I had the good fortune to draw a rifle sheep ram tag in Colorado this year. My first day on the mountain was yesterday, the 17th. It was about a 3 mile hike in, and up. At about 10am, I see 2-3 rams on the opposite mountainside, about 700yds away, just standing around. I set up my spotting scope and start to see a few more rams, all are about 1/2 to 5/8 curl.

All told, there are 17 rams together, 2 under 1/2, 12 at 1/2-5/8, and 3 at 7/8, possibly full curl, with one broomed ram. He's the one I want.

They moved North and I followed, but lost sight of them. So, I climbed up on a ridge which afforded a good vantage point. Not wanting to blow them out of the area, I did not follow them, instead, I waited hoping they would come back. I thought I would be able to see if they went over the top.

At just after noon, I see 3-4 rams about 175 yds and coming South. I got the rifle ready, laser out and am taking pictures, all while looking for the broomed ram. The picture is the first view through the spotter. 16 of the 17 rams came out, the broomed ram did not, so I decided I should shoot one of the 2 bigger rams, but they were shielded with by other rams. No shot offered.

The URL for the 2nd photo is when they are together at about 150yds. The pic is to big for here.

Man, even if I don't kill one, I figure the season was a total sucess. [img]http://[IMG]http://i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g416/k22hornet/DSC00096.jpg[/img][/img]

I'm sorry, but I don't know what I did to make the spotter photo show up, and not the other photo.

The rifle I had with me is my late Dad's Winchester M70, circa 1966, using handloads of a stiff charge of RE22 under a 168gr Barnes TTSX, velocity is high 2,800fps, and shoots sub-MOA.

Good stuff, I'm jealous, did you mean to post thisone instead?

Awesome! Thanks for sharing and good luck with the rest of your hunt!

What part of the state?

the mountainous part.

Yep that area is south of Wyoming.

Rifle season use to start the Tuesday after Labor Day. Archery was in August. Maybe it's changed. Good luck.

If they didn't spook out of there, the broomed one will be back. Good luck up there.

Exbiologist,

Yes, that's the one. Thank you for posting it.

That photo shows them at about 150 yds. The image is a bit blurry as I was trying to take a photo, scan the herd with the riflescope in case the broomed ram was in there, then verify with bino's, all the while keeping one eye on the spot they came through in case the broomed ram followed.

The photo through the spotter was at about 700 yds.

Headed back up on Tuesday.

Good Luck!!

Envious.

Keep us posted. A lower 48 Bighorn tag is a tough ticket!

Awesome, good luck.

Yes, do keep us posted. Best of luck on the hunt.

Went back up this past Sunday, and no sheep were seen. We got rain/sleet/snowed on in the afternoon, but, still a beautiful day to be in the high country.

We did see 9 goats, 5 adults and 4 kids, plus 5 mule deer bucks, quite possibly the same ones I saw 10 days earlier.

I got an email from the guy who has the September rifle tag, and he was up there Saturday. He did not see any sheep either, but did see the bucks and goats.

So, tomorrow is the last day of the season, and I'll be back up there again. Hopefully, the sheep have come back into the basin by then.

Get after it! Hope to see pictures tomorrow.

Can't wait for the next installment in this saga! Good luck, by the way what rifle and caliber are you carrying?

My season is now over, and no sheep were harmed during this event. After my first day, I never saw another sheep.

I had a great time and don't think I would have changed anything on my first day. I saw the ram I wanted and held out for him and never saw him again.

For the next decade or so, while I wait for another sheep license, I will ponder what I could or should have done differently.

The rifle I was using was my late Dad's 1965 Winchester M70, in 30-06, shooting 168gr Barnes TTSX at just under 2,900fps, using a stiff charge of RE-22. Very, very accurate combo in this rifle.

A bit of a bummer, but sounds like you see another tag in the future.

Here in Oregon it takes two or three lifetimes to score a tag. If one does score a tag, he's done for the rest of his life (sheep or not) unless he has deep pockets and can do the auction thing.

Good luck over there,

k22----Be sure to send in your hunt recap sheet to the DOW. It use to be if you didn't send it in you were banned from all future sheep draws.

I didn't get a ram on my 1st hunt. The 2nd one, I got a nice broomed 7/8 curl. Bob

k22,
I commiserate with you. Been there, done that. I've had two sheep tags in CO and do not have a Bighorn mounted on my wall yet. First tag was way back in '94 and the last one was in 2010 (I think?). It sure do suck to come home with an unfilled tag in your pocket.