Synopsis "Sheep Hunts: One Man's Journeys to the High Country"
SHEEP HUNTS: ONE MAN'S JOURNEYS TO THE HIGH COUNTRY is, first and foremost, a series of recounted hunting tales. As the title suggests, these hunts took place in the mountains with wild sheep as the prey. In the larger hunting community, wild sheep enjoy a special allure. In major part, that's because the mountains they inhabit present unique and significant challenges. Just getting to the isolated corners of the world these high-dwelling mammals call home is time-consuming and difficult. Once in sheep country, the hunter must contend with terrain that's high, steep and tough to navigate. The physical demands are considerable. Constant climbing, often with all one's equipment on one's back, demands fitness and durability. Hunting in the mountains also requires mental toughness. Dealing with atrocious weather, less-than-ideal food, sleep deprivation and frustration for days on end tends to erode one's sense of purpose. But, mountains are also glorious places where beautiful vistas abound, and a unique ecosystem awaits discovery. In the universe of hunters, few are fortunate enough to experience the agony and the ecstasy of a sheep hunt. For those who have been there, SHEEP HUNTS will resonate; for the many more who are intrigued by the prospect, the book will provide the reader, whatever his or her hunting experience, with insights into the world of mountain hunting. More than that, the book is written so that the reader feels like he or she is accompanying the author as he experiences natural beauty and stalks sheep; deals with trials and tribulation; and lives with emotional ups and downs. Rather than presenting a cleaned-up account, where mistakes are expunged from the record, the author is brutally honest about his failings and shortcomings. As the chapters tick by, it's impossible not to notice the author evolve as knowledge is gained, capabilities are inproved and goals altered. In the end, SHEEP HUNTS delivers a compelling account of the author's two decades worth of mountain adventure.
