Ripper of a ram for sure. Amazingly, this ram was only 7 1/2 years old and grew 3" in horn length from his last annuli. Bryan and I measured that he hit 16" bases at 5 years old and (estimated due to brooming) crossed the magical 40" horn lengths the next year. We were together when we turned him up this fall and we were literally shaking because we both knew he had grown into the biggest bighorn either of us had ever seen. As hunts would go, we didn't kill him until 13 days after we turned him up hence the additional gray hair and fatigued look on our faces.
On a positive note for those of you who apply for bighorns in Washington, the herds in SE Washington have all tested negative for MOvi the last few years so it appears (for now) as though the herds are clean once again. Lamb survival the last few years has been really good in nearly all the herds with a strong population of rams. I think we are very close to one or two units opening for a rocky draw permit! Still something funky going on in Asotin and Tucannon and of course we have to factor in tribal harvest as well but the future looks solid.
