It Happens

[Hornseeker]

The other... I don't have a good pic of, but he was an old ram, maybe 10... with maybe 35 inch horns and 15 inch bases. Beautiful chocolate colored horns... but not of the genetics I was looking for on this hunt!

He stared at me... then he turned slightly to look at the other sheep and I saw his right horn was LONG... I liked it. I looked at his mass and thought... "it is Good".... then I then he stood up. I didn't know what to expect. Would they all bolt and run like a bull elk and never give me a shot or a look ever again? I raised the rifle and looked at him through the scope. At 6 power, his head filled the lens. He looked to the right and I saw his left horn in full... I thought " It is good"... at which point I flipped off the safety and let him have it. The bullet went in his chest and exited out his rear hip. He leaned back and turned broadside so I put one in from the side and he crumpled.

The other rams walked up the hill 30 yards above me and looked at him... then me... Then fed along like nothing ever happened. I was happy to see none of them impressed me like he did. I pulled out the camera and took pics of them. I took out my range finder and my ram was laying 42 yards away. The rain stopped.

[Hornseeker]

I knew I was happy with him. I was happy with the hunt... but I wondered how big he was? I studied rams and horns and knew a few things about numbers and scores... lengths and mass. I knew he wasn't world class... those rams are freakish... and this young guy (6 or 7 depending on who you ask) was not freakish... but man is he good looking!!





He had great bases... and I knew he had good length... How good? How great? I didn't know. I was happy, but I was also nervous... it was an interesting predicament. I was preparing myself... reassuring myself all was well! I had a great hunt... some great scouting... it was awesome and he was beautiful... But dang, did he "measure up"... no matter how many times I told myself it didn't matter, I still couldn't quit thinking about it. I tried to estimate size and found I couldn't. The horns simply didn't look "40 inches"... 40 inches seemed like so much...

anyhow...

[Hornseeker]

I took Lots of pics...

[Hornseeker]

I skinned him out and laid down a rain coat and started taking him apart. I skinned him out whole in case I wanted to do a full mount. I boned him out and loaded the mystery ranch crew cab... I left my rifle and his head and cape and trudged down the canyon... sorta just hovering over the surface... something like being on cloud nine right?

Evidence of cloud nine... hundred pounds and 3/4 mile later... with mud choked boot soles. Smiling from ear to ear!



I put the meat in the shade of the little steep cut stream channel and went back for the cape, head and my gun...

[Hornseeker]

Before I loaded him in the pack... I pulled out the little steel tape I kept in the boat during the hunt...

I was really nervous to tape him...

I ran the tape around the base and pulled it tight... tried to make sure there was no hair under it. wiggled it to make sure it was laying nice... I didn't look at the numbers... I found where it crossed at zero and held my finger there, then raised the tape, took at deep breath and looked... 17 1/4 inches. OK... so... I know its green... and I know its possible I was over a little hair or something... but oh Hell Yeah... the bases were HUGE... 

I then pulled the tape around the shorter horn... one horn was slightly shorter, slightly broomed... Again, I didn't look at the tape. I just held it in the right spot and pulled it around until I got to the tip. When I got to the tip I again, didn't look, but marked the tape with my finger, pulled it up... then turned it over. 40 1/2 inches... the short horn was over 40" long! Hell Yeah...

After studying the harvest records for the unit.... I had two numbers in my head... 17 and 40. 17 was a dream number, as there were only 8 rams harvested with 17+ inch bases in the last 10 years... There were many rams harvested over 40"... but it was still a good number to shoot for.

I'll come clean right now, the bases were actually more like 16 7/8 green... they have shrunk about 1/4 inch since. BUT 16 1/2 is still awesome... oh that MASS!

The longer horn is 42 1/4!!

[Hornseeker]

The rest is history. Its been 60 days now. I'll get him scored but it really doesn't matter. He is a great looking ram!

[HUNTaHOLIC5]

What an awesome hunt and beautiful trophy! Congrats!

[GurrCentral]

Congrats! That is a beautiful ram! Doesn't get any better than a sheep hunt!!

[fishngamereaper]

 

My only issue is you did a sheep hunt by yourself ...Ive got like 20 people waiting for me to draw a sheep tag so they can go with me...

[KNOPHISH]

Holy crap that's a Cranker ram, a 17x40+" 7 yo. just wow. Way to go man, Living the dream.

[boneaddict]

Awesome Ernie!

[quadrafire]

Very Nice Ernie. Great story, Awesome pics. Thanks for sharing..........Finally

That hill where you shot him looks a lot more brushy than I was picturing of the area.

[blacktailer]

Congrats on a great trophy.  That would be my #1 tag I'd like to draw in the US

[M_ray]

Very Cool 

[jimkirk]

congrats. great write up and pics. lifetime memory right there!!