As i said before, I was the luckiest guy in new mexico in the lottery, last week it was my first Antelope and this weekend was my first Big Horn. I had a depredation ewe tag for the Latir Wilderness. My hunting buddy and I hiked in on thursday and it was a killer. We overpacked... It was our first wilderness hunt and we wanted to be sure we had enough, but at around 10K' we started to dread our 50 pound packs! We took the day friday to acclimate, and get ourselves a bunch of water. Getting water was a PAIN.... our purifier kept clogging up because the lake we were camping at had a huge algea bloom. Weather was great... rained in the evenings as one could expect in the high country of new mexico this time of year and it got down into the low 40's at night. Saturday the opening morning we climbed the Mesa where we knew the sheep where. The reason we knew was because we met a guide with paying customers and he was ACTUALLY a nice guy! He told us where they were at.... helped us out. And actually gave us first crack at the sheep close to the trail since we were on foot and I was using my flintlock! (Very good guy, his name is Bill from one-on-one adventures if anyone is interested!) Anyway.... we came over a rise in the mountain and their they were! Snuck within about 40 yards and put a .495 roundball on a .020 pre lubed patch over 90grns of FFFg right into the bread basket! Then the work started.... my goodness, with 80lbs of gear on your back going down hill is almost as hard as going uphill!

In anycase, it was the hardest hunt of my life, physically but one of the most rewarding! Never thought in a million years i'd get to hunt big horns! Man i'm a blessed guy!

Camp


hike in opening morning


beautiful sunrise!


sheep down

Thats awesome bud! That flintlock is COOL!

Thanks!

Guess i shoulda 'splaind the reason for the FL. I'm from western PA and i'm stationed here in New Mexico. Muzzleloader season in PA is actually with a REAL muzzleloader. Flintlock and roundball only (up untill about 5 years ago, i think they allow maxi balls now, not certain... been away since then) When i was in Turkey i got my step grandfather a SxS 16 guage Huglu. Not to be outdone, he made me a custom .50 cal flintlock! It was one of the nicest gifts anyone has ever given to me and it is a work of art! I love hunting with it... and as some members on here can confirm, it can shoot a round ball pretty darn good! Right Dennis??

congratulations, a great hunt and a great experience. You will have many more in the years to come. Thank you for your service to our country.

Congrats!

I actually shot that crazy thing and hit a 6" plate at 100 yds with his round ball load! He has set triggers and the whole works.

Jon, I still think you are crazy for carrying that surveyors tripod on your goat hunt and now packing that flag pole into a wilderness area.

Someday your wisdom will catch up with your ambition!!


Way to go. Now only elk left right??

Elk & Mule deer... both in Unit 15 and with muzzleloader, but i'll cheat on that one and use the inline! Elk seem to be my achilles tendon! This will be my 3rd shot at them since i've been out here and they always get the best of me! They are GHOSTS!

After talking to you guys, next year i'm going to apply for a couple couse deer units, ya'll made it sound too fun and its another great hunt to experience.

you will have to get a lighter rifle!!

I have a M700 .280 mountain rifle that would probably be just the ticket

Congrats and very cool story!

That's really cool! Did you really pack in a shovel? The hard work will make it taste that much better- Awesome!!!

No... we didnt pack in the shovel. The guide who we befriended (bill, that i talked about earlier) told us that we could use his shovel and axe if we wanted... this was before he had his hunters in and was just setting up camp. This guy was top shelf. I hope someday i can draw a tag where i need his help! If i draw out a ram tag next year i'll take out a personnal loan to get his help!

Cool beans...

Nice gun, nice Ewe, nice story...congrats.

Very cool! Congrats.

Great story and I'm envious.

I can't believe there's anywhere in NM where you can have a campfire. Burn bans rule here in TX and I guess just eastern NM??

Excellent -- the story and the fine present you killed your animal with! Talk about a special rifle!

Also, I am glad to see you posted the name of the guiding company that was so nice to you! They should get credit for that, so HERE is the website for one-on-one adventures in case anybody here needs their services.

John

Congratulations, Jon! After seeing you shoot that flinter up at the Quemado get-together, I knew that the sheep were in trouble. The rifle is as beautiful as it is deadly (in your hands and Dennis's anyway).

+1

Congrats on an awesome hunt!

What a way to start out the fall! And it just turned September!

Congratulations.

Very impressive ! E

Congrats on a tough hunt. Should be some tasty chow. I find it hard to believe a ewe could gain the status of a "depredation" hunt.

Very cool! Congratulations!

Outstanding! Congratulations hunter.

It doesn't get any better than that. Thanks for posting.

BTW, if you make it back to Pa. the late season is still flintlock/roundball only. There is an early antlerless in October that is pretty much any muzzleloader and any ammo.

Dale

That there is real hunting, by a real hunter.

Fantastic adventure! Thanks for sharing it with us.

That is cool.

Going back down the mounting is always harder than going up.

What a hunt and with a very special rifle!! It looks very similar to my .54, which has taken deer but, nothing as exotic as a bighorn sheep. You've given me an itch to hunt with it again this season.

Jon,
You are just to cool. I am so glad you got your sheep. If anybody should draw a bunch of New Mexico tags, I am glad it was you. This is a year that you can tell your kids and grandkids about. I hope to see you at Quemado agin next year. You are an inspiration to us all! And good luck with the elk hunt! KDJ
PS. Did ya wear the shoes?

Excellent! A great memory made!

That sheep is some fine meat. Congrats on working for that one.

One of the coolest threads in a LONG time!

Congratulations!

That right there is SUPER cool... the hunt would have been amazing enough, but YOU did it w/ a FLINTLOCK!

You're the freakin' man. That is amazing.

Good for you...quite the rifle you got there.

congrats on the ewe! Its sounds like you got to expirience a beatiful hunt with amazing scenery. You've truly been Blessed! Good luck on your Elk and Mule Deer endeavors!

great hunt

Very, very cool. Congrats!

Very cool stuff!!

Jon, congrats, wish I had been there... truly do...

Get that elk now!!!!

Kent

Jon, we had a great time meeting and getting to know you at the Quemado Campfire this July and all of us knew you have every bit of this in you - the true hunter's spirit and skill. And, you are still young with so much before you. Like Kent, I wish I could have been there.

Congrats on a fine hunt and a fine post, and for using that special rifle - a challenge and a privilege. Thanks for sharing so nicely.

Now, for the Unit 15 elk. See you soon.

Congratulations on a fine hunt. That FL is badass!!!!

_____________
Eric

Congratulations! And with a flintlock, cool and classy!