Killing me here Pat, I'm going stir crazy waiting for the season!
For all you sheep lovers, this is an awesome video... I watch it more than a couple times a month...grin. The sheep being a dandy is icing on the cake.
Okay, I'm already an elk addict. I don't need to be thinking about sheep.
Originally Posted by Mannlicher
America needs to understand that our troops are not 'disposable'. Each represents a family; Fathers, Mothers, Sons, Daughters, Cousins, Uncles, Aunts... Our Citizens are our most valuable treasure; we waste far too many.
This is a great thread. May as well add my update.
I lucked into an Arizona desert sheep tag a couple years back. Fortunately I had a lot of vacation time built up and got to the unit with 12 days to look around before the season started. I scouted solo for 9 of the 12 days and found a lot of rams.
I didn't see every ram in the unit, but I bet I saw a vast majority of them.
According to the harvest stats, this particular area hadn't produced a ram for 6-7 years.
I found 17 rams in there, a couple were very nice. This old warrior being one of the better ones.
Another look:
Up until about 3 days before the season started, I was making that ram my #1.
Then I found this group, in another area that had not produced a ram for quite some time.
I changed my mind after a lot of consideration and made the best ram in that group my new #1 choice.
Kept track of them and watched them feed into a big canyon the night before opening day. The next morning within an hour, my buddy and I were within 80 yards of the ram I wanted. A nice 80 yard shot with my 7RM and that was that.
Just walked down and decided not even to touch the ram for a while, just enjoy the moment:
For me, the pics and especially you just sitting there taking it in says everything.
Thank you, for the pics, for sharing, and for "doing it right". I think/hope you know what I mean.
Originally Posted by Mannlicher
America needs to understand that our troops are not 'disposable'. Each represents a family; Fathers, Mothers, Sons, Daughters, Cousins, Uncles, Aunts... Our Citizens are our most valuable treasure; we waste far too many.
This ram was from the same valley a week later,, some years it was devoid of sheep. 2 days from closet landing spot and 2 nasty creek crossing, usually hunted it near the end of the season.
How long have you been applying in Montana now? I'm at 35+ years....
I'm at 30 years in 2015. One of the funniest things that I have ever read in a book was in "The Life of The Hunt" when your bride drew a bighorn sheep tag on her first try. I don't remember the exact quote, but it had to do with sulking being prevented by it being a ewe tag.
"She drew a bighorn tag. Luckily, it was her second choice, a ewe permit. I say 'luckily' because if she'd received a ram tag on her first try, I'd have pouted so much she'd have divorced me."
I drew a ewe tag of my own 15 years later, but just added up how many times I've applied for a Montana ram tag now, and it's 40. Still behind Pat by a few....
Eileen did draw a Montana bull moose tag on her first try. I also got to go along as chief guide and packer on that one!
“Montana seems to me to be what a small boy would think Texas is like from hearing Texans.” John Steinbeck
This picture was a gift from the late Duncan Gilchrist. It's the Chadwick ram, and is the world record Stone Sheep. If memory serves me correctly, it was killed in 1936 near the head of the Muskwa River in Northern British Columbia. Both horns are over 50" long.
Cool thread. Lots of nice rams. I have never hunted them but have been lucky enough to see them several times while in Colorado.
1rst one was in 96 we were headed into White River national forest near Merideth. I was riding in the back of the truck and a Full curl and a couple of smaller rams crossed the road right behind us. None of the guys in front seen them and they never believed me. Then back in 2002 or 03 we were in RMNP and I was glassing a line of snow way off in the distance and a small ram crossed the snow field.
Then last fall me and the wife were on I-70 going into Glenwood and there was about twelve of them right on the side of the road. Could of reached out and touched them. Always a thrill to see them.
I've always been different with one foot over the line.....