Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game An apology

To all, particularly those who have found the argument over deerslayer's sheep offensive. I have made errors in judgement and action and am hereby apologizing for them.
<br>
<br>After looking at the latest pictures, I am convinced it is a legal ram, and a wonderful trophy. That last picture showed what I could not see in the others. The ram is legal. I was wrong for suggesting otherwise. I erred in some of my estimates, most especially age, this whole mess is my fault, and I apologize to everyone. Again, I was wrong,. I accept full responsibility
<br>for this whole mess, and wish to congratulate DS on a job well done."
<br>
<br>I truly apologize for this whole mess.
<br>art
<br>

Well done Art. It takes a man to admit his mistakes and you certainly qualify. You were operating on the knowledge you had at the time and when new knowledge became available you admited your mistake. You can do no more in my estimation.
<br>
<br>BCR

Sitka
<br> Thats quite honorable of you. I'll have to find the pic you saw. I think, while a little messy, it was a worth while thread. I know much more about Dall sheep now. dempsey

Art,
<br>
<br>You are a class act in my book.
<br>
<br>2nd

Good deal. You've done the gentlemanly thing.

I didn't see the offensive posts but am very impressed with this one.
<br>
<br>damn good job my friend. Wish everyone was a "standup guy" like you and handled his mistakes as well.
<br>
<br>I am very very impressed.
<br>
<br>Tex

I can only echo what others have already said. Well said, Art. I would go hunting and fishing with you anytime.

Well spoken.
<br>
<br>

Art,
<br>thou art
<br>a man after me own 'art!

If I was to stir crap I'd say "KINDA cool how you can CALL a man a lier and a poacher and drag his name in the mud then say sorry and BE a hero" BUT, since you stood up to the plate, I won;t say it !!!
<br>
<br>ONE week ago tonight it all started, AND it ends TONIGHT..... MArk is out bowling again. I'll go lock a few posts and start the clean up proccess, I'm just glad no money was Exchanged, that would have been ugly !!!!!
<br>
<br>Whether you like me or not, KUDOS big guy !!! I"ll be dropping you that call now since you sent me your #. Hopefully it's all water under the bridge....
<br>
<br>-Oscar Williamson II
<br>

Very Honorable ,Good going.
<br>
<br>
<br>Let's go Hunting!

Art, well done.
<br>
<br>You have more respect from me for the way you handled your "wrong" position than those who were "right" handled their's.
<br>
<br>Brad

Gee really Brad , Congrats to Sitka for being big enough to apologise, but not for jumping on and accusing a guy of having shot an illegal animal on just photos,
<br>All you guys who agreed with sitka on his critique and who know congratulate him on apologising are you going to apologise to D/S as well ?
<br>
<br>And sitka has more respect from you for the way he handled his position? I hope you just mean his apology, if I was in D/S position I too would be very volatile in my response to being attacked in the manner in which he was, I would like to think that I had friends such as Oscar Williamson to turn to if in a similar position,
<br> I would think in this age of uncertainty that hostilities should be turned turned a little futher away from your fellow countrymen,
<br>Yours etc.

VERY GOOD SIR! My hat is off to you as a gentelman.
<br>
<br>It takes a tall man with a long shadow to admit a mistake and you did it with class.
<br>
<br>

Better late than never, It is a shame it ever came to this. I hope some of the bandwagoners will have the mellons to follow sitkas fine example.
<br>
<br>Sitka, You have certainly went up a few pegs in my book. I hope we all learn from this.
<br>
<br>

Can't you guys just accept Art's apology and move on without taking wacks at him? him

Sitka,
<br>
<br>it took a big person to apologize, well done
<br>
<br>I've enjoyed learning about judging sheep, it is a very tricky business
<br>
<br>I've also learned more about how to (and how not to!) photograph a sheep
<br>
<br>:-)
<br>
<br>

Art,
<br> It is unfortunate that your opinions of my sheep went so far before I had the chance to get more photos up.
<br>It is also unfortunate that I was "put on trial" as I was to have to try and prove my trophy ram was indeed legal. That being said, I handled my responses very badly, especially my language to you, but I want you to know I did that out of frustration...........you see, I knew he was "good"......I hunted him, and I had the chance to hold him in my hands. I had two VERY experienced sheep guys with me on the hunt. I never intended for any of the photos I posted to be misleading in any way. I haven't posted here in a while and I was just very proud of my latest hunt and wanted to share it with all of you. It was a hunt I have dreamed of for many years and my brother made it happen for me. So I was defending his honor as well as my own. It deteriorated from that very quickly and both sides were put in bad positions at that point.
<br>
<br>That is all a moot point now.......what is relevant to me is your apology..........and I do accept with the hopes that you in turn accept mine for bringing in the name calling. Like I said in an earlier post...I am still on a learning curve......I am not accustomed to being called a liar or a poacher. That is something I will get better at as time goes on I guess.
<br>
<br>It means a great deal to me that you stood and not only said your apology, but you also stated you were now sure the sheep is indeed a full curl and legal sheep.
<br>You carry much weight and respect here, and I am hopeful your opinion of the ram's legality will indeed lift the "black cloud" of controversy over my ram.
<br>
<br>You were correct on several things throughout your posting I must tell you...........he is indeed a Wrangell's ram.........it could also be said he is a Nabesna ram, of which you were certain, and he was taken in a unit that for years and years has been a walk in any ram unit and is VERY over-hunted.............thus your comment on " you just don't walk in those units and bring out a nice full curl everyday".....or something to that effect.
<br>I think that is a testament to how hard my brother and his companion worked over the last 8 years to learn that area as well as they know their backyards........and the hard work and dedication paid off on at least 6 other legal rams plus mine, but you were right, it just don't happen on foot in there very often.
<br>
<br>You were also right about it being a ranger who checked us in the field......thus no written report as he was merely checking for legality. So I had no written document to post as proof. But the ram has since "run the gauntlet" of inspection by what I would consider many "sheep experts" including a biologists who is a 20 year veteran of Alaska Fish and Game and I was willing to send him whereever to remove any doubt of legality.
<br>
<br>This has gotten long but I wanted to let you know some of these other details because I know you were interested in how close you were to where he was killed........and you pretty much had me pegged on that one.
<br>I was reluctant to say as I didn't want to give up my brother's location...but he gave me the Green light saying it is a very big area, and few folks are willing to walk some 20 miles round trip with camp on their back in sheep country.
<br>
<br>To all:
<br>to those who supported me and my sheep thanks, it was appreciated.......to those who doubted, I'm sorry for the bad angles on the photos, I'm not a very good photographer. There are some good photos Spike has posted of it on the "Ak Docs" thread.
<br>
<br>Again, thanks for the apology Art...it means more to me than you probably will ever know.
<br>
<br>DS

It takes a big man to admit when he's wrong. Well done Sitka.
<br>
<br>Are there any others in the naysayer crowd that wants to speak up? If not, well Sitka said it for you, I think.
<br>
<br>Good job Art.
<br>
<br>Ten

Glad to see this resolved. Can't say I ever jumped on any band wagon's with this one. I'm not wishy-washy I just didn't know enough about sheep to get involved. I've known both people involved in this one for quite a while. Let's just say I was not surprised by either side and understood where each was coming from. I was and am darn glad to see this thread! Although I hated to see so much mud thrown around I did learn a heck of lot about sheep and that I truly appreciate. Now let's get on with more important things like filling the rest of our tags this season.