What do you figure for age on this fella?

[Ramshot]

To all the sheep hunters who have done the sheep aging clinics at WSSBC. Or who just know sheep aging. What do you figure this fella is for age?

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/Ranch_Ram2018.jpg

[bighornbob]

Hard to tell with horns being wet near the bases ( that's what it looks like). I would say 9-10.

bhb

[sheep hunter]

What a beauty of a ram ... I guess 10 years

[hntcrazy]

I guess 11. Big guess , any pics of it with hide on ???

[srupp]

Hmm I'm going 10 also..great mass
Srupp

[Weatherby Fan]

I see 10 or 11.......yowsa its a dandy

[Ramshot]

A necropsy was done on this California Bighorn because it was dying in an area where domestic goats are living. It was observed laying in the same spot for several days before it died. The carcass was brought to the ministry and necropsy conducted last saturday. My brother has donated the horns that are being prepared by a friend to the Wild Sheep Society Annual Fundraiser for auction in a couple months. Ramshot

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/KIB-IR_1.jpg

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Looks 9- 10ish to me but as BHB said, it's hard to age being wet.

[TexasWalker]

I get 10, tough to see near the bases though.

[bighornbob]

Now that I can see the other see I will change my guess and say 7. Maybe 8

[Bugle M In]

I'll go 9 plus .5 (lol).
But if it is 10, I wouldn't be surprised...nice one!

[twoSevenO]

I suck at this but i want to learn .... where am i going wrong?

Is it wrong to go JUST by the "lines" if the ridges on the top are hard to spot?

I suppose there should be 9 now that i looked at it a bit more, but again, i still don't know if i got the others right, and i don't see a 10th.

https://i.imgur.com/fnjnmcT.jpg

[Bugle M In]

With you 270 on this, would love the experts show some lines on this one as well.

[ThinAir]

I’m gonna say 11. Amazing ram

[guest]

Given my expertice mowhaha or lack there of. ........ And now seeing both sides .....I'm reaching with 9 ..

regarless .... LOOK AT THE MASS !

Dandy

[chickenfarmer]

Nine and a half

[REMINGTON JIM]

9 + for me RJ

[Blockcaver]

7 or 8 on his right horn and 9 or 10 on his left......a tricky one to age from the pictures.

[REMINGTON JIM]

7 or 8 on his right horn and 9 or 10 on his left......a tricky one to age from the pictures.

YUP :smile: RJ

[Gamebuster]

I’d say he’s 9

[IslandWanderer]

I suck at this but i want to learn .... where am i going wrong?

Is it wrong to go JUST by the "lines" if the ridges on the top are hard to spot?

I suppose there should be 9 now that i looked at it a bit more, but again, i still don't know if i got the others right, and i don't see a 10th.

https://i.imgur.com/fnjnmcT.jpg

Very cool, like counting tree rings. Do they taste like a farmed goat or a deer?

[srupp]

Hmmm where is BC RAMS when we need him?...the 3rd year anuli" I would think the next black ring above it is the actual true anuli"
As you get to 6..7...8 notice how the rings are about the same distance apart or shorter ..so definitely room for 1 more a null " plus left over room...
IMO he is in his 10th year..great ram wherever...age..mass..beauty
Congrads to whomever the skilled hunter is.
Steven

[yama49]

I think its 9 also

[Bugle M In]

That thing definitely has some "girth" to it, especially where that 1st annuli ring is very noticeable out at the tip.
I count that as the 2nd year, BUT, if it ends up being revealed that it is actually the 3rd year, I wouldn't be surprised.
It just looks a "bit heavy" at that point to be a 2nd year ring.....will be fun to see what the truth is.

[Mulehahn]

I am not much of a sheep hunter but I only get 8. Too bad it went out that way. Will the results be made public?

[nedarb2]

I’m getting 10 on both sides assuming broom is #3.

[Patman7]

Six or seven

[chickenfarmer]

He’s broomed at two. The second year ring is never cut into the horn like the years that follow. It’s a bubbled line.

[SR80]

I see 9, im no pro though.

[dracb]

I suck at this but i want to learn .... where am i going wrong?

Is it wrong to go JUST by the "lines" if the ridges on the top are hard to spot?

I suppose there should be 9 now that i looked at it a bit more, but again, i still don't know if i got the others right, and i don't see a 10th.

https://i.imgur.com/fnjnmcT.jpg
270
I will agree that brooming has removed at the least a lamb tip from the left horn. I doubt that it has removed a full year of growth. I just can not recognize an annulus near the end of the left horn. The following comments are based on there not being a recognizable annulus near the end of the left horn.

