Sheep Hunts, Belly Bombs, & the Brooks Range

Weapon talk for Dropped sets the stage, but it turns quick—locker-room mornings that went sideways, forgotten quivers at the stand, and hunts wrecked by fried-chicken belly bombs.

Then it’s back to the mountains. Sheep hunts that broke knees, fog that stole chances, and Brooks Range climbs that pushed us to the edge. Ryder’s birthday caribou on the first Dropped and the sheep hunt years later hit the same way. Hunts so hard they pull emotion straight out of you.

We close on gear. How it’s changed since 2011 and why that matters. Packs are lighter, power lasts longer, and solar doesn’t suck anymore. The lessons we bled for are now shaping how we prep for Alaska today.