Sheep question.........

[whitetailsheds]

Just read an article on mulies. It indicated that if you bump or spook them, to just back off, not pressure them any further, and keep an eye on the area (it was a ridge in the article) from a distance. Because they've got a small home range (what the article said), just to wait 'em out (didn't say how long) and you should get another chance.
So to all the experienced/ successfull/ knowledgeable sheep hunters out there, I've got a couple questions for ya. More toward stone's but maybe applies to bighorns/ dalls, I don't know.
If you spook rams from an area and they head over the top, can you just back off and keep an eye on the area? For how long?
The other is.....you've got some rams spotted but they are: 1.Off in the distance (couple miles) and 2. in difficult terrain and it will take a day or two to figure out how to get to them. Will they tend to hang around that spot (ridge, cliffs, bowl, mountain) for long?
Thanks for the feedback, Grant

[boxhitch]

Not sure I can be of much help, but from what I hear, thinhorn sheep have a large home range, and can be in any spot at any time, no set pattern. If they were in a particular spot for a particular reason they will return, sometime. Some say they tend to move regularily, just to stay ahead of predators.
Bighorns are a little different in that some of their safety areas are more confined, so they may tend to stay tight, if not pushed.
Push 'em and all bets are off.


and 2. in difficult terrain and it will take a day or two to figure out how to get to them.
No such luxury. hussle your butt.

I know someone is going to com eon and say that you can watch them for days, or bed them down and approach the next day. It happens, sometimes.
Well, thats what I've been lead to believe.

[whitetailsheds]

Thanks Boxhitch! I am expecting to hear a variety of answers, but at the same time, predicting that alot of them would be that stone rams wouldn't venture too far. Just want to see what "batting" average comes of the question. Thanks again.

[kootenayelkslayer]

I don't have a whole lot of sheep experience yet, but from what I've seen (with dall's anyway) is that unless they are pushed hard over a few days they don't tend to stray too far. It seems like you might see a band of rams in a basin one day, and the next they might just be on the backside of the mountain or further down the ridge etc. I know that I've flown over bands of rams, and then a week later find them very close to the original location. So if you were to see some one day but couldn't get to them, I'd guess that more often then not they won't have gone to far by the next day. My experience comes from extremely remote territory, it would make sense that in areas with more hunting pressure that the sheep would move around alot more.
Thats just my 2 cents, we'll see if anyone agrees with me ;)

[Deaddog]

Once you spot your legal ram, go for it. Backing off may work but you will certainly kick your but if you "put them to bed" and they went out "partying" all night. Sheep hunting is about gut wrenching hard work, If you have the privledge of having a legal ram within striking distance I believe you pull out all stops to make it happen. As others on here have done, be prepared to stay out on the rocks overnight ,or hike back to camp for hours in the pitch dark, and of course get yourself into situations that you don't share with your spouse when you get home!!LOL

[whitetailsheds]

Thanks YFella, Koot, and DD, know there is no cut and dry answer. Thought it'd be neat to see an average of the answers on the part of the sheep hunters on here.

[Kitimat Killer]

ya with the ram i got last year there was 12 rams spotted them first night of the season made are stock and could not get into shooting distance so backed off before we got busted the next day i spottend then about 500 yards from the night before and took my ram that time it work but the time before i spooked a ram and watched it cross two ranges after that

[BCrams]

I would say it all depends on where you are going and how much hunting pressure the rams you are after have been subjected to. In some areas, all a ram needs is one little bump and no one will see him again for the rest of the season. Get an area with a bunch of guys in there and often it will be the fittest, fastest and toughest guys who will do anything to get on the rams first because as soon as you spot rams, chances are good there are other sets of eyes watching the same bunch from somewhere. The rams can get pushed around and it would not be inconcievable other hunters could push spooked rams right by you.

Anytime you spot rams, you need to be prepared to make a move on them as it may / may not be your only chance at them. Being prepared to spike it a couple nights from the comfort of your tent to camp on them so to speak. Its not going to be very often where you spot rams and will get to sit on your butt watching them for a few days until you get a chance at them.

A few things can happen if you spook rams (dependant on how much pressure the area recieves): they will hit the timber and stay there for weeks (if not the rest of the season); they will find the gnarliest terrain and park themselves on a ledge in the cliffs where you cannot get at them; they will leave the range you're hunting and show up a couple mountains over somewhere else; and if you're so lucky to hunt rams that have not been pressured much, you will find them bedded down over the ridge they disappeared over !!.

[Dirty]

I would say that it depends on the escape routes that they have available. If there are nearby ridges that head over the mountain range into the next drainage then you can bet that is where they are headed. Somebody mentioned wolves too, and that makes for very uneasy sheep. Look at the situation, add things up and make a sensible decision.

[srupp]

Thanks BCRAMS...great information..muchly appreciated..!!!!

Steven

[budismyhorse]

couldn't agree with BCrams more.

All I will add is this: When you see an opportunity at a legal sheep (that you want) of any kind, thinhorn or bighorn, GO AFTER IT NOW. As much as possible, just push yourself and go after it. Call in sick, sleep under a tree, spend all day in a rain/snow nightmare, what ever. If you wait, your chances of taking that ram go down, way down.

I have blown the 2 best opportunities at bighorns I have had by waiting. I am a patient guy, but need to step it up in those spots. Both rams were taken by other hunters within days. ....one was 184 btw...keeps me up at night....