During their week of recuperation at home ... a follow-up call to the Wyoming biologist revealed that a ram had been checked in, by a client of the well-recommended guide out of Wheatland. It was measured (green) and should be in the mid 170's. While that would be above the average-ram for the unit (<-- if there is such a thing) ...not sure if that is considered to be one of the two "bruiser-class" rams previously referenced ... as located by the guide ?
- - - -
Some things learned during their first foray.

Several "Large-ish" Bull Elk were spotted in the area, while glassing for Rams. They included a symmetrical 7x7 and several 6x6's. Most of the area is steep, rocky and with little timber for cover ... not your typical Elk country. I was sent a few digi-scoped photos of the Elk. Another picture shows a small band of ewes and lambs, all up and feeding in the immediate presence of several bedded down Elk. They are right out in the open, on a steep low-grass and sagebrush hillside ... again, not a scene we typically observe.

Maneuvering around in that steep and rocky country often requires balancing along lichen covered boulders and jumping onto and off of those same rocks. Note to self: When wet ... (even by a light mist) lichen covered boulders are Really-Slippery !

They have had much better success using Spot/stalk ... (at least from the "Spot" aspect). It really requires glassing Long and Deep, to be able to pick out any bedded (non-moving) sheep at distance. If you do spot a Ram and can't immediately rule him out a shooter ... close some distance until you can. As he might be the "ONE" and you may not get another opportunity to clearly see him.

You have to keep a constant eye-out for SNAKES ! They don't all rattle first and offer you a warning ... perhaps some
snake-gaiters would provide a little peace of mind ... considering how much country he has been covering.

The game plan for Part-2 of this Bighorn hunt, is to have his brother along until at least Sunday the 2nd. Beyond that, he will be hunting solo. The remoteness had him considering picking up a PLB or SPOT unit, just in case he were to fall somewhere in the rocks ... or down in a Hell-hole and need an emergency response.
Stay tuned ... as they say, we hope to have film-at-11.

.. Silver Bullet

"Wax-On ... Wax-Off"