Best $11.50 ever spent

[Holg3107]

That's hilarious!!!

Love the stories, keep them coming.

[Pathfinder101]

 

[Gringo31]

So I'm headed down and we get a pretty good look at a group of rams that we spotted from above.  My flanks aren't quite as sore as I would have figured from all of the expected ribbing.  There are 10 or so in this group, they don't look to special, one has a full curl that is cool but real tight and small hole (yeah, I know how that sounds).... It's not that we can do anything with them anyway but to avoid busting them we cut straight down to try and avoid them.  We get another look at them further down the mountain and one of them looks real good.  There were two behind the sage that we didn't get a real good look at but with attitude a bit poor, we weren't that thorough.  We kicked up a couple rams that we never saw until we stepped on them that were young as well. 

During this walk, I believe I fell twice, once landing on my bow pretty good.  I didn't bring a target with me and so at this point felt it was time to just put it away.  We get back to the bottom and walk to buddies truck we parked.  Rifle was in camp, but hunter orange was in my truck at the top.  Suppose we had to go get it anyway so we get it....

On the way down, I called another buddy who was going to come up and have a beer that night filling him in.  He said he was on his way, and I told him we were going to grab the rifle and if we got after it, were going to hike up to that last band and take a good look at them.  Figured if we pushed it we'd be up to them in 1.5 hours...maybe less, but that is where we'd be till dark.

We find a good spot to park and head up.  Wind is terrible!  Its blowing right up our backsides most of the way.  We have no other play for the night so keep going.  We kick up a few deer and spot our sheep higher than where we left them.  Most are content in this smaller canyon with one up on top that I don't remember seeing again.

We are now on the rim and I can tell if they are still there, they are in trouble.  The expected escape route is 260 yards at the top and they should be still in the bottom.  I peek around the corner with both my brother and buddy with a camcorder.  6 rams or so are looking my way, a couple of them still bedded and I'm looking them over in my scope....I'd say 160 yards.  But.....to top it all off, there are 3 rams 40 yards in front of me staring!!!  Now...again, I feel like a dummy for leaving my bow.  They probably stare for 20 seconds and then start walking off.  First lead ram looks good to me!  I tell them I'm going to shoot him.  My brother took some great footage but of the wrong ram!  I shoot and the ram drops and rolls down hill, my buddy and I are excited while my brother is following a ram I never shot at up the hill in the video camera wondering what we are all excited about as it looked like that ram was moving just fine.

I shot him just in front of the shoulder but my neck shot was a little high....maybe 3" down from top of meat.  Low and behold, he's on his feet at the bottom walking slow.  I watched him for a second and decided to give him one more in his heart.  At the shot, he never flinched.  Stood there for one second...maybe two, reared up on his hind legs and tipped over.

At this point I get a text from the buddy that was going to show up that night that he watched it from the highway below!  We were taking some pics and cutting him up with buddy comes up the hill with a six pack of cold beer!  I know some of you have good buddies, but I think that takes the cake!    You'd be surprised how good a can of Miller light tastes on a day like that.  We split up the ram and get to the truck with 10 or so minutes left of light.  We get to camp and my little brother who came from West side best us there by 5 min.  That part kinda sucked.....

[Gringo31]

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[Woodchuck]

Awesome. 

[huntnphool]

 

[tlbradford]

Beautiful ram Gringo!  You did the hunt justice with the write-up and memories made.  Congratulations again.

[outdooraddict]

I know you have said you dont care about score, but can anyone tell me what this ram scores. Im only asking because my sheep hunt opens thursday and im trying to find every possible way to judge a sheep

[outdooraddict]

I forgot to mention, Great write up and ram too

[RatRodMike]

That's a great ram.  Thank you so much for the fascinating story and pics.

PS  I haven't hit my refresh button so much since I was waiting for the permit draw results.  Made for a fun Monday morning.

[bowhunterforever]

Awesome story and ram Congrats

[starbailey]

Great story and congratulations on a great ram!
Thanks for sharing your adventure!

[Gringo31]

I talked of the emotion of having such a tag....  It's interesting to be hit with all of them from different angles.  Thankful for all the offers of help from those with experience in that exact unit, but thankful I didn't take it.  Thankful for a beautiful ram and glad I don't care if he's 3-5 inches one side or the other of some sort of standard.  To have gotten this opportunity for $11.50...... is mind blowing.

I was taking my brother to the airport this morning at 4am.  Realizing a shared experience between us is over and longing for the next.  Thankful for family, time, opportunity.....my cup overflows!  On the way back a song on the radio I had not heard.  It hit home and sums up my experience, attitude and thoughts on it all....

I have won and I have lost
I got it right sometimes
But sometimes I did not
Life's been a journey
I've seen joy, I've seen regret
Oh and You have been my God
Through all of it

I'm just thankful, grateful, humbled.......to have been blessed this much.  During the dark days, you dream of just a cloudy one with no rain.  You do the best you can despite the real forces of evil and realize whatever you got ain't enough... (I'm "hypothetically" talking about an ex wife who intentionally destroyed a family....well, because she wanted to)  To walk that walk, endure that situation and then to be blessed with a new wife (just over a year ago) with this as well......is just incredible.

[Gringo31]

I know you have said you dont care about score, but can anyone tell me what this ram scores. Im only asking because my sheep hunt opens thursday and im trying to find every possible way to judge a sheep

I too did a lot of studying.  I think it's helpful!  I suggest taking the sheep you want, don't get in a hurry and soak it in the best you can.  I could be not even close but I'd guess my ram goes around low to mid 170's?

That's my guess, maybe the taxi will tell me and that's fine.  Biologist had him at 7.5 years old.

[combs338]

Great story and Ram!!
Glad you got to experience it with family and close friends.