to a saddle halfway up the mountain; from there, the side of
the mountain looks like a giant set of stairs until you reach the top. We would get to a point and out of the mist and clouds another would appear.” It is possible the date jinxed the hunt, but it’s certain that Howe will never forget “Friday the 13th.” It was a cold and wet day that started really early with a hard climb. By mid-afternoon, they spotted a group of four rams over on the next canyon. “We got into position and waited nearly 45 minutes for the fog to clear to give us a clear shot,” said Howe. “With the mist, my dad couldn’t get a read on his rangefinder. We were thinking the rams were 350 yards away, so I took aim and fired, but I missed it! The rams bolted, but because they didn’t know what that was or where it came from, they came back maybe 20 minutes later.” This gave the third member of their hunting party the chance to get his ram, which he successfully did at 526 yards. Even though she didn’t nail her first try, her optimism was relentless. Sunday was the last day of the hunt. It was 36 degrees that morning; the snow- capped mountains were proof of that. They started the morning earlier than the rest by climbing the right side of the valley. Midway up the steepest terrain she’d ever experienced, Howe says she looked at her dad, “And told him in no uncertain terms that he was crazy” and asked what he had gotten her into. They made a personal record, climbing to the elevation of 7,200 feet. “I turned and
kissed the closest rock to me. I was just so happy to be at the top.” After five hours of getting into position, Howe spotted her ram Toby, named so by her dad the day before in an all day glassing session. It was now or never. “I took a few steadying breaths, put my ram in my crosshairs, and fired. I did not miss this time,” she said. “When we got to him, I knelt and lifted my rifle to my shoulder. He stood up to face me. It was like something out of a movie, that ram facing me down like that; it was amazing.” The flock would not leave the ram’s side until Howe arrived. It turned out that he was not only rare, but a patriarch. “[His flock] stood in the nearby mountain watching him,” said Howe. “Everything went still and quiet. It was the most majestic thing I have ever been privileged to be a part of. My dad said rams only do that for their leader.” The big Alaskan sheep hunt comprised dangerous trials, tested strength and pushed endurances to the limit; however, the remarkable environment, self-realization, and time spent with her father in the great outdoors was unmatched. “My emotions were all over the place. I was so excited to be blessed enough to have this opportunity,” said Howe. “I thanked God for allowing me to take that ram. I was proud of how hard I had to work to meet this goal. I made sure my rifle was on safety and gave my dad the biggest hug, sobbing away happily.”
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S P O R T S & E N T E R TA I N M E N T
S P O R T S & E N T E R TA I N M E N T
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