Back from my NE. Orygun Buck Deer hunt ... none of Bambi’s relatives were harmed (by our group).
Maybe the now firmly-established Wolf pack we heard howling at night just 1/2 mile from camp was a contributor ?
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Anyway ... after the dynamic duo whacked the previously mentioned 7x7 Bull on the opening evening of Arizona’s Unit 1, 2A, 2B muzzle-loader Elk hunt, they towed the trailer back up to the Laramie unit in Wyoming ... and resumed part-2 of Chris’s Bighorn hunt. They had some issues with the trailers leaf spring perches that required some welding in town (for a temporary repair). The biggest issue was with the weather ... either blowing rains or socked-in foggy conditions, which kept them from effectively glassing for days at a time. While I was off on my deer hunt, they elected to store the trailer in Wheatland and drive the Dodge diesel back home ... hoping for a better weather window late in the season.
After paying bills, re-supplying and leaving all muzzle-loading gear (Elk meat and rack) behind here ... Chris was re-packed, re-freshed and ready for the final battle with the Bighorns. Unfortunately, his bro’ was now out of vacation time. Undeterred, Chris left Portlando this morning (Friday), heading East on I-84 through the pouring rains and high winds that are hammering the state, to drive back (solo) to Wyoming. He plans to hunt through the end of the season or until he crosses paths with a decent (suicidal) Ram. This will be Wyoming Bighorns Part-3
A call on Wednesday to the wildlife biologist, revealed that 2 additional rams have been taken, bringing the total to 3 (of 8 possible tag holders). I hope in my notes, that I didn’t get these two kills mixed up .... but: ... An older guy (after waiting 18-20 years for a tag, aren’t they all “older”) got a nice (170 class ram) down South in the unit, in a WMA area. That area is not typically known for having lots of sheep, but they do hide-out there on occasion. On Monday a near full curl, but small circumference (160 class) ram was taken by a senior (who had previously been hunting for weeks with his son). We heard that one of the Guides (2) clients tagged a ram early but it’s not known if the Guides second client is still hunting ... or failed to tag-out in his 10 day hunt window. With at least one other hunter who gave up and went home ... there should only be at most 3-4 Ram hunters in the unit for the remainder of the season.
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There is a rifle Elk season that will be going on concurrently in the Laramie unit, when he gets back there. The good news ... most of those Elk hunters will be down at lower elevations ... and they will stir-up any Rams down there, hopefully sending them back to the higher country. Also, the beginnings of the rut will start near the end of the month. So, with Friday and Saturday as travel days ... and Sunday to final provision and get the trailer back up into the mountains ... he will have at most 14 more days to hunt ... Wyoming (solo) Bighorns Part -3.
. . . Silver Bullet
Ya’ might be a Redneck ...
If any of yer kin are named “Cooter” ...
