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Thread: Whatever it takes - Stone Sheep

  1. #11
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    Re: Whatever it takes - Stone Sheep

    As I laid in the tipi that night I knew I was all in. This was no longer a nice backcountry hiking trip with hopes of seeing sheep. Everything has gone perfectly except I'm further in then I had planned and calculated, distance to the trailhead from right here was 22 kms. I trained hard and I had pushed myself in the past. I thought of the Goruck heavy event I did a few years back, 24 hours straight with 30 lbs pack, 58 kms total covered and numerous PT sessions in that time. I was confident that I could get this ram out if successful but I also knew I was stretching myself.

    Those thoughts really just slipped in and out, but that image of the dark ram with massive horns never left. Whatever it takes I'm willing I thought to myself and I drifted off to sleep.

  2. #12
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    Re: Whatever it takes - Stone Sheep

    I woke up at 4:30 am with excitement and confidence, almost overconfident. Oatmeal and coffee almost tasted bad this morning I was trying to control my emotions. I emerged from the tipi and breathed in the crisp mountain air of an August morning. My first sheep opener, I couldn't believe it, I am a sheep hunter. I thought back of all the moose and deer openers and the blessing of successful hunts and I just soaked it in. I got to my glassing spot and waited for the dull grayness to disappear. As the morning glow began the day I was simply floored by the spectacle that lay before me. On the grassy slope 2 kms away 30+ sheep materialized, I counted 13 rams. I watched for about 15 mins then made my move. I chose to be patient. I would let the sheep come to me.

    From my intel the day before I guessed that the rams would come down on the plateau and bed in the same place at midday. I slipped through the lulls of the landscape and circled around to get set-up on their "bedding area". At 7:30 am I was in position, 150 away from where they bedded the day before. From this spot, I was still able to glass them on the slope directly north of me. I watched the sheep head up and bed down. Suddenly, I caught movement on the ridge north west of me. I brought up the binos to see two white rumps and flashes of horn walk out of site. No problem they'll come back to me, just be patient, its day one.

    An hour passes and I can still see a band of bedded rams on top of the slope north of me, I'm just waiting for them to come to me. Again movement on the northwest ridge, bring up the binos to see 4 HUNTERS headed up the ridge right towards all the sheep. I just about puked, my heart has never sunk lower in my life. The hunters are headed right into the band of bedded rams that I can see from my position.

  3. #13
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    Re: Whatever it takes - Stone Sheep

    The hunters have a better angle than I do. I made my move of being patient and it has cost me. I don't feel like being a jerk and trying to cut these hunters off and racing towards the rams. I continue to watch the hunters in my scope and see what their move is. Suddenly, they drop to the deck. Spotting scope pulled out, two hunters resting their rifles on packs. I am sure they have spotted the rams I saw go over the ridge earlier and they are trying to determine if one is legal. Here's my chance.

    With those hunters occupied with the rams over the ridge, I'm going for the band of 12. I pack up and start racing across the plateau and up the mountain. I have a landmark picked out because the sheep are out of sight as I approach.

  4. #14
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    Re: Whatever it takes - Stone Sheep

    I hit my landmark and break out the tripod and spotter, I can't see anything. Then a 3.5 yr old rams walks out of a dip in the landscape and heads to the east, he is only 240 yds away. Then another small ram stands up but beds again. The band is only 240 yds away but I cannot see them bedded down in a depression in the landscape.

    I feel the need to be aggressive. I move 10 yds to the east to get a better vantage point, the whole band pops up looking my way and I freeze. As I scan the rams with my bare eyes two stand with potential. The rams causally walk away and I bring up the binos to see that the lead ram is heavy from behind, much larger than the others. I am 80% sure he is legal but that means nothing, I need to be 100%. He leads the band directly north and out of sight.

    The rams were not spooked so I feel I am still in the game.

  5. #15
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    Re: Whatever it takes - Stone Sheep

    Wind is coming from the east so I decided to circle west and see if I can catch up with the band. I travel for a km then spot the other hunters. They are lower than me and I am between them and the sheep, I am in a good position.

    I look to the northeast horizon and spot this


  6. #16
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    Re: Whatever it takes - Stone Sheep

    I scampered quickly to some cover and get set-up, spotter on tripod, rifle rested on pack and face first in the dirt. I am only 300 yds away. Sheep are everywhere. Ewes and lambs walking around and all are bedded tight together. It's 9 am the light is perfect and I have a good angle to judge these sheep.

    I start counting rings on the biggest one and I am 99.9% sure he is at least 8. I have views from side and back, he's legal, I'm sure. BUT there are sheep everywhere when I switch from spotter to rifle its hard to pick out the legal ram. He stands up.


  7. #17
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    Re: Whatever it takes - Stone Sheep

    I count the rings in the spotter, yup, good to go. On the rifle now, aiming, he beds down. OK back to the spotter, back to watching. This position is uncomfortable, I am angled down lying on rocks. I start slowly moving rocks and making a flat level spot to shoot from.

    Where are those other hunters? Did they see the sheep? Did they see me? Do they know I am set-up on these sheep? Is it a guide and hunters? I have heard of horror stories about guides blowing up hunts for residents, is that true? Are they setting up on these sheep as well? Will it be a race to shoot once that ram stands up? Should I stalk closer and be aggressive? Is he really legal? oh, crap is he legal? was I sure?

    My mind is racing.


  8. #18
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    Re: Whatever it takes - Stone Sheep

    12:30 PM mirage has set in and I can't count rings, I am second guessing myself. I'm hungry, I don't want to rummage through the pack.

    1:00 PM one ram is coming my way, he's only 120 yds away now, he's not legal but the rest will follow, I'm sure of it.

  9. #19
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    Re: Whatever it takes - Stone Sheep

    1:30 PM sheep are scattered out in front of me but the rams are staying bedded.

    2:00 PM Clouds come in and scope is crystal clear. YES, he's legal, no doubt. He stands up. On the rifle and he lays back down.

    Where are those other hunters? I gotta be quick next time he stands up.

  10. #20
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    Re: Whatever it takes - Stone Sheep

    2:30 PM all rams are up and moving but the two largest. Perfect, so much easier to keep tabs on the legal ram.

    2:45 PM four rams come and bed with the legal ram. I swear it I am going to die, my heart cannot take this up and down. The adrenaline high's and lows are killing me. I haven't eaten all day, I suck back a little water and calm myself. The four smaller rams have gotten back up again.

    3:00 PM he stands up broadside, he's legal, he's absolutely beautiful. I'm on the rifle, steady, aim, squeeze.

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