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KHC 209 - Sheep Camp with B.C. Legend, Reg Collingwood

Cameron Hanes - Keep Hammering Collective

Hosted by Cameron Hanes

1h 5m
Transcript

Original podcast

Summary

Written by a model from the transcript; not yet reviewed.

Cameron Hanes sits down in a remote northern British Columbia hunting camp with legendary sheep guide Reg Collingwood, alongside experienced outfitters and guides Esther and Kurt McGee. Reg shares stories from his fifty years in the Spatsisi wilderness, reflecting on the historical horse-packing routes, trade posts, and the deep, generational knowledge passed down by indigenous guides like Charlie Boo. The group discusses the unforgiving nature of sheep mountains, the intense mental and physical demands of backpack hunting, the critical role older rams play in herd health, and harrowing field stories involving improvised rifle repairs and close encounters with predators like wolverines and grizzly bears.

  • Approaching sheep from above and coming down is the golden rule because sheep typically watch downslope and blow out upward drafts. 16:36
  • Maintaining older mature rams in a herd is vital for leadership and winter survival because they know the migration routes and areas to winter. 40:15
  • Mountain hunting requires mastering multiple complex skills beyond shooting, including horse care, camp generator maintenance, trail clearing, and animal skinning. 51:11
  • Backpack sheep hunting is far more mental than physical, testing hunters through cold, wet conditions and repetitive daily climbs.

Chapters

  1. 0:00
    Intro and Product Promotion

    Host opens with a knife and bow promotion before diving into the sheep hunting episode.

  2. 2:07
    Setting the Scene and Guest Introduction

    Host introduces the remote B.C. sheep hunt setting and the legendary hunters.

  3. 2:41
    Reg Collingwood’s Early Years

    Reg recounts his 50 years of sheep hunting and the beginnings of the Spatsisi operation.

  4. 5:10
    Sheep Hunting Philosophy and Techniques

    Reg explains the relentless pursuit mindset and tactical approaches to hunting rams.

  5. 6:26
    Highland Post and Horse Management

    Discussion of Highland Post’s history, horse wintering practices, and the size of the hunting area.

  6. 12:00
    Bow Hunting Challenges and Successes

    Reg shares his experiences with bow hunting, including rare bow kills and the difficulties involved.

  7. 26:00
    Mental Toughness and Patience in Backpack Hunts

    The hosts discuss the mental endurance required for long backpack hunts and the patience needed to secure a kill.

  8. 37:02
    Predator Management and Herd Health

    The conversation turns to wolves, wolverines, and the importance of managing predators for sheep herd health.

  9. 45:23
    Guide Dynamics and Training Young Hunters

    Reg talks about guiding, training younger hunters, and the responsibilities of taking out older rams for herd health.

  10. 55:36
    Closing Reflections and Future Outlook

    Final thoughts on the future of sheep hunting and the importance of passing on knowledge to the next generation.

  11. 58:24
    Reflecting on the Ram Hunt

    The host recounts the memorable experience of hunting a ram and the personal growth it inspired.

  12. 59:51
    Family Legacy of Hunting

    Discussion of the host’s sons and their passion for hunting, highlighting generational continuity.

Highlights

  • 2:49

    Fifty Years in the Spatsisistory

    Reg Collingwood shares that he has been hunting sheep for fifty years, starting when he and others took over the Spatsisi area in the mid-1970s and worked with Howard Page.

  • 28:57

    Improvised Rifle Repair on a Mountainstory

    Reg recounts a 1994 hunt where a client's single-shot rifle broke its spring. Using a Leatherman tool and a cleaning kit cable, they spent forty-five minutes fixing the breach while a ram fed closer, ultimately making the shot work.

  • 40:15

    Herd Leadership and Older Ramsinsight

    The group discusses why harvesting older mature rams rather than younger prime rams is critical for overall herd health, as older animals guide younger sheep to essential wintering grounds.

  • 45:39

    Learning the Outfitting Tradestory

    Esther explains how she transitioned from skinning bears at an Alberta spring camp at age eighteen to becoming one of the most respected guides in the northern mountains.

  • 57:58

    Seven Days for a Second Chancestrategy

    The speakers reflect on the grueling reality of bowhunting sheep, noting how it took seven days of patient waiting after a missed initial opportunity just to earn a second stalk.

  • 1:01:55

    Wolverines as Apex Predators on Sheepinsight

    Reg explains that wolverines are formidable predators that aggressively hunt sheep and lambs in deep winter, operating like miniature grizzlies with extremely dense, powerful muscle structure.

Quotes

  • “When I'm packing out meat in the heat or loading up for a long range training trip, I need a cooler that holds the line every time.”
    Cameron Hanes · 25:18
  • “When you get on top of a ridge and you look, and there's some ramps there and some goats over there, and the weather's just good.”
    Unnamed speaker · 5:16
  • “This is what we are designed to do. This, this right here, and how lucky are we?”
    Cameron Hanes · 58:45
  • “I just, I wanna thank you so much. And thank you guys, too, for everything you've done for, for me.”
    Cameron Hanes · 1:00:53
  • Montana Knife Company 0:00–0:44
  • Hoyt 0:44–1:51
  • Grizzly 25:24–25:59
  • Alpouch 26:23–26:31
  • Sig Sauer 1:03:25–1:04:39
  • Mountain Ops 1:04:39–1:05:55

About this episode

Join us for a conversation with the guides behind Cam’s recent British Columbia Sheep Hunt. Reg, Kurt and Ester talk about the difficulties of hunting sheep in British Columbia, how they got into guiding, and more! Follow along: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cameronrhanes Twitter: https://twitter.com/cameronhanes Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/camhanes/ Website: https://www.cameronhanes.com Timestamps: 00:00:00 – Intro: Reg Collingwood Sheep Hunting History 00:03:18 – What Reg Loves About Sheep Hunting 00:07:04 – What Makes a Good Sheep Hunter: Relentless Pursuit 00:11:26 – Lessons from Legendary Hunter Charlie Abou 00:13:00 – Ester’s Ram 00:14:25 – Developing Skills as a Sheep Hunter 00:16:44 – Reg’s 7 Guided Hunts & Hunting with a Rifle vs a Bow 00:21:13 – Larry McKenzie’s Moose Hunt 00:23:22 – A Hunt Reg Will Never Forget 00:32:01 – Ad Break (Montana Knife Company & Hoyt) 00:33:53 – The Hay Days of Stone Sheep Hunting 00:35:49 – Predator Management in Sheep Health 00:39:02 – Harvesting old Ram’s for Herd Health 00:43:12 – How Reg Got Connected with Ester & Kurt McGee 00:48:56 – Being a Successful Guide in the Mountains & Tough Conditions 00:53:25 – A Passion for Unforgiving Country 00:55:17 – Deciding on a Bulletproof Plan to Get Cam’s Ram 01:59:30 – Final Thoughts Thank you to our sponsors: Montana Knife Company: https://www.montanaknifecompany.com/ Use code CAM for 10% off Hoyt: http://bit.ly/3Zdamyv use code CAM for 10% off Grizzly Coolers: https://www.grizzlycoolers.com/ use code KEEPHAMMERING for 15% off ALP: https://alppouch.com/ use code CAM for 10% off your first order Sig Sauer: https://www.sigsauer.com/ use code CAM10 for 10% off optics MTN OPS Supplements: https://mtnops.com/ Use code CAM for 20% off & Free Shipping

Transcript

0:00
1:05:57

10,286 words · 5 speakers

Speaker names marked are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

Topics

  • Joe Rogan Experience

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