Monday moring we decide to try a drainage that hadn't been hunted in a few days. We are able to ride the wheelers probably a mile up the creekbed before we put on our packs and start the long walk towards the glacier. We spot a good sized herd of ewes and lambs and some small rams further up the drainage but nothing we can go after. My partner Joel decided he's going to hang back while I head up and check things out further up the valley.

While climbing around some huge boulders along the creek I happened to look to my left and spot a lone sheep bedded near a rock wall pretty high up the mountain. I drop down on all 4's hoping it didn't see me. I put the binos on it and can see right away that it's a ram and a good one. I climb a bit higher and break out the spotter and can clearly see that he is past fullcurl, finally, a legal ram!

[Linked Image][Linked Image]

As I was watching him through the spotter I was getting pretty excited and not paying attention to my surroundings. For some reson I happen to look down and across the creek and there, not 75 yards away is a medium sized grizzly, chowing down on berries. I made a mad scramble for my rifle and watched him for about 10 minutes, one time putting the scope on him and seriously thinking about ruining his day but I was here for sheep so I let him pass. As he was walking away I managed to get into a position where he would get my wind and once he did, he wasted little time getting the hell out of dodge. That was a bit closer than I would have liked.

I turn my attention back to the ram and watch him for several hours until it starts to get dark. I decide to bail and come back in the morning and make a try for him. I meet up with Joel and we go back to camp.

That's ok, I'll ass shoot a dink.

Steelhead