The annulus you have marked as 2 will be counted as YEAR ONE when it is compulsory inspected and the ages of all of the other annuli you numbered will be reduced by 1 irrespective of how much (or little) brooming has taken place on this particular horn. If you can not see an annulus you can not count it.

If you look at the spacings of the the annuli you numbered 6, 7 and 8 (assuming they are true annuli) you will notice that they are generally the same width but infact the spacings are slightly narrower between the higher numbered annuli. Now look at the space between your number 8 annulus and the base of the horn. There is room for at least one more annulus (number 9 in your numbering system) and close examination of the horn between your number 8 annulus and the base will likely find at least one more true annulus and possibly two depending on 1) the time of year the animal died and 2)the animal's health in the last two years of life.

Based on the stated reasoning this ram and based on the left horn photograph I would expect this ram be aged as eight or nine years of age during compulsory inspection while a section of the tooth may determine it is a year older.

[Calico]

10 year old ram

[cpwrestler]

I suck at this but i want to learn .... where am i going wrong?

Is it wrong to go JUST by the "lines" if the ridges on the top are hard to spot?

I suppose there should be 9 now that i looked at it a bit more, but again, i still don't know if i got the others right, and i don't see a 10th.

https://i.imgur.com/fnjnmcT.jpg

I'd say your 7th annuli is a false making this ram 7.5. Remove it from your total and you have nice, even spacing. If it were a real annuli, it would be odd for the ram to go from such a big growth year between your 5-6 to such a small one between 6-7, and then you have to "find" a non-existent annuli or two between your 8 and the base to follow normal spacing.

I say 7.5

[srupp]

I'd say your 7th annuli is a false making this ram 7.5. Remove it from your total and you have nice, even spacing. If it were a real annuli, it would be odd for the ram to go from such a big growth year between your 5-6 to such a small one between 6-7, and then you have to "find" a non-existent annuli or two between your 8 and the base to follow normal spacing.

I say 7.5

Good point and insight. .in a lot of ways I would agree with you..however..it is a Cali ram? Just never seen this mass in 7.5..anywhere.
Much to much mass, formation just isn't a 7 1/2 year old cali.imo.
Great read..
Steven

[elknut]

I will say 10 1/2 years..The broomed end is 1 1/2 years old...Dennis..Also there is another year from the 8th line to the base..Making it 9 countable rings and the broomed end that a biologist will add 1 1/2 years too ..There must be a wildlife biologist or a CO on this forum..What say you?...

[Bear Brawler]

I got 9 before reading any comments. I can't wait the Sheep Show soon.

[dracb]

I'd say your 7th annuli is a false making this ram 7.5. Remove it from your total and you have nice, even spacing. If it were a real annuli, it would be odd for the ram to go from such a big growth year between your 5-6 to such a small one between 6-7, and then you have to "find" a non-existent annuli or two between your 8 and the base to follow normal spacing.

I say 7.5

Yep, the CI is going to be looking very closely at annulus number 7. Poor health or poor feed can cause horn growth in any year to be much reduced from what would otherwise be expected and can also produce a false annulus within a years growth. The widths between 6, 7 and 8 would require adverse health/environmental conditions for at least two consecutive years. This is much less likely than some event causing a single false annulus at the site marked as 7 on the photo. Your age interpretation based on the photo is probably correct.

[elknut]

RAMSHOT..Is this sheep from the Chasm?...Lots of sheep have died due to exposure to domestic sheep down there..I used to go deer hunting in mid to late November and the sheep were right around the corner at the bottom of the hill ..I've got pictures of lots of sheep..Also got a pic of the ram that was poached and someone cut his head off..There used to be about 55 or so sheep..Haven't been there for a few years so don't know how the sheep are doing..No use deer hunting there as the whole mountain is burned from the fires..There were some up and comer rams the year the big guy got poached......Dennis

[Ramshot]

This ram is from the South Thompson sheep herd on the Kamloops Indian reserve ir#1. It died in close proximity to a herd of domestic goats. This is why the necropsy was conducted. The horns are being prepared by a taxidermist and is being donated to WSSBC fundraiser in March. Will post age from regional biologist tomorrow on this ram.

[elknut]

Thanks Ramshot..Great fundraiser......Dennis

[.264winmag]

7 and a bit I'd say, definitely looks like a false ring mixed in there.

[REMINGTON JIM]

This ram is from the South Thompson sheep herd on the Kamloops Indian reserve ir#1. It died in close proximity to a herd of domestic goats. This is why the necropsy was conducted. The horns are being prepared by a taxidermist and is being donated to WSSBC fundraiser in March. Will post age from regional biologist tomorrow on this ram.

Kool ! Will be Great to see at the WSSBC Fundraiser here in Kammy ! NOW :-P its the 13 ! Whats the age ? :-) lol RJ